The 150-year-old Tan Family Cuisine is making a comeback! Known for its meticulous ingredient selection, precise cooking techniques, and perfect timing, Tan Family Cuisine, one of China's top three official cuisines, is now available in Nanhai!

Nanhai, Guangdong, is home to two great culinary families: one is the Taishi Cuisine created by Jiang Taishi Gong, a gentleman from Nanhai, ant the other is Tan Family Cuisine, founded by Tan Zongjun, a scholar from Tan Village in Nanhai who was the second-highest-ranked candidate in the imperial examination during the late Qing Dynasty.

Tan Family Cuisine is one of the most famous official cuisines in China. It is recognized alongside Nanjing Suiyuan Cuisine and Qufu Kong Family Cuisine as one of China's top three official cuisines. It is also the only cuisine in Chinese history created by a scholar, making it a remarkable milestone of Chinese culinary culture.

What is Tan Family Cuisine?

The founder of Tan Family Cuisine was Tan Zongjun, a native of Nanhai County, who ranked second in the imperial examination during the late Qing Dynasty. After becoming a scholar, he entered the Hanlin Academy in Beijing and created Tan Family Cuisine.

His son, Tan Yuanqing, and his concubine, Zhao Lifeng, further refined and improved the dishes, gradually transitioning the cuisine from family banquets to private dining events.

In 1958, Premier Zhou Enlai introduced Tan Family Cuisine to the Beijing Hotel, where it was served at high-end banquets for state guests.

In 2022, Chinese culinary master Liu Weiping, the fourth-generation inheritor of Tan Family Cuisine, formally accepted Tan Xuezhong as the fifth-generation heir. This marked the official "return to roots" for Tan Family Cuisine.

The Distinctiveness of Tan Family Cuisine: Luxury

Tan Family Cuisine is renowned for its luxury, which is evident in several aspects:

Ingredients

The dishes feature premium ingredients such as bird's nest, shark fin, and other exotic delicacies.

Cooking Techniques

The cuisine emphasizes slow cooking and meticulous preparation to achieve perfection in color, aroma, and taste.

Tableware

The dishes are served in individually portioned, elegant, and antique-style tableware, enhancing the dining experience.

Innovation

The cuisine integrates elements from both northern and southern China, as well as from the East and West, highlighting its century-old heritage.

As a comprehensive representation of Chinese culinary culture, techniques, and unique dishes, Tan Family Cuisine brings together northern and southern specialties. The cooking style focuses on preserving the original flavors of the ingredients through methods such as braising, stewing, simmering, and slow cooking.

The cuisine includes a wide range of dishes such as cold appetizers, abalone, fish maw, sea cucumber, and fish lips, with a particular expertise in preparing luxurious banquets featuring bird's nest, abalone, and shark fin.

National Banquet Braised Shark Fin

National Banquet Fo Tiao Qiang

Braised Oxtail

In addition to the focus on the quality and taste of the dishes, Tan Family Cuisine also places great emphasis on the dining environment. The setting is carefully designed to evoke the charm of traditional Chinese art, literature, nature, and fragrance.

The courtyards are adorned with unique trees and bonsai that enhance the ambiance of the corridors. As you stroll through, you can immerse yourself in the scenic beauty of the garden, experiencing the tranquility of nature without leaving the city, enjoying the pleasures of a forest spring while still being in the midst of urban life.

Reporter | Eddie

Revisor | Eleanor, Lynn

Photo | Foshan News Network, Du Jingqiu, Li Junliang

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