A renowned Chinese restaurant chain, Fei Da Chu (also known as Fei Da Chu Chili Stir-Fry), has removed its "National King of Stir-Fried Pork" title used for nearly six years. At its Guangzhou location, the signage was taken down overnight, leaving exposed wires covered by a menu stand, though the award badge remains printed on the menus. A staff member confirmed the removal happened two days ago after the store closed, with notices received this month. The iconic serving announcement also shifted from "Hello, hello, the National King of Stir-Fried Pork, Fei Da Chu" to "Hello, hello, selected black pork, cooked by professional chefs."
The China Cuisine Association recently issued announcements to fully revoke titles like "Master" and "Famous Chef" in response to new regulations. Fei Da Chu responded that all stores are undergoing renovations, expected to be completed by late August. Founder Fei Lianghui released an internal letter on August 9, stating the upgrade plan was confirmed on August 3, with stores now implementing changes. Behind this "title change" lies another awkward truth: netizens discovered that the "National King of Stir-Fried Pork" title was won in an online competition organized by the China Cuisine Association, based solely on photo and video submissions. The company's promotional article about the award has since been deleted.
On-site inspections revealed the Guangzhou Lifestyles store has removed the "National King of Stir-Fried Pork" signage, replacing it with "Selected Black Pork, Professional Chef Cooking." The serving announcement has also changed accordingly. Staff noted the switch was ordered this month, with the old signage taken down after closing two nights ago. Another employee added, "The store's advertising has been upgraded, focusing on the chef's fresh cooking." The China Cuisine Association's recent actions aim to comply with the "Management Measures for Social Organization Evaluation and Commendation Activities," effective August 1.
Fei Da Chu stated, "In response to the new regulations, all stores are renovating, changing from 'National King of Stir-Fried Pork' to 'Selected Black Pork, Professional Chef Cooking,' expected to finish by late August." Founder Fei Lianghui's internal letter emphasized full support for the national direction, with a meeting held to confirm the upgrade plan on August 3. Despite the slogan change, store business appears unaffected, with busy lunch hours and full waiting areas. A company representative noted, "It's summer vacation, so many families are dining out." A Weibo poll showed 48% of respondents would still visit, saying, "As long as the taste stays the same, the name doesn't matter," while only 4% might reduce visits due to the lost brand halo.
The controversy extends to the title's legitimacy. Netizens found that the "National King of Stir-Fried Pork" award was decided through an online competition where participants submitted photos and videos, raising questions about fairness. China Cuisine Association documents show the 2020 "National Stir-Fried Pork PK Competition" was held online from November to December, with contestants only needing to record a 3-5 minute vertical video and submit photos. Judging combined 50% public votes and 50% professional evaluation, with the top scorer receiving the "National King" title. Out of over 600 registrations, 61 entries were selected for online voting, with over 100,000 participants. Fei Lianghui won first place with 19,278 votes.
Fei Da Chu traces its roots to 1997 when Fei Lianghui entered the culinary industry. He opened the first "Original Taste" store in 2003, rebranded to "Fei Da Chu" in 2016, and expanded outside Hunan to Shenzhen in 2018. By 2025, it operates over 200 directly-managed stores, serving over 100 million customers, exclusively for dine-in with no delivery or franchising. Upon receiving the award, the company's official account published an article, now deleted, claiming the title was based on strict judging by industry experts. Following the award, promotional materials shifted from "Changsha Landmark Food" to "National King of Stir-Fried Pork." Interestingly, promotional posts in March 2026 still used the title with a footnote crediting the China Cuisine Association, but by April 2026, the footnote changed to "2024 Frost & Sullivan Catering Brand Leading Award." Attempts to contact both the Association and Fei Da Chu for further comment went unanswered.
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