What Kind of New Fujian Cuisine Do We Need?
Since the beginning of this year, many restaurants in Fuzhou have expressed their ambition to enter the Michelin Guide or Black Pearl Restaurant Guide. Among them are some well-established, renowned old restaurants, as well as some newly opened Fujian cuisine restaurants. The competition is quite fierce. If three years ago, many restaurants in Fuzhou were still unfamiliar with these awards, then since the launch of the three major rankings in the city last year, it has truly marked the “dawn of awareness” for Fuzhou’s dining industry.
The significance of these awards goes beyond just a plaque or increased foot traffic. They reflect a growing awareness among Fuzhou’s culinary professionals.
In 2023, A Bite of Fuzhou launched the “Fujian Cuisine 100” initiative, the first local ranking project dedicated to Fuzhou’s culinary industry. This year, Fujian Cuisine 100 is more than just a list. It is taking on a larger mission. Guided by the Three-year Action Plan for Accelerating Innovation and Development of New Fujian Cuisine in Fujian Province, the goal is to establish a distinctive and systematic promotional brand for new Fujian cuisine.
Our mission is to “expand the circle of friends” for Fujian cuisine. This circle can mean people, regions, or cultures…
Rooted in local Fujian ingredients, traditional techniques, and refined aesthetics, we help integrate new culinary arts, spotlight emerging chefs, convey new culture, and lead new trends. This is what “new Fujian cuisine” means to us.
If the 2024 theme for the Fujian Cuisine of A Bite of Fuzhou is “Up”, then the 2025 theme is “Breaking the Circle”.
Breaking the Circle in Communication: Making Fujian Cuisine a National Topic
Two years ago, A Bite of Fuzhou invited renowned food influencers from across China to participate in the “Fujian Cuisine Circle of Friends” event in Fuzhou. Building on this event, the 2025 Fujian Cuisine 100 will continue to invite culinary influencers nationwide to experience the charm of Fujian cuisine in Fuzhou. We have also launched the column “Fuzhou, a Flowing Feast” curated by Xing Na, manager of Model Bookstore, who offers a Northerner’s perspective on new Fujian cuisine.
This year’s Fujian Cuisine 100 will invite Michelin and Black Pearl restaurant owners and chefs to Fuzhou for ingredient-sourcing trips. In collaboration with Bilibili, Tencent Video, and other platforms, we will launch Fujian Cuisine 100: Mountain and Sea Kitchen, a program that explores the relationship between chefs and local ingredients (such as Lianjiang large yellow croaker and Fuqing eel).
A Bite of Fuzhou will also partner with the Fujian Cuisine Culture Museum to launch Fujian cuisine study tours, aiming to engage younger audiences with immersive experiences. Through hands-on learning of intangible cultural heritage techniques, we hope to bring tradition closer to today’s youth, allowing them to experience the history, skills, and emotional warmth behind Fujian cuisine and reinterpret it through a fresh perspective.
Breaking the Circle in Geography: Bringing Fujian Cuisine to China and the World
In recent years, A Bite of Fuzhou has consistently published reports on the Fujian cuisine industry. Next, we will launch two major series: “Fujian Cuisine in Two Cities” and “Fujian Cuisine Goes Global”.
“Fujian Cuisine in Two Cities” will focus on cultural and culinary exchanges between Fuzhou and another city, showcasing the collision and integration of flavors, cooking techniques, and cultural traces.
“Fujian Cuisine Goes Global” will spotlight Fujian restaurants from Fuzhou to the world, documenting how they transcend regional boundaries and conquer palates with their unique mountain-and-sea flavors. We will also visit successful overseas Fujian restaurants to see how they share Fujian stories through food.
Breaking the Circle in Culture: Turning Fujian Cuisine into a Trendy Symbol
This year, Fujian Cuisine 100 will enable visualized big data for Fujian cuisine, integrating data on its history, dishes, ingredients, and culinary techniques. Through text, images, and video, we will visually present the geographical spread, popular trends, and cultural connections of Fujian cuisine, and distribute the content through professional media channels.
We will also introduce “Four Seasons Menus”, reporting on seasonal specialties and extraordinary innovations in Fuzhou restaurants. We will recommend and select consumers’ favorite dishes and ingredients in four seasons. On the occasion of the start of the local fishing season, we will launch a “Fishing Season Start Feast” event, inviting restaurants citywide to create fishing season start combos and foster the lively fishing season start atmosphere, with an award for the favorite fishing season start menu.
This year, we will further explore cross-sector collaborations such as “Fujian Cuisine 100 × National Chic Clothes”, “Fujian Cuisine 100 × Fujian Tea & Coffee”, and “Fujian Cuisine 100 × Art”. When Fujian cuisine becomes a cultural trend, it becomes the cuisine most anticipated by the younger people.
Breaking the Circle of Rankings: A Fujian Flavor Ranking for Fujian Cuisine
Through the annual “Mountain and Sea Fujian Cuisine Awards”, Fujian Cuisine 100 is building an authoritative industry ranking for Fujian cuisine, presenting awards like “Jasmine Restaurant”, “Banyan Brand”, and “Benyang Eatery”. This establishes a standardized evaluation system and offers credible culinary guidance to consumers.
This year, for the “Mountain and Sea Fujian Cuisine Awards”, we will launch its first Jasmine Restaurant star rating, adopting a Michelin-style anonymous review system and introducing new evaluation metrics such as “Innovation Index” and “Sustainable Ingredients”, making the star rating an endorsement of quality. The Fujian Cuisine 100 Review Organizing Committee and Referrer will also be introduced.
Regarding public engagement, we will open nominations for the “Next Stop: Fujian Cuisine 100”, where diners can submit photos and stories of their recommended dishes, increasing public participation. We will also launch the “Fujian Cuisine 100 Gourmet Card” and establish the “Fujian Cuisine 100 Tasting Club”, giving cardholders access to quarterly tasting events and exclusive chef’s dinners.
We will also introduce a “Chef’s Award” in the “Mountain and Sea Fujian Cuisine Awards”, launch the “New Fujian Chef Collaboration Program”, and invite top-ranked chefs to co-create signature dishes bearing the “Fujian Cuisine 100 Recommended Dish” label, forming an authoritative standard within the industry.
Join Us in Expanding the Friend Circle of Fujian Cuisine!
If you’re a “food lover”, try the Fujian Cuisine 100 list and share your Fujian food experience!
If you run a restaurant, join the Fujian Cuisine 100 selection and turn your dishes into popular hits!
If you operate a culinary or cultural brand, collaborate with Fujian Cuisine 100 and bring Fujian cuisine to a larger stage!