8 World Food Capitals Selected by the United Nations, 4 Cities in China – Is Your Hometown Among Them?

When it comes to food capitals of China, many cities come to mind: Guangzhou, Chongqing, Changsha, Xi'an, and so on. For a long time, there seemed to be no official designation. However, on UNESCO's list of "World Food Capitals", four cities in China have received this title: Chengdu (2010), Shunde District (2014), Macao (2017), and Yangzhou (2019).

From Sichuan's diverse flavors to the cradle of Cantonese cuisine, from the fusion of East and West to the "First State Banquet", these four cities each possess a unique charm through their diverse cuisines, allowing the world to better understand Chinese food. As locals, how much do you know about these cuisines, and how many have you tried? Let's take a journey into these four cities to find which food best satisfies your taste buds.

As the first city in Asia to be awarded the "Food Capital" title by UNESCO, Chengdu has never lacked delicious food. In the narrow alleys of Kuanzhai, you'll find spicy and sizzling hotpot and skewers; on Jinli Street, there are mouth-numbing and fragrant cold skewers and braised dishes; on Yulin Road, hand-torn rabbit... The first impression Chengdu cuisine leaves on outsiders is "nothing without spice, and spice with numbness."

In fact, Sichuan cuisine, known for its flavors, includes 23 other tastes besides spicy and numbing. This is related to the fusion of different regional flavors during several major migration waves in the Sichuan Basin. It absorbed characteristics from all directions and was harmonized through unique cooking methods, eventually becoming the epitome of Chinese cuisine with a hundred flavors.

Tracing the origins of Sichuan cuisine, we go back to the Shu Kingdom during the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods. It began to take shape in the Qin and Han dynasties, and classical Sichuan cuisine formed during the Han and Jin dynasties. It further developed in the Tang and Song dynasties, when it spread beyond Sichuan and gained popularity in the capitals of Kaifeng and Lin'an. Sichuan cuisine became an independent culinary system during the Song dynasty, with Chengdu as an important "production base."

According to the "Encyclopedia of Sichuan Cuisine," by the mid-to-late Qing dynasty, Sichuan cuisine had developed 24 flavor profiles: savory, spicy and numbing, peppery, fish-fragrant, ginger, sour and spicy, sweet and sour, lychee, sweet, salt and pepper, strange flavor, five-spice... Each dish has its own style; a hundred dishes have a hundred flavors. Of course, the most famous are fish-fragrant, spicy and numbing, chili, tangerine peel, pepper and numbing, strange flavor, and sour and spicy. Representative dishes include Yu Xiang Rou Si (fish-fragrant shredded pork), Gong Bao Ji Ding (Kung Pao chicken), and Mapo Tofu.

Don't worry that Chengdu only offers "heavy oil and heavy spice." It is "known for freshness and famous for spiciness." Besides hotpot, there are state banquet dishes like boiled cabbage with clear broth and chicken tofu pudding; grand banquet feasts of old wealthy families with a mix of spicy, sweet, and soup; traditional century-old intangible cultural heritage snacks like Zhong dumplings; and new-style molecular Sichuan cuisine.

After tasting, you'll find that non-spicy options do exist: brown sugar ice jelly can be sweet and moist, clear soup has a lingering freshness, a colorful bowl of noodles topped with a handful of green pea shoots presents a soft and beautiful Chengdu flavor. A trip to Chengdu for food will overturn your preconceptions of Sichuan cuisine.

"If you can make it, you can return to Shunde." This saying has long been famous in the Pearl River Delta for its strong regional characteristics. The derived meaning is that Shunde people working elsewhere return home not just for anything but for the pleasure of eating. Compared to Chengdu, Shunde is only a district-level city in Foshan, Guangdong. Why could it beat so many strong competitors worldwide to win the honor of "World Food Capital"?

Shunde's ancient name was Daliang, known as "Phoenix City" after Phoenix Mountain. As early as the late Ming and early Qing dynasties, the saying "Eat in Guangzhou, cook in Phoenix City" circulated in the culinary world. Almost ten out of ten famous chefs from Hong Kong, Macao, and Guangdong came from Shunde, and they were even renowned overseas. Shunde is the main birthplace of Cantonese cuisine.

If we delve deeper, Cantonese cuisine is a broad concept. Literally, it includes Guangfu cuisine, Chaozhou cuisine, Dongjiang cuisine, Zhanjiang cuisine, etc. Among the branches of Guangfu cuisine, Shunde cuisine stands out. Even though classic Cantonese dishes often use mountain and sea delicacies, Shunde typically uses the most common local freshwater fish, which are then expertly cooked by chefs to create various delicacies.

This characteristic stems from Shunde's regional "mulberry fish pond" system. Traditional Shunde cuisine emphasizes original flavors, lightness, freshness, and sweetness. Common cooking techniques include steaming, braising, stir-frying, stewing, and pan-frying. It is especially known for selecting fresh ingredients, observing seasonality, and using common ingredients. For example, steamed fish head, pan-fried fish cakes, pipa duck, and four-cup chicken are all made from locally abundant fish and poultry.

I've heard that if you enter a Cantonese kitchen and then a Shunde kitchen, you'll find that the sauces in the Shunde kitchen are only about half as many as in other Cantonese kitchens. This reflects Shunde cuisine's pursuit of natural flavors. Simply put: fish should taste like fish, meat like meat, and you should never just taste the sauce.

When searching for food in Shunde, the most frequently heard word is "fish." Shunde people eat fish in a myriad of ways, using every part of the fish. The chrysanthemum raw fish, which is closest to the original freshness; the most delicate sauna fish; fish head soup; shredded fish soup; fish tofu—all are made with incredible skill. Chefs in Shunde restaurants also search for special fish ingredients, such as the less common kiss fish and wolffish head. As the saying goes, "If you come to Shunde and don't eat fish, you haven't been to Shunde."

Also famous are double-skin milk, various congees, and hotpot congee, all worth trying. Even ordinary ingredients like green beans and lotus root, which are usually overlooked, can be transformed into home-style dishes like stuffed green beans and fried lotus root cakes by Shunde people with their skillful hands. Coming to Shunde for food—you can never come too many times.

In many people's minds, Macao is a place of luxury and indulgence, but in fact, it is a truly overlooked food capital. Under Portuguese rule for over 400 years, Macao's cuisine became very diverse, featuring both traditional Cantonese snacks and exotic Portuguese-influenced flavors, which can be found in many Chinese and Western restaurants.

From street stalls to Michelin-starred restaurants, travelers in Macao never have to worry about finding food to their taste. That's why food critic Chua Lam often says: "We should not say 'go to' Macao, but 'return to' Macao." It is the familiar flavors that give people a sense of coming home.

Here, you don't necessarily need to follow a guide. Walking around and encountering food by chance is the greatest charm of Macao's cuisine. In the old town, you can best feel Macao's living atmosphere. The Camp Street Market, which has existed since the Daoguang era of the Qing dynasty, is one of the most representative places. Nostalgic locals often come here to eat.

The snacks here are cheap and classic, especially beef offal. Mr. Chua Lam makes a special trip to eat it every time he visits Macao, attracting more and more tourists.

Hidden in the alleys are even more Macao home-style dishes. They may look no different from other shops on the outside, even a bit shabby, but they are the most recommended small eateries by locals.

For example, Liuji Congee Shop, with a history of over 70 years, and Haojiang Zhiji Food in the community. Without a regular customer leading you, they are hard to find. The former's water-crab congee, hand-pulled bamboo noodles, and shrimp roe noodles, and the latter's self-created sake-baked crab and big-eye fish are all appetizing. If you want to taste traditional Macao cuisine, these places are ideal.

Of course, you cannot miss the originator of Macao's Portuguese egg tarts—Lord Stow's Bakery. The main store in Coloane town is the most popular. When you enter, you can smell the rich aroma. Take a light bite, and the crispy crust instantly cracks, revealing the smooth and creamy custard—a moment of happiness. If you want to find a place to savor slowly, you can sit at Lord Stow's Cafe nearby, enjoying the food and the charming Portuguese architecture, feeling utterly relaxed.

For Portuguese cuisine, you can try the affordable Lido Restaurant or the Bay Cafe, recommended by Macanese locals. Use your taste buds to experience the most vivid product of East-West cultural fusion. Other traditional Portuguese dishes, such as salted cod (bacalhau), baked duck rice, and braised oxtail in red wine, are also worth trying. Chew carefully, and you will surely taste the unique Macao flavor.

When mentioning Jiangnan (south of the Yangtze River), people first think of "Above there is heaven, below there are Suzhou and Hangzhou." Only in "March of the misty flowers" do they remember Yangzhou. But those who truly understand Yangzhou have long been conquered by its cuisine. "In the morning, skin wraps water; in the evening, water wraps skin." The daily life of Yangzhou people is filled with poetry and romance, and the cuisine hides the soul of Yangzhou.

The greatest contributors to Yangzhou's food culture are undoubtedly the salt merchants. These merchants, who grew rich from the salt-producing areas of the Huai River, began to focus on quality of life after becoming wealthy—cultivating relationships with scholars, building gardens, hiring chefs... Every salt merchant's household had good cooks. When hosting banquets, they would even borrow chefs from other families to ensure each cook prepared their specialty, creating a complete table of exquisite dishes. This fostered the Yangzhou people's discerning attitude toward food.

To experience Yangzhou cuisine, you must start with its morning tea. Unlike the leisurely morning tea of Guangdong, Yangzhou's morning tea reveals the gentleness of Jiangnan, with a touch of ceremony and full of ritual. Several types of dim sum, a plate of blanched dried tofu shreds, and a cup of clear tea—orderly arranged. The tea is local green tea all year round, brewed with water from the Yangtze River, presenting a vivid green view.

The star item is the famous crab roe soup dumplings, representing "skin wraps water." The technique is: lift gently, move slowly, first make a hole, then drink the soup. After drinking the soup, dip in a little vinegar, add some ginger shreds, and savor the pork aroma and crab roe freshness together—delicious beyond words. The five-ingredient buns praised by Emperor Qianlong are also a must-try for Yangzhou morning tea, offering a combination of freshness, fragrance, crispness, and tenderness.

Yangzhou morning tea has so many varieties that locals often have to get up early to enjoy it. The most famous "Three Springs"—Fuchun, Yechun, and Gonghechun tea houses—are the favorite spots for old Yangzhou residents. Even the youngest, Gonghechun, has a history of 87 years. In addition, the morning tea at the Lu family salt merchant's residence is also popular among locals.

For lunch and dinner, you naturally want to taste Huaiyang cuisine, which enjoys the reputation of "the best flavor in the southeast, the ultimate delicacy under heaven." Its greatest feature is that it suits both northern and southern palates, with rich and mild flavors that please everyone, making it the choice for state banquets. With just a chef's knife, Yangzhou chefs can produce exquisitely shaped dishes that delight both the palate and the eyes.

The most famous is the "Three Heads Feast": stewed crab roe meatballs, braised whole pig head, and boneless braised silver carp head. The meatballs may seem rough, but they require a gradual process—from coarse to fine to diced—so they melt in your mouth. And a dish like Wensi tofu, cut as fine as hair, floating in the broth, fully demonstrates the knife skills of Huaiyang cuisine.

Yangzhou people carefully consider and ponder over details often overlooked in these foods. Perhaps that is the real reason they earned a spot on the list of "World Food Capitals."

Some images are from the internet.