Chaozhou cuisine is one of the three most influential cuisines of Guangdong Province. It has a unique style in ingredient selection, cooking skills, heating, flavoring and dietary nutrition. The locals are good at cooking, particularly seafood, with various methods, mainly deep-frying, steaming, braising, frying, soaking, poaching, stir-frying and stewing. As a delicate cuisine, plain-flavored dishes are usually served with condiments to highlight the original and umami taste of the ingredients. Chaozhou chefs take pride in their expertise; for example, they can make vegetables tasting like meat and savory dishes out of the most common elements. Since freshness is what the eaters are looking for, seasoning is usually light-handed. Commonly, what the attendees expect the most are the sweet dishes, broths and Kung Fu Tea in a Chaozhou-style banquet.

Chaozhou delicacies have long been known globally and become more popular overseas in recent years thanks to the native migrants abroad. In 2004, the city was awarded “Hometown of Chaozhou Cuisine” by the China Culinary Association. Later in 2009, the local cuisine made the 3rd batch of provincial intangible cultural heritage.

The city has several representative inheritors of the culinary art, among whom three are recognized by the province and three by the municipal authority.