The Greater Bay Area has a long taste for eel dishes, and at the autumn-to-winter turn Huangpu town in Zhongshan celebrates its peak season for the local Huangpu eel. River junctions create a brackish habitat that yields flesh that is tender and silky, with a sweet, oily finish.

Since the Ming dynasty (1368–1644) local cooks developed a range of techniques—steaming, braising, wok-braising and deep-frying, to show off the eel’s texture. This year, Huangpu’s traditional eel-cooking craft was added to Zhongshan’s representative list of intangible cultural heritage and a Huangpu eel heritage experience centre was unveiled with chefs demonstrating the dishes.

Visitors can taste the classics and, under the guidance of designated inheritors and veteran chefs, try their hand at stir-fried fresh eel and clear-braised eel, enjoying a hands-on, immersive dive into local food culture.