On January 9th, 2019, organized by the Human Resources and Social Security Department of Guangdong Province and China Report’s Innovative China program, reporters at central, provincial and municipal news agencies visited Chaozhou. They expected to know more about the Cantonese cuisine training program launched by the province to fight against poverty and vitalize rural areas. In the countryside, they interviewed for more details about the three provincial plans targeting culinary training, employment and entrepreneurship, and career development, knowing that the program had facilitated well-paid jobs for rural workers amid rural vitalization.

The city would leverage the program to prosper villagers, rural areas and industry for the course of rural vitalization and targeted poverty alleviation, said Qian Shimao, Director of the Municipal Bureau of Human Resources and Social Security. He added that all measures had been well put in place as early as possible under tight supervision and were very effective. Li Xi, General Secretary of Guangdong Provincial CPC Committee, spoke highly of the program during his visit to the city, pointing out that the culinary courses were “down to earth and distinct for vitalizing the countryside and shaking off poverty. The city has taken fast and strong moves and cares for details.” He hoped that “this program will be more fruitful with timely and good implementation and set a good example for the whole province.”

The city launched a campaign to select chefs, restaurants and dishes that could best represent local cuisine and held a vocational cooking contest for trainees to respond to the provincial cuisine training program and rural vitalization. After two months of exciting competition, ten chefs, 20 restaurants and 30 dishes were made winners. Besides, any national culinary master specializing in Chaozhou cuisine was counted as the city’s honorary master chef.