<ul><li>Identified by Chinese chefs as the best of the many styles of cooking in China</li><li>These have set the course of how Chinese cook food, and are looked to as models.</li><li>Each of these schools has a distinct style and different strengths.</li><li>These 8 Culinary Traditions are:</li></ul><ol><li>Shandong/Lu cuisine</li><li>Sichuan/Szechuan/ Chuan&nbsp;cuisine</li><li>Hunan/Xiang cuisine</li><li>Guangdong/Cantonese cuisine</li><li>Zhejiang/Zhe cuisine</li><li>Jiangsu/Su cuisine</li><li>Anhui/Hui cuisine </li><li>Fujian/Min cuisines</li></ol>

8 Culinary Traditions: the standard for how Chinese cook food

<ul><li>Shandong Cuisine : fresh and salty with a lot of seafood dishes.</li><li>Sichuan and Hunan cuisines:  hot spice.</li><li>Guangdong (Cantonese), Zhejiang, Jiangsu cuisines : great seafood, and generally sweet and light flavors.</li><li>Anhui and Fujian cuisines : inclusion of wild foods from their mountains.</li></ul>

Features of the 8 Great Cuisines of China

ORIGIN: Shandong and Southern Liaoning ProvinceFLAVORS: Fishy, fresh, salty, tender, light and crispySTANDOUT FEATURES:<ul><li>seafood as the main ingredient; pork is enjoyed too</li><li>Fresh, fishy and salty dishes</li><li>Crispness</li><li>Clear soup</li><li>Heavy use of vinegar</li><li>Use of scallions, garlic &amp; ginger</li><li>"Bao" frying method</li><li>Preserving the ingredients ' natural taste</li></ul> NOTES:- The only self-originated cuisine among 8.- The most difficult cuisine- Has the oldest and longest history- 2,500 years (Shandong was 1 of the 1st modernised areas)- It set the pattern for northern style cooking-hence seen as the No. 1 of 8 Chinese cuisines

Shandong (Lu) Cuisine — the Mother of Northern Style Cuisine

"Bao" : Extreme heat stir fryingIngredients are tossed into a wok with boiling oil for a quick fry to singe its outer layer and lock in the flavor (And keep oil from seeping into the food). Excess oil is dumped once the main ingredient is cooked. Herbs, seasoning are then added; after a quick stir, the food is ready to serve. This method leaves little residual oil on the food."Pa" : Fried dough coatingCoating a cut of meat with flour, stir frying it until crispy, then adding a sauce and sautéing it while stirring continuously.Soup making:&nbsp;The soup with white broth may contain milk/cream

Shandong Cooking Methods (retain the natural taste of the food)

Origin: Sichuan Province, Chongqing<ul><li>most popular and widely served cuisine in China</li><li>famous for its rich,deep flavors; spicy,pungent and hot flavor; and red color</li><li>Food of Chengdu and Chongqing (used to be part of Sichuan</li></ul>Spices of Sichuan cuisine<ul><li>various chilis &amp; pepper, 1 of which is the Sichuan peppercorn which is rare in other cuisines; </li><li>shallots</li><li>ginger</li><li>garlic </li><li>broad bean paste - the soul of Sichuan dishes</li></ul>Most commonly used spices<ul><li>"The 5 Fragrances" : fennel, pepper, aniseed, cinnamon &amp; clove; </li><li>chili </li><li>Sichuan pepper</li></ul>Cooking Methods<ul><li>stir-frying,</li><li>steaming</li><li>braising</li><li>baking, </li><li>fast-fryin- the most popular</li></ul>

Sichuan: China’s most popular cuisine

<ul><li>'Pockmarked Granny' Bean Curd/Mapo tofu</li><li>Spicy diced chick/ Kung pao chicken</li><li>Fuqi Fei Pian (Husband and wife lung slices) was created by Guo Zhaohua who sold the delicious, aromatic and irresistible beef slices by trundling a small cart along the streets. The patrons named the dish in honor of the couple</li><li>Sichuan Hot Pot - most popular Sichuan dish in China; 1st choice when dining w/ friends</li><li>Dandan Mian/ Dandan noodles</li><li>Ganbian Sijidou (Dry stir-fried Green Beans) - thought to be oily and heavy, if done right, by dry-frying, like in Sichuan, this stir-fried green beans are light and crunchy.&nbsp;</li></ul>

Some of the most famous Sichuan dishes

<ul><li>Origins: Jiangsu Province (Coastal East China) Nanjing, Suzhuo</li><li>one of the lesser known cuisines</li><li>(Jiangsu Province has the highest per capita income so) food are more gourmet style; very refined and presented colorfully and artistically</li><li>emphasize bringing out the distinct natural flavors of the meat and plant ingredients</li><li>don't add much salt, sugar/seasonings that hide/overwhelm the ingredients' flavors.</li><li>richly aromatic</li></ul>

Jiangsu Cuisine

High quality ingredients, best seafood (Jiangsu is on the coast +people's high income) Rice, wheat, rootcropswatershield, lotus, Chinese chestnuts, winter bamboo shoots, water bamboo, water chestnutsvegetable/herb combination dishes are carefully chosen for their health benefitsseason, weather are taken into account to achieve balance, promote health and comfort. Ginseng is thought to be good for the elderly during cold weatherguide, waiters, Chinese friends can help select the right dishes for you depending on your condition/how you feel physically. Yancheng city is known for medicinal dishes

What do People in Jiangsu Eat? 

1. Huaiyang/(Huai'an)&nbsp;style<ul><li>Considered by chefs as 1 of the 4 best in China</li><li>frequently served at government banquets</li><li>1 of the 4 most influential regional cuisine styles (四大菜系 'Four Great Cuisines')</li><li>Specialty: aroma, high degree of visual artistry</li></ul>2. Nanjing<ul><li>famous for its fine cutting &amp; preparation techniques</li><li>good-looking dishes</li><li>freshness, fragrance, crispness, tenderness</li><li>dishes are mildly sweet</li><li>Specialty: seasonal vegetables, freshwater fish, seafoods</li></ul>3. Yangzhou- Known for <ul><li>fine cutting techniques</li><li>Perfect timing</li><li>Fresh color</li><li>Original design </li></ul>4. SuzhuoLess notable styles5. Xuzhou6. Haizhou

The 6 styles of Su Cuisine

Introducing types of China's '8 Great Cuisines': Guangdong (Cantonese food), Sichuan cuisine, Hunan cuisine.. with flavors and cuisine styles of each cuisine.

Culture

The 8 Great Cuisines of China

Masaharu Morimoto, also known as The Iron Chef with a Michelin star, created a dish called Buri Bop. The dish was inspired by a traditional Korean dish called Bibimbap.His BuriBop is considered one of his greatest creations so far. It has the following ingreedients: sushi grade yellowtail, egg yolk, rice, marinated spinach, fennel head ferns, pickled daikon, carrots, yuzu pepper, garlic-soy jus, and shredded nori.

Masaharu Morimoto: BuriBop

Sabrina Ghayour is a British-Iranian chef and author who wrote various cook books, her most popular one was Persiana. She is self-taught and most of her pieces were inspired by Middle Eastern flavours.Her most impressive dish so far is her lamb and sour cherry meatballs. The sweetened sour cherries are met with a dense tomato sauce that acts as a smooth base for the lamb meatballs.

Sabrina Ghayour: Lamb and Sour Cherry Meatballs

Massimo Bottura is one of the most celebrated culinary personalities of the world. He is the patron of the three-Michelin star establishment Osteria Francescana.He has many great dishes and his creations are a combination of both vision and creativity. The Crunchy part of the Lasagna is nothing short of a tsunami of flavours, and is often dined with Mediterranean Sole -- although these are two different items, they come together as one!

Massimo Bottura: The Crunchy Part of the Lasagna

Gaggan Anand is well known for his emblematic preparation, Lick It Up, which allows guests to feel the food by licking up the plate... literally!Lick It Up was designed to be enjoyed without using cutlery and it brings sweet, sour, and spicy flavours altogether.

Gaggan Anand: Lick It Up

Ken Hom is known as the master of Asian cuisine. He specializes in Chinese cuisine and earned many achievements due to his contribution to the British Empire.He has many dishes that are worthy to be boasted, however, his Beijing (Peking) Braised Lamb is what we consider to be his most distinct ensemble. It involves lamb cooked in dry and wet hear that is served with sticky rice and vegetables.

Ken Hom: Beijing Braised Lamb

Anne-Sophie Pic is famed for her French food and the long series of accolades in her name. She has established herself as the queen of French cuisine from regaining three Michelin stars to her family restaurant Maison Pic to earning the Best Female Chef Award.Her Berlingots continue to be on top of her signature dishes. The delectable pasta parcels are loaded with wild garlic, season wild mushrooms, a hint of Voatsiperifery pepper and lightly-smoked Brilla Savarin cheese.

Anne-Sophie Pic: Berlingots

The Waters of Nanay is not listed as Chef Virgilio Martinez's signature dish, however it is one of the most popular creations till date.He upped and added wow factor to Peruvian food through reinventing them using modern cooking techniques. The Waters of Nanay includes a piranha fish served inside piranha heads. The cripy fish skin is supported by cocona and achiote flavours.

Virgilio Martines: Waters of Nanay

Gordon Ramsay is highly recognized by the masses due to his popular TV shows: Hell's Kitchen, Hotel Hell, Masterchef, and Kitchen Nightmares.Ramsay, as a chef, has a total of 16 Michelin stars and is highly famed for his Beef Wellington. It is a filet mignon packaged in whole-grain mustard and layers of prosciutto, pulverized mushrooms, herbed crepe, and puff pastry.

Gordon Ramsay: Beef Wellington

The Cookpot is Alain Ducasse's signature delicacy. It is cooked in a slow cooker that he designed himsels and stews seven seasonal vegetables until they release every inborn flavour.Alain Ducasse holds the highest number of Michelin stars in the world - he has 20. Moreover, he is considered as one of the most famous chefs who modernized and elevated French cuisine and a Lifetime Achievement Award on the World's 50 Best Restaurant list.

Alain Ducasse: The Cookpot

Clare Smyth was a former Chef Patron at one of Gordon Ramsay's restaurants. She is famed for her sophisticated cooking techniques and has several accolades to her name. Her signature dish is created with simple ingredients as it is her tribute to her homeland, the Potato and Roe, as she is Northern Irish.The dish is made of freshly cooked potatoes with crisps on top with a touch our dulse beurre blanc sauce, herring, herbs, and trout roe.

Clare Smyth: Potato and Roe

To feed the unique and endless appetite of foodies, we have rounded up 10 the world’s most famous chefs and their signature dishes to try in 2021.

Stashed ideas

10 of the World’s Most Famous Chefs and Their Signature Dishes

New York is the true mecca of the food world because it allows you to go on this amazing gastronomic world trip without leaving the city due to its diversity, and if you aren't picky, it wouldn't cost you as much either.The Museum of Food and Drink can be found here and it is recommended to take advantage of the hole-in-the-wall restaurants, food carts, farmers markets, and gourmet stores.

New York, USA

Whenever we hear Japan we immediately think about sushi but that isn't the case here. Tokyo is much more than what we think it to be. This city has the most Michelin star restaurants in the world and is great with casual dining.The ultimate Japanese cuisine, Kaiseki cuisine, is the epitome of Japanese food aesthetic and has been refined in both preparation methods and appearance.You should definitely try the Tsukiji Fish Market!

Tokyo, Japan

Barcelona is an extremely beautiful place where there's fresh seafood and the innovative Catalan cuisine.The must try is the Paella however there are many different kinds of Paella so you have tons of choices to choose from. They also have tapas, but you have got to try their jamon iberico, it's less expensive in Spain than any other place in Europe.The Boqueria is one of the world's best food markets so if you're in Barcelona you have to go at least once. Another market you can go to is the Mercat de Santa Caterina, it's less touristy there.

Barcelona, Spain

Another great melting pot for the best authentic cusines is San Francisco.Their most iconic food has been around for about a century now and it's called "Joe's Special" and although it's origin cannot be traced back but it is definitely a must try!Their seafood scene there is fantastic! You can check out The Ferry Plaza's Farmers Market and Acme Bread Company.

San Francisco, USA

Paris was once hallmarked as THE food capital of the world. They don't have any specific food that they're famour for but their pastries are always their biggest works of art.Nothing beats Parisian patiserrie.You can eat basically anything from escargot to jambon-buerre or duck confit to crepes. As great are their big name restaurants are, their hole-in-the-wall ones are the best. The Paris food experience is about giving into the temptation!

Paris, France

Australia's produce and seafood markets are second to none! There are so many things to try here -- like their snow egg, truffled egg pasta, and Japanese stones! These are cult dishes and can be found in one place.However, there are so many markets and other food places that can be located here that showcases a stunning array of exotic seafood, eateries, and even sushi bars.

Sydney, Australia

If you're looking for haute Asian fusion cuisine or just an eating out experience, Hong Kong is a feast for the senses.LanKwai Fong is home to the incredible Vietnamese soft-shelled crab. It's expensive but delectable. Should you want to have a dim sum experience that won't burn your wallet, Tim Ho Wan is the best palce to go to. The owner used to be a dim sum master at a three star Michelin resaturant.The foodie adventure doesn't end there because the food carts at Temple Street Night Market offer delectable dishes as well.

Hong Kong, China

The gastro capital of Scandinavia is Copenhagen. They have some of the world's best chefs with Michelin stars and the Northern Europe's biggest food festival, Copenhagen Cooking.If it's within your budget, go to Noma, it's often praised as the world's best restaurant. However, if you don't Copenhagen is the center of Nordic food resurgence and they have a thriving cafe culture. You can definitly eat your way through the city.Make sure to try the coffee at the Royal Cafe!&nbsp;

Copenhagen, Denmark

With more than 1500 restaurants and thirteen with Michelin stars, there is surely no shortage of culinary establishments in Lyon, France. This is where they originally elevated food into an art form.The culinary tradition Lyon is the Mâchon - a heavy meal served in the morning. The Mâchon is served with a pate, meaty main course with sauce, and cheese.If you enjoy rustic cuisine that you can wash down with the best French wines, Burgundy and Rhone is the place to be but Beaujolais and Macon are closer.&nbsp;

Lyon, France

London has an extraordinary culinary diversity due to the affordable multi-ethnic restaurants and the surge of celebrity chefs making the restaurant culture thrive.When in London, try having an afternoon tea or the Ploughman's lunch. Their English Breakfast is very popular and will make you full.They also have food markets like Borough and Neal's Yard that you can check out.

London, England

Discover the food capitals of the world, and why you should visit them.

10 Food Capitals of the World Every Foodie Should Visit

Okinawa, an island in southern Japan is known for the longevity of its population and has an extremely low rate of heart disease issues. The elderly are active and happy in the 80s and 90s.
Part of the secret of their longevity and happiness is their varied diet, rich in fruits and vegetables.

The Japanese Island Of Okinawa

Health

A rich and varied diet, comprising of 18 different foods is the key to a healthy stomach, activeness and longevity among the Okinawans.
The main focus of the diet is a large, diverse assortment of fresh fruits and vegetables, instead of gorging on a single superfood or avoiding something (like butter or bananas) just because everyone says so.

The Okinawa Diet: A Large Variety Of Food

Okinawa, an island prefecture in southern Japan, stands out among a country that is already well known for longevity. They have a much lower rate of coronary heart disease compared to mainland Japan…

The Biggest Reason Why the Okinawan Diet Works

Nowadays sushi is maybe the most cherished dish in Japan. And most of us tend to believe that it originates from Japanese areas. However, Sushi has first appeared and started being cooked in Thailand and Vietnam, as sources state. Then, it became known in Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines and finally brought to China. 
While at first it was considered as the food of poor people, who worked in or near paddy fields, it ended up becoming one of the most sophisticated dishes worldwide.

The discovery of sushi

Around 718 sushi had finally reached Japan, after having been discovered and consumed in Thailand and Vietnam for quite a while. While glorified for its taste, it was found unworthy because of its smell. 
Actually it was the Muromachi period, between 1338 and 1573, that made sushi lose its smell by changing the way people cooked it. During the 12th century, an update was going to be made in regards to the preparation of sushi, which eventually led to it being consumed in big amount by artisans, warriors, merchants and nobles.

The arrival of sushi in Japan

<ul>
<li>During the 17th century, sushi started being cooked in a faster, however still delicious way: haya-zushi involved using vinegard and let it work its wonders on the fish for a few days. </li>
<li>In the 1820s or 1830s a new alternative to prepare sushi emerged: Edo-mae, which brought about the idea of cooking sushi even faster.</li>
<li>Starting with 1923, this way of preparing the already beloved dish has become popular throughout Japan.</li>
</ul>

The different ways of cooking sushi

One of the best things modern times have brought to us, by means of technology, was the fact of preparing sushi in a fast and exquisite way. Having the possibility to serve raw sushi, which would later be refrigerated, is something that the inventors of this dish could not even fancy more than 2,000 years ago, when the food first appeared. 
After the Second War World, sushi became known worldwide and even today is still considered as one of the most tasty dishes.

Sushi in modern times

The Japanese dish of humble origins that conquered the world. 

cuisinesofchina

8 Culinary Traditions: the standard for how Chinese cook food

The 8 Great Cuisines of China

Masaharu Morimoto: BuriBop

10 of the World’s Most Famous Chefs and Their Signature Dishes