Quote EndQuote Cross-Cultural Strategy

Swiss Celebrate With Sina-Style Soup

Posted by QEQ Intern | 01.24.14
Is this a Swiss dish?

Some Swiss think this Chinese Hot Pot is a traditional Swiss dish

Alisa’s note: The following post was submitted by one of our Swiss interns. We thought it was incredibly interesting that in Switzerland, some Swiss actually believe that hot pot, the Asian style of boiling raw meat and vegetables, is a traditional Swiss meal. The opportunity for marketers is that some of the products that you already carry may have cross-over appeal to other cultures.

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Did you know that in Switzerland the Chinese hot pot is a traditional dish for many celebrations? We call this dish “Chinese Fondue” and in Switzerland, Chinese fondue is served at birthdays, anniversaries, and special occasions such as New Years eve.

Back in Switzerland, this dish is traditionally prepared with frozen meats that are thinly sliced, then rolled around a fork. Each piece is cooked individually in hot broth. Usually, other food like mushrooms and vegetables are introduced in the hot broth before the meal is served. The Chinese fondue pot is often put in the middle of the table and fueled by propane or portable gas stove. Special sauces selected to accompany the meat is served, as well as different kinds of salads.

When I mentioned our Chinese fondue to my Korean, Japanese and Chinese friends, they told me that this Swiss meal is popular in their cultures, too, but has a different name: hot pot. There are other differences, too. The way these dishes are prepared and taste are different in Asian cuisine. In addition, in Switzerland, we use forks and knives to cook and eat; Asians use chopsticks and spoons. I also learned that there are many different ways to prepare the meats and vegetables, depending on the region and the culture the people are from.

As it is one of my favorite dishes, I am looking forward to introducing Chinese fondue to my international friends in Vancouver.

Hope you will enjoy your meal ;).

– Posted by Laurent Evéquoz, Marketing Intern at QEQ from Switzerland