CHENGDU, China – Affluent Chinese society has embraced haute cuisine and Western-style fine dining with the attendant linen napkins and three forks. Food is a repository of meaning, emotional value and symbolism in Chinese culture and society, and family reunions and corporate business deals alike often centre around the dinner table. But the idea of indulging in a bottle of good wine, maybe a cheese platter and an ambitiously fancy dinner at home – even just for yourself – remains a fairly alien concept. Wining-and-dining is for socializing outside the home.
With a growing interest in the lifestyle however, Gaggenau has launched a new flagship showroom to supply the means to match. The luxury brand for professional-grade home appliances brings to Chengdu its largest brand space in the world and first ever to incorporate a dine-in hospitality experience. Designed by Einszu33 under the direction of Hendrik Müller, Gaggenau Chengdu comprises an exhibition and product display area, dining-in concept that serves as a restaurant area with seating for up to 36 guests, and a wine room. The dining area includes an exclusive kitchen and seating room for focused demonstrations of culinary culture by professional chefs.