Connecting people through food

Chef Lilian G Molina (Belize)

莫莉安厨师长（伯利兹）

Belize is located on the northeast coast of Central America. Until 1973, Belize was known as British Honduras, which was the last British colony on the Americas mainland. On September 21, 1981, they achieved independence but continued to maintain a relationship with the United Kingdom through membership in the Commonwealth. Belize is a Caribbean country in Central America because it has a history similar to that of the English-speaking Caribbean nations.

伯利兹在中美洲东北海岸。1973年以前，伯利兹被称为英属洪都拉斯，是美洲大陆上最后一个英国殖民地。1981年9月21日，获得独立，但通过加入英联邦继续与英国保持关系。伯利兹是中美洲的加勒比国家，因为它的历史与讲英语的加勒比国家相似。

Xunantunich Mayan Ruins, Cayo District, Western Belize

伯利兹西部卡约区Xunantunich玛雅遗址

Situated south of the Yucatán Peninsula, Belize is a land of mountains, swamps, and tropical jungle. It is bounded by Mexico to the north, Guatemala to the west and south, and the Caribbean Sea to the east.

伯利兹在尤卡坦半岛南部，是一片群山、沼泽和热带丛林的土地。它的北部与墨西哥接壤，西部和南部与危地马拉接壤，东部濒临加勒比海。

Having come from such a diverse cultural background, it has equipped me with the tools needed to live and thrive in China. For close to two decades China has become my second home, especially Shanghai. I have especially fallen in love with the people, history, and rich culture of Shanghai. Having previously lived and studied in Taipei and Beijing, experiencing the diverse cultures each region provides respectively, has made me appreciate more how much Shanghai fits my personality. Like the city of Shanghai, I enjoy connecting with the world through food and culture.

因为我来自多元文化背景的国度，这让我具备了在中国生活和发展所需的一些条件。近20年来，中国已经成为我的第二故乡，尤其是上海。我特别喜欢上海的人民、历史和丰富的文化。之前我曾在台北和北京生活和学习，感受了这两个地区各自不同的文化氛围，比较起来，我更加喜欢上海，感觉上海适合我的个性。我觉得我现在已经像上海人一样，善于通过美食和文化与世界联系。

China has provided me with lots of opportunities to pursue my career and personal development, allowing me to fulfill my childhood dreams of becoming a restaurant owner. To date, I am the first-ever fully registered operating Caribbean restaurant in Shanghai. 

中国为我提供了很多追求事业和个人发展的机会，让我实现了儿时成为餐馆老板的梦想。我在上海注册了上海第一家加勒比风味的餐厅。

Hosting Caribbean Cooking Training session for Chinese Chefs

我为中国厨师主持了加勒比海烹饪培训课程

From the age of 15, while playing chef in my family’s kitchen in Belize, I’ve had the dream of connecting with people through food. This was when I first created the name of my current restaurant (Area 501 Caribbean Restaurant and Bar). This name embodies my inner being and identity, which is being a proud Belizean woman. Upon my arrival to China, what left a lasting impression on me was the warm welcome I received from the local community and international diaspora. It brings me great honor to contribute fresh and creative restaurant concepts to the Chinese market regarding the Caribbean, launching and collaborating on unique projects and one-of-a-kind ideas for the Food & Beverage Industry. These contributions have led to receiving the best Latin American & Caribbean restaurant editor’s choice award from That’s Shanghai Magazine in 2020. In addition to this award, I have been able to partner with corporate companies and international schools across Shanghai, offering meal options and training to local chefs on different cuisines. Through these amazing culinary exchanges, not only do I share my knowledge, but it turns into a mutual learning experience for all participants.

Area 501 Caribbean Restaurant and Bar  Restaurant Founders receiving That’s Shanghai Awards

501地区餐厅创始人获得上海杂志大奖

Area 501 Caribbean Restaurant and Bar in Shanghai, China

501地区餐厅， 上海，中国

从15岁起，当我在伯利兹家的厨房担任厨师时，我就有了通过食物与人们联系的梦想。那时是我第一次为我现在的餐厅（501地区）命名的时候。这个名字体现了我内心的存在和身份感；一个骄傲的伯利兹女人。我一到中国，就受到了当地社区和海外侨民的热烈欢迎，这给我留下了持久的印象。我很荣幸能为中国市场贡献有关加勒比海的新鲜创意餐厅理念；启动并合作独特的项目，为食品和饮料行业提供独一无二的服务。这些贡献使餐厅获得了《上海》杂志2020年最佳餐厅奖。除了这个奖项，我还与上海各地的国际学校合作，为当地厨师提供不同菜系的膳食选择和培训。通过这些令人惊叹的烹饪交流，我不仅分享了我的知识，而且成为所有参与者的共同学习体验。

Area 501 Caribbean Restaurant and Bar Caribbean Wall

501地区餐厅加勒比墙

With the growing friendship between China and the Caribbean region, I continue to see it as a privilege to play the role of the unofficial Caribbean ambassador of food and culture in China. With each dish, we incorporate ways of blending both Chinese cuisines and Caribbean delicacies, creating a fusion of flavor for our customers. Although I am a Belizean woman, I also proudly represent the different Caribbean region flavors on my menu.

随着中国与加勒比地区的友谊日益加深，我将继续担任加勒比地区非官方驻华食品和文化大使，这是我的荣幸。在每道菜中，我们融合了中国菜和加勒比美食元素，为我们的顾客创造了一种独特的融合口味的美食。虽然我是一名伯利兹女性，但我也自豪地在菜单上展示了加勒比海地区的饮食文化和不同风味。

I have learned that food in Chinese culture has a rich philosophical history. It influences Chinese cuisine a lot, from the raw material selection to match, from the cooking process to the cooking method. The whole cooking process of Chinese cuisine is a reflection of the harmony and balance of nature, satisfying taste buds, and preserving one’s health.

我了解到中国食物有丰富的文化内涵。从原料的选择到搭配，从烹饪的过程到烹饪的方法，都对中餐文化有很大的影响。中餐的整个烹饪过程体现了自然的和谐与平衡;满足味蕾，保持健康。

There are many similarities between the Caribbean and China pertaining to food. This is attributed to the influence of Asian cultures from the indentured migrants who immigrated to the Caribbean centuries ago. As the melting pot of cultures, the Caribbean continues to serve as the perfect example of balancing several cultures for a shared future for mankind. 

加勒比海和中国在食物方面有很多相似之处。这归因于几个世纪前移民加勒比海的契约移民对亚洲文化的影响。作为文化的大熔炉，加勒比海继续成为平衡多种文化以实现人类共同未来的完美范例。

“A shared future for human health” is the focal point of our business model, maintaining the perfect balance between nature and appetite. With the meals we prepare, health sustainability is at the core of all preparations. Hence, all ingredients are harvested according to their season. Sustainable cooking is a habit all Caribbean households practice, and what I later observed is also practiced in China. In the Caribbean, we are taught to live off the land while respecting nature and the foods they provide. Food should be respected and not wasted. This sustainable practice can be traced back to how the first settlers of each island lived. Sustainability has always been a top priority in our business model, and we enjoy the opportunity to share sustainable green options with all our partners and customers.

501地区餐厅加勒比美食

“人类饮食共同的未来”作为我们商业模式的核心，保持自然与欲望之间的完美平衡。在我们准备饭菜中，健康可持续性是所有准备工作的核心。因此，所有的食材都是根据季节来选取的。可持续烹饪是所有加勒比家庭的习惯，我后来发现中国也在实践。在加勒比海，我们被教导以土地为生，同时尊重大自然及其提供的食物。这种可持续的做法可以追溯到每个岛屿的第一批定居者的生活方式。食物应该受到尊重，不要浪费。在我们的商业模式中，可持续发展一直是最重要的，我们很高兴有机会与所有的合作伙伴和客户分享可持续的绿色选择。

We’ve had opportunities to partner with numerous Chinese plant-based companies to not only bridge the cultural food barriers but also offer sustainable food options that are edible to all. Its plant-based meat product offers a healthier way of consuming meat that is locally produced in China for the Chinese palette. Its vision is to become a globally accepted food brand.

我们有机会与许多中国的生产植物性产品的公司，不仅跨越了食品文化壁垒，而且还提供了所有人都能食用的健康食品选择。他们的植物基肉制品,我认为这是一种更健康的消费方式，这些肉都是中国本地生产。他们的愿景是成为一个全球受欢迎的食品品牌。

Customer’s enjoying Caribbean- Chinese fusion dish

顾客享受加勒比-中国融合菜

Food has no boundaries; it is a bridge to understanding cultural differences and promoting great diplomacy and lasting friendships between countries and among different people. Adopting the harmonious technique of the Chinese cooking style infused with the culturally rich Caribbean flavors, our restaurant has been able to be a safe haven for both the international and Chinese communities.

美食无国界,食物是缩小和理解文化差异,促进国家外交友好,增进不同民族之间持久友谊的媒介。我们的餐厅将中式烹饪与加勒比饮食文化的融合融为一体，成为国际友人和华人都喜欢选择的美食港湾。

It is my hope that through my experience, a lot more youth may be inspired to capitalize on the many opportunities provided in China to pursue their dreams and become cultural ambassadors for their countries. The world, like the Caribbean, is a melting pot of cultures, may all youth work together for a shared future for mankind.

我希望通过我的经历，可以使更多的年轻人受到启发，把握好中国提供的许多机会来追求自己的梦想，成为自己国家与世界各国交往中的文化使者。世界像加勒比一样，是一个文化大熔炉，愿我们所有的年轻人共同努力，为人类的共同繁荣一起奋斗。