Master of Sichuan Cuisine: Xu Xiaohong

Unique regional characteristics feature prominently in Sichuan cuisine, which mainly consists of dishes from Chengdu, Chongqing, southern and northern Sichuan, and other areas. Sichuan cuisine is renowned for its many remarkable facets, including its deep-rooted cultural heritage, diverse array of ingredients, and unique flavor. 

As a Chinese saying that refers to Sichuan cuisine goes, "Each region has its own flavor, so the same dish may taste completely different from place to place." The unique charm of Sichuan cuisine stems from its inclusivity and eclecticism. Sichuan cuisine recognizes seven distinct tastes (sour, sweet, numb, spicy, bitter, aromatic, and salty) and eight flavors (dry-braising, sour-spicy, fish fragrance, deep-frying, eclectic, Sichuan pepper, and chili oil). 

Sichuan cuisine has constantly innovated upon the foundation of its traditions, combining the strengths and essences of cuisines from all over the country. In this new era, the unremitting efforts of Sichuan culinary masters have ensured the continued development of Sichuan cuisine. They have embraced the merit of tradition while simultaneously striving for innovation, ultimately making Sichuan cuisine a known entity on the international stage.

There is an old saying that one often doesn't recognize chicken while having it. Snowy chicken, which is a classic Sichuan dish, is made using a traditional cooking technique—a light stir fry. This makes the chicken sublimely tender and smooth, resembling a puff of clouds.

This dish features fish fragrance, a flavor unique to Sichuan cuisine. Soak the fish in cold water with Sichuan pickles and simmer. Introduce some seasoning, and you're left with an appetizing, traditionally prepared delicacy. When the fish is finished, pour the sauce into a bowl of rice to create a dish that will whet the appetite of any person from Sichuan province.

Simmer the chicken breast, which is the most difficult to process, so the nutrients remain in the chicken. The resulting meat will be tender, brightly-colored, and aromatic.

The beef, tofu, and Angus beef bone marrow are all cooked with butter using traditional braising techniques, then seasoned with shredded, blanched chilis. The dish adds an international twist to the fresh, aromatic, numbing, spicy, and hot flavors of traditional Sichuan tofu.

In 2018, Xu gave a lecture entitled "The Beauty of Sichuan Cuisine" at the École Supérieure de Cuisine Française (ESCF - Higher School of French Cuisine at Ferrandi) in Paris, France.

At the beginning of 2019, Xu was invited by Olivier Ginon, Chairman of GL Events, to participate in the Bocuse d'Or (World Cooking Contest), in which he showcased his craftsmanship and mastery of Sichuan cuisine to the judges and other distinguished guests.