On June 18, the opening ceremony of the 2024 Shanghai Summer School Chinese Culinary Culture Program took place in SSPU’s Academic Exchange Center.

A group photo of the ceremony attendees. [Photo/WeChat account: sspulxs]

The event is sponsored by Shanghai Municipal Education Commission and organized by Shanghai Polytechnic University (SSPU).

Deputy Secretary of the SSPU Party committee Wu Peidong announced the opening of the 2024 Shanghai Summer School Chinese Culinary Culture Program. He pointed out that, as one of the brand projects for Shanghai education, Shanghai Summer School is an important channel for international cooperation and exchange. In this year's program, students will learn how to cook Huaiyang cuisine, one of the eight major Chinese cuisines. They will also experience Shanghai's thriving food culture and learn the Chinese language from experienced teachers.

Sun Yan, dean of the School of International Education, introduced the program's basic information. This year, the university invited Professor Wang Liming, director of the University College Dublin’s Confucius Institute; and Peng Jun, deputy secretary general of Shanghai Restaurants Cuisine Association, as the consultants for the Chinese Culinary Culture Program. As usual, the Shanghai Brilliance Vocational School will serve as the program’s training base and famous master chefs will be responsible for culinary training. Moreover, the "Experience Shanghai" activity series will be initiated with support from Donghu Group.

Professor Wang sent his sincere wishes for the program's success. He said that this program provides valuable exchange and learning opportunities for international students. It also allows students to immerse themselves in Huaiyang food culture, master cooking skills, and appreciate the unique charm of traditional Chinese culture.

Peng acknowledged the contribution of the Chinese Culinary Culture Program in promoting the internationalization of the Chinese catering industry. He suggested that the Chinese catering sector should expand beyond the country's borders, allowing people from around the globe the chance to savor authentic Chinese food and enjoy Chinese culinary culture. Peng went on to state that the Shanghai Summer School holds great significance in international cultural exchange. By attracting outstanding young people from around the world to study in China, the program not only enhances their understanding of Chinese culinary culture but also encourages them to promote it upon returning to their home countries.

Huang Yujing, director of the Culinary Training Center of the Shanghai Brilliance Vocational School, thanked the Shanghai Restaurants Cuisine Association for its guidance, and Shanghai Polytechnic University for providing a cooperation opportunity. She warmly extended an invitation to students from all over the world to join the program and wished the program success.

Byrd Liam of Technological University Dublin spoke on behalf of the program’s participants. He is sincerely looking forward to improving his culinary skills and learning to cook Huaiyang cuisine at the Shanghai Summer School. As a lover of Chinese food, his experience in China has further enhanced his passion for Chinese culture. He said he would carefully study the courses offered by the program, enjoy cooking Chinese food, and gain a deeper understanding of Chinese culture.

Launched by Shanghai Municipal Education Commission, Shanghai Summer School is an important channel for international cooperation and exchange. It was established to be a platform for educational cooperation and people-to-people exchanges. It also strives to attract more foreign students to experience China and study in Shanghai. The current Chinese Culinary Culture Program will run from June 13 to July 8.