Celebrities join quest for total dining experience

Actress Li Bingbing, food critic Shen Hongfei and designer Lu Hongzhong shared their dining experiences on July 18 at the launching ceremony of Budweiser Supreme Best Dining Experience Award for the best restaurant in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Shenzhen.

Shen and Lu are two of the panel's judges. Anyone can share their dining stories by logging in the restaurant-rating and group-buying service provider Dianping.com. The results will come out by year-end.

"It's a very interesting contest. Food, food culture and restaurant designs such as tableware are our assessment standards," says Shen, who is a consultant for the widely acclaimed food documentary A Bite of China, produced by Central China Television.

Shen says that to most customers, a restaurant's atmosphere, their own mood and the company of people there also affect their dining experiences.

"The combination can make you enjoy more of your meals and life as well," says Li, who is presently enjoying a fresh bout of popularity following her performance in the Hollywood blockbuster Transformers: Age of Extinction.

"You can't enjoy delicious food by eating alone, because the dining experience is about sharing with others. It's a relaxation as well. You can also understand different cultures via dining."