Mention China and most Westerners will think about its food. This is not surprising given the popularity of Chinese cuisine in the West, where some countries have more restaurants serving Chinese dishes than the traditional local fair. Perhaps this is why China appears exotic and wondrous to many Westerners.

While Castillo is not a diplomat, the gregarious restaurateur has made Caribeno a cultural outpost for his country. Chinese and expats come not only for the food but the lively music and the recently organized Friday-night salsa performances. Photos on the wall include ambassadors and entrepreneurs from many Latin countries, as well as scenes of Havana life, Caribbean beaches and icons like Che Guevara, who looks across the restaurant from an enlarged print of a Cuban 3-peso bill.

“Our hawker food is famous throughout the world. “Many people come to Penang mainly for its food. “If we lose it, then Penang is finished. We must maintain our branding as the top street food destination in Malaysia,” he said, adding that anyone, including foreigners, could provide their feedback.

Utilizing foods and showcasing favorite cuisines is a powerful tool of global diplomacy. Historians confirm that the historic importance of food goes back to the time of the Greeks and Romans, when opponents used food to resolve and mend disputes. Recognizing the growing importance of food industry in foreign policy around the world, this diplomacy gets the name "Culinary diplomacy." "Sharing a meal can help people excel boundaries and build bridges." 

Lee Chizmar had to tell a story about his piece of America – namely the Lehigh Valley -- but he wasn’t using words or pictures in his performance space. He was using the real thing – local farm-fresh ingredients -- and labeling his nine-dish menu creation, “The Craft of Lehigh Valley.” For the Bethlehem chef, it was a night for him and seven of his chefs to shine in his first solo dinner presentation at the historic James Beard House in New York’s Greenwich Village.

A visiting American chef yesterday demonstrated his cooking skills in Taipei as part of the U.S. Department of State's Diplomatic Culinary Partnership launched to promote culinary engagement around the world. At a cooking demonstration held at Kai Ping Culinary School yesterday afternoon, American chef Bryce Gilmore made his signature dish, the “pork belly slider,” in front of 32 students of the school. 

Before we had mouth-watering croissant doughnuts and doughnut sandwiches, we had … good ol’ cupcakes! But we’re not talking about just any ordinary cupcake here. We’re talking about cupcakes from the Magnolia Bakery in New York, made famous the world over by the hit TV Series Sex and the City. And yes, the TV series was an enormous success in Japan too, meaning that countless Japanese fans were left coveting not just gorgeous Manolo Blahnik shoes, but the delectable looking Magnolia Bakery cupcakes as well.