There were many famous chefs in ancient times, the most famous of which was Yi Ya, who was regarded as the founder of the culinary world. Yi Ya cooked the most appalling dish, that is, he made a broth for Qi Huangong with his four-year-old son.

Yi Ya was a cook in the State of Qi in the Spring and Autumn Period. Because he was good at cooking delicious food, he was recommended to Qi Huangong by Diao Jian, a courtier around Qi Huangong. Yi Ya's food was sour and salty, delicious and very popular with Qi Huangong. Once Qi Huangong said, I have eaten all the delicious food in the world, except human flesh. Yi Ya cooked his four-year-old son into broth for Qi Huangong to eat when he got home. Qi Huangong praised the delicious taste, and asked Yi Ya to know that he made the broth for himself with his own son. Qi Huangong was deeply moved, and he was more prized in Yi Ya from now on.

When Guan Zhong, who was called Guanzhong by Qi Huangong, was seriously ill, he advised Qi Huangong to stay away from the courtiers such as Yi Ya, Diao Jian and Kai Fang. Qi Huangong said inexplicably: Yi Ya cooked his own son for me, and he loved me more than his own flesh and blood. Diao Jian came to serve me from the palace, and loved me more than himself. Kai Fang didn't go back to China to mourn for my parents' death, and he loved me more than his parents. Why? Guan Zhong said to Qi Huangong, there is no deeper human feelings than loving one's son, and human feelings are more important than oneself, and human feelings are closer to one's parents. These three people don't even love their son, themselves and their parents. Will they really love the king?

After Guan Zhong's death, Qi Huangong was far away from Yi Ya and others, and suddenly felt dissatisfied with food. Finally, he recalled the three men to his side. In 643 BC, Qi Huangong was seriously ill, and Yi Ya and others blocked the palace gate, cut off Qi Huangong's contact with the outside world, and told people outside the palace not to enter the palace, causing Qi Huangong to starve to death in the palace, and causing civil strife among the five sons of Qi. Qi Huangong could not be buried for more than six months after his death, resulting in.

Although Yi Ya is a superb cook, he has not been respected and admired by the later generations because of his evil deeds. So far, few people know him, but the culinary world still regards him as the founder of the chef industry.