As part of the Conference on Dialogue of Asian Civilizations (CDAC), which was open on May 15 in Beijing, the Chengdu Panda Asian Food Festival (CPAFF) was staged in the capital city of Southwest China’s Sichuan Province. The event kicked off on May 15 and will last till May 22. The official website of the event https://foodfestival.gochengdu.cn/, produced and operated by gochengdu.cn. The opening ceremony of the CPAFF was held at the Chengdu Museum on the morning of May 16, with the attendance of master chefs of Michelin-starred and Black Pearl restaurants, representatives from the UNESCO cities of gastronomy in Asia and Slow Food Chefs Alliance, as well as famous chefs of different cuisines in China. The 8-day grand gastronomic Festival consists of a variety of international and cultural events and activities for mass participation, including forums, food experiences, cuisine culture-themed exhibitions and meetings for exchange among chefs, as well as days of different countries and regions in Asia. The Asian Hot Pot Festival, one of the important sub-events during the CPAFF, features an exhibition of hot pot ingredients and cooking supplies, a summit forum on the hot pot industry, an award ceremony for the Jinhuo Award, and a creative hot pot-themed fair. The Asian Food Tasting Spree will be held jointly by thousands of catering businesses in the city. Local residents and tourists can participate in games to win discounts and special offers provided by the restaurants. In addition, more than 100 restaurants specializing in Japanese, Korean or Thai food, as well as other Asian delicacies, will offer their signature dishes during the Festival. Aimed to further the mutual understanding and friendly exchanges between Chengdu and Asian countries and regions, during the "TASTE OF ASIA" Food, Culture and Tourism Themed Day, a theme event is held every day between May 15 and 21, with its daily focus on different food, culture and tourist resources of the Asian countries and regions. According to a survey organized by the China Cuisine Association, Sichuan food is one of the most popular Chinese cuisines overseas. At present, Chengdu is stepping up its efforts to build itself into an important city of culture in the world, and an international city of gastronomy. The city aims to be an international center for traditional and innovative cuisines as well as chef training by 2020. Chengdu's annual revenue from the food and beverage service sector is projected to reach 110 billion yuan ($16.04 billion) by the year. Currently, it is home to more than 100,000 restaurants. For more details, please visit https://foodfestival.gochengdu.cn/ Source: gochengdu.cn Image Attachments Links: Link: https://iop.asianetnews.net/view-attachment?attach-id=336243 Caption: The opening ceremony of the Chengdu Panda Asian Food Festival Link: https://iop.asianetnews.net/view-attachment?attach-id=336249 Caption: A group of guests at the opening ceremony of the Chengdu Panda Asian Food Festival