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The Sichuan Higher Institute of Cuisine
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Sichuan Higher Institute of Cuisine - entrance to main campus building

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Campus dormitories

Sichuan Higher Institute of Cuisine (Sichuan Tourism College) is the only government funded higher education institution named with the term of "cuisine" in China. It was founded in 1985 and was operated by the former Ministry of Domestic Trade and now Sichuan government.

The school was originally located in downtown Chengdu, but in 2007 relocated to a brand new campus constructed in the Longquan suburb of Chengdu, approx 30 miles (50 K) south east of city center. 

The school has 8,000 students of which 2,500 are in the culinary arts program. The institute offers over 30 specialties to train professional chefs in both Chinese and western food techniques. The program includes instruction in cuisine technique, kitchen management, cake technique, food processing technology, fresh food processing and management, western food technique, western cake technique, cuisine and nutrition, catering management and tourism service.  The regular program is a three year course, with the final year being a supervised apprenticeship in commercial food establishments. The school is known throughout all of China, and graduation from the program is highly prestigious.

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Demonstration room - student area
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Demonstration room - master chef area
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Practice rooms - each student gets their own wok
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Practice rooms - refrigeration equipment and work tables

The school gained western attention through English food writer Fuchsia Dunlop, who was the first westerner to graduate from the program in the 1990's. Ms. Dunlop went on to write an inspirational memoir of her experience at the school entitled Shark's Fin and Sichuan Pepper - a sweet and sour memoir of eating in China.

She also wrote two internationally acclaimed cookbooks on Chinese cuisine; Land of Plenty which focused on Sichuan receipes and Revolutionary Chinese Cookbook which focuses on Hunan cooking.  We strongly recommend that anyone joining this program read the memoir in advance of attending to get a taste of the experience you will have during the ten days.

Naturally all regular classes at the Sichuan Institute are taught in Chinese, however we have worked with the school to offer this two week intensive class to learn conducted by their master chefs with an English translator present. This is a unique opportunity to Travel, Eat and Cook in the heart of Sichuan Province and to bring back memories that will last a lifetime.