FOOD, A UNIVERSAL LANGUAGE
Food is another factor bridging cultures and bringing people together.
Tucked away in the Jinshangyuan commercial building in Beijing is a restaurant with an unmistakable Singaporean touch.
The Vanda, which is decorated with colourful Nyonya batik, has also been decked out in flags and commemorative pins in recent weeks to celebrate Singapore’s birthday.
Patrons at the restaurant said they enjoy the fusion of Southeast Asian tastes in dishes that include chicken rice, laksa, hokkien mee and chilli crab.
“I found everyone to be really warm and friendly, which made me want to visit Singapore even more, to better understand its people and their culture,” said a diner.
Singaporean William Ding opened the eatery earlier this year, describing the venture as coming “a full circle”.
“My grandfather (went) from China to Singapore and started his business, a coffee shop. Me, coming back, it’s like the handing over of heritage,” said The Vanda’s co-founder and managing director.
This is the 53-year-old’s second restaurant in Beijing. He opened his first outlet in 2012 and credits his local Chinese partner with helping him navigate the business environment.
“He understands Singaporeans – how we talk and our culture. He helped me translate some of the cultural differences when I first came here. He’d explain to me why I should say this or not, and how it may be perceived,” he said.
“When we have the amount of trust that’s built between a local like him and myself, we can actually overcome a lot of challenges together.”
