江苏省盱眙小龙虾

At the banks of the Huaihe River in Xuyi, Jiangsu. As dusk falls, over a dozen large woks are sizzling at once in “Yu’s Crayfish” restaurant, as the complex aroma of more than thirty spices wafts through the old street. From his father’s kitchen stove to a provincial Intangible Cultural Heritage, from a local snack to the nationally acclaimed “Crayfish God” brand—Yu Xinkai, Inheritor of Xuyi ThirteenSpice Crayfish Cooking Skills, a Jiangsu Intangible Cultural Heritage, has spent over three decades with crayfish. “A lifetime focused on making this one dish well—being authentic is enough.” he said. Recently, during the 26th Xuyi Crayfish Festival, our reporter visited “Yu’s Crayfish” to hear Yu Xinkai’s story of “preserving the taste and passing on the spirit”.