A California State University professor will shape the way China Central Television markets its popular documentary show The Taste of China, after winning a competition at the Chinese Food and Culture Festival in Long Beach, California.

Jasmine Austin, a professor with the Department of Finance at California State University's Long Beach location won the competition, which was judged by members of the business school faculty. She beat out more than 10 other proposals, organizers said.

"I never thought I would participate in a marketing plan contest," Austin said, but as a previous student of international trade at National Taiwan University, she figured she'd give it a try.

"The focus of my proposal is the culture behind food," she said. "The cultural heritage behind the local foods in the documentary is the essence." Austin proposed that CCTV first work with local US TV stations, then gradually move to the national channels, such as the Food Network.

Richard Schank, director of marketing communications of California State University Long Beach confirmed that Austin's plan will be adopted by CCTV in promoting the food documentary series, which is currently preparing a second season.

Austin, who was born and raised in Taiwan, will win a round trip ticket to the Chinese mainland and hotel accommodations for nine days. "Even though my mom visits the mainland twice a year from Taiwan, I've never been there yet," she said.

Heidi Zhang, director of international training programs at California State University Long Beach, first told Austin about the competition.

Zhang said the competition is only the tip of the iceberg. She receives 50 to 60 training groups from China each year, most of whom are government officials and professionals. The training programs cover various topics including language and management. She estimates that the university trains around 2,400 people from China every year. the school also hosts Chinese culture programs; in previous years, the programs have focused on the cultures of different provinces, including Sichuan and Tianjin.

Tim Xie, professor of the department of Asian and Asian American Studies at California State University Long Beach, sees adaptation as a necessary step in promoting Chinese food and culture abroad. Although China's 5,000-year history has tremendous depth, Chinese culture and food need to be globalized first to be appreciated by people from other cultures, even if that might mean sacrificing some authenticity, he said. CCTV's competition is part of that process.

"But it's worth it," he said. "It's like we're teaching Chinese Language 101. When students learn the basics, they can dig deeper."

wangjun@chinadailyusa.com