Li Yi makes steamed stuffed buns. [Photo/Lin Guanheng]

Li Yi, a young chef born after 1995, can skillfully craft steamed stuffed buns with up to 18 pleats, featuring bun openings resembling fish mouths. Her exceptional abilities have garnered her prestigious titles, including a "national technical expert," one of the nation's top 10 pastry chefs and a Category C talent in Hangzhou, entitling her to a subsidy of 1.5 million yuan ($206,179).

Hangzhou steamed stuffed buns are a famous delicacy in Hangzhou, East China's Zhejiang province.

In 2016, Li, a novice in the industry, competed at a national hotel industry professional skills competition for the first time. Under the guidance of her mentor Zhao Xingyun, a provincial-level intangible cultural heritage inheritor in Zhejiang and a master pastry chef, Li underwent meticulous training. Her dedication paid off as she clinched second place in the individual competition category of Chinese pastry skills.

After completing middle school with an average academic performance, Li defied her parents' wishes by choosing vocational school. Under Zhao's mentorship, she realized that pastry cooking suited her due to her focused work ethic.

When it comes to crafting top-notch steamed stuffed buns, Li emphasizes the importance of flavor and texture. According to her, a quality bun should feature 18 pleats and an opening resembling a fish mouth. "It took me three months to hone these skills. Mastery in this craft requires decades of dedication," she said.