Welcome to China

Day one of my first ever trip to China. I have designed some menu's focused around Australian flavours and ingredients to compliment some fantastic Katnook estate Australian wines for a dual promotion between the lovely White Swan hotel in Guangzhou (China's first ever five star Hotel) and Watson's Wines in China. The aim is to raise the image of Australian wine and to also give a bit of a push for wine in general. Chinese beverage consumption doesn't usually extend to wine.

So I must train the local lads how to cook the food, talk to some Chinese food media, dignified guests and customers and behave myself. worst news is luggage was over on the way here which doesn't leave much space for retail therapy... So arrived late via Hong Kong sitting next to possibly the only other person on the plane who was over 6ft 2in and 110kg, handed out and received business cards from everyone in sight on arrival, and was then invited to dinner with Food and Beverage Manager and the exec sous chef of the hotel. Lovely, even if i have been travelling for 13 hours and it is currently midnight Melbourne time dinner is appreciated, today is the moon festival so we have some of the traditional Cantonese moon cakes wow these are rich but lovely. The White Swan pastry kitchen makes over 2 million of these for sale leading up to the festival. Anyhow dinner and a quick briefing is followed off to unpack and report for duties at 10am tomorrow.