Chinese community takes over Kai to Pie

Media release 15 June 2010

Chinese community takes over Kai to Pie this Saturday

Auckland is a unique culinary crock-pot, encompassing a dazzling array of foods from the dining tables of the 181 ethnic groups that call New Zealand’s largest city home. The World on Your Plate series at the Auckland Museum allows visitors to experience just some of these incredible foods.

Visitors can from this Saturday tantalise their taste buds and try something new as the diverse ethnic groups that make up Auckland showcase their cultural cuisine with live cooking sessions, food tastings and performance.

This Saturday, July 19, is the Chinese World on Your Plate:

Chinese cuisine first arrived in New Zealand with the gold-miners of the late 19th century. Since that time our fascination with Chinese food has grown into a full-blown love affair. The diversity of Chinese cuisine is representative of the nation’s huge geography and long history. As philosopher Confucius once said, “Eating is the utmost important thing in life.” Even today the colour, aroma and flavour of Chinese cuisine share equal importance.

Join chef Connie Clarkson for a demonstration of Chinese cooking followed by food tastings (gold coin donation). Singaporean-born Clarkson is a prominent NZ foodie and has diverse interests in both Asian and European cuisine, as well as authoring books and columns for Metro and World magazines.

As well as Connie Clarkson, Master chef of dumpling making, Sister Lan, will demonstrate dumpling making and Tony Cho, head chef of the Golden Horse restaurant, will give a demonstration of vegetarian cooking.

David Wong will tell the story of his great-grandfather Tom Ah Chee, who opened Australasia’s first American-style supermarket in 1958, changing forever the way Kiwis shop for food. The Ah Chee family, which has sold fruit and vegetables in Auckland since the 1870’s, also was instrumental in founding the Georgie Pie chain in 1990’s.

There will be cultural performances from the Chinese New Settler Services Trust, including Tai Chi and a traditional Chinese costume fashion show. Audience members will be invited to participate and samples of the food will be available for the public to taste. Approximate schedule below:

10 a.m. Show and tell: Chinese New Settler Service Trust
11am – 11.20/30am Sister Lan demonstrates dumpling making
11.20am – midday Food tasting, participation and discussing

Midday – 12.30pm Connie Clarkson cooking demonstration
1pm Traditional Chinese costume fashion show
/youth performance / Tai Chi
1.30pm – 2.30pm Repeat of Show and Tell
2.30pm – 3pm Cooking demonstration Tony Cho

3pm Ah Chee story by great grand-son David Wong
3pm – 4pm Story telling and food tasting

Next Saturday, June 26, is the Croatian World on Your Plate:

ENDS

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