The imperial chefs, were the five-star chefs, who worked at the Palace Larder of the Forbidden City. They specialised in serving meals to the imperial family. An imperial chef could pass his position to his descendants to ensure that his secret recipes were safeguarded. As Qing emperors were fond of Jiangnan cuisine from the region south of the Yangtze River, many chefs from Suzhou and Hangzhou worked in the Forbidden City. Zhang Dongguan, a native from Suzhou, was a celebrated chef of the Qianlong period. He gained favour with the Qianlong Emperor when he was sent to serve the latter during his fourth southern inspection tour and was brought to the palace. From 1765 to 1784, all of the emperor’s meals – whether taken at the court or the Summer Palace – were prepared by Zhang. When tasting a dish, the Qianlong emperor could tell whether a dish had been made by Zhang Dongguan.

In ancient times, the emperor’s meals consisted exclusively of organic food. The Forbidden City’s daily supplies of grains, vegetables, and fruits came from specialised imperial farms. The best ingredients of each region were also brought to the palace as tributes.

Tributes from Different Regions