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ZHANG:
After NTD's Chinese Culinary Competition, our reporter spoke with the head judge, Mr. Qu Yunqiang. He thanked all the participants for promoting China's traditional culinary culture, and suggested that everyone work for an ever-deeper understanding of the methods and principles, behind the different unique styles of Chinese cuisine.
STORY:
Qu Yunqiang explains some of the most important aspects of judging the culinary competition:
[Qu Yunqiang, Head Judge]:
"The very most important thing is taste; flavor is an extremely, extremely important criterion. There was also mastery of the fundamental skills of cooking, and of the unique qualities and traditions of the five different cuisine styles. The most prominent characteristics of the styles had to be brought forth. All of these were criteria used in judging the competitors. Texture, knife-work, and timing all played a role as well."
Mr. Qu says that some competitors had indeed lost sight of traditional styles of cooking. Shandong's Sliced Skate dish, for example, should either be served with a white sauce or plain, but some competitors made it sweet, or used vinegar, which resulted in a loss of points. For Cantonese Cuisine's Sweet and Sour Pork, if the fundamental flavor isn't strong enough, the sweetness and sourness can't be emphasized enough, and the overall effect can seem greasy.
Self-selected dishes also required a deep understanding of the cuisine style.
[Qu Yunqiang, Head Judge]:
"There were competitors who created food sculptures, which were quite beautiful, but this wasn't part of our criteria for judgment; it just has the effect of beautifying the exterior of the dish."
[Qu Yunqiang, Head Judge]:
"In order to make great food, we must, because all food is created for people to eat, make it such that people can enjoy it. We must be creating something fundamentally good with this cuisine, in order to really accomplish our goal, and embody the finished dish. Individual style is also very important; it is the process that delivers the result... we all speak of a return to China's traditional culinary culture, and so we must keep this culture first in mind as purveyors of food."
Mr. Qu is confident that next year's competition will see even more competitors rising to meet the strict standards of traditional cuisine, and an even deeper understanding of the culture behind it.
Auteur: NTDTV
Keywords: Ntd NTDTV news traditional Chinese Culinary Competition Judge Culture flavor skills cooking qualities Texture food
Auteur: November 21, 2008
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