food

Bean There, Done That: How Chinese Coffee Extracts a New Kind of Belonging

Timely reports on issues and events from across China. Drawing on a vast range of sources, these succinct articles provide insights into the significance of each issue in a wider context.

NEWS

Catering to both tourists seeking novelty and locals seeking familiar cultural flavors, cafés across China are using regional ingredients to create new coffee flavors.

Fan Yiying

Chen Xiashiyu

To Boost Take-Out Safety, China Tightens Rules on Ghost Kitchens

Vendors operating only as take-out platforms must now disclose their status or face heavy fines.

He Qitong

Among China’s Oldest, Vegans Less Likely to Reach 100: New Study 

Vegetarianism is widely seen as a way to prevent cardiovascular disease and obesity. A new study reveals that for older people, the relationship between diet and health is more complex.

Chen Yiru

In a Chilly Year for Chinese Restaurants, Jiangxi Food Was the Hot Exception

Contributions from individuals with unique perspectives to share. Hear from everyone, from experts and commentators to those whose voices are often marginalized.

VOICES & OPINION

The simple and spicy cuisine of Jiangxi, a province not known to set trends, was exactly what Chinese diners were looking for this year.

Cao Yu

Table for One: Why McDonald’s Solo Seats Are Viral in China

The design taps into a growing demand for low-pressure public spaces, as digital life reshapes how people interact.

Li Xin

Reality Bites: Meituan’s ‘Rosy’ Delivery Ad Hits a Nerve in China

An advertisement by food delivery giant Meituan about the possibilities of delivery work has led to criticism that the ad romanticizes a profession known for long hours and time pressure.

No Free Lunch: China’s Takeout War Wraps Up Without a Winner

Meituan, JD.com, and Alibaba poured billions into subsidies. Now they’re pulling back after steep losses.

Why Chinese Culinary Customs Aren’t Weird, but Smart

That Chinese people will eat anything is a foreign misconception. Instead, foreigners could learn a thing or two from the way China treats its food.

Zhou Hongcheng

The Women Who Translated Chinese Cuisine Into American

Chinese food became a popular American dinner because of the pioneering work of two women who, in the middle of the 20th century, set out to teach the flavors of home to their new country.

Hugo Tseng

Never Too Late: China’s Takeout Apps Remove Tardy Delivery Fines

Food delivery platforms are piloting programs in which drivers are no longer fined for missing delivery deadlines, implementing points-based evaluation systems and increasing social benefits for drivers instead.

Inside the Rise and Popularity of Sichuan Cuisine

From rare, refined delicacy to proletarian delight, Sichuanese cuisine made its way from China’s mountainous interior to countries around the world — beginning its delectable journey outward.

Zhou Songfang

All That and Dim Sum: Canton Moves to Regulate Morning Tea

The southern city of Guangzhou has drafted a policy regulating the labeling of dim sum dishes in an effort to preserve authenticity, freshness, and cultural heritage.

Why Frozen Food Gets an Icy Reception in China

Chinese diets are dictated by a culture of eating ingredients just hours after slaughtering or harvesting.

Zhong Shuru

Shanghai School Lunch Scandal Leads to Investigation, Reforms

The lunches, supplied by catering company Green Express, were recalled after some schools had already served them, prompting outrage from parents and city-wide reform of school catering contracts.

Feud Between Chinese Restaurant and Celebrity Leads to Change

Xibei, a popular chain, has faced backlash in the last week regarding its reported use of pre-made food in supposedly freshly-made menu items, resulting in an apology and change.

A Matcha Made in China: The Lost Origins of Today’s Trendiest Tea

Long before Japan made it iconic, matcha began as a ritual in Song Dynasty China, powdered, whisked, and judged for elegance. Today, China is supplying the world once more.

Liu Shuman

Gansu Kindergarten Poisoning: 6 Arrests, Probe Finds Cover-Up

Authorities say over 240 children were poisoned by lead-tainted food at Peixin Kindergarten, with school leaders, hospital staff, and regulators all implicated in a widening investigation.

No-Fuss Food: The Rise of China’s Home-Cooking Influencers

Faced with long hours at the office and bored by takeout, some urban professionals are turning to social media for tips on simple, homestyle meals.

Yang  Xinrui 

What’s the Right Way to Translate Chinese Dish Names?

Finding the right way to render a dish like “husband and wife slices” into English isn’t easy.

What’s in That Mooncake? China Says “Zero” Labels Must Mean Something

Regulators are banning vague “clean label” claims and requiring companies to disclose exactly how much of each ingredient is in the food.