'A kingdom of plants' on a plate

People in northwestern Yunnan's Lijiang prefer preserved foods, such as cured pork, while ethnic Wa people eat fried bugs.

"It's hard to define Yunnan cuisine in a few words since there are so many different flavors," Shi says.

He visits the province several times a year to explore new culinary offerings. The chef prefers to eat in villagers' homes.

"If the place we visit happens to be one of our staffer's hometowns, I visit their house, and their families always welcome us with delicacies we can't find in restaurants."

Shi traveled to Tengchong in June and plans to create a special Tengchong-themed menu in July.