Seasoned in tradition

According to a report on the sustainable development of the Sichuan cuisine industry, issued in October by the World Federation of Chinese Catering Industry, by the second quarter of 2022, the number of Sichuan cuisine restaurants reached 320,000, accounting for 31.3 percent of the total number of restaurants in China, much higher than the second and third ranked cuisines, Zhejiang and Cantonese, respectively.

Sichuan cuisine is popular both at home and abroad, not only because of its versatility — as the old saying goes, "one dish comes with one flavor, and one hundred dishes come with a hundred flavors" — but also due to its openness and inclusiveness, the same characteristics of Sichuan people.

Sichuan chefs, be they veteran or novice, are adhering to its traditional cooking methods and authentic flavors and, at the same time, are innovative in developing new combinations of ingredients and fusing the recipes with other domestic and overseas cuisines.

Wang Gang, 55, chef and founder of Sichuan cuisine restaurant chain Meizhou Dongpo, aims to bring Sichuan cuisine to the world.