Unlike other dishes already prepared in the kitchen, Hot Pot is a participatory experience: cooking happens at the table and each ingredient is cooked at the moment.
Its three main characteristics
- 1. At-table cooking: The pot with broth remains hot throughout the meal.
- 2. Personalized preparation: Each person decides which ingredients to add and how long to cook them.
- 3. Social experience: More than a dish, it is a shared meal that encourages conversation and a calm pace.
Is it the same as fondue?
Not exactly. In fondue, you usually cook in cheese or oil and the focus is on the base ingredient. In Hot Pot, the star is the broth, and the variety of ingredients is much greater: meats, seafood, vegetables, tofu, and noodles. Both share the idea of at-table cooking but belong to different culinary traditions.
