Chengdu Panda Asian Food Festival: Is hotpot the next big boom of Chinese cuisine overseas?

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On the sidelines of the Conference on Dialogue of Asian Civilizations, there's a good way to get a taste of southwestern China. The Chengdu Panda Asian Food Festival is bringing the best out of the city. In addition to different types of dishes from both home and abroad, Sichuan hotpot is a big draw. And it's becoming popular overseas too. CGTN's Xu Xinchen has more.

Hot oil, pepper corn and chili pepper eating contests. The Chengdu Panda Food Fair is the perfect place for foodies to burn their tongues and numb their lips. While Sichuan cuisine has many styles and forms, its signature spice is found in nearly every local favorite — including hotpot.

XU XINCHEN CHENGDU "This hotpot mart is one of the biggest stars at the food fair in Chengdu. And Sichuan spicy hotpot has been enjoying fast growth in popularity in recent years, not just here in Chengdu nor just in China, but also beyond borders."

Shudaxia is a regional hotpot brand with an exhibit at the mart. And the chain has successfully opened its first store in Japan. They're now eyeing Singapore, Malaysia and even the US and Australia by the end of the year. The biggest challenge though is how to convince people to give it a try.

ZENG MING, RETAIL GM SHUDAXIA HOTPOT "Initially, it was not easy to expand overseas. To non-Chinese customers, we have to help them understand not only the dishes we serve, but also stories behind our restaurant decor so they can start appreciating this dining experience."

Laomatou hotpot is also gearing up to go abroad. The firm believes, in addition to quality improvement, service is the key to higher yields expected from markets like the US.

HUANG WEI, BRAND DIRECTOR LAOMATOU HOTPOT "In addition to taste and freshness, service and dining experience are also important. These help lead to more sustainable business abroad."

According to Meituandianping, China's largest online urban guide for restaurant reviews and group deals, hotpot is not often found in western reference guides like Michelin. However, the firm is including Sichuan spicy hotpot locations in its own global restaurant reference — the Black Pearl list.

YIN RUI, CMO OF IN-STORE BUSINESS MEITUANDIANPING "Western people have a hard time reviewing hotpot, because they focus more on cooking skills. Yet hotpot doesn't require much cooking in the kitchen. But we believe it can also go premium in the sense of how fresh the ingredients are, as well as desserts and appetizers they offer."

Yin adds that chefs and restaurant management teams are playing a crucial role in bringing Sichuan cuisine like hotpot overseas. Xu Xinchen, CGTN, Chengdu.