Engraving a vibrant world

Chef Xu Jisheng was announced as one of the Top Ten Craftsmen in Jilin on April 19 because of his excellent food carving skills.

Xu is a chef at the Nanhu Hotel in Changchun, Jilin province, and professionally carves various food materials including carrots, taro roots, pumpkins, and melons into cranes, horses, and all kinds of beautiful flowers.

Xu Jisheng works on a peacock art piece made with carrots, taro roots, and cucumbers. [Photo/Xinhua]

Xu became obsessed with this engraving art more than 30 years ago and since then he has honed his skills by reading books and learning through the internet.

He was fond of watching a TV program about wild animals at that time, so he remembered the figures of the animals, drew them on paper, and crafted them out of vegetables and fruits.

Xu demonstrates his carving skills to the younger cooks. [Photo/Xinhua]