On March 7, 2025, EU Pork, The Smart Choice campaign hosted a tasting event targetting industry professionals in Guangzhou. The activity took place at Park Hyatt hotel, with a total of 45 guests.
This tasting event, through professional explanations, exquisite cooking demonstrations, and tasting experiences, led guests to explore the superior quality of European pork and its unique charm in diverse cooking methods.
The event began with Mr. Jaime Lorenzo, Chief Economic and Commercial Counselor at the Spanish Consulate General in Guangzhou sharing some welcome remarks and highlightening the importance of Spain and Portugal, as culinary powerhouses.
A highlight of the event was the live demonstration of traditional European ham carving techniques by Mr. Lü Zhihua, a ham carver with over a decade of experience. Guests were able to closely experience the unique texture and deep cultural heritage of Serrano ham. Mr. Lü explained the carving techniques for different parts of the ham, demonstrating how to use specialised knives to carve the perfect thin slices, allowing the ham’s flavour to be fully released in the mouth, giving guests a firsthand experience of this thousand-year-old European ham culture.
Following this, Mr. Zhang Zhenyu, a lecturer at the Culinary and Food Science Engineering College of Sichuan Tourism University and a Western cuisine chef, provided an in-depth analysis of safety, quality, animal welfare, and sustainability of European pork. He pointed out that European pork strictly adheres to EU food safety standards throughout the production process, with every step from farm to table carefully controlled.
Mr. Li Zhixing, head of the Western kitchen at the Park Hyatt’s banquet hall, then presented a spectacular cooking demonstration. He carefully selected various cuts of European pork, showcasing its freshness and delicacy through techniques such as pan-frying, slow-roasting, and braising. The special menu included:
- Barley Beer Glazed Spanish Pork Belly with Pickled Vegetables
- Braised Spanish Pork Collar Roll
- Slow-roasted Spanish Pork Ribs with Bean Paste, Potato Mousseline,Carrots, Spring Onion, and Sesame Seeds
- Port Wine Braised Spanish Pork Rib, with Serrano ham, Lentils and Zucchini
Through these classic dishes, Chef Li allowed guests to fully experience the multi-layered flavours of European pork and its rich potential in cooking. Wine expert Mr. Lei Lin carefully selected wines to pair with the pork dishes, offering guests a perfect fusion of flavours and further showcasing the versatility of European ham in culinary pairings.
This event allowed professionals in the food industry to exchange ideas and explore collaborations. Guests discussed opportunities and development prospects of European pork in the Chinese market, sharing their experiences and views on European pork. They expressed their recognition of high-quality imported pork and looked forward to more opportunities to engage with and use European pork in the future.
