Chinese Food Kaleidoscope: A Unique Exhibition on Chinese Cuisine

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CHINESE FOOD EXHIBITION
Your Name
Date

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Introduction
As a curator of a prominent exhibition at Rockland museum in Auckland, my focus is on
Chinese food exhibition. The purpose behind is to bring together the politics and pleasure of food
that can lead to a more sustainable and delicious experience on the plates and in the palate for the
future. The food is a lot bigger and deeper than the plate it is restricted to, and it brings people
together and motivates them to make collective choices about food. The curatorial effort behind
the exhibition comprises of important behind-the-scenes expertise and renovation of exhibition
space within the establishment to showcase the Chinese food and cooking techniques. Ever since
the 1960s, there is a study rise in the number of ethnic restaurants in New Zealand and today;
there are plenty of Chinese restaurants located in Auckland and Wellington1.
New Zealand is on the threshold of having its own exclusive Asian cuisine thanks to a
novel generation of ethnic chefs2. New Zealand food had been dominated by its British in the
past. However today, one finds a fusion of different food practices due to Chinese, Indian,
Dalmatian and Dutch immigrants. Chinese food is equivalent to the Kiwi in the social aspect
when people gather to cook for each other and eat food together. Some of the most popular
dishes include dim sum, dumplings, rolls, and buns3. Shanghai foods is a lot sweeter and served
1 Moira Markwick,
“Eating as a Cultural Performance in Early 21st Century New Zealand:An
Exploration of the Relationships between Food and Place”,
Massey University,
Auckland ,no.1 ( 2009): 1-224.
2 Lincoln Tan." Ethnic food revolution: New taste of NZ.".
stevenholl, July 15, 2015 (accessed
20 May 2019);
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/lifestyle/news/article.cfm?c_id=6&objectid=11480918
3 Thomas Heaton. “Chinese food explained: from Szechuan to Canton,"
stevenholl, Feb 14,
2018 (accessed 20 May
2019);https://www.stuff.co.nz/life-style/food-wine/101183102/chinese-food-explained-from-
szechuan-to-canton

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with sour flavors. Towards eastern China, the food is deep-fried and comes with sweet and sour
flavors.
Food specialists and designers are experimenting with new foods to encourage new
tastes. The idea is to encourage respect towards food and eat with responsibility, without wasting
or throwing away the food. The exhibition would encourage visitors to take smaller portions of
food and eat more slowly. Apart from introducing visitors to Chinese goods, they would learn
about the diversity of food and the role of food in human health. They would get educated on
how the different sense of tastes can impact the food choices one makes.
Title of the exhibition
Chinese cuisine is unique in the sense that it has absorbed cooking ingredients and
methods from all across the globe for centuries to develop a unique and exotic local Chinese
cuisine. Even today, there is no 'national cuisine' but provincial Chinese cuisines that are based
on social stratification and geographical differentiation4.When I started researching material for
the Chinese food exhibition; I wanted to know how designers and curators approach food to
connect to their audience. Food is an important tool in society and connects people from different
cultures. Chinese food is widely popular across the world and is loved for its flavors and variety.
As Chinese food is both varied and colorful, the exhibition would be named “Chinese Food
Kaleidoscope.”
Location of the exhibition
The Chinese food exhibition would take place at Rockland, which is a heritage building
in Auckland. The private house carries more than 200 years history, and the hall is around 200
square meters. It would be easy to hold the food exhibition here and display Chinese foods,
4 David Y. H. Wu and Sidney C. H. Cheung, “The Globalization of Chinese Food,
” University of
Hawai'i Press, no1
(2002): 1–194.

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cooking techniques, and how to make dumplings. Rockland is chosen to hold the exhibition on
Chinese food because it has ample space and it is easily accessible for visitors to enter the
exhibition areas. As the building is centrally located, it is within a reasonable distance from most
people and is near many places of work. There are various modes of convenient transportation
and parking options for visitors. Rockland is a well-known place of gathering and is known to
create enriching experiences for the visitor. Thus, it is the right place for the event as it supports
social belonging and participation. It is well designed to provide space for the community and
allow groups and experts to get together and share their knowledge and experiences.
Time of the exhibition
Auckland has plenty to offer to its locals and the tourists who come here to enjoy the
nature and culture of the region. When and where the exhibition is staged is a significant
decision that can have a substantial impact on the event, its reception and success. The Chinese
Food Kaleidoscope exhibition would be held at the Rockland heritage building from 14 to 17
February from 11 am to 6 pm. The reason behind is that those dates coincide with the Auckland
Lantern Festival5, and another advantage is that New Zealand witnesses a significant number of
tourists during February. It would be a good combination for the visitors to enjoy Chinese Food
during the day and end the day with a celebration of the largest Chinese festival in Auckland.
The events will introduce them to delicious Chinese dishes and later entertain them with the
Chinese lanterns, music and dance performances.Food is seen as a good example of globalization
as it helps to make connections among cultures and peoples. Chinese food has played a
noteworthy role in the globalization process of cuisine variation, food distribution, and
5 Eventfinda." Auckland Lantern Festival."
eventfinda,2019 (accessed 20 May 2019);
available from https://www.eventfinda.co.nz/2019/auckland-lantern-festival/auckland/
grafton