Hangzhou Cuisine is a branch of Zhejiang Cuisine which is one of the Eight Traditional Cuisines of China.
The history of Hangzhou Cuisine dates back over 1,000 years, to the South Song Dynasty when Hangzhou was the prosperous capital city, welcoming the best chefs from all corners of the country. These talented gourmet cooks took advantage of local ingredients and created Hangzhou-style dishes, often noted for their qualities of freshness and lightness.
Hangzhou Cuisine has two branches – Lake Cuisine (湖上帮) and City Cuisine (城里帮).
The former focuses on fish, shrimp and vegetables, mainly cooked for distinguished officials in ancient times. The latter gives priority to local animals accessible for a wider population, including chicken and pork.
Hangzhou cooking focuses on highlighting in-season and carefully selected ingredients, as well as combining culinary influences from throughout north and south China. It is considered an innovative and diverse cuisine style historically through present day. Grandma’s Home carries on this lineage, drawing on cuisines from across China.