Measures to Support Innovation and Development of Hunan Cuisine (Full Text)

The Hunan Provincial Government has issued the "Several Measures to Support the Innovation and Development of Hunan Cuisine" (Hunan Gov. Doc. No. 46 [2025]). The document outlines a comprehensive plan to promote the high-quality development of Hunan cuisine by focusing on innovation, health, and market expansion.

Key measures include: 1. **Cultural Heritage and Innovation Mechanism**: Establishing long-term research on Hunan culinary culture, compiling provincial culinary records like "The Annals of Hunan Cuisine," and supporting applications for national intangible cultural heritage status. 2. **Healthy Cuisine Standards**: Encouraging industry associations and enterprises to develop low-salt and low-oil cooking standards, with subsidies for setting local and group standards. 3. **Scale-Up Support for Restaurants**: Incentivizing chain expansion and digital upgrades for Hunan cuisine restaurants, along with financial support for first-time entries into statistical databases. 4. **Green Ingredient Supply Chain**: Boosting certified green and organic food production, improving cold-chain logistics, and promoting standardized seasoning development. 5. **Industrial Integration**: Facilitating partnerships between restaurants and farms, leveraging geographical indication products (e.g., Ningxiang pork, Dong'an chicken), and fostering cross-sector collaborations like "Hunan Cuisine + Tourism." 6. **Consumer Engagement**: Funding micro-renovations of dining districts, hosting food festivals, and launching immersive culinary experiences tied to local culture. 7. **Brand Building**: Supporting cities to bid for "World Gourmet Capital" titles, organizing culinary awards, and incentivizing entries into international rankings like Michelin. 8. **Talent Development**: Expanding vocational training, relaxing academic requirements for master chefs, and establishing innovation studios for culinary skills. 9. **Global Expansion**: Subsidizing overseas store openings, participating in international exhibitions, and creating certification programs for chefs working abroad. 10. **Ecosystem Coordination**: Forming cross-departmental task forces, enhancing financial support, and improving food safety traceability.

The measures, effective immediately, will run for five years, with detailed implementation rules to be issued separately. All legally operating catering businesses in Hunan are eligible for these policies.