How-to China: How 'Rice Noodle Prince' conquers the US

Chen Yuzhu has opened 13 stores in the United States. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Q: How did you promote the rice noodles?

Chen: To promote the rice noodles in the early days, I often went to the nearby subway and yelled near the entrance: "Special noodles from my hometown Guizhou!" Most people couldn't distinguish rice noodles from wheat noodles at first, so I kept explaining until they did.

I also played promotional videos in my store — for example, how to cook beef rice noodles in consomme and sour soup to deepen foreigners' impression of the cuisine. Guizhou beef rice noodles have become a recognized local food brand as a result of my vigorous promotion.

Q: How have you been able to keep the authentic taste of the noodles, or have you changed the recipe some?

Chen: I started sending out ingredients in 2016, covering more than a dozen US states, including New York, New Jersey and Connecticut, so that more compatriots living overseas could enjoy an authentic taste of China. I also managed a Guizhou specialty food factory in the US to supply the original ingredients needed to make beef rice noodles. Most of them are flown in from Guizhou.