Epsilon Archive for Student Projects

Abstract

According to relevant records, in 1786, the first Chinese from Guangdong, China, set foot on Swedish land with the ships of the Swedish East India Company, and in 1959, the first Chinese restaurant opened in Sweden and officially welcomed customers in Gothenburg. People, as carriers of their original culture, travel together with them, while restaurants, as the main carriers of ethnic cuisine culture, provide them with a soil for rooting and development overseas. Therefore, the story between Chinese cuisine and its culture and Sweden may have already begun. So, what is the current situation of Chinese cuisine and its culture in Sweden? What are the challenges? What are the reasons that have led to such a situation and challenges? Through interviews with six Swedish Chinese restaurant operators and a questionnaire survey targeting the local Chinese community, the following content can be summarized and analyzed: Chinese cuisine and culture exist in different forms in different occasions and conditions in Sweden today, and have adapted to local social conditions and cultural traditions to some extent in certain aspects. The dietary behavior, habits, preferences, and other aspects of the Chinese community living in Sweden are still significantly influenced by traditional Chinese cuisine related cultural content in their daily lives. At the individual level, corresponding adjustments need to be made to the traditional Chinese cooking process to suit the local situation in Sweden. Chinese restaurants generally offer traditional Chinese cuisine as well as adjusted versions to cater to different tastes and increase profits. The challenges that exist are often conflicts between certain ingredients and processing methods of traditional Chinese cuisine and the local dietary habits and culture. The sense of non identification arising from certain dishes may lead to some people's rejection and misunderstanding of the overall culture of Chinese cuisine. In addition, the restrictions on the variety of vegetables and seasonings in the local market have also to some extent limited the development of Chinese cuisine in the area. Analyzing the reasons, the survival and development of Chinese cuisine and its culture in Sweden are influenced by various and complex factors. At the individual level, it may be due to personal living habits, potential rejection of foreign cultures, and inevitable cross-cultural communication barriers. At the macro level, political factors, policy factors, changes in the number of Chinese immigrants and residents in Sweden, and the composition of the catering market may also become influencing factors for the survival status and challenges faced by Chinese food culture in Sweden.