Competition Upgraded, Industry Buzz Surrounds New Culinary Guide

　　Creative Restaurant Registration Deadline: September 15

　　Quanzhou Daily, September 9 (Reporter: Chen Linghong)

　　Now in its fourth year, the Quanzhou Mountain & Sea Chef King Competition has become the city's premier professional culinary contest. In 2025, the event takes a major step forward. Running from September to November, the competition—officially recognised as Quanzhou's annual professional skills contest for the food and beverage industry—will be paired with the launch of the Golden Citong Food Guide, the city's first authoritative culinary ranking.

　　The guide aims to move beyond fragmented, informal reviews by introducing a comprehensive evaluation system covering chefs, restaurants, and signature dishes, with "creativity and innovation" at its core.

Chefs preparing signature dishes in a previous competition

Scene from the 2024 competition (Image via "Taste of Quanzhou" WeChat account)

　　Building a Global-Standard Food Guide: Taste, Story, and Culture

　　Professor Wang Jingqiang, Director of the Tourism Experimental Centre at Huaqiao University, sees the Golden Citong Food Guide as a milestone in systematising Quanzhou's culinary traditions and strengthening cultural confidence. "This guide not only catalogues Quanzhou's scattered food heritage but also enhances the visitor experience, offering an authoritative 'Eat in Quanzhou' handbook," he said. Wang emphasised its potential to extend visitor stays, highlight Quanzhou's distinct culinary identity within the Minnan region, and promote deeper integration between agriculture and the service industries.

　　Food safety expert Yang Zhanghua, a member of the National Committee on Food Industry Standardisation, highlighted the importance of the guide's field visits. "Exploring hidden local eateries preserves multi-generational culinary legacies and craftsmanship," he noted. Expert teams will also review sourcing, preparation, and storage practices, helping restaurateurs improve food safety and adopt healthier cooking approaches.

　　Xu Xiaochun, landmark cuisine assessor for the China Hospitality Association, praised the initiative as "a milestone in aligning Quanzhou with national and global culinary standards while retaining its local identity." She cited Shunde's Cantonese Star Award and Jiangsu's Golden Jasmine List as precedents, stressing: "It's not just about flavour—it's about telling the stories and cultural history behind each dish, so diners can 'taste the story' as well as the food."

　　Local Authenticity: Food, Service, and Warmth

　　Industry practitioners stressed accessibility, service quality, and data reliability as key to the guide's credibility.

　　Hu Manrong, registered Chinese Culinary Master and Group Culinary Director at Rongyu Group, welcomed the cultural framing of cuisine. "Authenticity lies not only in creativity and quality but also in using truly local ingredients," he said. "A Dehua chicken should come from Dehua, and a Yongchun duck should be from Yongchun—only then do flavours ring true."

　　Liu Shuwen, President of the Quanzhou Culinary Association and Chairman of Lijiu Catering, underlined the need for trust. "Like the Michelin Guide or China's Black Pearl list, the Golden Citong Food Guide must be backed by solid data and broad community input," he explained, recommending online review platforms as a useful reference. "Outstanding restaurants may not have the very highest scores, but they rarely fall below 4.5."

　　For Liu, service matters as much as food. "People are the city's most important landscape. Tourists arrive eager and expectant. It's not about perfect technique—it's about warmth and sincerity," he said. "Often it's those small, heartfelt gestures that leave the strongest memory—sometimes even more than the food itself."

　　Registration Information

　　Applications must be endorsed by county-level commerce bureaus or recognised restaurant associations. Interested businesses should follow the official Taste of Quanzhou WeChat account, download the registration forms under the "Chef King Competition" menu, and submit both stamped paper copies and digital files (via QR code or by email: qzwd@qzwb.com)