Hong Kong’s popular fast food chain Café de Coral has announced that it has submitted its signature dish, “Yi Ge baked pork chop rice,” to be considered for the Hong Kong Intangible Cultural Heritage list.
This dish, which originated in Hong Kong’s grassroots cafés, known as cha chaan teng, is a classic fusion between Western and Chinese cuisine, with fried rice, tender pork chops, cheese and tomato sauce baked together in layers.
The chain plans to release documentary-style videos showcasing the preparation process of this dish and the collective memories that locals share around it. It will also provide various rewards and host special activities to build awareness for the heritage application.
[See more: A dozen new items are being proposed for Macao’s intangible cultural heritage list]
The announcement has been met with widespread online support, with people describing the dish as “iconic,” “delicious” and “the flavour of Hong Kong.”
Café de Coral first opened in 1968 in Hong Kong and has since become a successful Hong Kong-style fast food chain with over 160 outlets, serving more than 300,000 customers daily.
Its announcement occurs at the beginning of the inaugural Hong Kong Intangible Cultural Heritage Month celebrations, which run between 31 May and 1 July to pay tribute to local festivals, traditional crafts, culinary traditions, performing arts and religious traditions. There will be a series of activities including carnivals, talks, field trips and workshops during the month.
