Beijing, May 13 (Youth.cn) - On the morning of May 11, 2025, a unique rural culinary event - the semifinals of the "Shaoshaoke" (Spatula Masters) Village Chef Competition - took place at Jiujianfang Qiaomailing in Lantian County, Xi’an City, Shaanxi Province. Organized by the Lantian County Committee and County Government under the theme "Culinary Homeland, Taste of Lantian," the event aimed to preserve the region’s millennia-old culinary traditions, revitalize rural economies, enhance the prestige of Lantian as the "Home of Shaanxi Cuisine," and drive high-quality development of cultural tourism.

As Xi’an’s "green retreat," Lantian boasts rich cultural-tourism resources. In recent years, the county has focused on cultural empowerment and leveraged major scenic zones to advance the construction of an integrated "mountain-ring road tourist attractions + livable, business-friendly, and harmonious villages" industrial belt, blending agriculture, culture, and tourism.

The event adopted a "competitions for attraction, markets for monetization, and cultural-tourism integration" model, transforming the "Hometown of Chefs" brand into tangible rural revitalization benefits. On site, an intangible cultural heritage market showcased traditional crafts like walnut carving, jade carving, and handwoven textiles, while an e-commerce zone promoted local specialties such as persimmon vinegar and raw honey. This created a three-dimensional "cuisine + culture + industry" showcase, allowing visitors to savor local flavors, immerse in folk traditions, and purchase agricultural products, achieving diversified monetization of cultural-tourism consumption. Photo/CFP