Chinese cuisine is 'underrated, misunderstood in the West'

by Alexis Lai

A meal at a modest restaurant in Sichuan in the 1990s changed Briton Fuchsia Dunlop’s life.

The former news editor then followed her heart (and taste buds) to train as chef at Sichuan Institute of Higher Cuisine. She was the school’s first ever foreign student.

The London-based cook, food writer and consultant sat down with CNN to share her passion for Chinese cuisine, particularly Sichuanese food.

CNN: What sparked your interest in Sichuanese cuisine?

Fuchsia Dunlop: I got very interested in China through a job subediting news reports about the east Asian region, particularly China. So I started Mandarin evening classes and went on holiday to China and was fascinated.