A Chinese entrepreneur from Shandong province has launched a successful restaurant chain in Paris, selling traditional Chinese noodles that began as a food truck two years ago. Guo Zhanglong, who studied at a French university as an exchange student in 2011, initially worked in the Sino-France trade industry before becoming a full-time influencer. During this time, he catered to friends and neighbors with traditional Chinese food made by his mother-in-law in their Paris home. One friend, impressed by the food, suggested he open a restaurant.
With a limited budget, Guo started with a food truck, driving it to fairs across Paris in the summer of 2022. His mother-in-law, who had over two decades of experience running restaurants in China, handled the cooking. They sold knife-pare noodles, a traditional dish from China’s Shanxi province. Knife-pare noodles, one of ten traditional forms of Chinese noodles, have a history of around 1,000 years. Cooks hold a big piece of dough in one hand and use a thin knife to slice chunks of dough directly into boiling water. Minutes later, the boiled willow-leaf-shaped noodles are placed into a soup mixed with chili oil, sometimes with added vegetables, beef, or lamb.
Initially concerned that locals might not accept the oily and spicy dish, Guo was pleasantly surprised when their food truck business boomed, with diners queuing for two hours to order. Emboldened by this success, Guo opened his first Kung Fu Pate Restaurant in downtown Paris in October last year, which also proved successful. He has since opened three more restaurants under the same brand.
French customers were fascinated by the performance of slicing dough chunks, often likening it to Chinese kung fu. When Guo explained that the noodles have a 1,000-year history, they were amazed, comparing it to the age of Notre Dame. Despite the success, Guo faces challenges in hiring servers and dishwashers due to high wage expectations in Paris. However, finding cooks skilled in making knife-cut noodles has not been difficult.
Guo is committed to maintaining the authentic taste of knife-cut noodles, as his mother-in-law insisted on preserving the traditional recipe. “The taste of knife-cut noodles has been like this for hundreds of years, and we should make the most authentic version,” Guo said. He acknowledges that while some people may not like it, others will appreciate the authenticity, which is a normal phenomenon.
Guo Zhanglong’s journey from a food truck to a thriving restaurant chain in Paris showcases the power of traditional cuisine and cultural heritage in creating a unique dining experience that resonates with a global audience.
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