Join us for an evening of conversation with celebrated chef and food writer Fuschia Dunlop to celebrate Five Tastes.

Join us for an evening of conversation with celebrated chef and food writer Fuschia Dunlop to celebrate the release of her new book Five Tastes

The magic flavours of China, in your kitchenWhen people in ancient China spoke of the ‘five tastes’, they were talking not only literally about the five tastes recognized in Chinese gastronomy – sour, bitter, sweet, pungent and salty – but also metaphorically about all the ingredients and flavours at a cook’s disposal. They were part of the dynamic process of the cosmos, like the five elements and the constant flux of yin and yang. A chef was a kind of magician, someone able to harness the virtues of the five tastes and combine them harmoniously in a dish.

You don’t need to be a Chinese cook to find inspiration in the Chinese arts of flavour. With a few core seasonings, flavour combinations and techniques, you can conjure up delicious dishes from whatever ingredients you have to hand, whether seasonal treats from a farmers’ market, specialist produce or basic vegetables from a supermarket. These recipes – which celebrate the Chinese philosophy that good health and pleasure are inseparable when it comes to food – will show you how to celebrate the irresistible flavours of China in your own kitchen.

Fuchsia Dunlop is one of the world's best writers on Chinese food - Ken Hom CBE

As a young Chinese food writer, Fuchsia Dunlop's books were my Harry Potter. She introduced me to the vibrant, expansive, magical world of Chinese gastronomy beyond the four walls of my Cantonese home. Next to my parents, there's no person I've learned more about the cooking of my people than Fuchsia Dunlop - Kevin Pang, author of A VERY CHINESE COOKBOOK

Fuchsia has a rare ability to convey an encyclopaedic knowledge of Chinese cuisine in a compelling and totally delicious way - Heston Blumenthal

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