Wu Liming: Green Cottage Restaurant in Austria

Li Li

Wu Liming is president of the Association of Hangzhou Natives in Austria and president of Green Cottage， a restaurant in Austria. The excellence of the Chinese restaurant was recognized in the Michelin Guide for Austria in 2016.

The chef defines his life in two words： food and love.

As for food， he is a chef who started kitchen work before he was 20. Improving and promoting Chinese dishes has been his lifelong dedication. The love he emphasizes is his love for China. “Only away from homeland do I know what love for my country means，” states the Hangzhou native. He has made this statement on many occasions.

In the 1980s Wu worked as master chef at a prestigious restaurant in Hangzhou. Though he was very young， he prepared food for state dinners. In 1988， the government sent him to work at Sichuan Restaurant in Austria. After the work contract expired， he applied to stay. With the government approval， he stayed in a bid to promote Chinese food in Austria. “Back then， Austria had a small number of Chinese restaurants and local people as well as friends from other European countries were quite curious about Chinese food. I thought it was a good opportunity，” explains Wu Liming.

Back then， the Chinese restaurants in Austria were relatively small and the Chinese dishes served there were considered low-end largely because these restaurants largely catered to the Chinese crew of ocean ships. After working as a restaurant chef for years， Wu decided to turn his dream into reality in 2008. He set up Green Cottage. The high-end restaurant has only 54 seats. With fine decoration， it offers a menu that features dishes of modified Hangzhou cuisine. On the menu are quintessence dishes of Hangzhou cuisine such as Dongpo Pork and Shelled Shrimps with Dragon Well Tea as well as western dishes cooked in Chinese style such as Grilled Lamb Chops and Chrysanthemum Codfish.

Wu often demonstrates the Chinese culinary art to foodies at his restaurant in Austria

Green Cottage now stands out among over 400 Chinese restaurants in Austria. Wu Liming describes his restaurant this way： “Those we serve at our restaurant are outnumbered by those we cant serve because of the small space.”

Wu Liming loves talking about patriotism. Before he came to Austria， China was one of his favorite topics. Like many of his contemporaries， he liked to talk grandiosely as if he knew all about politics and solutions. As soon as he was in Austria， he realized what love of motherland actually meant to him. It was then that he knew he was a patriot heart and soul. In the year he started Green Cottage， he helped set up the Association of Hangzhou Natives in Austria. Since then the association has held a series of key events promoting the cultural exchanges between China and Austria. In 2010， the association in partnership with Hangzhou Friendship Association of Europe held a forum on harmony for overseas Chinese communities. In 2011， the association held Hangzhou Cuisine Festival in Austria in partnership with Austria-China Friendship Association and Hangzhou Commerce Bureau. In 2012， the association helped hold a summer camp for Chinese children.

As a chef， Wu promotes Chinese food and culture in many ways. One is to give lectures and demonstrations on Chinese dishes. The other is to get himself hired out for private kitchens at homes of his clients in Austria. He also promotes Chinese culture and food when Austrian government officials come to dine and wine at his restaurant.

Wu Liming is a master chef who unlocks the secrets of Chinese cuisine by experimenting and innovating. He visits Hangzhou frequently， meeting his chef friends at brainstorm dinners at which innovative dishes give rise to heated and lengthy discussions. “Such dinners are designed to inspire. New dishes and new approaches are often born out of these discussions. Food allows no empty talk. Good dishes are good dishes. Heated discussions offend none of us. Good dishes are our top priority，” explains the chef.