Spring sensations

Wagyu beef with Sichuan pepper and preserved vegetable. [Photo provided to China Daily]

"'Spring unfolds a plethora of inspirations' is also the title of an old pop song," Dong says in his introduction of the menu. "Here, one adjective cong cong or 'plethora' could be well substituted by another term cong cong or 'onions' to pun in reference to spring, for it brings a plethora of delightfully edible sprouts."

Quoting literary master Su Dongpo, he adds: "Savoring the fresh delicate greens on the plate is joy beyond compare."

Dong's joy in the season is evident on his plates, from his Miaofeng Mountain Rose Cakes to the flower-bedecked Sauteed Wagyu Beef with Sichuan Pepper and Preserved Vegetable. His dinner guests watching the video saw the chef eagerly roaming rapeseed fields in Dunhuang－indulgently allowing himself to be crowned with a ring of the bright yellow flowers－and digging up the first tender bamboo shoots of the year.

He has traveled widely, apparently eating nonstop as he explores the diverse influences that inspire him, from Sichuanese peasant dishes to the molecular cooking that made French chemist Herve This a culinary celebrity.

While his inspirations are often simple, local food, his plates pack some glam.