Alexander Frey uses a laptop in his office. [Photo by Sun Hongyuan/chinanews.com]

Lan Di Ru Yue Fu, a new Shandong cuisine restaurant in Jinan, Shandong province has been making waves on the internet recently not because it offers an extensive menu with nearly 200 dishes, but because its owner is a young man from Switzerland.

Alexander Frey, the head chef and owner of the restaurant, told local media that the decision to open this restaurant stemmed from his fascination with the diversity of Chinese food, which is divided into eight cuisines.

Alexander Frey speaks with his executive chief Feng Guangpeng. [Photo by Sun Hongyuan/chinanews.com]

Located in the eastern part of downtown Jinan, the restaurant sports a traditional Chinese decoration, complete with antique furniture and exquisite Chinaware.

Besides Shandong cuisine, the new restaurant also offers dishes that feature Chinese-Western fusion dishes, such as roast duck with caviar.

Frey, an experienced restauranteur who has managed several western eateries, including a French restaurant and a pizzeria, said that he is planning to promote Chinese food culture across the world by opening similar Shandong cuisine restaurants in cities such as Zurich, Dubai, London and San Francisco in the future.

Fray, who is from the post-90s generation, said that the promotion of Chinese food should always consider the characteristics of local culture.

"Mutual cultural respect is much more important. If we promote the sweet-and-sour carp abroad, we will remove the bones. In some countries, such as Dubai, where people don't eat pork, we will avoid serving such dishes," he said.