New Delhi, Sept. 10 -- The International Institute of Hotel Management (IIHM) in Kolkata hosted the Chinese food festival 'Colourful Yunnan: A Feast of Flavours in Kolkata' on September 6, 2026. The Yunnan Provincial People's Government's Foreign Affairs Office supported the event, which the Chinese Consulate General in Kolkata hosted.
The campus was transformed with vibrant cultural elements, bringing the sights, aromas and traditional hospitality of Southwest China directly to the heart of Kolkata.
Attendees and speakers included Wang Ling, Director of Yunnan Province's Foreign Affairs Office and Consul General Xu Wei. Consuls General from Thailand, the UK, Australia and Bangladesh were among the more than 200 attendees, together with representatives from the media, the local food, cultural and educational sectors and the Chinese community living abroad.
During his speech, the Consul General thanked IIHM for sponsoring the venue and the team sent by the Yunnan Foreign Affairs Office. He pointed out that Chinese cuisine has long served as a link between China and the rest of the world and that Chinese culinary culture has a long and rich history.
Chinese cuisine is incredibly popular in India, especially in Kolkata and has long been ingrained in the locals' daily routines. He highlighted that mutual learning makes civilisations richer and more diverse and that gastronomy inspires new ideas through interchange. The Consulate General is still dedicated to advancing the sound and steady development of bilateral ties as well as fostering friendship between the Chinese and Indian peoples through interpersonal and cultural interactions.
A promotional video called 'A Life Called Yunnan' was shown during the event. Yunnan Arts University instructors and students performed Yunnan folk tunes and a 'guzheng' solo. The audience applauded the chefs' amazing talents as they made Dragon's Beard Noodles on the spot.
Unlike standard Indo-Chinese fare, the menu explored the 'ultimate melting pot' of Chinese culture, paying tribute to the recognised ethnic minority groups of the Yunnan region through distinct textures, regional herbs and traditional cooking methods. Sweet and Sour Chicken with Pineapple, Dai-style Prawns, Grilled Chilli Eggplant and much more were among the Yunnan speciality foods on display at the culinary festival.
Visitors joyfully interacted with the chefs and artists, praised the food and eagerly snapped pictures to document the special event.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.