Donghua Li is a living legend in Switzerland, a well-known personality with a distinguished past. Discover the stories behind the dishes that connect him to his roots and how they continue to inspire his life today.
Tastes of Home childhood memories from Chengdu - by Donghua Li
I grew up in Chengdu, which was much smaller then than it is today. My mother often cooked for us, and I can still vividly recall the various dishes from my hometown. I especially remember going back to my mother's house with my colleagues at the weekend for dinner. We were all still children then, and we were always particularly happy to be together. When I was 16, I went to Beijing with the national team for training. We ate in the big canteen with athletes from other sports such as volleyball and table tennis. There were all kinds of dishes from different places, just not as spicy as my home-town Sichuan cuisine.
Typical authentic food from Donghua's Childhood
I came to Switzerland when I was 21 and really missed Chinese food, especially Sichuan food. As it was difficult to find home-style food, I often cooked with friends to try to get a more authentic taste. Mapo tofu is a dish my mother often made for me when I was a child. Every time I eat it, I think of my hometown, my mother, and those childhood days.
Sichuan Food is considered as very spicy
I have been living in Switzerland for 36 years, and I am very happy to see that there are more and more Chinese restaurants and that the local people are also increasingly recognizing and appreciating Chinese cuisine. Every time I go out to eat, I order Mapo tofu, and I also tell my Swiss friends the story about this dish.
Donghua Li
Olympic Champion, World Champion and European Champion
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