Zhejiang Culinary Innovation Finals Wrap: Mountain & Sea Taizhou Steps Forward to “City of Gastronomy”

On Oct 17, the “Tasty Zhejiang: Hundred Counties, Thousand Bowls” 2025 Provincial Innovative Dish Challenge wrapped up in Taizhou.

Organized by the Zhejiang Provincial Department of Culture, Radio, Television and Tourism, the event was co-hosted by the Zhejiang Culinary Industry Association, the Taizhou Bureau of Culture, Radio, Television, Tourism and Sports, and the People’s Government of Jiaojiang District, with operational support from the Jiaojiang Sub-bureau of Culture, Radio, Television, Tourism and Sports.

Challenge: Next-Gen Zhejiang Flavors in a Innovative Cook-off

The challenge, themed “New Force of Zhejiang Flavor, New Trend on the Tip of the Tongue”, put originality centre-stage. From ingredient mash-ups to cultural storytelling, every dish had to prove it was innovative, fusion-friendly and market-ready, giving birth to photogenic, story-rich recipes that can travel far beyond the province.

Master chefs from famed restaurants across the province squared off with 22 never-before-seen creations. Ten dishes earned the title “Top 10 Innovative Dishes”: Winter-melon Broth Treasure Ball, Fish-Mutton Pearl Balls, Taizhou Yellow Croaker Pudding, Da-hong-pao Tea-cured Wing Stuffed with Dried Radish, Heritage Paddy-field Eel, Shengsi Crab Floss, Golden Orange Crab Bird’s-nest, Seafood-stuffed Lucky Pouch, Roasted Eel with Black Truffle and Golden Garlic, and Lotus-root Encounters with Blossoms. A further 10 received “Most Popular Dishes” honours and 12 were named “Innovative Finalists.”

Taizhou’s innovative entries captured the full spectrum of the city’s mountain-and-sea terroir.

Pujianghui of Taizhou Shunji’s “Yellow-Croaker Pudding” walked away with one of the “Top 10 Innovative Dishes” awards.

It is a quiet reinvention of hometown umami. The chef extracts every drop of flavour from a local large yellow croaker, blends the rich broth with egg-white and ginger water, then sets it into a quivering, bean-curd-like custard. The moment it hits the tongue the silky gel dissolves, releasing wave after wave of pristine fish flavour—no visible fish, yet all the fish umami. Tradition is honoured, then quietly surpassed.

Surfing Hand-Beaten Fish Noodles from Taizhou Xinglong Catering Group made the “Innovative Finalists” of the challenge.

The dish distils ocean flavour to its essence: fresh East-Sea fish are pounded a thousand times until paper-thin, then cut into silken threads—a revival of Wenling’s age-old “turn-fish-into-noodles” craft. The twist is the “surfing” finish: the ribbons are flash-poached in rolling boil, emerging springy, slippery and increasingly fragrant with every chew. A bowl that looks like noodles yet isn’t, it lets diners taste the rhythm of the waves and the soul of the fisherman in a single bite.

A jury made up of professional critics, foodie KOLs and top Dianping reviewers showered Taizhou dishes with praise. “The Surfing Hand-Beaten Fish Noodles are so umami they make your eyebrows fall off—Taizhou Yellow-croaker Pudding totally gets Gen-Z!” exclaimed Zhuoyue Brothers, a TikTok KOL, phones held high to capture every steamy strand.  

For Tianxi Luckily, who counts millions of followers, Taizhou hits a trifecta of “fresh, sweet, and sticky-chewy—whatever your comfort zone, it meets you there.”  

Food-blogger Zhichishi Jiang Tianfan was drawn to plates that carry local flavor: “The Surfing Hand-Beaten Fish Noodles moved me most; every bite of that texture is pure Taizhou—craftsmanship and terroir in one mouthful,” he said. “This city hides endless culinary surprises—once the contest ends, I’m staying to dig deeper.”

Gastronomy Drive: Powering Taizhou’s Bid for UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy

On the evening of October 17, the province-wide "Tasty Zhejiang: Hundred Counties, Thousand Bowls" innovative-dish promotion was staged on Jiazhi Ancient Street in Jiaojiang District.

Lin Yongyi, Second-Level Inspector of the Zhejiang Provincial Department of Culture, Radio, Television and Tourism, took the stage to deliver the keynote address.

At the awards ceremony, Lin Yongyi, Second-Level Inspector of the Zhejiang Provincial Department of Culture, Radio, Television and Tourism, and He Xiaoxia, Director of the Taizhou Bureau of Culture, Radio, Television, Tourism and Sports, presented the “Top 10 Innovative Dishes of Zhejiang” trophies.

Lei Chao, Director of the Industrial Development Division of the Zhejiang Provincial Department of Culture, Radio, Television and Tourism, and Yu Yunguo, Member of the Party Group and Deputy Director of the Taizhou Bureau of Culture, Radio, Television, Tourism and Sports, presented the “Most Popular Dishes” awards.

Guan Xingqin, Member of the Standing Committee of the Jiaojiang District Party Committee and Head of the Publicity Department, and Cai Jianjun, Vice President of Bank of Communications Zhejiang Branch, presented the “Innovative Finalists” awards.

Taizhou rolled out its signature “One Bite of Yellow Croaker, One Taste of Taizhou” culinary itinerary.

Taizhou released a progress report on its bid for UNESCO “Creative City of Gastronomy” during the evening promotion event.

Taizhou is building a “gastronomic bridge” through exchange and cooperation, forming a special task force that sets clear goals and shoulders the responsibility for the UNESCO bid, while tapping deep cultural veins to keep its culinary heritage vibrantly alive.

By nurturing talent, Taizhou is laying a solid foundation for the succession of its cuisine; through innovative outreach, it is leveraging digital IP to amplify the fame of Taizhou cuisine.

By turning every food event into a magnet for visitors, Taizhou makes cuisine the city’s strongest draw—an edible postcard born of mountain and sea, shaped by generations of artisans and now handed to the world.

Market & Tasting: A Tongue-Tingling Feast of Taizhou Flavour

Running alongside the awards, the food-and-craft market on Jiazhi Ancient Street served as the first tasting ground for the winning dishes and a one-stop showcase of Taizhou’s most authentic flavours.

Stall after stall plotted the city’s truest taste-map. Armed with digital coupons, visitors threaded their way across flagstones, nibbling as they wandered, soaking up the millennia-old street vibe while tasting the creative buzz of “Hundred Counties, Thousand Bowls” at zero distance.

That same evening, the provincial “New-Dish Players’ Tasting Gala” kicked off. Dishes that had just medalled in the cook-off were carried straight from the competition pass to the heated Zhejiang Basketball Association arena, where the very chefs prepared exclusive plates courtside for the league’s players.

With mountain and sea as its stove and culture as its flame, Taizhou’s own legend of taste turns to a fresh chapter. On the road to becoming a UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy, this city of good taste is, continually and brilliantly, transforming itself.

Translator：JingJing Shi