NEW YORK — Featuring an exquisite eight-course dinner prepared by five master chefs from Beijing, a banquet held last month at the China Institute Culinary Center in New York City's Lower Manhattan brought much joy to local participants.

The event began with a cocktail reception and a lion dance celebrating the Year of the Horse, followed by cultural gift bags and a gourmet dinner that offered guests a rich introduction to Chinese traditions and regional cuisine.

"Chinese flavors have never been confined to the palate alone. They are living expressions of Chinese culture and a vital window through which the world comes to understand China," says Zhang Weiguo, director-general of the China Center of International Cultural Exchange and Tourism Promotion.

Zhang highlights the enduring bond between China and the United States, noting that despite the Pacific separating the two countries, people-to-people exchanges form the strongest connection between these societies.

"With its unique warmth and accessibility, culinary culture has become a natural bridge for fostering mutual understanding and deepening friendship between our two countries," he adds.

For Yue-Sai Kan, co-chairman of the board of the China Institute of America, the event aimed to showcase Chinese culture through food.

"The idea of a single 'taste of China' hardly captures the country's vast culinary scope," she says. "Chinese culinary culture is richly versatile."

The five chefs and artists from Beijing came not only to cook but also to share elements of Chinese cultural heritage. In addition to the dishes, guests encountered Beijing opera-inspired figures, traditional candies and other handcrafted items that reflect the cultural background behind the cuisine.

She describes the China Institute of America as a rare institution in the United States — one that has endured for over a century as a hub for Chinese culture, spanning language education, exhibitions and culinary arts.

Among the guests was Peter Walker, an author and longtime China observer, for whom the evening carried personal significance. He recalls his first trip to China 40 years ago, describing it as a profound spiritual journey.

Over the years, he adds, his connection to China deepened through continued engagement with Chinese society and culture. "When I go back to China, I feel like I'm coming home," he says.