Challenges of running a Western fine-dining restaurant in China, where every second guest is a food blogger
Media exposure can be a blessing and a curse, as a Shanghai restaurant given a Michelin star found to its cost, and there are other hurdles: sourcing quality ingredients, fickle diners, labour shortages and costs
Since the first McDonald’s in China opened to much fanfare in Beijing in 1992, there’s been remarkable growth in international cuisine options across the country, especially in the largest cities.
High-end Western dining options, in particular, have increased during the past quarter century to meet demand among the nation’s increasingly affluent and cosmopolitan population. As a result, last year saw the launch of the inaugural Michelin guide to dining in China, with coveted stars presented to 26 restaurants in Shanghai.
Stefan Stiller learned the hard way about the complex world of restaurant licensing and regulations in Shanghai, after being forced to close down his Taian Table restaurant just one day after being awarded a Michelin Star in September.
The German native opened the restaurant on the first floor of a residential building, but he encountered trouble obtaining a licence before opening. Stiller says he had come to a gentlemen’s agreement with the landlord and authorities: as long as the restaurant didn’t attract too much attention, it could stay open.
The intense media scrutiny that followed the Michelin announcement was enough to shutter Taian Table.
“In China, not everything is black and white; there is a lot of grey,” Stiller says. “And there are always so many changes of rules and regulations. Sometimes you can’t get a clear answer about what’s allowed or not allowed.”