A reunion forty years in the making, a vegetarian Chinese cooking class, and the small moments that made one afternoon in Shanghai unforgettable.

What started as a soup dumpling class in Shanghai became an unexpected conversation about food, family, and tradition.

When an Italian mother shared that kneading dough is considered "a very sensual movement" in Italy, we discovered how two different cultures can find common ground through flour, water, and handmade cooking. Over a pot of Liubao tea and homemade Xiao Long Bao, a simple cooking class turned into a meaningful cultural exchange between Italy and China.

Three exchange students from Germany and Austria spent four months exploring China, visiting cities like Beijing, Hangzhou, Chongqing, and Zhangjiajie. Despite their love of cooking, they had never taken a cooking class in China—until their final weeks in Shanghai. Their first Chinese cooking experience? Learning how to make authentic Xiaolongbao at Yin Studio.