Chongqing - The hot pot soup base chef has been upgraded into a profession according to the newly-released "Occupational Classification System of the People's Republic of China (2022)" issued by the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security. As a new type of work under the Chinese chef occupation, it has been the first exclusive occupational type in the hot pot industry.

Wang Wenjun, a hot pot expert from national-level Chinese cooking skills master studio, is making a hot pot soup base. (Photo provided to iChongqing)

Hot pot soup base is the essence of Chongqing hot pot, making the hot pot spicy and delicious. A hot pot soup base chef is a person who is engaged in making hot pot bases, dipping sauces, preparing dishes, and cutting and matching plates, and has specific catering operation and management capabilities.

"In the past, people engaged in hot pot soup base cooking were not included in the national occupational types, so they have no standardized growth path and clear career goals," said Chen Guohua, head of the Chongqing Hot pot Association.

As early as 2015, the Chongqing Municipal Human Resources and Social Security Bureau included hot pot as a local type of work in the city's vocational training and developed a particular vocational ability specification. So far, more than 60,000 people have obtained the Chongqing hot pot special vocational ability certificate.

In recent years, the Chongqing Municipal Human Resources and Social Security Bureau and the Chongqing Municipal Commission of Commerce have invited representatives of entrepreneurs from the hot pot industry to explore new types of professions for hot pot cook practitioners.

In 2021, the Chongqing Municipal Human Resources and Social Security Bureau declared to the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security that hot pot soup base chefs could be recognized as a new type of work. This action aimed to upgrade the local varieties of work to a new national profession and further systematically train hot pot practitioners.

"Now the occupation is recognized by the state, which creates a new channel for hot pot practitioners across the country to shift from ordinary workers to skilled professional talents," said Wang Wenjun, a hot pot expert from the national Chinese Cooking Skills Master Studio.

Chen added, "this will also expedite the development of the hot pot industry."

The hot pot. (Photo provided to iChongqing)

According to the Chongqing Municipal Human Resources and Social Security Bureau, Chongqing will continue to hold the national hot pot special competition to speed up the hot pot cooking industry and improve the evaluation system for skilled talents.