Recently, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer's diplomatic dinner in Beijing, where he sampled 13 Yunnan dishes, has catapulted Yunnan cuisine back into the global culinary spotlight. Now, right here in Kunming, you are able to taste these "Prime Minister-approved" dishes and even embark on a one-stop culinary journey through the flavors of Yunnan's 26 ethnic groups.

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The Prime Minister's Menu Highlights

The menu features 13 authentic Yunnan dishes. It totally showcase both the diversity of Yunnan cuisine and thoughtful consideration for special dietary needs:

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Beef Rolls with Mint: The beef taken from highland domestic cattle is wrapped around fresh mint leaves and served with signature spicy-sour sauce. This dish is a quintessential expression of the core Yunnan flavor profile: spicy, sour, fragrant and fresh.

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Grilled Asparagus with Mushroom: Hailed as the "Twin Delicacies from Mountain and Plain," this dish is seasoned with nothing more than salt and cooked with precise control of the flame to spotlight the natural flavor of the ingredients.

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Rose Jam-Filled Cake & Deep-fried Yunnan Cheese: Classic Yunnan desserts that showcase the charm of edible flowers and dairy products respectively.

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Each dish is clearly labeled with allergen information such as "gluten-free" or "nut-free" for guests with dietary restrictions to make informed choices.

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Featured Kunming Restaurants

Fuzhaolou·Memorial Hall of Victory & Southwest Associated University Theme Restaurant: This restaurant offers more than just the "Prime Minister's Menu." Guests can also experience special themed banquets inspired by the culture of the Southwest Associated University, where history and cuisine come together seamlessly. For example, the Tengchong "Dajiujia"—Sauteed Rice Cake with Egg, Pickles & Chilies. Chewy rice cakes are wok-tossed with savory Yunnan ham and slightly tangy fermented chili, creating a texture that is soft yet pleasantly resilient. The lingering savory-sweet aftertaste holds the warm, everyday memories of a Yunnan family table.

Dianchi Lakeside·Exquisite Yunnan Cuisine: Located within the Dianchi Golf Club with beautiful views of the lake, this restaurant offers an elegant setting. You can savor the "Prime Minister's Menu" specialty, Pork Ribs with Plum Sauce , known for its perfect sweet-and-sour balance and memorable flavor. Beyond that. In addition, the restaurant's signature "Mushroom-Fresh Sea Bass" creatively combines Mountain Treasures and Lake Delicacies using the traditional Yunnan "Du" cooking method (slow-braising).

Shiye·Huashan (Forage·Bloom): This restaurant specializes in cooking edible flower dishes, carrying forward Yunnan’s unique tradition of "eating flowers." Creative dishes such as Flower-Infused Cross-Bridge Rice Noodles and Banana Flower with Dai-style Beef offer a refreshing take on local flavors. Other distinctive items include Stir-fried Wild Pork with Pomegranate Blossoms and "Typhoon Shelter" Prawns with Jasmine Flower. Here, dining on flowers is not merely romantic—it's an authentic slice of Yunnan’s everyday life.

Xiangyun Huiguan Garden Restaurant: Housed in a century-old villa once used by the "Flying Tigers", this restaurant is steeped in history. Their Spicy Deep-fried Potatoes with Mint features large Yunnan potatoes, tossed with fresh mint and chili powder upon serving. It's a beloved favorite in every Yunnan household. The Pineapple Rice, served in a fresh pineapple, features glutinous rice fully infused with the fruit’s fragrance—each bite evokes the vibrant flavor of the rainforest. Beyond these, the "Floral Modern Baba"—an Intangible Cultural Heritage pastry and other classic Yunnan dishes also receive high praise.

"Twenty-Six Families" Restaurant: Boasting more than 80 dishes that feature the representative cuisines of Yunnan’s 26 ethnic groups, from the Yi people’s Roasted Dried Beef and the Dai people’s Herb-Grilled Fish to the Bai people’s Milk Cake–every plate is accompanied by a cultural card that unfolds the ethnic tales behind it. A meal here is more than just a taste of Yunnan's flavors; it's a bite of condensed Yunnan folklore and history.

Yunnan cuisine, with its fragrant plateau mushrooms, pristine ingredients, diverse ethnic flavors, and profound cultural depth, continues to win the hearts of international diners. The popularity of the "Prime Minister's Menu" has provided Yunnan cuisine with an exceptional showcase. Whether it's a historic feast hidden in a courtyard, innovative fusion dishes overlooking a lake, or authentic flavors tucked away in old alleys, a profound cultural journey—guided by the exploration of taste—is now unfolding in the Spring City.

This Spring Festival, skip the flight to Beijing. Right here in Kunming, you can savor the same refined Yunnan dishes that delighted the British Prime Minister, and within a single meal, embark on a culinary journey through the 26 ethnic groups of Yunnan. From a single bite of wild mountain freshness to a story of ethnic heritage, the true flavor of Yunnan awaits your discovery.