Shandong cuisine by Shandong Li Changjiu Cuihualou Catering Management Co., LtdWorld Federation of Chinese Catering Industry
The Chinese province of Shandong is considered a cradle of abundant resources and exceptional talents. This land is renowned as the birthplace of Confucius and boasts China’s greatest fish production and largest vegetable distribution center. Shandong cuisine dominated the imperial kitchens during the Ming and Qing dynasties. It prominently features fresh, salty, crunchy, soft, distinctive, and refined dishes, and is renowned both domestically and internationally.
Born into a Shandong cuisine family, Li Jianguo is a master of Chinese cookery. He has also become a national judge as well as a super chef of Shandong cuisine, a master artisan of Shandong cuisine, and an inheritor of the intangible cultural heritage of Shandong cuisine. His enduring dedication revolves around the transmission and advancement of the culinary artistry inherent to Shandong cuisine.
The Shandong cuisine family: His father’s early years in Shanghai
Li Changjiu is the father of Li Jianguo and hails from Jinan, Shandong, China. Well-versed in Shandong, Jiangsu, Cantonese and Sichuan cuisines, his knowledge and expertise have earned him high prestige within Jinan’s culinary community. Li Changjiu’s intense passion for Shandong cuisine started during the last century. In 1937, Li Changjiu traveled to Shanghai in order to make a living.
Shanghai, then the Far East’s biggest metropolis, saw the cross-pollination of various cultures, including culinary culture. Li Changjiu served as the chef at Park Hotel, which was then the tallest building in the Far East. His excellent abilities and diligent attitude secured him a firm foothold in the city. In 1946, Li Changjiu relocated to Beijing to further his career and subsequently assumed the position of head chef at Cuihualou, a renowned Shandong cuisine restaurant.
Li Changjiu’s unsettled life intensified a longing for his hometown. As a result, the thought of going back home haunted his mind, and in 1946, he decided to return to Jinan, where he opened his restaurant called Cuihualou.
Cuihualou’s stewed noodles were a city-wide sensation in the 1940s, with the fame attracting many patrons to flock to the restaurant. Among them were Mei Lanfang and Ma Lianliang, the famous Chinese Peking Opera masters. Mei Lanfang would often frequent the restaurant after his shows to enjoy a bowl of scrumptious stewed noodles and savor the delicacies of Shandong cuisine personally prepared by Li Changjiu.
Li Jianguo and His Master Wang Xinglan by Shandong Li Changjiu Cuihualou Catering Management Co., LtdWorld Federation of Chinese Catering Industry
Following in his father’s footsteps
His father’s passion for cooking had a profound and lifelong impact on Li Jianguo, who was steeped in the family culture of Shandong cuisine from a young age. In 1975, he decided to follow in his father’s footsteps in the culinary world. He undertook an apprenticeship under Wang Xinglan, a celebrated chef of Jinan’s Jufengde Restaurant, a distinguished establishment well-known for Shandong cuisine.
Li Jianguo revived his father’s passion and vision for cooking by reopening the Cuihualou restaurant that his father established. He rebranded it to carry on and spread the culture of Shandong cuisine. Today, the Li Changjiu’s Cuihualou Restaurant founded by Li Jianguo has been selected as a local time-honored brand, and its craftsmanship of Shandong cuisine has been selected as one of the representatives of the inheritors of the intangible cultural heritage of Shandong cuisine.
A Shandong cuisine dish - Ma Ya Rou（）Horse tooth meat） by Shandong Li Changjiu Cuihualou Catering Management Co., LtdWorld Federation of Chinese Catering Industry
Horse-tooth-shaped braised pork
Horse-tooth-shaped braised pork, a culinary masterpiece demanding expert knife artistry and intricate craftsmanship, shares similarities with traditional braised pork. The dish’s main attraction is the streaky pork, which is first sliced into thick ribbons and then shaped like horse teeth without being shortened. It takes around four to five hours to prepare using a variety of techniques, which include steaming, frying, and braising.
A Shandong Cuisine Dish - San Bu Zhan by Shandong Li Changjiu Cuihualou Catering Management Co., LtdWorld Federation of Chinese Catering Industry
Non-sticky pudding
This stylish dish is named for the claim that it is non-sticky to chopsticks, plates, or teeth. Dazzling with a radiant golden glow, the dish melts in the mouth with a silky, tender, and sweet sensation. Simply put, it is out of this world.
A Shandong Cuisine Dish - Nanjian Balls by Shandong Li Changjiu Cuihualou Catering Management Co., LtdWorld Federation of Chinese Catering Industry
Southern-style sautéed meatballs
This dish combines frying and roasting, two techniques that showcase both the flavor and texture of northern Chinese cuisine. Southern-style sautéed meatballs is a Shandong specialty featuring pork and eggs mixed with water chestnuts (or lotus root slices, breadcrumbs, etc.).
Preparation of the dish involves techniques such as stuffing, kneading balls, sautéing, thickening, and stewing. Delighting the palate with its smooth and sticky texture, it possesses a rich meaty flavor, making it a sought-after delicacy. Personalization of these meatballs is possible by exchanging select ingredients with your preferred choices.
Li Jianguo by Shandong Li Changjiu Cuihualou Catering Management Co., LtdWorld Federation of Chinese Catering Industry
Passing on the legacy
Even at the age of 65, Li Jianguo remains unwavering in his pursuit of his culinary aspirations. He lives by the motto, “Cook with care, eat without compromise”. Always eager to share his culinary wisdom with the next generation, he has taken over a hundred young people under his wing. Wang Xu, one of his apprentices, is now carrying the intangible cultural heritage project of Cuihualou Restaurant. He hopes to keep the legacy of this heritage alive for generations to come.
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