While Cantonese cuisine has many world-famous dishes, the key to its salivating success has been its adaptability. In the past year, social and economic changes in Guangzhou are being reflected in southern China's most worshipped pastime; eating, and this is causing many Chinese cooks to respond in kind.
Previously, Cantonese chefs only needed to concern themselves with how to prepare dishes that were handed down through generations. Nowadays, Guangzhou's chefs are more market sensitive and agree that to survive in the competitive restaurant business, they have to be sensitive to new eating trends.
Some of the city's best-known chefs agree that thanks to a string of pandemic annoyances like Sars and bird flu, big spenders who used to eat whatever pleased their palate are now more discerning.
'Now, more people want smaller portions, and also what is healthy and delicious,' says Gao Xu Lian, head chef at the Imperial Palace at the Guangdong Foreign Businessmen's Club hotel. 'My customers want to be guided on what kinds of food are most suitable for them without paying too much.'
The latest 'New-Style Cantonese' food combines healthy and imported ingredients, including parsley, cheese and olive oil. 'This adds a lot more flavour and variety to Cantonese cuisine,' says Chen Su Xin, who heads the kitchen staff at Xin Li Zhi Wan Jiu Lou, in the Electronic Plaza on Huanshi Dong Lu.
One example of the new style of cooking features braised lobster. Onions and green and yellow bell pepper slices are lightly fried and brushed with a soy and huang dou sauce which covers chunks of lobster.