IHG Hotels & Resorts Greater China launches the IHG Star Chef Gourmet Tour 2026 | News
As diners increasingly seek experiences beyond fine dining, hotel dining is evolving into an important gateway for discovering local culture and destinations. In response to this shift, IHG Hotels & Resorts has continued to develop its annual Star Chef Gourmet Tour for the fourth year in a row, bringing together hotels across Greater China to celebrate regional culinary traditions and foster deeper cultural expression and emotional connection.
This year the program returns with a revamped three-part journey – Origin, Authenticity and Craft – bringing together culinary teams from nearly 50 hotels across the IHG portfolio. Through ingredient provenance, regional culinary traditions and contemporary craftsmanship, the year-long series showcases IHG’s diverse dining offering and commitment to culinary innovation. The Journey of Origins marks the opening chapter, starting at Crowne Plaza Hangzhou Science City.
“Today’s diners are looking for more than exceptional food: they are looking for cultural discovery, meaningful experiences and emotional connection,” said Jerome Qiu, Chief Operating Officer of IHG Greater China.
“With more than 900 hotels in Greater China, IHG is uniquely positioned to bring together diverse culinary traditions, local dining expertise and regional food cultures, creating richer and more differentiated dining experiences for our guests. At the same time, we continue to invest in developing culinary talent and innovation across our portfolio. Now in its fourth year, the Star Chef Gourmet Tour has become a key platform for collaboration and creativity, reflecting our long-term commitment to taking hotel dining to the next level and enhance its role in destination experiences.
Looking ahead, we will continue to leverage the strengths of our multi-brand, multi-destination portfolio to deepen the connection between dining and local culture, creating more meaningful guest experiences while expanding the appeal of our destinations through distinctive culinary offerings.”
The journey of origins through the lens of rice
The opening chapter of the IHG Star Chef Gourmet Tour, Journey of Origin, is inspired by the theme A Grain with a Thousand Flavors, which explores the evolution of flavor through rice, a cornerstone of Chinese culinary culture. Centered around rice – one of the most enduring ingredients in Chinese cuisine – the experience explores how a single ingredient has shaped regional food traditions, daily life and culinary creativity across generations.
For the opening chapter, culinary teams from IHG hotels in East and South China came together to reinterpret rice through regional ingredients, local techniques and personal culinary stories, inviting guests to discover the many ways a single ingredient can connect people, places and traditions.
The top row, from left to right: pomegranate-shaped beef and roasted chili crispy rice roll, jade green rice noodle rolls and chilled botanical shrimp, with steamed rice cakes; Double-boiled duck soup with fish head and black rice; Seared rice crisp with yellow skin, marble goby and black truffle; Crispy beef with rice mochi and 15-year balsamic vinegar
The bottom row, from left to right: braised pork belly with wild chives, red sticky rice, baby squid and rice cake; Stir-fried pea shoots with millet oil; Steamed cod, pickled Sichuan chili sauce and pesto clam risotto; Squid ink egg tart with sweet almond, lily bulb, winter melon and rice reduction
The dinner opened with the appetizers of Pomegranate Shaped Beef & Roasted Chili Crispy Rice Roll, Jade Green Rice Noodle Rolls and Chilled Botan Prawns, with Steamed Rice Cakes, where crispy textures, delicate seafood flavors and refreshing notes awakened the palate.
Double-boiled duck soup with fish maw and black rice followed, giving the broth the nutty depth and richness of black rice.
Seared rice crisp with yellow skin, marble goby and black truffle combined the sweetness of seafood with the scent of roasted rice and earthy truffle
Crispy beef with rice mochi and 15 year balsamic contrasted the chewiness of rice mochi with crispy beef and the complexity of aged vinegar.
Braised pork belly with wild chives, red sticky rice, baby squid and rice cake reinterpreted traditional rice-based dishes through a contemporary lens.
Stir-fried pea shoots with millet oil celebrated the natural flavors of grains.
Steamed Cod, Sichuan Pickled Chili Sauce and Pesto Clam Risotto demonstrated rice’s ability to bridge regional influences and culinary styles.
The journey concluded with squid ink egg tart with sweet almond, lily bulb, winter melon and rice reduction, offering a sophisticated expression of rice in dessert form.
Together, the menu showed how a single ingredient can inspire diverse culinary expressions while connecting regional traditions, local ingredients and contemporary creativity.
In addition to the menu itself, the evening experience was designed to bring guests closer to the creative process behind each dish. The participating chefs took on the role of ‘taste guides’, sharing their inspiration through short films, behind-the-scenes photography and illustrated menus that followed the development of each creation. Together, these elements transformed the dinner into a multi-sensory journey that connected ingredients, craftsmanship and stories.
The journey continues
Following the launch of the Journey of Origin in Hangzhou, the 2026 Star Chef Gourmet Tour will continue with two upcoming chapters: Journey of Authenticity and Journey of Craft. Together, the three chapters represent a year-long exploration of ingredients, culinary traditions and innovation, while reflecting IHG’s long-standing strengths in diverse dining offerings, operational excellence and enhanced guest experiences.
Journey of Authenticity, inspired by the element of fire, explores how geography, climate and cooking techniques determine the character of ingredients and regional cuisines. Centering on the element of water, Journey of Craft will highlight contemporary interpretations of traditional culinary practices such as stock making and fermentation, and demonstrate how heritage techniques continue to inspire modern dining experiences.
More than a culinary program, the Star Chef Gourmet Tour reflects IHG’s long-term vision of hotel dining. As dining continues to evolve from a functional offering to a more experiential occasion, IHG remains committed to creating dining experiences that promote deeper cultural connection and emotional resonance. Through the Star Chef Gourmet Tour, IHG continues to explore the long-term value of hotel dining, making food and beverage a meaningful way for guests to experience a destination and discover its unique local character.
