Banquet menus are quite different in composition from the daily meal at home. A standard banquet consists of four to six cold dishes, eight main dishes, one or two showpieces (such as a whole fish or chicken), along with soup, rice, pastries and fruit.

Cold dishes are normally served before the main dishes. Any number of cold plate components may be combined into a single elaborate dish, beautifully shaped like a butterfly, phoenix, dragon, or a basket of flowers. The visual appeal is intended, however, to stimulate the appetite. The main enjoyment comes from flavors and textures of the dishes themselves.

Each of the main dishes contains a different kind of food, some with meat or fish, some without. Rice or noodles are served last. Even at the end of a banquet, Chinese habitually eat a small bowl of rice or noodles.

This article by Yang Tianqing and Daniel Kister.