At the Table: Fenjiu’s New Year Dinner in London

When the year draws to a close, the approach of the New Year in a global city like London is marked in diverse ways. Chinese culture also takes part in the city’s year-end moment through exciting everyday experiences. For many professionals in the UK’s hospitality and spirits industries, a genuine introduction to Chinese culinary culture often begins at the dining table.

Against this backdrop, Cheng International, on behalf of Fenjiu International, hosted two Fenjiu New Year dinners in London. The events offered British guests a first-hand experience of Chinese dining culture and the integral role of baijiu.

Both evenings centred on the shared dining philosophy. Guests sat together, dishes were enjoyed collectively, and conversation flowed naturally as the year turned. For those experiencing a full Chinese banquet format for the first time, the emphasis on sharing, order and hospitality offered a clear and memorable insight into Chinese table culture.

The dinners were held at Bright Courtyard Club, whose contemporary approach to Chinese fine dining provided an accessible setting for guests to engage with Chinese cuisine and its underlying rhythms.

Following the dinner, a British spirits judge noted that while Western pairings often focus on individual choice, Chinese dining places greater emphasis on shared experience and atmosphere — where baijiu naturally belongs. Others added that the evening prompted them to reconsider how spirits function and are communicated at the table.