Core Insights - The 34th China Chef Festival and the 2025 China Culinary and Catering Expo opened in Suzhou, showcasing the growing international influence of Chinese cuisine [1][5] Group 1: Event Overview - The event is part of the Ministry of Commerce's 2025 "Chinese Cuisine Gathering" initiative, co-hosted by the China Culinary Association and the Suzhou Jiangnan Food Culture Foundation [1] - The theme of this year's festival is "Crafting a Hundred Flavors, Building Health, Innovating Culinary Arts, New Fragrance of Suzhou" [1] - The festival features a record number of participating countries and attendees, highlighting its expanding scale [5] Group 2: Government and Association Support - The Suzhou government has launched a catering culture revitalization plan, aiming for a restaurant revenue target of over 100 billion yuan this year [5] - The China Culinary Association emphasizes the dual focus on culture and industry, creating a comprehensive activity matrix that includes competitions and exhibitions [7] Group 3: Event Activities - The festival includes forums, cooking competitions, and an expo, providing valuable networking opportunities for industry professionals [9] - The cooking competition features seven professional contests, including the "2025 Chinese Culinary World Championship" and the "2025 Western Culinary Skills Competition," both recognized by the World Chefs Association [10] - The expo spans 40,000 square meters, gathering nearly a thousand quality enterprises, showcasing a wide range of products from ingredients to kitchen equipment [10]

Core Points - The 26th China Food Festival opened in Qingdao, Shandong, as part of the Ministry of Commerce's 2025 "Chinese Cuisine Gathering" initiative, focusing on stimulating service consumption growth [1][2] - The event aims to activate the potential of the catering industry, which is crucial for promoting consumption, benefiting people's livelihoods, and stabilizing employment [1] - The festival will host various activities, including the 2025 China Catering Industry High-Quality Development Conference and the 5th China Takeaway Festival, to discuss industry upgrades, internationalization, and digital transformation [1] - A report titled "2025 Annual Report on the Catering Industry" will be released during the forum, along with the first batch of green restaurants cultivated according to national standards [1] - The festival will feature a special session for renowned chefs to showcase innovative dishes, highlighting the integration of modern consumption concepts with the catering industry [1] - The event will also include a new ingredients and dishes matchmaking meeting and a catering supply chain cooperation negotiation meeting to facilitate efficient collaboration [1] Industry Insights - The festival integrates seasonal elements and national aesthetic trends, showcasing well-known time-honored brands and cultural creative suppliers, promoting local and intangible cultural heritage cuisines nationwide [2]