Chefs compete in a culinary skills competition staged in Huzhou in East China's Zhejiang province on Sept 29.[Photo/hz66.com]

A culinary skills competition attended by 29 rural chefs was staged in Huzhou in East China's Zhejiang province on Sept 29.

The event was part of the local government's efforts to boost rural revitalization and improve the culinary skills of chefs serving rural banquets.

The event was organized by the Huzhou municipal bureau of agriculture and rural affairs, the Huzhou municipal bureau of market supervision, the Huzhou municipal bureau of human resources and social security and the Huzhou Federation of Trade Unions.

Ye Hangsheng, a Chinese culinary master and judge of the competition, said that the dishes, which were prepared in traditional ways and featured the use of new seasonings, have shattered people's preconceived notions about family dinners in the countryside. 

The competition's winners will be granted vocational skill level certificates by the organizing committee.

In recent years, Huzhou has stepped up efforts to safeguard food safety. Part of the measures taken by the local government is the strengthening of the supervision and management of rural chefs and kitchens.

The city has to date carried out systematic standardized management on food safety of rural banquets.

It plans to further promote the "sunshine canteen" campaign in its rural areas. A "sunshine canteen" refers to canteens where customers are able to observe the food preparation and cooking processes.

Huzhou was ranked first among cities in Zhejiang in a provincial assessment on food and drug safety in 2020.

As of February, the city had finished renovations of 36,969 kitchens. Complaints related to online food orders in 2020 dropped by 60 percent.