Zhejiang cuisine, which is called Zhe cuisine for short, is the culinary school of Zhejiang local flavor. Zhejiang is a land of fish and rice in the Yangtze River Delta. Zhe cuisine of modern times has produced a large number of fine products, is being perfected and has established a school of its own. It enjoys a great reputation as "having three thousand delicacies and snacks". To sum up, Zhe cuisine has the following several features: firstly, it has an extensive selection of materials and a precise matching of materials. Emphasis is placed on the season and variety of main ingredients. The choice of supplementary ingredients and seasonings is aimed to give prominence to main ingredients, strengthen freshness and fragrance and get rid of the smell of fish and greasiness; secondly, it has fine cutting techniques and original shapes；thirdly, it places the most emphasis on the moderateness in duration and degree of cooking as well as seasoning；fourthly, it is clear, fresh, tender and refreshing with both taste and flavor; lastly, the three branches of Zhejiang cuisine have their own charm.

Zhejiang cuisine is composed of the three local flavors of Hangzhou, Ningbo and Shaoxing, which go together hand in hand. Hangzhou has long been reputed as "paradise". Hangzhou cuisine is exquisitely and finely made with delicate apperance and delicious taste. It excels in the cooking techniques of quick frying, stir-frying, braising and deep-frying and is characterized by clearness, freshness, refreshingness, tenderness, delicateness and purity. The local chefs of Ningbo are especially skillful in making seafood. The cooking techniques are well known for stewing, baking and steaming. The taste is moderate in freshness and saltiness. The chefs are particular about freshness, tenderness, refreshingness and smoothness of dishes and emphasis is placed on its original flavor. It is more of originality to cook dishes with dried fish products. Shaoxing cuisine is fragrant, crisp, soft and glutinous with thick soup and pure flavor. It is rich in the simple style of water town and ancient city.

Representative Dishes:West Lake fish in vinegar, fried fish with three slices, stir-fried crab in orange, eel shredds in Ningbo style, Bifengtang dasheen with shrimp, beggar’s chicken (roasted chicken in mud),braised duck tongue and web with fresh mushroom and Zhu Hongwu bean curd, etc.