Kempinski in the News

Jinan, July 4th, 2025 – Frank Chen, Executive Chef of Kempinski Hotel Jinan, kicks off a tasting journey of customized Huaiyang cuisine with "Suzhou Craftsmanship · Jinan's Ultimate Flavor".

This feast is crafted by Frank Chen based on the Huaiyang culinary culture of "eating in season". He selects seasonal delicacies and uses exquisite knife skills to carve out the poetry of Jiangnan's misty rain, embedding the essence of thousands of years of food culture into the dishes. Each delicacy is a fusion of inspiration and craftsmanship, allowing diners to encounter the ultimate realm of Huaiyang cuisine - "fresh and mild, both rich and mellow" - and appreciate the elegance of Jiangnan scenery flowing on the tip of the tongue.

Frank Chen is from Yixing, Jiangsu Province. With 28 years of passion for Huaiyang cuisine, he is a guardian and innovator on the tip of the tongue, as well as a national senior culinary master. His footprints have spread across many international luxury hotels at home and abroad, and he has deeply rooted the elegant and authentic taste of Huaiyang cuisine in his heart.

Frank Chen is not only a guardian of tradition but also an explorer of cuisine. With profound skills and a unique perspective, he endows classic Huaiyang cuisine with innovative expressions that keep pace with the times.

Exploring Huaiyang Cuisine

As one of China's four traditional cuisine systems, Huaiyang cuisine originated in Yangzhou and Huai'an, and has long been praised as "the best flavor in the southeast, the most delicious in the world".

It mainly uses river, lake, and stream fresh ingredients as the main materials, supported by exquisite cooking techniques, with the original flavor as the best, and the pursuit of satisfying various tastes. It is appreciated by both refined and popular tastes without losing elegance, especially its unique concept of "harmony, precision, clarity, and freshness".

It fully embodies the five unique characteristics of Huaiyang cuisine: fresh ingredients, delicate knife work, longer cooking time, rich changes, and emphasis on original flavor.

Selected Featured Dishes by the Chef

Ten-Year Huadiao Drunken Prawns

Slowly soaked in ten-year-aged Huadiao wine, the wine aroma penetrates the bones. The shrimp meat is firm and springy. When you take a bite, you first feel the slightly intoxicating mellow aroma, followed by a burst of sweetness, with a long aftertaste, fully showing the wonderful charm of drunken freshness.

Matsutake Chrysanthemum Tofu Soup

The ultimate display of knife work: tofu is shredded like chrysanthemums, cooked with crisp and tender matsutake. The soft and the crisp, clear soup with fresh flavor, fully reflecting the essence of Huaiyang cuisine - "knife work as the soul".

Emerald White Jade Lion's Head

Replacing pork with mandarin fish and perch meat, adding a small amount of lard and beating until firm. The low-fat and sweet fish meat balances with the mellow fat, tender but not dry, moist but not greasy.

Jiangnan Slow-Cooked Beef

Beef is simmered with tangerine peel and plum for seasoning. The fat turns into amber jelly, melting in the mouth. The sauce aroma is wrapped with osmanthus honey for a sweet aftertaste, with a perfect blend of sweet and salty, and a lingering aftertaste.

It is worth mentioning that a significant knife-handing ceremony is specially arranged in this feast. When Kempinski, a model of European luxury hotels with 128 years of history, joins hands with WMF, a century-old German kitchenware brand, this customized private feast integrating food art and craft aesthetics becomes even more brilliant.

With the theme of "Star Chef Club - Making Life Different", this cooperation relies on the profound heritage of both brands to present more diversified experiences for urban high-end lifestyle enthusiasts. To bring delicious food into thousands of households, Kempinski Hotel and German kitchenware brand WMF have jointly established the Chef Star Club. In the club, star chefs from the hotel teach everyone to cook food through online live broadcasts, and offline classes are also held to truly bring catering culture to Jinan, the Spring City.

At the ceremony, the WMF brand representative personally awarded the WMF Damascus Chef Series knives, which won the Red Dot Technology Award, to Chef Chen.

This knife is hand-forged at high temperature and formed in one piece, with a blade texture like flowing clouds and water. The pattern of each knife is unique. This knife is not only a manifestation of exquisite craftsmanship but also a symbol of the two brands joining hands to pass on food culture.

Enjoy the charm of cloud scenery, taste the flavor of craftsmanship. The customized menu by the Executive Chef of Spring Chinese Restaurant at Kempinski Hotel Jinan allows you to taste authentic Huaiyang flavors on site and enjoy the characteristic melodies of Jiangnan.

Spring Chinese Restaurant of Kempinski Hotel Jinan sincerely invites diners from all over to come and explore the flavors, taste the chef's ingenuity. If you want to taste Huaiyang flavors, there's no need to go down to Jiangnan.

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About Kempinski Hotel Jinan:

Kempinski Hotel Jinan (https://www.kempinski.com/cn/kempinski-hotel-jinan), situated on floors 51 to 71 of YunDing Tower in the heart of Jinan International Financial City, seamlessly combines European elegance with the rich heritage of Qilu culture. Surrounded by numerous high-end enterprises, it is the ideal choice for both business trips and leisure visits.

The 314 guest rooms and suites blend the essence of Qilu and the Yellow River civilisation with modern urban vistas. Floor-to-ceiling windows provide unobstructed views of the city. The property features a total of 3,000 sq ft (approximately 279 sq m) of versatile meeting and banquet spaces, including the pillar-less 1,100 sq ft (approximately 102 sq m) Genting Grand Ballroom, the 360 sq ft (approximately 33 sq m) Cloud and Function Hall and a 1,600 sq ft (approximately 149 sq m) rooftop garden, ensuring flexibility for your event planning needs.

Moreover, the hotel offers seven distinctive restaurants and bars, including the Spring Palace, Yunjing All-day Dining Restaurant, Lobby Lounge and Food Gallery, each promising to excite your taste buds with a diverse culinary experience. For relaxation and rejuvenation, guests can enjoy a state-of-the-art sky gym, yoga studio and spa facilities.

About Kempinski:

Created in 1897, Kempinski Hotels is Europe’s oldest luxury hotel group. Kempinski’s rich heritage of impeccable personal service and superb hospitality is complemented by the exclusivity and individuality of its properties. Today the Kempinski Group operates 78 hotels and residences in 32 countries and currently has more than 31 prestigious projects under development around the globe. Each five-star hotel reflects the strength and success of the Kempinski brand without losing sight of its heritage; each one imbues the quality guests have come to expect from Kempinski while embracing the cultural traditions of its location. The portfolio comprises historic landmark properties, award-winning urban lifestyle hotels, outstanding resorts and prestigious residences. Kempinski is a founding member of the Global Hotel Alliance (GHA), the world’s largest alliance of independent hotel brands. www.kempinski.com www.ghadiscovery.com

Media Contact:

Joyce.zhang· PR Manager

Kempinski Hotel Jinan

District 5, Hanyu Financial Business Centre, No. 7000, Jingshi Road, Licheng District, Jinan City, Shandong Province

T +86 531 5986 9999 · M +86 19953196513 · [email protected]