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Years of research, including many staff trips, went into making the Take Me There:® China exhibit. In this blog series, you'll see how we were inspired by the people, places, and traditions of modern China as we recreated these top ten exhibit highlights. You'll also get a snapshot of what your family will experience in these extraordinary spaces—brought to you straight from our exhibit developers!
Inside the Restaurant in Take Me There: China, your family can role play as chef, server, or customer in this recreation of a restaurant in Chengdu, China. Restaurant food is served on a communal turntable in the center of each table, allowing guests to select small amounts of food from many dishes. Learn about the importance of cooking, presenting, and eating food in Chinese culture.
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Explore Chinese cuisine, including cooking, plating, serving, and eating (faux) food. The sights and sounds of a working kitchen will greet you as you try steaming or stir frying at cooktops. Pots can be stirred, steamers stacked, and tea brewed while servers send in orders. Chefs can select from faux food ingredients such as noodles, fish, and vegetables. Servers or chefs can plate the food to match photos of traditional Chinese dishes.
Role play taking orders, serving customers, and “ringing up” at a cash register. Menus are printed with Mandarin characters and English translations, including basic information about Chinese cuisines along with photos of plated menu items. Your family can practice using chopsticks as you pick up the “food” from the central turntable.
Catch up on all of the Take Me There: China Top 10, or read up on staff adventures in China in our Creative Director's blog series: "Ned's Excellent China Adventure," Part 1 and Part 2.
