Does China have China Buffet?

Benn Gann asked me this in a recent conversation. The answer is "not exactly." By "China Buffet," most of us mean a buffet restaurant specializing in American Chinese food, a modified Chinese cuisine geared to the American palate. In that sense of the term, there is no China Buffet here. However, there are someChinese cafeterias which charge item by item.

And today, to my great embarrassment, I was the honoree at a formal Chinese luncheon, where the guests were seated around a rotating table and presented with dish after dish-- over 20, I was told. I blame this on Sir Barry Jowett, director of The Oxford English Academy where I work. Our school is conducting a ten day in-service for 60 Chinese school teachers, and Sir Barry loves to brag about my doctorate. The people from the school system got the idea I was an important American educator, and wanted to show proper respect! It was a very structured affair, with toasts given at specified times, by specified people. I was required to make the last toast, after the fruit course at the end of the dinner.