中国·福州——热爱城市从热爱美食开始

On February 4, the launch ceremony for Fuzhou’s “One County, One Table of Dishes” Promotion and Yongtai’s “Three-Stage Banquet” was held in Yongtai County. This is a key initiative of Fuzhou City to deeply explore its local culinary culture and promote the development of regional specialties. It will consolidate and build upon existing achievements, advance the “One County, One Table of Dishes” promotion both in depth and scale, and facilitate Fuzhou’s bid for “City of Gastronomy.”

Lu Yunfei, Deputy Secretary-General of the Fujian Catering and Cooking Industry Association, delivered the presentation (Photo/Reporter Bao Hua)

Food is not only the soul of a city but also a vital medium for cultural heritage. During his tenure in Fuzhou, General Secretary Xi Jinping placed significant emphasis on the development of the city’s catering industry and the preservation and inheritance of Fujian cuisine. In November 2023, the General Office of Fujian Provincial Government introduced the Three-Year Action Plan for Accelerating the Innovation and Development of New Fujian Cuisine (2023–2025), proposing the launch of the “One County, One Table of Dishes” initiative, and encouraging prefecture-level cities to enhance and create their own signature dishes.

Based on its bid for “City of Gastronomy,” Fuzhou has steadily intensified efforts to develop its catering industry, promote Fujian cuisine, and preserve its culinary traditions. The city has established and renovated several city-level food experience demonstration streets, opened a number of Fujian cuisine restaurants, and submitted applications for the inclusion of several time-honored brands and intangible cultural heritage items. It has also hosted a number of major events, including the 2023 China International Catering Industry Expo, the 23rd China Food Festival & Fujian Cuisine Culture Festival, the 32nd China Chef Festival, the 25th China Food Festival & the 2nd Fujian Cuisine Culture Festival, as well as the Black Pearl Food Pioneer Conference. Moreover, it has organized the “Fuzhou, City of Gastronomy” Fujian Cuisine Promotion Tour in cities such as Beijing, Shanghai, Yangzhou, Chengdu, Shunde, Huai’an, and Macao. Last year, Fuzhou’s Fujian cuisine was also featured at UNESCO’s headquarters in Paris.

Building on this, Fuzhou has rolled out the “One County, One Table of Dishes” initiative across its counties (cities and districts) in a systematic and market-driven manner. By leveraging the role of food as a bridge, the initiative connects the distinctive flavors of each county (city and district), creating a unique culinary map of Fuzhou and establishing its cuisine as a nationally renowned city brand. Yongtai’s “Three-Stage Banquet,” Gulou’s “Alley Family Banquet,” Mawei’s “Navy Yard Banquet,” Changle’s “Rural Banquet,” Lianjiang’s “Lianma Family Banquet,” and Luoyuan’s “Abalone Feast” are prime examples. Fuzhou has drawn on local resources from each county - its history, culture, customs, and notable figures - to create its unique “One County, One Table of Dishes.” These county-based food brands use locally sourced ingredients, ensuring safety, nutrition, and public benefit. The reporter noted that at the “Three-Stage Banquet,” everything, from the ingredients to the seasonings and drinks, came from Yongtai.

Currently, each county (city, district) is working to develop and shape the brand and essence of its own “One Table of Dishes” by leveraging its cultural, ingredient, and other local resources, while highlighting its local culinary characteristics. For example, Gulou District has initially selected 30 representative dishes, such as Fotiaoqiang and Fish Balls, narrowing them down to 15 as the signature dishes for its “Alley Family Banquet;” Taijiang District has selected 10 to 15 dishes to form Taijiang’s “One Table of Dishes;” Mawei District has partnered with the Navy Yard Culture Park to launch the “Naval Yard Banquet;” and Changle District has fully leveraged the expertise of local chefs to create the “Changle Rural Banquet”…

‘“One County, One Table of Dishes’ is not just about a meal; it serves as a carrier of Fuzhou’s rich history and culture, as well as its modern food industry. Each dish tells a profound historical story and drives the development of the primary industry, as well as the secondary and even tertiary industries,” said the head of the Fuzhou Bureau of Commerce. The “One County, One Table of Dishes” initiative is not only a feast of culinary delights but also an active exploration to promote the integration of culture and tourism, while contributing to rural revitalization. By exploring and promoting Fuzhou’s local specialty foods, the initiative can attract more tourists to experience its food and local customs, driving the collaborative growth of the catering, accommodation, and tourism industries. This will inject new vitality into Fuzhou’s economic development. Additionally, it offers local catering businesses a wide platform to showcase their offerings and foster collaboration, helping to enhance the overall quality of the catering industry and expand the reach of Fuzhou cuisine to broader markets.

During the Spring Festival period, in addition to Yongtai, other counties, cities, and districts in Fuzhou will also host “One County, One Table of Dishes” events. Lianjiang will hold the “World Fishing Capital Banquet · One County, One Table of Dishes” tasting event, along with a licensing ceremony for official authorized units. Jin’an District will organize a promotional event for its “One Table of Dishes,” themed “A Taste of Mountain Delicacies in Jin’an.” Minqing County will showcase its “One County, One Table of Dishes” during the 2025 Minqing “Shibaban” Commercial and Cultural Tourism Festival. Yongtai County is also planning a promotional event in Shanghai for its “One County, One Table of Dishes.” Fuqing, Minhou, and other regions will also hold related promotional activities.

According to the head of the Fuzhou Municipal Bureau of Commerce, Fuzhou plans to promote the in-depth exploration and promotion of its county-based cuisines through the “One County, One Table of Dishes” initiative. It aims to build a rich and distinctive Fuzhou culinary system, showcasing the diversity and uniqueness of Fuzhou’s food to the world. The city is fully committed to developing a food industry system, supporting its bid for “City of Gastronomy,” and contributing to the prosperity and revitalization of Fujian cuisine. (Fuzhou Daily Reporter: Ouyang Jinquan)