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Monica Cheru-Mpambawashe Lifestyle Editor
Long Cheng Plaza will be the scene of a multi genre gala this Saturday with food taking the centre stage as the Chinese community in Zimbabwe seeks to build cultural bridges with the locals, courtesy of the Chinese Embassy and related businesses. Cultural and Educational Attache at the Chinese Embassy Dr Wu Chuanhua said the Chinese Food Festival in Zimbabwe has been conceptualised as a way of celebrating and cementing the great friendship that the countries of China and Zimbabwe enjoy at national level.
This is a relationship that dates back several decades to Zimbabwe’s liberation struggle against colonialism. “Recently President Mugabe was in China where he met with his counterpart and other high ranking officials as our governments signed very important agreements. We would like to build on this background to enhance the friendship between our two nations on a more people to people level.

We think that food is not only a basic need, but an important cultural aspect as it is the reflection of the soul of a nation.
Chinese food is very popular in every corner of the world but not so many ordinary Zimbabweans have opportunities to understand and enjoy it,” said Dr Wu.
In Shona there is a proverb that translates to say that kinship has a gap that is filled at the dining table. And it looks like this is a truism that cuts across many of the perceived cultural barriers between the Chinese and Zimbabweans as the former having a saying that goes, “The masses regard food as their heaven.”

The potential for shared culture has also been proven at a performing arts fiesta that is now an annual event in Harare.
The 2014 edition of the Night of Beijing held at the Celebration Center was a sold out event with the audience of thousands comprising Chinese people based in Zimbabwe and other locals of every skin tone.

Acrobats, dancers and musicians kept the audience captivated for two hours with a combination of purely Chinese acts and some adaptations that transcended borders.
At the food festival people can expect to taste the best from all the main eight branches of Chinese cuisine. Although there are several Chinese food outlets including five large restaurants in Harare they mostly serve Sichuan, Hunan and Anhui cuisine. So this may be the only chance for both connoisseurs and the unlearned to experience Fujian, Shangdong, Guangdong, Jiangsu and Zhejiang style of cooking.

The Chinese raise their food preparation to an art with colour, aroma and taste always catered for in any meal.
The festival will start at 11 in the morning and last until five in the afternoon. Entrance is free. Food tokens will be on sale for $2 for three portions. Proceeds will go to charity.
“All the income raised will go to the Zimbabwe Parents of Handicapped Children Association who will also be present.

“We are also appealing to anyone who would like to make a donation to the association in cash and kind to do so on that day,” said Dr Wu.
Proceeds of the Night of Beijing which totalled $10 000 were topped with $40 000 from the Chinese Government for a donation to the Tokwe Mukosi floods victims.

There will be far much more than food on offer as Churchill Boys High School Band, Zimbabwe Wushu Association, Confucius Institute of Zimbabwe, street dancer and the first three winners of the “Zimbabwe’s Got Talent” show will be performing.

“This is a family event with food and fun. I hope that many people will come so that we all get to know each other,” said Zimbabwe Chinese Business Association editor Penny Pengsaid.

The organisation is a key partner in the event.