Yellow Croaker Turned into Copper Coins? Hairtail Transformed into Fried Twist? Check Out the "Brainstorm" of Linhai Technical School!

Recently, the 2025 Taizhou Cuisine Cooking National Invitational Competition, part of the "Harmony of Mountains and Sea · Shared Prosperity Through Gastronomy" 2025 China Taizhou · Snacks Food Carnival, concluded successfully. Linhai Technical School won the Special Gold Award.

Let's take a look at the award-winning entries from Linhai Technical School.

Sous-vide Yellow Croaker with Rice Cakes

Using high-quality yellow croaker from Dachen Island, the fish is skillfully deboned and filleted. The fillets are wrapped in spinach leaves, then rolled in the intact fish skin. The sous-vide cooking technique locks in freshness and tenderness. Served with soft, chewy rice cakes and a homemade braising sauce, this dish offers a rich, multi-layered texture.

"Pearl of the East China Sea" Sour Soup Octopus

Fresh octopus is repeatedly tenderized to enhance its texture, then combined with hand-beaten sea bass balls in a sour soup made with pickled cabbage. The final product boasts a delightful contrast of bounciness and tenderness, with a sour and spicy flavor that whets the appetite, perfectly showcasing the flavors of the East China Sea.

Fruit-Infused "Fried Twist" Hairtail

In an innovative twist, hairtail is deboned and cut into strips, then braided into a pretzel shape and deep-fried until crispy on the outside and tender inside. Served with a sweet and sour sauce made from orange juice and passion fruit, accompanied by almond crisps and honeydew melon balls. The dish features a delicate fruity aroma, and every element is edible, offering a unique flavor profile.

Squirrel-Shaped Pastry

This pastry is crafted by shaping flaky oil dough into an intricate squirrel form, filled with a lotus seed paste center, and deep-fried to a lifelike appearance. The pastry itself is an edible work of art, featuring a crispy, layered exterior and a dense, sweet, and smooth filling.

Linhai Technical School

The Culinary Arts program at Linhai Technical School was established in 1993. It is a key construction specialty of the National Model Secondary Vocational School for Education Reform and Development, a high-level construction specialty in Zhejiang Province, and a model specialty in Zhejiang Province. The school has established long-term, stable cooperative relationships with more than 10 enterprises, including Xin Rong Ji Catering Group, Yuanzhou Hotel Group, Shunji Catering, Xinglong Catering Group, and Wenzhou Tangchen Yipin. It possesses a strong foundation for industry-education integration and school-enterprise collaboration.

Translator：Jiayang Lin