Sunlight streams through the floor-to-ceiling windows of Mu Dimsum Restaurant, near Milano Centrale train station, in Milan, Italy. The sunlight casts a warm glow on the Yixing clay teapot, sitting on a solid-wood dining table. The warmth of that sunlight sets the tone of Mu Dimsum, which embodies owner Zhou Suili's unwavering dedication to authentic Chinese cuisine. Zhou meticulously creates innovative dishes, blends Chinese aesthetics into the dining space, and hosts culinary-cultural events that inevitably build emotional connections with her guests. Through Zhou's dedication, and especially her efforts, Mu Dimsum has become not just a haven for diners' palates, but also an ambassador that spreads Chinese culture.
Breaking New Ground
"Having been in Milan for 20 years, I still remember the taste of Westernized Chinese food," says Zhou, who moved to the city, with her parents, when she was 10. Back then, seafood fried noodles and almond chicken were among the common offerings in the Chinese restaurants. Such dishes, adapted to suit local palates, confined Chinese cuisine to the label of cheap, fast food. Zhou's sense of regret at that fact became her motivation for establishing Mu Dimsum.
Mu Dimsum officially opened in January 2018. The 450-square-meter restaurant is near Milan's central business district. "Mu (wood) in Mu Dimsum wasn't chosen randomly," Zhou explains. "In the Chinese philosophy Wuxing, or Five Elements, wood symbolizes growth and vitality. I hope this restaurant can bring fresh energy to Chinese cuisine in Milan, and offer something different."
The growth of wood is never achieved overnight. Likewise, the growth of Mu Dimsum was no different. During the early days, many customers, accustomed to traditional Chinese eateries, requested Western-style Chinese food. Instead of refusing their orders outright, Zhou would smile, hand them the menu, and recommend "new creations" — such as steamed sponge cake, with an eggnog sauce infused with rice wine, offering layers of wine aroma and rice fragrance with every bite — offered at the restaurant.
Other "new creations" included salted egg yolk, blended with coconut milk, asparagus and rice cakes, delivering a mellow and comforting taste, and cumin-charcoal-roasted pigeon legs, served with crispy lotus root slices in green-pea sauce. The skin on the pigeon legs would be crunchy and the meat tender, and customers would enjoy the lingering aftertaste.
Each year since its opening, the restaurant's menu has been subtly refined, based on diners' feedback. Zhou's dedication to quality has paid off. In 2020, Mu Dimsum was listed in the Michelin Guide's recommended Chinese restaurants.
Mu Dimsum's decor has also been refined, year by year, from the initially simple solid-wood tables and chairs to later additions, including carved wooden screens, double-sided embroideries, and traditional Chinese calligraphies and paintings. Zhou says every single detail subtly conveys Chinese aesthetics.
The restaurant was initially arranged based on Zhou's preferences. She eventually met an Italian designer, and together, they blended the charm of vintage pieces with modern-style interior design.
For example, natural wood is used as the bases of the floor lamps. Also, purple clay teapots, woven rattan trays and solid-wood chopstick rests are arranged on the dining tables.
"I love vintage items. I often flip through old photos and study the setups of traditional tea houses, then I think about how to integrate them into the restaurant. Now, the space is softer and more harmonious than before. When guests come in, they feel relaxed, and they are willing to sit a bit longer," Zhou says.
Culinary Craftsmanship
One menu item is ordered by virtually every table — Peking duck, served with caviar. The dish is special, as it took Zhou and her team nearly four years to create and refine.
"Peking duck is a calling card of Chinese cuisine, but it's difficult to do well in Europe. The biggest challenge is the ingredients. Ducks from China can't be imported, and local duck breeds don't meet the requirements," Zhou says.
To find suitable ducks, Zhou's team visited many farms in Europe. They started in France, and then Italy. They eventually found a suitable supplier in Ireland. "The ducks they provided had white and thin skin, with relatively small pores, which was just right for achieving the crispy texture of Peking duck, and especially the melt-in-your-mouth sensation," Zhou says.
After multiple attempts at cooking the ducks, the team finally achieved a stable and satisfying result: The duck's skin was roasted to a glossy, golden brown, and it made a crisp "crack" when it was lightly sliced with a knife. They cut the duck into small squares, and they served it with caviar and toasted bread. The dish brings together the richness of the duck's skin, the umami of the caviar, and the crunch of the bread.
"Our Peking duck sells very well, and it continues to attract many regular customers. Many people come to our restaurant specifically to order it," Zhou says, full of pride.
Today, the restaurant's menu boasts more than 50 regular dishes, each the result of constant, creative collaboration by the staff. "Our head chef is Chinese Malaysian, who joined us in March last year. Our sous chef is Italian, who joined us in 2020. He is also our pastry chef," Zhou says. She says it was "fate" they all met, and adds their different cultural backgrounds spark unique creative synergies.
"We often dine out together at other restaurants, and they have traveled with me to China to explore Chinese cuisine. We communicate frequently, to bridge our cultural differences, and to align our thinking as we refine our dishes." Zhou says.
None of Mu Dimsum's dishes contain either MSG (monosodium glutamate) or chicken bouillon. Instead, Zhou says, the natural umami comes entirely from slow-simmered broths, which is a Chinese culinary tradition, and a health standard, which everyone recognizes.
Winning Over Diners
Of the restaurant's customers, about 60 percent are Italian while 40 percent are Chinese, including local Chinese and tourists from Singapore, the UK, the US and other regions.
"During the tourist season, the proportion of Chinese customers increases by about 10 percent. Many people come on friends' recommendations, saying, 'There's a Chinese restaurant in Milan where you can taste the flavors of home,'" Zhou says. She adds word-of-mouth praise about the authentic taste is the best advertisement for the restaurant.
Of her many patrons, one Chinese woman, from the US, left a particularly deep impression on Zhou. Last summer, the woman dined alone at the restaurant. After her meal, the woman complimented Zhou on the restaurant's ambiance, service and dishes. "She told me finding a Chinese restaurant in Milan that made her feel so at home was truly delightful," Zhou recalls.
Zhou was even more affected by the fact the woman returned with her husband the next evening. The couple ordered a tableful of dishes. To Zhou, such genuine affection is the most treasured recognition of her and her restaurant.
Such stories are commonplace at Mu Dimsum. Zhou says she is proud the restaurant is not just a place to enjoy delicious Chinese food, but is also a window for sharing Chinese culture. As such, the restaurant hosts monthly tea-tasting events, during which Zhou personally introduces guests to the history of Chinese tea — from the refreshing taste of green tea to the mellowness of Pu'er, and from tea ceremony etiquette to the culture of tea utensils.
During traditional Chinese festivals, such as Spring Festival, Qingming Festival and Dragon Boat Festival, the restaurant's menu includes seasonal specialties, including delicate Qingming cakes and sticky rice dumplings, with salted egg yolk and pork. "Each bite is a continued seasonal sentiment," Zhou says.
In May, the restaurant organized a steamed-bun workshop, which became a lively and heartwarming cross-cultural activity. "Initially, we planned to have 10 participants, but so many people signed up that we had to add more spots. I remember a family brought their 5-year-old child," Zhou says.
The Italian participants were full of curiosity about the steamed buns. Accustomed to baking bread in ovens, they were fascinated to see "a soft bun made simply with steam." Zhou recalls how one Italian woman, who kneaded the dough with extraordinary focus, did not mind her fingers being covered by flour.
After the freshly steamed buns were removed from the pot, the woman took a bite and was amazed by the fluffy, tender texture. She raised her eyebrows and nodded in delight, Zhou recalls. "That moment truly moved me, and it made me feel the magic of the cultural exchange. It was such a wonderful experience," Zhou says.
Behind the restaurant's vibrant, bustling atmosphere lies the little-known hard work and hardships of Zhou's entrepreneurship. Initially, convincing diners to accept the "new Chinese cuisine" required patience and perseverance. At times, Zhou faced shortages of staff and financing. Amid the sometime-overlapping challenges, Zhou often asked herself, "Do I still hold onto my original passion? Can I really keep going?" After much reflection, she decided to grit her teeth and push on.
Her family's support has been the backbone of Zhou's perseverance. "I'm grateful for my husband's companionship and trust, which has strengthened my resolve during my career," she says.
Zhou now places increasing importance on personal growth and self-enrichment. "I return to China two or three times a year, to study at tea plantations, immersing myself in the culture and heritage of tea," she says. Nearly 40 varieties of premium Chinese tea are displayed in her restaurant. Each has been personally selected by her.
"I enjoy sharing the stories behind the tea with our guests. Through tea and tea culture, I hope to create a space where people can find stillness, so everyone can find their own rhythm amidst the hustle and bustle of life," Zhou says.
Photos from Interviewee
(Women of China English Monthly December 2025)
Editor: Wang Shasha
