New generation of authentic Chinese restaurants opens in Paris, to wide praise
Influx of younger, more well-off immigrants to French capital leads to upgrading, expansion of Chinese dining options
A set of heavy Chinese wooden doors, slightly incongruous with the classical European streetscapes most associated with Paris, separates Sun Yiwen’s restaurant from the wine and cheese vendors that are traditional culinary landmarks in the French capital.
Visitors crossing its threshold find themselves transported to a world of kaochuan – seasoned meat skewers popular in northeastern China – grilled chicken ribs and frozen pears.
Her restaurant, Tonton Mao – “Uncle Mao” in French – is one of many new establishments rapidly expanding the Chinese culinary footprint in Paris.
“Unlike before, Chinese restaurants in Paris now target a different customer group; there are a lot more young people in the city,” Sun said.
Her restaurant’s kaochuan is prepared by chefs flown in from Shenyang, the capital of northeast China’s Liaoning province, and its decor harks back to China in the 1920s and 1930s.
At that time, thanks in part to French media reports, there was a general perception of Chinese people being poor and running dirty, chaotic kitchens.
