Dumplings, Diversity, and Delight: Highlights from the 2nd BC Dumpling Festival
Written by Fête Chinoise’s Editorial Team
Photography provided by The BC dumpling festival team
In a world where dumplings transcend mere culinary delights and become a medium for cultural fusion, the second annual BC Dumpling Festival emerged as a heartwarming celebration of diversity and unity. Held on a sunny August 12th at Coquitlam’s Town Centre Park, this festival wasn't just about dumplings; it was a testament to the power of community and the spirit of togetherness.
Gina Chong, the creative force behind this magical event, poured her heart and soul into bringing the festival to life. Over 35,000 people embraced the festival's call, weaving a vibrant tapestry of cultures and backgrounds. The festival wasn't merely a place to savor dumplings; it served as a space where hearts were warmed, laughter was shared, and connections were forged over a mutual love for food and culture. All sharing the same passion — dumplings! This vividly reminded us that our shared humanity is best celebrated through the simplest of pleasures.
The BC Dumpling Festival wasn't confined to culinary experiences alone. It was a dynamic showcase of community spirit. Beyond the tantalizing variety of dumplings, the festival featured food trucks and stalls catering to every palate, a bustling kids' zone resounding with laughter, captivating live performances that ignited the stage, and intricate art displays that sparked meaningful conversations. It stood as a microcosm of life itself—a blend of flavors, emotions, and experiences that made us feel undeniably alive.
As we eagerly await the festival's forthcoming editions, I hold a strong hope for its expansion to Toronto as well. Let us raise a virtual toast to Gina Chong, the Asian Arts and Culture Society, and all those who played a role in orchestrating an event that merged cultural essence with a promise to Move Culture Forward, together.
Enjoy some feast-able pictures from the event!
More from Fête Chiniose
In light of what happened with the Dragons’ Den incident of cultural appropriation of boba, we wanted to shine the spotlight on one of the original bubble tea franchises from Taiwan that opened in Toronto and Canada in the mid-1980s, and one that many readers here might remember as the place they gathered with high school friends, had their first date, hosted a business meeting or simply the place that finally served a drink with Asian fruit flavours that were familiar.
Ahead of the Canadian Thanksgiving long weekend, an incident erupted on hit television show, Dragons' Den, known for featuring prominent business people who are presented business pitches by entrepreneurs from all over the country. This is the first season that Marvel star Simu Liu stepped up to be a guest Dragon on the show alongside new Dragon Brian Scudamore, founder of 1-800-Got Junk?, joining the experienced tycoons from the den, Arlene Dickinson, Wes Hall, Manjit Minhas and Michele Romanow.
Toronto’s vibrant Chinese community and the city's inclusive nature make it relatively easy to find exceptional Chinese cuisine, representing diverse regions across China. Joining this rich culinary landscape is Mott 32, a globally renowned brand known for revitalizing traditional Chinese cuisine. Launched within the Shangri-La Toronto, this three-story restaurant honours its Asian heritage while connecting with the city’s multicultural spirit. This marks Mott 32’s second location in Canada, following the successful launch of its Vancouver branch in 2017.
Born into a family of mixed Asian heritage (her mother is Samoan-Hawaiian, and her father Singaporean-Chinese), Eva Chin was raised on her grandmother’s farm in Kahuku, Hawaii. Growing up, she learned how to harvest vegetables, fish and prepare seafood. She also became familiar with a variety of cuisines and cooking styles, from Thai to Portuguesae to Japanese. But becoming a chef wasn’t a given.
In a world where dumplings transcend mere culinary delights and become a medium for cultural fusion, the second annual BC Dumpling Festival emerged as a heartwarming celebration of diversity and unity. Held on a sunny August 12th at Coquitlam’s Town Centre Park, this festival wasn't just about dumplings; it was a testament to the power of community and the spirit of togetherness.
It's time for the annual Duan Wu Festival 端午節! This special occasion falls on the 5th day of the 5th month of the Lunar calendar, around the Summer Solstice. It is also known as the Dragon Boat Festival, 龍舟節.
Food has always been an integral part of Chinese culture — a reason to bring families and friends together as they share life over a grand display in the centre of the table. Over the last couple of years, food has become the subject of conversations surrounding Asian stereotypes and racism, with stories of childhood snacks,
Restaurants, hotels and banquet halls are also settings that some families have chosen to celebrate the festival around the world. As food options expanded and the design of food has progressed to a new level of luxury, the aesthetic design of the celebration has yet to match the same level of sophistication.
The full moon is perfectly round on the 15th day of the 8th month of the Lunar calendar, representing unity and togetherness for the Mid-Autumn Festival. Family gatherings have traditionally been hosted in multi-generational home environments, where grandchildren, parents and grandparents dine together with an elaborate feast of homemade dishes.
Chinese bakeries are famous around the world for their unique selection of ‘Chinese Western Pastries’: buns, cakes and tarts that are best described as a combination of Chinese bakers’ imaginations and Western-style baked goods. Colonial life in Hong Kong brought together different ethnicities and demographics whose cultures and ideas inevitably co-mingled over time. Egg tarts, pineapple buns and coconut cocktail buns are perfect examples of this gastronomic mélange and can be credited to the legions of bakers colloquially referred to as ‘beng lou’ or ‘min baau lou’ — this literally translates to ‘bakery men’ or ‘bread men.’
After returning to Canada from years of working at groundbreaking restaurants like the Michelin 3 Starred The Fat Duck in England and Liberty Private Works in Hong Kong, Chef Ken Yau launched k.Dinners, a pop-up supper club concept in Toronto. These were multi-course, experiential tasting dinners for just 16 guests in a different location every week. Those lively evenings of great food and convivial conversations around a communal table came to an abrupt stop when the pandemic hit. Suddenly, Ken was left scrambling to think of another source of revenue.
Bringing popular cultural foods and beverages to market in a place as culturally diverse as Canada is an enriching journey for entrepreneurs and consumers. We continue to hone in on bubble tea with another innovator and industry leader that has brought a drink that a majority of our readers are bound to have tried. Drawing on his experience of introducing Chatime to Canada 13 years ago and overseeing its growth ever since, Kenton knows firsthand that the bubble tea market is highly competitive, with new brands constantly emerging. Staying authentic, high-quality, and offering customizable options are key.