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Biggest Chinese Restaurant in the World, The
Enter a vast culinary complex and encounter the dramas, personalities and ordinary lives that exist within it, for a unique perspective on the way China is heading. Read More
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Overview
Offers a unique perspective on the way China is heading. China is a country in a period of rapid transition. The enormity of the country means that it is increasingly flexing its muscle on the world stage, showing tremendous economic and political power and providing over a billion potential "consumers" to the international market. It has a GDP of almost $2 trillion and is one of the world's largest exporters. With increasing urbanisation and a loosening of state controls, the Chinese way of life is transforming itself minute by minute. Before the Olympics rolled into Beijing, the world readied itself to break open China's doors and get a brief glimpse of life inside.
The West Lake, Xihulou, Restaurant in Changsha is the gargantuan and dramatic setting for this observational documentary. The restaurant is a miracle of management, organisation and efficiency. It recently catered a company banquet, serving 3,800 people simultaneously. This 5,000-seater temple to food is a symbol of the new China; a microcosm of the economic and social changes shaking up the country in the run up to the Olympics. It is bigger, bolder and better than the competition and it's a business success story that is very Chinese in nature.
The Biggest Chinese Restaurant in the World is an observational, character-led documentary. Narrative follows the different characters that work or dine at the West Lake - the waiters, chefs and managers, the dynamic owner, the customers and the suppliers - each providing a different face of contemporary China. What aspirations and hopes do the West Lake's staff have for their future? How do they spend their time when not working in the West Lake? And how are they adapting to business rather than the State providing their livelihood?
Subtitles: English
Product Reviews (8)
watching fish being cut up alive and fried alive in a wok full of oil bubbling away and being served up still alive with chilly on top, just makes me hate these sick people - who do it all for competition.
Based on this review I have ordered the docoumentary. I work with Chinese students in the ESL field so I am very interested.
Watched this series on TV not long after going to China and wished we knew about this restaurant while there. Had the opportunity to go back to China this month and made sure we went to the restaurant. It was a wonderful experience. The food was so tasty, the show specular and the building and gardens so beautiful. So great to be able to buy the dvd to have a lasting memory.
like to go there se for my self and eat the beautifull food love the documentary
Mao once said that "woman holds up half the sky!" and this film shows how powerful women are in China today. I find this film is very interesting and entertaining. It really shows the real Chinese food and how today's China looks like.
It is a very pleasant film. The food preparing in China is quiet shocking and very different to ours in the west. It is amazing to see Chinese women are so capable that at least they seem to be more capable than many men in the film.
Amazing piece of work
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I give this programe -5 *. I was flicking channels and came across snakes being gutted and skinned and served while still wriggling Yuck. I am not sure if they all had their heads cut off before other treatment. HOWEVER... I saw the entire prep and cooking of live fish. Scaled, scored, gutted (some) and then deep fried in oil then a sauce poured over it. Disgusting. The mouth had to be moving for the chef to be successful. This is prime TV time. young teens and adults and probably children being exposed to such treatment of animals and if they don't have role models to show them humane ways to prep and cook then there is no hope for our society.