Culinary event offers slice of revered scholar's gastronomic experiences

The fourth edition of the Star Chef's Discovery Journey took place in Shenzhen, Guangdong province, and Shanghai last month to celebrate Chinese culinary culture and the art of gastronomy.

With the theme "Make a Friend with Su Dongpo", the event was organized by Diaoyutai MGM Hospitality and featured renowned Chinese cuisine chefs presenting a special menu inspired by the revered Northern Song Dynasty (960-1127) scholar and gastronome Su Dongpo.

This themed menu will be available in the Chinese restaurants of six Diaoyutai MGM Hospitality hotels across China from Nov 1 to Sept 30, 2025.

Drawing inspiration from Su's poetry and personal experiences, the chefs have crafted dishes infused with local ingredients and extraordinary creativity, merging "gastronomy", "scenery" and "life philosophy". Each dish reflects the essence and flavors of Su's era, interpreting his timeless perspective and artistry.

One highlight comes from Zhang Fujin, executive sous chef of Bellagio by MGM Shanghai, who reimagined the traditional Huaiyang cuisine in his vibrant creation Three-Flavor Dongpo Pork. Co-created with food connoisseur Liu Yiwei, the dish features pork belly slow-cooked to perfect tenderness flavored with red fermented bean curd, rice wine and spicy Douban paste to create a layered taste that is rich, tender, and balanced with sweetness and spice.

Another must-try is a creation by Executive Chef Liang Zhikun at the MGM Shenzhen. His Baked Local Sea Conch in Yellow Pepper Sauce was inspired by the poetic spirit of Su.

Chef Liang explained that for Su, wine was more than a remedy for sorrow — it symbolized his deep emotions and spiritual pursuits. Using fresh conch from Hainan, Liang incorporates Huadiao wine, igniting it over the conch slices to infuse the meat with a robust wine aroma. Complemented by yellow pepper sauce, bell pepper and chicken broth, the dish undergoes marinating, baking and slow-braising to deliver layers of complex flavors.

Two salons held on Oct 23 and 29 brought together culinary experts and scholars to discuss the lasting impact of Su's gastronomic culture.