Tibetan chefs will have the opportunity to match their skills in a competition on August 28 and 29 in Lhasa, capital of China's Tibet Autonomous Region.

The competition, the first of its kind in Tibet, will showcase traditional Tibetan foods with a history of 1,000 years and attract more tourists from home and abroad, according to Zhang Wansheng, director of the region's tourist administration.

Participants are encouraged to display both age-old traditional techniques and new techniques.

"Having worked as a Tibetan cook for 12 years, I'm confident of my skills, especially my consummate skill to make rice stir-fried with ginseng fruit," said 35-year-old Soi'nam, who has registered for the contest.

In individual contests, cooks will have to complete in limited time three prescribed dishes and three dishes of their own choice.

In the team contest, each group, with four members at most, have to finish eight Tibetan dishes within a limited time.

More tourists are flowing into Tibet, boosting the local catering industry. Over 100 restaurants in Lhasa, big or small, have been making traditional foods which are new to most tourists.

Since tourism has become Tibet's pillar industry, traditional Tibetan cuisine will see further development in the future, local experts predicted.

(Xinhua News Agency July 29, 2003)