'A kingdom of plants' on a plate

The Yunnan-cuisine chain In and Out is constantly searching for new offerings from the southwestern province that's celebrated for its diverse fare.

Shi Junfeng recalls there weren't many Yunnan-cuisine restaurants in Beijing when he started working at one in 1997. And the only ingredients they could source from the far-flung province were dried or canned.

Today, the executive chef of the restaurant chain In and Out in Beijing says the brand's eateries ship 65 percent of ingredients fresh from Yunnan. And Dazhong Dianping, China's version of Yelp, lists over 200 results for Yunnan food in Beijing.

"Yunnan is like a kingdom of plants," Shi says.

"You can pick vegetables from the hillsides to create delicious dishes."

The 45-year-old first visited Yunnan after a 48-hour train ride in 1998. He was stunned by the variety of veggies and mushrooms.

Shi met local chefs and gained a deeper understanding of the cuisine.

He joined In and Out in 2010.

The restaurant's decoration borrows from Lijiang's scenery. It seeks to offer culinary journeys through the province.

Most of the chain's employees hail from Yunnan and are from various ethnic groups, including Dai, Naxi, Tujia and Bai.

"Some of our Dai chefs know how to barbecue weever fish with lemon grass without being taught," Shi says.