The Zhanjiang government in South China's Guangdong is making the most of a provincial scheme to train and find employment for more cooks, with one local chef taking the scheme to the next level.

Gao Fei, one of the most influential chefs in Zhanjiang who owns and operates 16 restaurants in the port city, used the "Cantonese Cuisine Master" program to set up a workshop to train aspiring cooks in Suixi county in July 2019.

Gao is fascinated by discovering hidden valuable products and promoting them. For example, the rice cultivated in Hutoupo is a very special species that grows on coastal wetlands where the salt water and fresh water meet. It has a low yield and contains selenium which is good for health.

Gao carefully designed and packaged the rice and developed several new dishes using it to serve at his restaurants, which gained market attention.

With his promotion, the price of the rice was raised from 9 yuan per kilogram to 15 yuan per kg in just two years, in which the villagers also shared the rising profits.

"I am able to find out the real value of the local food. It's also a move to educate the villagers to change their plantation ideas to focus on quality, which is vital to revitalize the rural economy," Gao said.

What's more, he has turned the area where his workshop is located into a rural tourism destination, where tourists can buy quality farm products from the villagers, learn cooking skills from Gao himself and his students, enjoy delicious food while spending a relaxed weekend or just holiday in the countryside.