An unexpected cha chaan teng pop-up at the Grand Palais, Paris, won the hearts of Art Basel visitors and shone the spotlight on Hong Kong’s beloved dishes like egg tarts and char siu rice
Who knew a casual cha chaan teng meal could feel so extravagant? At Art Basel Paris (October 18 to 20, 2024), artists, collectors, gallerists and visitors—dressed in their finest—gathered at the iconic Grand Palais to enjoy “Yuen Yang” milk tea, eggs tarts, pineapple buns and char siu rice, transforminng one of Paris’s most famous monuments into a lively dining hub.
This deliciously unexpected fusion of culture and cuisine was a part of a three-year global partnership between Art Basel and the Hong Kong Tourism Board. Titled The Cha Chaan Teng, this was an artistic pop-up serving Hong Kong’s beloved dishes, which was staged at a corner of the Grand Palais. The space was illuminated by a chandelier-like installation called Chaotic Suns by Hong Kong-based artist Trevor Yeung (who is also representing Hong Kong at this year’s Venice Biennale).
Don’t miss: Artist Trevor Yeung selected to represent Hong Kong at the Venice Biennale 2024
The inspiration for hosting this cha chaan teng pop-up at Art Basel Paris originated in March, when a similar purpose-built cha chaan teng was created and tested out at Art Basel Hong Kong. Following its success, Hong Kong Tourism Board and Art Basel “decided to expand the partnership beyond Hong Kong to all Art Basel shows worldwide, promoting Hong Kong as the East-meets-West centre for international cultural exchange,” says Raymond Chan, Hong Kong Tourism Board’s general manager of event and product development.
Angelle Siyang-Le, the director of Art Basel Hong Kong, further points out that putting art and culinary elements together “underscores the vital connection between artists and their local cultures. [It] evokes Hong Kong’s rich culinary history and cultural diversity for our international guests.”
She also shared that the partnership will continue to offer different Hong Kong-themed concepts across all four Art Basel annual shows, with the next activation taking place in Miami Beach from December 6 to 8.
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