The 9th Shanghai East Lake Food Festival kicked off in September with a grand ceremony, showcasing the craftsmanship of East Lake

The 9th Shanghai East Lake Food Festival kicked off on September 1, 2023. As a major event in the Shanghai catering industry, hotels under Donghu Group not only continue the splendid and diverse catering characteristics of previous years, but also put in great efforts in cultural sentiment and craftsmanship spirit, taking food enthusiasts to experience the extraordinary taste of Shanghai.

Since 2015, the East Lake Food Festival has been successfully held for 8 sessions. With the huge influence of various hotel themed activities under the East Lake Group, it has become one of the important promotion projects of the Shanghai Tourism Festival and can be regarded as an important food business card of Shanghai.

This year, Donghu Group continues to focus on the theme of "Donghu Flavor and Good Food", with the idea of "craftsmanship inherits classics, creativity is boundless", condensing the core elements of destination hotels, fully showcasing the group's "beauty, cuisine, and reputation", as well as the fruitful development of the group's catering industry, creating Shanghai style delicious food, and presenting the unique charm of Shanghai's culinary culture as a globally influential international metropolis.

Bring Hengshan Garden Hotel to a Renewal and Return

Food travels through history

Hengshan Garden Hotel

Since the end of 2020, Hengshan Hotel has started renovation and renovation, striving to restore the original appearance of historical buildings to the maximum extent possible. Now, the 89 year old building has opened its walls and merged with its neighboring five-star Jiushi Hengshan Hotel, officially renamed Hengshan Garden Hotel. It will welcome citizens and tourists with a brand new look.

In recent years, Donghu Group has been actively exploring the development of "destination hotels" to build an "ideal home" for poetic living, allowing guests to truly feel at home with peace of mind and warmth. The opening ceremony of the 9th East Lake Food Festival, which took the opportunity of the Hengshan Garden Hotel's revitalization and classic recasting, was held in the central new garden courtyard of the Hengshan Garden Hotel this year.

Hengshan Garden Hotel Garden Courtyard

The promotional video "Falling in Love with Donghu" by Donghu Group focuses on the destination hotels. Through introducing the unique restaurants, award-winning craftsmen and chefs, and the theme food exhibition of the "East Lake Flavor, Picking Fresh Food for Feast" food festival, it delves into the hotel's historical heritage and dining culture, seeks out the hotel's cuisine and charm, and presents an extraordinary culinary atmosphere in the process of historical light and shadow.

The highly anticipated "East Lake Cuisine Electronic Passport" also made a brilliant debut at the opening ceremony, and the promotion of the "Shanghai Gift East Lake Taste" - a special souvenir gift was even more eye-catching.

Coupons have always been the most sought after activity at the Donghu Food Festival. During the food festival, Donghu Group launched a series of promotional activities for everyone, with a focus on the "Le Hui Shi" seasonal dishes being fully available throughout the year, the "You Ming Pin" three themed afternoon tea being fully available, as well as the "Yue Xiang Du" private room banquet special sales and the "Ya Yan Hui" food reservation butler service and other promotional products.

"Youzhupin" afternoon tea is fully blended

During the food festival, designated products of each hotel will enjoy a 15% discount and free service fee for the benefit of the public.

18 Craftsmen's Food Inheritance

Using Humanities to Witness Emotions

Speaking of "craftsmanship inherits classics, creativity knows no bounds", the hotels under Donghu Group have a group of people with dreams and passion, who create infinite possibilities with their hands. In their hearts, art and craftsmanship blend together, and craftsmanship and emotions echo each other.

Bringing one's emotions into the food and calling for the life rhythm of dishes, the "craftsmen" of Donghu Group express their craftsmanship concept in this way: "The chef is the palace of creation, and food is the fuel of the soul. Adhering to the principle of doing something well throughout one's life, cooking with dedication, taste can convey true feelings.". Maintaining a craftsmanship, treating every dish with utmost precision, selecting every raw material and seasoning, and imbuing each dish with humanity and emotion is exactly the craftsmanship spirit of Donghu Group in creating delicious food.

At the opening ceremony, Donghu Group grandly launched these mysterious chefs who turn food into art, sharing the stories of eighteen craftsmen's craftsmanship. In their works, tradition and modernity blend together, creating extraordinary works with unique craftsmanship. They are both guardians of traditional culture and practitioners of innovative thinking.

In addition, at the opening ceremony, various awards such as the Olive Restaurant Newcomer Award, the Gold Chef Award, and the Industry Skills Competition for Catering Services will be presented to outstanding chefs and service technicians. The third round of craftsmanship master apprentice pairing ceremony was also held, continuing the spirit of Donghu craftsmen of "mentorship, mentorship, and mutual growth through words and deeds".

One Store, One Product, Colorful Presentation

On the Way of Eating with the Taste of Donghu Lake

In order to further enhance the catering business card of Donghu Group, promote the group to create more distinctive destination hotels, and present various unique food and new products, 12 hotels and world reception halls have launched the latest developed dish styles. The water restaurant of Xijiao Hotel has launched themed packages such as "Midsummer" and "Love Summer", focusing on the exquisite taste of Jiangnan; Yifengxuan, a hotel in the eastern suburbs, has launched a themed banquet called "Fujian Treasure Banquet", focusing on the delicacies of Fujian cuisine; The Baihuayuan Chinese Restaurant of Hengshan Garden Hotel launched the food theme of "wutong Feast", focusing on the customs under wutong trees; The welcome building of Hongqiao Guesthouse has launched themed banquets such as "Hongyi" and "Hongxiao", using the purest taste of ingredients to allow guests to taste natural flavors; The Xingguo Hotel's Li Gong Chinese Restaurant has launched the Chu cuisine theme of "Lingxian Chu Flavor · Meeting Li Gong", bringing diners a taste of the Jingchu style; The Xinyuan Building of Ruijin Intercontinental Hotel has launched a themed event called "Exploring Guangdong - Cantonese Hometown", adhering to the essence of traditional Cantonese cuisine; The Huaiyang Cuisine flavor series theme set meal was launched in the Jingjiang Building of Shanghai Mansion, highlighting the original flavor of Huaiyang cuisine; Jinfenglou, the international capital, has launched themed packages such as "Shen Zhi Yan" and "Yue Zhi Yan", focusing on integrated dishes with unique techniques; The Donghu Hall of Donghu Hotel has launched the "Autumn Flavor" and "Golden Autumn Food" tasting packages, integrating the unique ingredients of various regions into the local flavor of old Shanghai in an innovative way; Huajing Restaurant of Huaxia Holiday Hotel has launched themed packages such as "Summer Search" and "Summer Products", offering seasonal seafood and seasonal experiences; The Chinese restaurant in Building 1 of Mahler Villa has launched themed packages such as Mahler Summer Grass, creating a unique sense of taste through the interplay of food and architecture; The Atlantic Western Restaurant of Pearl Hotel has launched activities such as the "Pearl New Food Generation" whole lamb banquet, inviting you to taste a hundred different flavors of the same ingredients together; The World Reception Hall Huiya Concentrated Restaurant has launched themed banquets such as "Huizhen" and "Huiya", presenting the beauty of fusion in a grand and elegant hall.

Each hotel presents meticulously designed and uniquely styled specialty cuisine, exquisite utensils, garden landscapes, and workwear, allowing guests to personally experience the taste of East Lake and the way of eating in a harmonious yet different, beautiful and shared atmosphere.