Shanxi noodles relish global fame in Paris

Every day, the Kung Fu Daoxiaomian restaurant, located next to the Notre Dame cathedral in Paris, draws long lines of visitors looking for a serving of its daoxiao mian, or knife-cut noodles — a dish that bears testimony to the rich culinary heritage of North China's Shanxi province and the region's generations of skilled noodle masters.

Many residents and tourists are curious to have a taste of this special variety of Chinese noodles, making the restaurant a popular check-in spot in the French capital amid the Olympic Games. Even two-time Olympic flyweight champion Zou Shiming visited.

Little wonder that the restaurant's 36-year-old owner, Guo Zhanglong, has nearly 10 million followers on Chinese social media platforms, including Douyin, Kuaishou and Xiaohongshu.

"I truly want to promote the excellence of traditional Chinese cuisine and culture in Europe, and a bowl of noodles is more than delicious food. It also signifies mutual recognition, understanding and inclusivity," he said.

Guo, who was born in Yantai, East China's Shandong province, studied in France as an exchange student in 2011.

"I was both studying and working part time, while seeking business opportunities in Paris. I tried various odd jobs, including washing dishes in restaurants and delivering parcels," he said.

In 2012, Guo met a Chinese woman from Shanxi in Paris and they fell in love. The couple tied the knot in 2015.

"We went through some hard times together. We tried several businesses to improve our life — tourism, foreign trade, catering — but the situation didn't change much," he recalled.

At the end of 2019, Guo caught the rising wave of homemade short videos and established his own social media account. He began recording his experiences in France. His early content described the delicious food he was tasting, and followers came on board fast.

At the beginning of 2020, Guo's mother-in-law, Sun Shenglin, came to France for a visit from Datong, Shanxi. She could not return to China as scheduled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and her rich experience in the catering industry brought Guo luck.

Sun, a skilled knife-cut noodles master, won great praise from her son-in-law's friends and neighbors in Paris.

During Spring Festival in 2022, Guo organized a celebration that attracted more than 200 people. "We prepared a lot of Chinese dishes, but it wasn't enough, so my mother-in-law filled the gap by making some knife-cut noodles."

That was the start of a small Chinese miracle in Paris.

To Guo's surprise, his mother-in-law sliced more than 100 kilograms of dough and yet demand exceeded supply. As they watched Sun cut the dough at high speed and send the pieces flying into a pot, the guests likened her to a kung fu master.

At a friend's suggestion the next day, Guo completed the necessary procedures for setting up a stall to sell knife-cut noodles at an outdoor market in Paris. He decorated it with elements of Chinese culture, quickly making it the most eye-catching stall in the market.

In October last year, Guo opened an authentic Shanxi knife-cut noodles restaurant in central Paris and named it Kung Fu Daoxiaomian. In March, his restaurant opened a second outlet next to Notre Dame, attracting many Chinese and native Parisians.

"In the beginning, we were worried that foreigners might tire of the flavor, and wondered whether we should adjust and improve it slightly," Guo said.

"But my mother-in-law said the noodles have been around for 850 years and are already perfect, so there is no need for any improvement or innovation. We took her suggestion and gained acceptance beyond our imagination."

This year, in conjunction with the 60th anniversary of Sino-French diplomatic relations and the Paris Olympics, Guo was invited to several exchange activities where he shared his story.

"Currently, our knife-cut noodles have a very promising future in France. They embody the full charm of Chinese cuisine. Two more restaurant sites are undergoing renovations and are expected to open in the near future," he said.

"I hope to promote Chinese cuisine on the global stage. I also believe that with the help of short videos, more talented creators will join us to help Chinese culture go global," he added.