Mushrooming passion turns into profession

For the people of Yunnan province, wild mushrooms are more than just ingredients — they're a spiritual adventure. During this season's mushroom harvest, 33-year-old chef Zhang Yunjia, a native of Yunnan, invites diners on a sensory journey through her culinary creations at Under Clouds Green in Beijing.

During the capital's fleeting autumn, Zhang's specially designed menu captures the essence of the season, bringing together wild mushrooms from Yunnan and organic produce from Beijing farms, leaving behind a delicate, lingering memory of fall.

From vibrant sauces that let guests "paint" with mushrooms, to miniature landscapes resembling potted gardens that transport diners into the center of nature, every detail of Zhang's menu reflects her artistry and imagination.

Clear broths and elegant side dishes evoke the familiar, comforting flavors of Yunnan, while the presentation reveals her refined aesthetics, meticulous attention to detail, and deep respect for each ingredient.

Behind these plant-based creations lies Zhang's lifelong connection to her homeland — the stir-fried mushrooms, the steaming rice noodles, and the warm rice cakes from her childhood. Each dish is both a tribute to the province's culinary heritage and an invitation for diners from around the world to discover its rich, soulful flavors.

"The beauty of Yunnan cuisine lies in the incredible diversity of ingredients and spices," Zhang says.

"I want to find a balance between presentation and taste. Each seasonal menu is a challenge for me, but my hope is that with every bite, guests can truly taste the essence of Yunnan."

Following her heart

Born and raised in Kunming, the provincial capital of Yunnan, Zhang grew up in a household where food was a symbol of connection and joy. Her father, ever the gracious host, loved filling their home with friends while her mother prepared a grand feast for everyone. That early warmth and sense of family around the dining table became the seed that grew into her culinary journey.

Years later, while studying accounting in the United States, Zhang rediscovered that joy in an unexpected place — a volunteer kitchen.

"Watching people smile because of your food, seeing 'abandoned' ingredients come alive with new energy — that kind of genuine happiness and satisfaction felt far greater than solving any accounting problem," she recalls.

Her passion for cooking soon outgrew the boundaries of just being a hobby. After earning her graduate degree and returning to China, she decided to follow her heart. She first ventured into the culinary world with a cold-pressed juice brand inspired by light fasting, then traveled to the United Kingdom to study French cuisine.

In 2018, Zhang returned home and officially stepped into the professional kitchen. She honed her skills in Kunming's restaurants and later in Ikea's food division, where she learned the discipline and structure of kitchen management.

Over time, the "girl who loved to cook" became a confident, creative head chef, blending Yunnan's roots with modern sensibility.

Last year, Zhang Bensheng, the founder of Beijing's Yunnan restaurant chain Under Clouds, approached her with a vision. He wanted her to join the team and help create Under Clouds Green, a fine-dining, plant-based Yunnan experience.

"We wanted to explore the possibilities of Yunnan's abundant ingredients together," Zhang Bensheng explains.

"I hope this restaurant feels warm, full of life, and resonates with both the local Yunnan lifestyle and the urban lifestyle of Beijing.

"Yunnan cuisine suits this era. The ingredients are fresh. It defies rigid definitions and yet, its breadth is immense, and the cooking techniques are straightforward and direct."

A culinary journey

True to her philosophy, Zhang Yunjia spent a full year preparing the first seasonal menu. She envisions dishes that balance refinement with wildness "through a return to some of the cooking traditions of Yunnan's ethnic groups, such as fire, smoking, salting and fermentation".

Two-thirds of the ingredients on her menu travel over 2,000 kilometers from Yunnan. Ingredients arrive in Beijing roughly every three days. Even with today's efficient logistics, some ingredients, such as grass shoots from Jianshui, are so delicate that transporting them to Kunming alone results in significant spoilage, let alone traveling all the way to Beijing.

Yet, other ingredients, including a wide variety of wild mushrooms, do make the journey, arriving in the morning, prepared by the afternoon, and served fresh to diners by the evening.

Zhang Yunjia's commitment extends to every detail, including the restaurant's tableware.

Ceramics, with shapes that carefully match the dishes, are crafted under the guidance of a ceramics instructor from Jianshui.

The chef sketches her designs before they are fired. She recently began exploring vegan leather made from mycelium to use as placemats, a sustainable touch for future menus.

Her autumn menu is her second seasonal one at Under Clouds Green. This one is more focused: 15 dishes and three beverages that guide guests on a whimsical journey through the world of mushrooms.

One standout dish is inspired by Cockscomb Flower, a painting by Zeng Xiaolian, 86, a veteran botanical artist in Yunnan. This painting was one of his first works after undergoing cancer surgery in 2019.

Zhang Yunjia uses maitake mushrooms and cauliflower fungus to mimic the flower's form, wrapping the "bouquet" with seaweed for added texture and flavor.

In designing each seasonal menu, she not only creates new dishes but also studies traditional Yunnan recipes with master chefs, determined to preserve and pass on the cuisine's rich heritage.

"Yunnan cuisine isn't just about stir-frying or roasting," she says.

"It needs to be explored. Young chefs in particular should delve deeper into the traditional techniques and methods of Yunnan cooking."

For Zhang Yunjia, fine dining is more than a format; it's a language, a way to express the essence of each ingredient with precision and care. Through her interpretation, she hopes diners from China and abroad can gain a deeper understanding of Yunnan cuisine.

Many of her team members hail from the province, from the front of house to the kitchen, united by a shared mission: to share the uniqueness of Yunnan cuisine with more people.

It's not uncommon for diners to be moved to tears — sometimes by personal memories, sometimes by the familiar flavors that evoke nostalgia. And sometimes, it's the quiet infusion of Zhang Yunjia's own delicate emotions poured into each dish that resonates.

Every meal becomes a communication of taste and an exchange of feelings.

A quarter of the restaurant's guests are repeat diners, with many new patrons coming by word-of-mouth.

As winter descends on Beijing, Zhang Yunjia is ready with her next seasonal menu, preparing to take her guests on another adventurous journey through the flavors, stories and soul of her home province.