Peony flower blossom (2014) by Wang ZhiqiangWorld Federation of Chinese Catering Industry
Dough made primarily from wheat flour and rice flour plays an important role in Chinese cuisine. It has a long history, features exquisite craftsmanship, and comes in many varieties. There are many traditional solar terms in China, and therefore many corresponding dough-based foods.
Wang zhiqiangWorld Federation of Chinese Catering Industry
Wang Zhiqiang was born in 1948, and has garnered a variety of honors, including: China Master Chef, Top-Class Judge of China, Senior Referee, and Senior Pastry Chef. He is also regarded as the "Pastry King of Beijing" and the "King of Pastry."
Wang Zhiqiang himselfWorld Federation of Chinese Catering Industry
In 1964, the 16-year-old Wang got a job at Qianmen Hotel in Beijing and became an apprentice of Li Decai (also known as Baozi Li due to his talent at making baozi buns), where he began to learn various culinary skills.
Pleated buns (1972) by Wang ZhiqiangWorld Federation of Chinese Catering Industry
After becoming a chef, Wang began to learn how to make flour-based dishes, with baozi buns being his jumping-off point.
Asia-Africa Table Tennis Friendship Invitational Tournament Emblem (1971) by Wang ZhiqiangWorld Federation of Chinese Catering Industry
In the 1970s, Wang sought to innovate using traditional dough as a building block.
In 1971, the Asian-African-Latin American Table Tennis Invitational Tournament was held in China. The catering team led by Wang was in charge of the flour-based dishes for the banquet at the opening ceremony. To echo the themes of the tournament, he took peeled and steamed yams, pounded them into a paste, from which he made ping pong balls. He also made rackets out of flour, which caused quite a stir during the banquet.
Panda playing with bamboo (1972) by Wang ZhiqiangWorld Federation of Chinese Catering Industry
In 1972, President Richard Nixon visited China. Wang provided catering services to the president during his visit. Having been inspired by the two pandas that China had given to the U.S. as tokens of friendship, he made an innovative dish named "Pandas in the Bamboo."
He chose white puff pastry to craft the pandas' chubby bodies, and stuck on black sesame seeds to act as their eyes, noses, and other body parts, which helped emphasize the dramatic juxtaposition between the divergent colors. The resulting pandas were remarkably vivid.
Handwritings by Chef Wang Zhiqiang (2017) by Wang ZhiqiangWorld Federation of Chinese Catering Industry
In the 1980s, Wang came to southern China and began to learn how to make Jiangsu dishes and Cantonese dim sum. He then proceeded to study dumpling banquets in Shanxi, which feature a cornucopia of various dumplings. These experiences took his creativity and culinary skills to new heights.
Colorful Steamed Dumplings (2018) by Wang ZhiqiangWorld Federation of Chinese Catering Industry
These colorful steamed dumplings are made of wheat starch and contain shrimp filling. Underneath the glimmering and translucent skins are a kaleidoscope of vivid colored fillings. In terms of taste, they are moderately salty and sweet.
Love in the rain (2013) by Wang ZhiqiangWorld Federation of Chinese Catering Industry
This dish, "Sentiment in the Rain," is made of crispy puff pastry and features a clearly defined texture.
Gold ingot pastry (1991) by Wang ZhiqiangWorld Federation of Chinese Catering Industry
By the 1990s, Wang had become the head pastry chef at Qianmen Hotel. He put a heavy emphasis on two crucial points.
The first was the importance of coarse grain, which was the only thing that could ensure balanced nutrition.
Chicken hatching (1988) by Wang ZhiqiangWorld Federation of Chinese Catering Industry
The second was exquisite craftsmanship, with which the appetite could be whetted.
Apple pastry (2012) by Wang ZhiqiangWorld Federation of Chinese Catering Industry
In the 21st century, Wang dedicated himself to innovation, resulting in the creation of his lifelike fruit-shaped buns. These are buns that are shaped to resemble various fruits. The natural colors used are all extracted from vegetables, and the buns are steamed using an ancient technique used in many traditional Chinese foods.
These green apple buns are made of flour and pineapple juice, and were shaped by hand. They are pale green, exquisitely shaped and, and beautifully sweet.
Mangosteen pastry (2016) by Wang ZhiqiangWorld Federation of Chinese Catering Industry
These mangosteen buns are made of flour mixed with cocoa powder and red yeast rice powder to give them their unique color. They were also handmade, and are incredibly realistic.
Fruit Plate (2016) by Wang ZhiqiangWorld Federation of Chinese Catering Industry
This dish resembling a plate of fruits is made of leavened dough, and colored using natural colors.
Chinese culinary master Hall of fame Tutor Wang ZhiqiangWorld Federation of Chinese Catering Industry
As times change, diners are becoming ever more discerning, and increasingly more people find themselves immersed in the profound stories behind Chinese cuisine. This trend has been driven by dedicated and highly talented chefs like Wang Zhiqiang.
