Immigrating to Spain: Where to find Chinese food? According to a report by the Spanish newspaper "Ouhua Bao," as the Year of the Horse Spring Festival drew to a close, Chinese people living abroad, in addition to contacting friends and family across the ocean, also sought to experience the "taste of the New Year" on their tongues to alleviate their deep homesickness. In childhood memories, the New Year is always closely linked to satisfying one's appetite. However, finding an authentic Chinese restaurant with hometown characteristics in Spain has become a multiple-choice question without a correct answer. Mr. Qin, who is from Sichuan, visited several Chinese restaurants with his family during the Spring Festival, but the results were disappointing: "I'm used to eating Western food, but during the New Year, I have to change my palate. I wanted to take my mother to eat some hometown dishes, but after visiting several restaurants, none of them were as authentic as what I make myself!" Many friends around him share the same regret as Mr. Qin regarding this topic.
Interestingly, most Chinese restaurants were very busy during the Spring Festival, with countless reservations, and even foreigners joined in the fun.
Where can you find authentic Chinese food?
Old An, a Spaniard, is a China expert. Over the years, he has frequently traveled between China and Spain. A few years ago, he even adopted a little Chinese girl. During the Spring Festival, Old An ordered food from Mr. Chen's restaurant. He believes, "To experience traditional Chinese food, you have to go to China. Chinese restaurants in Spain are just an extension of Chinese food culture, and the dishes and flavors are relatively monotonous. Because I couldn't get away from company business, I couldn't take my daughter to China for the New Year, but it is still necessary to let her feel the atmosphere of the Spring Festival at a Chinese restaurant here."
Old An has a strong interest in Chinese culture and was even more interested in explaining the term "authentic" (daodi): Mainland Chinese say "didao," while Taiwanese say "daodi." These two terms actually mean the same thing: genuine and authentic. But if you look at them separately, this "dao" (way/path) cannot be separated from "di" (land/earth). As the saying goes, the local environment nurtures the local people; once you leave the land of China, the "dao" loses its original flavor. It's like saying you must go to Italy to eat pasta, to Hokkaido to eat sushi, and to Valencia to eat paella. Once a food culture is popularized, it becomes like KFC or McDonald's—completely standardized food that has lost its cultural connotation.
Hearing such words from a foreigner, I felt very surprised. Thinking about it carefully, I have to admit that it is indeed the case. Chinese people emphasize adapting to circumstances. The reason why Chinese food has become a concentrated industry for Chinese people throughout Spain is not because of the breadth and depth of Chinese food culture, but precisely because the pioneers invented a menu that works across the Iberian Peninsula. From a business perspective, the success of a business is not determined by gourmets, but by its fit with market demand. In other words, everyone knows that the piano is elegant, but not everyone will buy a piano.
Chinese food in Spain adapted to local conditions
Mr. Chen has a deep understanding of the innovation of Chinese dishes in Spain. He said: "Innovation requires investment and a price to pay. The research and development of new dishes and new flavors require a process for diners to accept them. This is equivalent to changing customers' existing perception of Chinese food, which cannot be changed overnight. Even if you hire a famous chef from China at a high salary, it is unknown whether ordinary customers will accept it. If it goes wrong, it may even be counterproductive. Old customers do not accept new flavors, and the habits of new customers have not yet been cultivated, so the innovation will be abandoned halfway."
Following this, Mr. Chen also analyzed the differences between the Chinese food markets in China and Spain: "In China, there are hundreds of years of accumulated dietary habits and cultural atmosphere. The Chinese food market is very mature, and any cuisine has a large number of followers. This base is incomparable in Spain. If I open a Hunan restaurant in Beijing, it is easy for everyone to recognize it, and they generally know that Hunan cuisine is characterized by fragrance and spiciness. Those who like this will naturally become my customers. This promotion hardly costs anything; there is no need for words. Once the sign is hung, the diners will understand. It is difficult to implement this in Spain. Without that mass foundation, even if you give a long speech introducing the advantages of Hunan cuisine, you have to consider how much foreigners can accept? This is the influence of cultural connotation; it cannot be transplanted into the minds of foreigners with a manual. Foreigners also have the urge to try new things, but after that urge passes, they will still maintain their original dietary habits."
When talking about the issue of "authenticity," Mr. Chen smiled and said that Chinese food in Spain is also "adapted to local conditions." Any Chinese restaurant makes "authentic" Spanish-style Chinese food. As long as the customers are coming, it is enough to show that the taste, quality, and service all meet the real needs of local consumers.
