Italian takes spicy hotpot to the world
Former diplomat is on a mission to promote Chinese cuisine, culture
"When I traveled around the world, I would try many Chinese restaurants. Though they all do good business, the majority of their clients were Chinese and the food just tasted so-so," he said.
Like many Italians, Luisi, 32, has a strong interest in the culinary arts and considers himself a bon vivant. When he was in charge of the consulate's commercial office, he thought a lot about how to introduce different Chinese dishes to the rest of the world.
In 2017, Luisi quit his job. He married a woman from Sichuan, a province famous for its chile oil and spicy dishes, and started a business in the provincial capital, Chengdu. ChinItaly sells products such as scarves, ties, paintings and sculptures that feature chile motifs.
"Chile is not only the main ingredient in Sichuan and Chongqing cuisines, it is also used in many foreign dishes. It is an international symbol of food culture, connecting people from all over the world," Luisi said.
In 2018, he set up DeZhuang International with Chinese partners in Chongqing, hoping to make the city's trademark dish an international favorite.
His company set about the global marketing of DeZhuang Hotpot, one of the most famous Chongqing food chains, and has so far established 900 branches around the world.
In order to help new customers choose how spicy they want their food, the company has come up with a grading system for its hotpot broth. The ranking system goes from 12 (slightly spicy) to 75 (extra spicy).
