Crafting culture in the oven

In September, Li competed in the biennial World Skills Competition held in Lyon, France. Often described as the "Olympic of skills", the competition provides a platform for global youths under the age of 22 to showcase and exchange their talents.

According to Li, much like the Olympics, the competition is both an "individual and team sport".

"When you're competing, you're out there on your own. But behind every athlete or contestant, there's always a team — a coach who instructs on technique, actions, and skills, and another to focus on mental preparation. It's the same for us," said Li. His team included his teacher, Wang Sen, and three other coaches, all former champions in the baking event.

The competition challenges participants to create edible products using limited tools and materials within a set time and space, based on a theme announced two months in advance. This year, with France as the host country, the theme was the Eiffel Tower.

Li and his team knew that to stand out in a world-class competition, they needed not only solid skills but also a unique concept.

They drew inspiration from traditional Chinese culture, specifically the sunmao (mortise-and-tenon) joints, commonly used in ancient Chinese architecture.

Li acknowledged that this creative choice added extra challenges due to the unpredictable nature of baking. "As the bread shrinks during baking, it causes deformation," he explained.

To overcome this, the team adjusted the bread's texture to be as firm as compressed biscuits, ensuring the structure remained intact.

"The French contestants and judges were amazed by how I incorporated my own culture — something they had never seen before. They were also moved by the fact that, as a foreigner, I had delicately represented key elements of their culture," Li said with pride.

Li also brought his winning entry to the baking class at RUC's Suzhou Campus, where Zhao Yifan, 25, a graduate student in Chinese international education, was deeply impressed.