AMMAN, June 9 (Xinhua) -- "People here are no longer going only to try noodles or fried rice. They want to experience something authentic, and learn more about China itself," 27-year-old Huda Ameen told Xinhua at a Chinese restaurant in the capital Amman.
In Jordan, what started decades ago as a quiet curiosity about Chinese cuisine has evolved into a wider cultural interest in China, with Chinese restaurants now serving as spaces for cultural discovery rather than mere dining venues. This shift is especially pronounced among younger generations, whose perceptions of China are being reshaped one meal at a time.
"When I first tried Chinese food years ago, it felt very different from what we usually eat in Jordan. But over time, I became curious about the culture behind the dishes -- the meaning of sharing food, even the way meals are prepared and served," Ameen said.
University student Lamar Tayseer Haddad shared a similar journey.
"Honestly, I used to think Chinese food was strange and far from our taste," Haddad said. "Now I see it completely differently -- balanced, diverse. It made me more interested in Chinese traditions and daily life."
She and her friends often discuss Chinese culture after visiting restaurants, from tea traditions to cities they hope to visit in the future.
Restaurant owners have been firsthand witnesses to this evolution.
Walid Bashir, who has worked in Amman's Chinese dining sector since the early 1990s, recalled how different the scene was decades ago. The first Chinese restaurant in Jordan opened in 1975, he said, when the cuisine was largely unknown and patronage limited to niche groups.
Over the years, new investment, culinary expertise, and refined cooking techniques have helped Chinese cuisine gain recognition across Jordanian society.
"The market today is very different from what it was decades ago," Bashir said. "Chinese food has become widely known, and people are far more familiar with it than in the past."
He noted that Chinese restaurants have maintained a loyal customer base over the years, with some customers visiting his restaurant since the 1990s. While some dishes are adapted to local tastes, his menu also serves authentic Chinese cuisine for Asian expatriates, foreign companies, and international tourists.
Eliana Janineh, general manager of the Jordan Restaurant Association, said that around 70 Chinese restaurants now operate across Jordan, most in Amman.
Raed Hamadah, head of the Tourism, Services, and Restaurants Committee at the Amman Chamber of Industry, said the spread of Chinese restaurants benefits Jordan's tourism and hospitality sectors, "meeting the needs of tourists of various nationalities."
In essence, food reflects lifestyle and cultural elements. As Chinese restaurants have multiplied, local understanding of China has gradually deepened.
"Food is one of the easiest ways to understand another culture," Ameen said. "Through Chinese cuisine, many Jordanians became more curious about China and more open to learning about its people and traditions."■
