Quanzhou, 17 October 2025 – The 2025 Quanzhou Mountain-Sea Chef King Competition, currently underway across the city, has introduced a significant upgrade this year with the launch of its first-ever Rural Culinary Skills Contest. This new stream joins the established Culinary Star Contest and Snack Skills Contest, creating a trio of events that collectively showcase Quanzhou's gastronomic diversity—from high-end dining and street food to rustic rural flavours. The expanded format aims to inject fresh momentum into the local culinary industry, with activities running through late November.

　　The competition maintains its distinctive "1+N" model, featuring one main finals venue alongside multiple preliminary rounds held across Quanzhou's counties and districts. This structure ensures broad participation and highlights regional specialties.

　　Three Streams, One Goal: Celebrating Culinary Diversity

　　Culinary Star Contest

　　The flagship segment challenges chefs to prepare two hot dishes within 60 minutes: one traditional Quanzhou dish and one innovative creation. Scoring combines theoretical knowledge (20%), practical skills evaluated by master chefs (70%), and a "chef's presentation" segment (10%) where contestants explain their dish's cultural and creative inspiration. The top 30 dishes will be honoured as "2025 Recommended Dishes."

　　Snack Skills Contest

　　Focused on Quanzhou's vibrant snack culture, this category requires participants to craft one signature snack in 30 minutes. Evaluation prioritises practical execution (80%) complemented by the chef's narrative on ingredients and cultural context (20%). The top 30 snacks will earn the title of "2025 Recommended Snacks."

　　Rural Culinary Skills Contest (New in 2025)

　　Designed to unearth hidden talents from the countryside, this stream is exclusive to chefs from restaurants in Quanzhou's townships and villages. Participants must prepare one designated Quanzhou dish and one innovative dish within 60 minutes. The scoring mirrors the Culinary Star Contest, emphasising both technique and storytelling. Its top 30 dishes will be recognised as "2025 Recommended Rural Specialties."

　　Contestants may enter only one of the three streams, ensuring focused competition and specialised recognition.

　　Prestigious Awards and Professional Recognition

　　The competition offers high-stakes incentives for top performers:

　　Winners of the Culinary Star and Rural Contests' top ranks may apply for the "Quanzhou Technical Expert" title issued by the Municipal Human Resources and Social Security Bureau. Eligible chefs under 40 may also qualify for the "Youth May Fourth Medal."

　　Second-place winners in the Culinary Star and Rural Contests, along with the Snack Contest champion, will receive the "Quanzhou Gold Medal Worker" accolade from the Municipal Federation of Trade Unions.

　　The top 10 chefs in each stream receive Special Gold Awards, with ranks 11–20 awarded Gold Awards.

　　Rigorous Judging and Sustainability Focus

　　A dual-panel jury—comprising at least seven culinary masters and three cultural experts—will ensure fair and culturally informed evaluations. The competition emphasises the use of local "mountain-and-sea" ingredients, aligning with Quanzhou's broader campaign to become a UNESCO City of Gastronomy.

　　Notably, the event mandates sustainable practices, including anti-waste measures, safety protocols for gas usage, and reduced single-use plastics, reinforcing its commitment to green gastronomy.

　　How to Participate

　　Chefs interested in joining must submit applications endorsed by local commerce departments or culinary associations by 31 October 2025. Materials are available via the official WeChat account "Quanzhou Flavours" (泉州味道) and should be emailed to the organising committee at qzwd@qzwb.com.