Diverse offerings of Chinese cuisine in Chengdu have caught international taste buds as foreigners from different Western countries and walks of life wish to savor more of China’s unique dishes.
"I wish time to pass slowly so that I can enjoy more of the food and culture here in Chengdu," American Raymond Greene explained.
Greene, who is the newly appointed U.S. consul general in the Sichuan Province capital Chengdu, consider the cuisine in Chengdu as one of the best perks and pleasures of living there.
According to China Daily, the American consul is not alone in this as Sichuan's cuisine is gaining popularity even with European personalities including German Chancellor Angela Merkel as well as British actress Bonnie Wright.
Merkel, who visited Sichuan back in July, even learned from a restaurant in the province how to cook kung-pao chicken, a famous dish in the province.
This dish is basically made with chicken, vegetables, chili peppers and peanuts plus some seasoning only found in the area, which is why the German chancellor needed to visit the place just to acquire the needed ingredients.
Meanwhile, the British actress who portrayed a famous Harry Potter character, Ginny Weasley, also tried and loved Sichuan's hotpot in September where she also learned how to prepare Chengdu's mapo tofu.
Experts described this appeal that Sichuan cuisine has to the Western tongue to be something related to the spicy nature of most of the dishes.
"The first impression of Sichuan cuisine to many people is spicy, while in fact, 70 percent of dishes are not," 70-year-old Sichuan chef Peng Ziyu, who served dishes from the province to the former French president Jacques Chirac when he visited the Asian country.
Peng described Sichuan dishes to have a wide variety of flavors varying from sweet to sour, spicy to salty and even bitter, which he says can satisfy different international tastes.
"People may not like every single dish, but they are sure to find some they will enjoy," he added.