[Photo by Zhang Yu/For Shanghai Star]

There were also accusations that the food was actually cooked by helpers hired from Shanghai.

In response, Huang Hao-wei, a spokesman for the Shilin association, says they are expanding the dining area in the park and adding more stands to meet the huge demand and reduce waiting time.

"Some stalls in Taiwan who had refused to come are now showing great interest after hearing about the fervor of Shanghai residents," he says.

The organizers have also asked stall owners to be better prepared and to increase their supply at least four times that of the opening day.

As for the airfreighting of the ingredients, Huang says it was never said that they would be flown over from Taiwan, an impossible task in view of the strict laws and high import costs.

What make the food genuine are the cooking skills and seasonings, which the stall owners had brought over. It is also common practice for food festival organizers to hire local workers as the main labor force.

Shanghai is living up to its strict gourmet standards, but we are certainly happy to see new additions to the food scene.

IF YOU GO

Jinjiang Action Park 201 Hongmei Road, Minhang district

Traffic: Take Metro Line 1 and get off at Jinjiang Park Station. Stick to public transport as finding a paring lot can be a nightmare.

Opening hours: 5pm – 10pm daily until Aug 31

Admission: 20 yuan (Exchangeable for food and drink of the same value)