A creative cooking workshop celebrating the Dragon Boat Festival unfolded at the IGS cafeteria, bringing together gourmet tastings and traditional cultural experiences. Faculty and students gathered to craft authentic Chinese pastries with their own hands, discovering the timeless allure of traditional Chinese cuisine.
Joy & Pleasures of Culinary Craft
We were honored to invite Mr. Lin Qiang, Regional Chef from our partner Sodexo, to lead teachers and students in a hands-on Suzhou Boat Pastries workshop. As a delicacy of intangible cultural heritage, Suzhou Boat Pastries originated from ancient Suzhou boats, where travellers savoured them alongside tea, and feature delicate forms and sweetness, embodying classic Chinese culinary artistry and fine craftsmanship.
Chef Lin is renowned worldwide for his mastery of Chinese dim sum. He once served as the honour chef for the King and Queen of Norway, crafting the traditional Su-style pastries that earned him high praise.
Drawing on Sodexo’s global expertise in catering services, Chef Lin integrated healthy eating principles into every step of pastry-making. All ingredients used were fresh and carefully selected. Staying true to classic Su-style pastry, he used natural fruit and vegetable for natural colouring, embodying a green, wholesome approach to food.
As doughs took shape beneath hands, delicate pastries came to life one after another. This captures the singular charm of Suzhou dim sum—works of art as pleasing to the eye as they are delightful to taste.
Plates of steaming pastries were then served, and participants sat side by side to savor their homemade creations. Laughter filled the air, wrapping the whole venue in a cozy, joyful atmosphere.
Savoring Dragon Boat Festival
The zongzi gifting session followed shortly after. Wrapped in emerald reed leaves, each zongzi carried heartfelt blessings of peace and prosperity unique to the Dragon Boat Festival, shared with every teacher and student.
Everyone learned about the origin of zongzi and the rich customs surrounding the festival. The aroma of reed leaves paired with greetings offered our culturally diverse community an intimate window into this cherished Chinese holiday, allowing them to grasp the profound cultural meaning woven into its age-old traditions.
Global Cultures Unite Over Flavor
Chinese pastries carry centuries of history and folk heritage, while food acts as a universal thread connecting diverse cultures. Rooted in IGS’s inclusive, holistic education philosophy, and supported by Sodexo’s professional, sustainable catering solutions, this workshop invited the whole school to engage with Dragon Boat Festival traditions through lighthearted, hands-on practice and dive deep into Chinese culinary heritage.
Food proved to be a bridge, fostering mutual understanding and harmony among our multicultural community and leaving every participant with warm, lasting memories of the Dragon Boat Festival. The IGS cafeteria will continue hosting a wide range of food education themed workshops, and keep nurturing a campus where diverse cultures coexist and thrive side by side.