Lanzhou beef noodle is one of Chinas most representative flour-made foods while pasta is one famous Western delicacy. What kind of spark will be created when the two famous foods meet?

A connecting city cultures event was held at the Beijing Ritz-Carlton Hotel on October 11 to showcase the interaction. Titled "When Lanzhou beef noodle meets pasta", Chinese and Western chefs staged a wonderful food duel with on-site production of delicious Lanzhou beef noodles and pasta. This "culinary feast" also facilitated Chinese and Western culinary and cultural exchanges, adding more flavors to the event.

This event was held by the Publicity Department of the CPC Committee of Lanzhou and the Office of Commerce of the Embassy of Italy in Beijing. Both China and Italy have strong feelings for noodle and the inter-city exchange event via noodle aimed at further deepening communication and exchanges of the two countries in business, logistics, tourism, culture and other areas. It is also expected to enhance inter-city interaction and improve the publicity, reputation and influence of the two countries food.

As one of the ten most famous noodles in China, Lanzhou beef noodle boasts a history of 102 years and is known for its tasty beef, soup and noodle. Lanzhou is also qualified as the hometown of Chinese beef noodle.

As one major city along the ancient Silk Road, Lanzhou has witnessed the arduous efforts of our ancestors and their feat of developing the Silk Road, according to Zhang Hui, deputy director with the Publicity Department of the CPC Committee of Lanzhou.

Lanzhous culinary culture has developed its own time-honored characteristics. The event will make Lanzhou beef noodles smelled not only across Lanzhou, but also across the world via the Belt and Road Initiative thanks to the participation of the two countries noodle masters. It will also facilitate cultural and culinary exchanges, Zhang added.

Lanzhou people would like to work with friends at home and abroad to promote culinary innovation and development and we hope more cultural exchanges of this kind will be held in Italy and Lanzhou in the future, Zhang pointed out.

Pasta is also one popular delicacy in China thanks to its exotic taste. This event will promote culinary cultural exchanges and bring the two countries closer, said Enrico Berti, First Secretary of the commerce office with the Embassy of Italy in Beijing, adding that the two countries both have time-honored history and culture despite a long distance while Lanzhou beef noodle and pasta are both delicious despite many differences.

Lanzhou beef noodle has become the citys name card and Lanzhou broth beef noodle production skills have become one of Lanzhous intangible cultural heritage protection projects. Ma Wenbin is one senior chef of Lanzhou beef noodles who masters the top skills of noodle-making. He made Lanzhou beef noodles on site, with the dough turning into noodles within a second. He can make six bowls of noodles within one minute and make noodles of twelve different shapes.

Chef De Cuisine Amedeo Ferri of Barolo at Beijing Ritz-Carlton Hotel also made pasta on site. The Italian chef has rich cooking experience after working in Italy, Dubai, Japan, Thailand and other countries. He could deliver a special taste to each meal thanks to his study and interpretation of culinary differences among different regions.

Meanwhile, eight attendees of the event tried making Lanzhou beef noodles and pasta themselves. The interesting experience gave attendees deeper understanding of the Chinese and western food.

A bowl of delicious noodles becomes important bond of cultural exchanges linking China and Italy. Food and food materials are traveling across the regions along the Belt and Road Initiative, enriching peoples tastes and mutual understanding. The event will not only allow Lanzhou beef noodles to go global, but also introduce food from other regions, especially those from the B&R countries into Lanzhou.

This intercity cultural exchange event let the guests feel the food culture with on-site engagement, thus boosting Chinese foods confidence to go global, and China and Italy both attach importance to the development of culinary culture and enjoy promising globalization prospects, according to Li Yaguang, deputy director with the China Cuisine Association.

Building a bridge between the two countries via food will further promote bilateral culinary and cultural exchanges and cooperation and contribute to the development of the B&R Initiative by expanding international market together. There are promising prospects for Chinese food to go global as well as for Italian food to expand in China, Li added.