With the approval of the Human Resources and Social Security of Guangdong Province and the Chaozhou Municipal People’s Government, Chaozhou, Shantou and Jieyang jointly held the 2nd Local Cuisine Contest from October to December, 2019, aiming to boost employment and entrepreneurship for rural residents in the province’s eastern region. The competition was part of a Cantonese cuisine training program for rural vitalization and innovation-driven development. During the two months, various entrepreneurial projects featuring local delicacies had been drawn out to prosper villagers, the countryside and industry. The award winners would play an essential role in make known the local culinary brands to a broader market, providing a favorable setting for residents to start their own businesses.

This Contest was a significant move by the three cities in implementing the central government’s call for innovation and larger employment, the provincial gastronomy program and the national strategies of overall rural vitalization, innovation-driven development and targeted poverty reduction. The authorities would help the outstanding contestants monetize their entries, which had been kept in the record, by offering a support package in line with relevant preferential policies, i.e., free training, standardization of products, bank loans, decoration and marketing. By doing so, more private dining businesses would come to play, helping prosper the rural areas, local cuisine and the catering industry.