Creative Sichuan Cuisine Challenge kicks off in Beijing

Kiting Steven(L), from Australia, gets advice from the judge during the Chopsticks & Beyond Chinese Cooking Challenge on June 22, 2013. [Photo/CRIENGLISH.com]

As Chinese cuisine spreads across the globe like never before, it certainly isn't stagnating in its homeland. Native chefs are breaking down barriers and experimenting in new ways that would astonish the old masters. But they're not the only ones pushing the boundaries. An ever growing population of foreign friends are blazing their own trails through the varied landscape of Chinese cuisine.

To celebrate the 15th anniversary of CRIENGLISH.com, the official English-language website of China Radio International, a special program has been created: Chopsticks & Beyond Chinese Cooking Challenge. In this challenge, a crew of Beijing foreigners will test their chops in a culinary competition. They will fuse elements of their home country's cuisine into a Chinese dish, each dish featuring a singular key ingredient.

Each month starting on June 22, 2013, the competition will focus on one of China's four great culinary traditions - Sichuan Cuisine, Cantonese Cuisine, Shandong Cuisine or Huaiyang Cuisine. Judges will be popular food microbloggers and professionals from the World Association of Chinese Cuisine (WACC).

The contestants for the first theme, Sichuan Cuisine, included Ying Si from Thailand, Kiting Steven from Australia, Alexandra Grillborzer from German and Tania Zozulya from Russia. Ying Si won the first prize.