Xiaozhang Grilled Fish is a Wuhan specialty. As a popular special food, it is one of the classic local must-tries.

Speaking of Xiaozhang grilled fish, we must tell the story of its founder -- Zhang Zhihui. It is known that Zhang, born in a chef family, grew up hearing about and seeing diverse food and cuisines.

As time went by, he became fascinated by food. He studied in several large hotels and chef schools in and outside of Hubei province. As a person endowed with great intelligence, he decided to open his own business after finishing his studies. He believes that food, just as other products, needs to have distinct features to attract various customers. With this in mind and using knowledge gained from previous experiences, Zhang created a set of grilling methods after extensive interviews and investigations.

In the past, people who liked eating grilled food, especially grilled crucians, would, over time, lose their interest. Starting from this point, Zhang tried hundreds of formulas by using various materials, and finally created this method for griddle grilled fish.

The cooking of Xiaozhang grilled fish begins with selecting the materials. Usually, we choose fresh fish, especially the crucian, with around two or three catties, cut open the stomach, remove the viscera organs and cram seasonings into it. Next, the fish put on live charcoal until it is done. Different ingredients are then added to it before placing it onto a plate. It looks like griddle cooked fish, but has the delicious taste of grilled food.