Angela Merkel Learns to Cook Kungpao Chicken in Chengdu
German Chancellor Angela Merkel kicked off her 7th visit to China at the invite of Premier Li Keqiang from July 6 to 8 since she took office as Chancellor in 2005, with economic ties topping the agenda and a high-powered business delegation in tow.
The first leg of Merkel’s visit is Chengdu, capital of southwest China’sSichuan Province, where she met local officials, visited a local market and toured a factory operated by German car manufacturer Volkswagen.
It is the Chancellor's first time to visit the city, wherewas the first nominated city for the ‘Creative Cities Network’ in the gastronomy category by UNESCO in Asian countries and also is the birthplace for mouthwatering hot and spicy Sichuan cuisine. According to China News, Merkel showed great interest in the recipe behind kungpao chicken, a traditional Chinese dish in the region, made with chicken, peanuts, vegetables, and chili peppers. Merkel bought her own ingredients from Shenxianshu wet market in the city and spent there about 15 minutes. The trip was followed by a visit to the Chengdu Yinxiang restaurant, where Merkel learned how to cook the dish from a Sichuan Chef Zhang and observed him to concocting the perfect sauce.The German leader was said to have good chopstick skills and continuously praised the dish, saying it was "very good" while inviting others to try it.
As the ‘City of Gastronomy’, Chengdu attracted many celebrities to visit and food taste including British Prime Minister David Cameron and America first lady Michelle Obama.
Later after Chengdu visits, Merkelleft for Beijing to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping, Premier Li Keqiang and top legislator Zhang Dejiang, and also attended the China-Germany Economic and Trade Commission.Since 2006, the Chancellor has visited several Chinese cities including Beijing, Shanghai, Nanjing, Xi'an, Guangzhou and Tianjin.