The fusion of Tokaj and Sichuan – meeting of two worlds (of taste)

The legendary sweet wines of the Tokaj wine region and the lively, distinctive dishes of Sichuan cuisine may seem worlds apart - yet when paired together, they create a unique harmony. This fusion was the focus of the Hungarian Wine Marketing Agency's latest event: how the natural sweetness of Tokaj wines complements the spicy world of Chinese cuisine.

The wine and food pairing event held at Master Wang’s Chinese Kitchen was hosted by Pál Rókusfalvy, Government Commissioner for National Wine Marketing, and Yuan Xiaolan, president of the Chengdu Catering Association. Xu Weifeng, owner and chef of the Michelin-recommended Wanyan Restaurant in Chengdu, and Wang Jiankang, owner and executive chef of the 16-restaurant Bai Nian Shen Fu chain, also joined as guest chefs. Together with experts from the Hungarian Wine Marketing Agency and Csaba Harmath, Chief Inspector of Gault&Millau and moderator of the event, they designed the wine and food selection. Unlike a traditional wine dinner, participants were free to experiment with tasting and pairing a dozen Sichuan dishes and Tokaj wines.

Although combining these two worlds may seem daring at first glance, it is not without precedent, as it is now widely accepted in the world of gastronomy that Tokaj wines pair very well with Asian flavors. In recent years, renowned Master of Wine experts from China, such as Fongyee Walker, Gus Zhu, and Xing Wei, have been exploring Tokaj-Sichuan pairings.

In 2024, the Hungarian Wine Marketing Agency launched a pilot program in Chengdu, where guests could taste thousands of glasses of Tokaj Szamorodni and Aszú wines in Michelin-starred restaurants. The success was spectacular: in this March, Government Commissioner Pál Rókusfalvy signed an agreement aimed at strengthening cooperation with the Chengdu Catering Profession Association, which has more than 300 members, owning a total of around 30,000 restaurants, including many fine dining and award-winning restaurant chains.

Tokaj-Hegyalja, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and Sichuan cuisine, part of China's intangible cultural heritage, have found common ground not only in gastronomy but also on a cultural level. We are confident that thanks to this cooperation and premium events of this kind, we can mutually strengthen each other's gastronomic heritage as well as the export of Tokaj wines. 

Pictures: Hungarian Wine Marketing Agency