Recently, as part of the "Roots in China · Journey through Sichuan" cultural tour, 29 Thai Chinese youth visited Leshan Vocational and Technical College (LVTC) for an immersive Sichuan cuisine experience. At the college’s Academic Exchange and Training Center, they turned into "little Sichuan chefs," cooking and tasting dishes to feel the charm of the land of abundance through its food.

The program featured classic local dishes such as Bon Bon Chicken (poached chicken in spicy sauce), Poached Sliced Pork in Hot Chili Oil, and Mapo Tofu. LVTC instructors introduced the unique flavor system of Sichuan cuisine—"one dish, one character; a hundred dishes, a hundred flavors"—and shared the history and taste profiles behind each dish.

During the hands-on session, the atmosphere was lively. Faced with bowls of red chili oil and skewers of ingredients, the students, guided by their teachers, skillfully prepared Bon Bon Chicken. As the fragrant, spicy, and numbing oil soaked into each piece, they couldn’t help but exclaim in delight. At the Mapo Tofu and poached pork stations, they practiced the essence of Sichuan flavor—"numbing, spicy, fragrant, and fresh"—along with knife skills and heat control.

As one of Sichuan’s earliest vocational colleges to internationalize, LVTC, through its Leshan Food Institute and China Sichuan Cuisine Cultural Exchange Center, has hosted many overseas Chinese and international visitors. This activity not only helped Thai Chinese youth discover their roots through taste but also served as a vivid example of mutual learning between civilizations and deepening China-Thailand friendship.

At the end, the participants enjoyed their own creations and took group photos with LVTC faculty and students, leaving them with a memorable "numbing and spicy" taste of their roots-seeking journey in Leshan.