Award-winning chef dishes up star quality(2)

Standing in Song's unfinished kitchen in May last year, his mindset had evolved from when he first walked into the still-under-renovation Jin Sha kitchen 14 years earlier. He felt a greater sense of responsibility. "I thought, this might be my battlefield from now on," he recalls.

Trial operations began in August. From that moment until the Michelin star announcement, Zeng never took an extended break, maintaining a constant state of tension and determination to present his best at the new restaurant — and he succeeded.

The menu is constantly evolving. Almost every month, he travels to Ningbo to learn about the freshest seasonal ingredients and authentic cooking methods. Then, he reinterprets them to create refined dishes that are true to Ningbo's flavors but with modern flair.

Freshly caught fish arrive in Hangzhou within two hours by car. He strives to bring the freshest ingredients to his table while applying years of culinary experience and cooking techniques from across the country to bring out the best flavors.

Eighteen Cuts is a traditional Ningbo dish that showcases the region's freshest red crab roe. Zeng makes it a standout by precisely cutting female mitten crabs into 18 pieces, carefully removing the gills, heart and stomach, and slicing each leg into eight segments, ensuring each bite carries the rich crab roe.

Marinated in a secret sauce and served chilled, the dish delivers a fresh, fragrant and silky sweetness. Zeng explains, "I made some adjustments to the sauce to enhance the pepper flavor" — his way of adding a twist to a classic.

Another signature dish that captures attention is Da Hong Pao Crispy Pigeon Leg. Named after the famous Sichuan peppercorn da hong pao, this dish reinvents the familiar pigeon by deboning half the bird, with the exception of the breast, wrapping the meat in its leg skin, and meticulously sewing it back together. Fried to golden perfection, the leg becomes plump, revealing tender, juicy meat inside.

Paired with handpicked da hong pao, the dish bursts with intense aroma and a tingling spiciness that excites the palate. The contrast between the crisp skin and succulent meat exemplifies Zeng's mastery of balancing flavors and textures.

A foodie influencer, under the username Peter Pan on social media platform Xiaohongshu, praises Eighteen Cuts: "The sauce is not as salty as the traditional Ningbo version, but it carries a gentle sweetness typical of Jiangnan cuisine. The fleeting spice and wine notes are the soul of the dish." Jiangnan refers to the area south of the lower reaches of the Yangtze River.

He also highly recommends the pigeon leg: "The skin is as smooth and glossy as hot maltose candy shaped into a bulb and solidified. The moment your teeth touch the skin, it cracks in a chorus while chewing. Every step, from oil drizzling, deboning, marinating, and unsewing to serving it at the perfect temperature so the juices don't burn your mouth, is strictly controlled.

"This leg is not unlike undergoing orthopedic surgery followed by cosmetic surgery. It is worth a Michelin star on its own," he adds.

Achieving a Michelin star has fueled the entire kitchen and service team's passion at Song. Manager Wang Yani, 35, who has worked in Shanghai, Beijing, and Chiang Mai in Thailand, joined the restaurant during its construction phase.

"Over the past year, the team and I have been continuously learning about Ningbo cuisine from Chef Zeng to better introduce the cuisine and his cooking philosophy to our guests," Wang Yani says.

"Zeng is a perfectionist and talented head chef. We often don't need to use words because he understands immediately. His longtime kitchen experience shows," she adds.

"He rarely takes breaks. Even when he does, he's still working — looking for ingredients, checking utensils, seeing what might suit the restaurant. He treats it like his treasure and always wants to present the best to our guests," she says.

Before joining Song restaurant, Zeng enjoyed riding motorcycles and exploring mountains with friends. But since becoming head chef, he sold his bike and fully devoted himself to his craft. This new role brings pressure but also great rewards as Zeng moves among diners and asks for their feedback. Watching the restaurant steadily find its rhythm and grow brings him deep satisfaction.

As summer gets into full swing, he continues to explore Ningbo's seasonal ingredients and prepares the menu for the hotter months ahead.