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Pork Dumplings

250 gPork mince, free range (Main)1 pieceGinger, 5cm, chopped finely⅓ cupSpring onions, finely chopped¼ cupChicken stock4 ½ tspSesame oil¼ tspWhite pepper½ cupShiitake mushrooms, dried, soaked and finely chopped (Main)1 packetDumpling wrappers2 TbspPeanut oil, to cook

Restaurant That Challenges Diners To Eat 108 Dumplings Lands In Trouble With Police

The restaurant in Yibin, Sichuan is being investigated for violating China's strict anti-food waste laws - a big issue in China as many elderly people have memories of losing their loved ones to the world's largest famine during the 1950s and 60s

The restaurant's challenge involved eating 108 spicy wontons (

Image: Getty Images)

A Chinese restaurant is in trouble with the law after challenging its punters to gobble 100 dumplings for a free meal.

Authorities are now investigating whether the restaurant in Yibin, Sichuan has violated the country's anti food waste laws by holding its "king of the big stomach challenge".

The rules said to win, the contestant would need to chomp down 108 spicy wonton dumplings, known as chaoshous, as fast as they could.

For doing so, the winner would bag themselves a free meal as well as a number of other prizes.

To entice patrons, the restaurant shared details of the challenge on social media. According to state-affiliated outlet The Cover, the restaurant was just one of many being probed for similar competitions.

Eating contests are more prevalent in Western countries, where winners can even earn themselves lower celebrity status for their gluttony.

One such contestant was Joey Chestnut, who gorged on 62 hot dogs in 10 minutes last week.

But in China, which has suffered intermittent famines throughout its history, the obscene food waste is often considered offensive.

Between spring 1959 and the end of 1961, 45 million Chinese citizens starved to death as a result of the world's largest famine - with many elderly people still having living memory of loved ones who died.

President Xi Jinping has himself commented on wasting food, describing it as "shocking and distressing". He also said that China's agriculture was the backbone of society and the foundation of national security.

In 2021, the issue came to public prominence when the government slammed bloggers who drew crowds by binge eating on live stream.

Restaurant owners face a fine of up to 10,000 yuan (£1,092) if they're found to "induce or mislead customers to order excessively to cause obvious waste".

Media outlets can be fined 10 times as much if they're found to make, publish or promote messages about binge eating and drinking.

Some social media users have slammed the government for its heavy handed approach.

"Is this counted as a waste? Why not let people compete for the biggest eater? Will the food not consumed there actually go to the poor?" one user wrote on Weibo.

Another chimed in, slamming the government for food-related scandals, which included contaminated baby milk powder.

"You didn't regulate food safety … but this?" the user said.

Chinese Restaurant That Challenged Customers To Eat 108 Dumplings In Trouble With Authorities

A restaurant in China that challenged its customers to eat more than 100 dumplings in return for a free meal has fallen foul of authorities, who are investigating whether it has violated the country's anti-food waste law.Related video above: How to reduce food wasteLocal authorities in Yibin City in the southwestern province of Sichuan swooped on the restaurant after hearing of its "king of big stomach challenge," the state-affiliated news outlet The Cover reported this week. The challenge reportedly involved patrons competing to eat 108 chaoshous, or spicy wonton dumplings, as quickly as possible to win a free meal and additional prizes. To drum up interest, the restaurant had advertised the offer on social media to entice patrons only to find itself in the hot seat when the State Administration for Market Regulation said it would open an investigation into whether it had breached the law surrounding food waste.While eating contests are relatively common in Western countries and can bring fame for their winners – like Joey Chestnut, who last week won Nathan's Famous International Hot Dog Eating Contest in Coney Island by downing 62 hot dogs in 10 minutes – they can be a sensitive matter in China.Many in the country still have memories of the famine of the 1950s and 60s that killed an estimated 45 million people.The Cover said the restaurant, which it did not name, was one of several being probed by the authorities over similar competitions.Chinese leader Xi Jinping has in the past called food waste "shocking and distressing" and in March this year said agricultural supplies were like the foundation of national security.The law against wasting food was enacted in 2021, following pointed government criticisms of online bloggers who live-streamed themselves binge eating to draw in viewers. Many of their accounts were subsequently suspended by the social media platforms.Under the law, restaurant owners can be fined up to 10,000 yuan ($1,400) if their establishments "induce or mislead customers to order excessively to cause obvious waste."Radio and television stations, as well as online video and audio providers, face a maximum fine of 10 times that amount if they are found to be involved in "making, publishing, promoting programs or audio messages about eating excessively and binge eating and drinking." The restaurant in Yibin "demonstrates behaviors of binge eating and drinking and inducing customers to order excessively," the Cover said, citing the local market regulator.However, some Chinese internet users have criticized the authorities for overreaching. "Is this counted as a waste? Why not let people compete for the biggest eater? Will the food not consumed there actually go to the poor?" wrote one user on Weibo, China's version of Twitter.Another user pointed to the country's poor track record on food safety, which has included scandals ranging from contaminated baby milk powder to the use of "gutter oil" – recycled oil tainted with food waste or even sewage."You didn't regulate food safety … but this?" the user said.

CNN —

A restaurant in China that challenged its customers to eat more than 100 dumplings in return for a free meal has fallen foul of authorities, who are investigating whether it has violated the country's anti-food waste law.

Related video above: How to reduce food waste

Local authorities in Yibin City in the southwestern province of Sichuan swooped on the restaurant after hearing of its "king of big stomach challenge," the state-affiliated news outlet The Cover reported this week.

The challenge reportedly involved patrons competing to eat 108 chaoshous, or spicy wonton dumplings, as quickly as possible to win a free meal and additional prizes.

To drum up interest, the restaurant had advertised the offer on social media to entice patrons only to find itself in the hot seat when the State Administration for Market Regulation said it would open an investigation into whether it had breached the law surrounding food waste.

While eating contests are relatively common in Western countries and can bring fame for their winners – like Joey Chestnut, who last week won Nathan's Famous International Hot Dog Eating Contest in Coney Island by downing 62 hot dogs in 10 minutes – they can be a sensitive matter in China.

Many in the country still have memories of the famine of the 1950s and 60s that killed an estimated 45 million people.

The Cover said the restaurant, which it did not name, was one of several being probed by the authorities over similar competitions.

Chinese leader Xi Jinping has in the past called food waste "shocking and distressing" and in March this year said agricultural supplies were like the foundation of national security.

The law against wasting food was enacted in 2021, following pointed government criticisms of online bloggers who live-streamed themselves binge eating to draw in viewers. Many of their accounts were subsequently suspended by the social media platforms.

Under the law, restaurant owners can be fined up to 10,000 yuan ($1,400) if their establishments "induce or mislead customers to order excessively to cause obvious waste."

Radio and television stations, as well as online video and audio providers, face a maximum fine of 10 times that amount if they are found to be involved in "making, publishing, promoting programs or audio messages about eating excessively and binge eating and drinking."

The restaurant in Yibin "demonstrates behaviors of binge eating and drinking and inducing customers to order excessively," the Cover said, citing the local market regulator.

However, some Chinese internet users have criticized the authorities for overreaching.

"Is this counted as a waste? Why not let people compete for the biggest eater? Will the food not consumed there actually go to the poor?" wrote one user on Weibo, China's version of Twitter.

Another user pointed to the country's poor track record on food safety, which has included scandals ranging from contaminated baby milk powder to the use of "gutter oil" – recycled oil tainted with food waste or even sewage.

"You didn't regulate food safety … but this?" the user said.

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