Jiangsu cuisine (referred to as Su cuisine). Beginning in the North and South Dynasties, Tang and Song dynasties, economic development, promote the prosperity of the catering industry, Su Cuisine has become one of the two pillars of the "Southern Food". In the Ming and Qing Dynasties, the development of Su Cuisine along the canal in the north and south, and along the Yangtze River in the east and west was more rapid. The geographic advantage of the coast expanded the influence of Suzhou cuisine at home and abroad.

Su Cuisine consists of Jinling Cuisine, Huaiyang Cuisine, Su Xicai Cuisine and Xu Hai Cuisine. Its flavor is fresh, salty and slightly sweet, focusing on the original flavor, and enjoys a good reputation at home and abroad.

Jiangsu is a land of fish and rice, rich in produce, and very rich in dietary resources. Famous aquatic products are the Yangtze River three fresh (sturgeon, swordfish, channel catfish), Lake Taihu silverfish, Yangcheng Lake clear water hairy crabs, Nanjing Longchi crucian carp, as well as many other seafood products. Excellent vegetables include Taihu Lake Brasenia schrebergeri, Huai'an Puccini, Baoying Lotus Roots, Chestnuts, Chicken Head Rice, Wild Rice, Bamboo Shoots, Water Chestnuts, and so on. Famous specialties include Nanjing Lake cooked duck, Nantong Wolf Mountain chicken, Yangzhou goose, Gaoyou duck, Nanjing tripe, Rugao ham, Jingjiang preserved meat, Wuxi oil gluten and so on.

Jiangsu cuisine is characterized by: a wide range of materials to rivers, lakes and seas, mainly freshwater; knife work, cooking methods, good at stewing simmering warm; the pursuit of the flavor, fresh and calm; dishes elegant style, shape and quality are beautiful.

Famous dishes include: clear soup, shark's fin, crystal hoof, squirrel fish, watermelon chicken, salt water duck, braised turtle, boiled dried silk with chicken juice, etc.

Jiangsu is a place where famous chefs gather. China's first professional chef whose name remains in the dictionary and the first city named after a chef's family name are both here. Peng Zu made pheasant soup for Emperor Yao's consumption, and was named the Great Peng State, which is today's Xuzhou, hence the name Peng Clang, also known as Peng Zu. During the Xia Yu era, "Huaiyi Tribute Fish", Huaibai fish was a tribute until the Ming and Qing Dynasties. "The beauty of the dish, with the essence of the district", Shang Tang period of Taihu Lake good vegetables leek flower has been elegant hall. As early as two thousand years ago, Wu people are good at making hot fish, steamed fish and fish fillets. During the Spring and Autumn Period, Yi Ya of Qi was in Xuzhou to pass on his skills, and the "Fish Belly Hidden Mutton" created by him has been passed down through the ages, and is the basis of the word "fresh". In order to assassinate the king of Wu, Chuang Zhu learned "Whole Fish Moxibustion" from Daihe Gong at Taihu Lake, one of which is the "Squirrel Mandarin Fish" at Songhe Lou in Suzhou nowadays. Liu An, the King of Huainan in the Han Dynasty, invented tofu on Mount Bakong, which was firstly spread in Suzhou and Anhui. Emperor Wu of Han Dynasty went to the seaside by the barbarians and found that the fishermen were addicted to "fish intestines", which were very tasty, and Emperor Ming of Southern Song Dynasty was also addicted to this food. In fact, "fish intestines" is the squid fish ovaries white. Famous doctor Hua Tuo practiced medicine in Jiangsu, with his Jiangsu disciple Wu Jin all advocate "cremation" cooked food, that is, food therapy. Xiao Yan, Emperor Wu of Liang, believed in Buddhism and advocated a vegetarian diet with gluten as the dish. Jin Ge Hong has "five chi" said, Jiangsu edible fungi have a great impact. In the Southern Song Dynasty, Suzhou and Zhejiang cuisines were the two pillars of "Southern Food", and Wu Zanning made the "Bamboo Shoots Record" to summarize the experience of eating bamboo shoots. Tofu, gluten, bamboo shoots and mushrooms are known as the "four greats" of vegetarian cuisine. The origin of these dishes are related to Jiangsu. North and South Dynasties, Nanjing, "heavenly chef" can use a melon to make dozens of dishes, a dish can make dozens of flavors. In addition, pickled salted eggs, cucumber sauce, 1500 years ago has been included in the canon. A large number of wild vegetables into the food, Jiangsu people have the name of "eating grass", Gaoyou Wang Pan has a monograph, Wu Chengen in the "Journey to the West" is also reflected. Jiangnan food increased in Manchu and Mongolian dishes, there is a "full Manchu feast". Beverages are the emerging of the fragrant dew. In "Dream of the Red Chamber", Baoyu was served with mignonette perfume, Dong Xiaowan was served with rose perfume, and the perfume sold by Huqiu Shantang Restaurant was a delicacy that nourished the spirit and the body, and made people's teeth and cheeks smell good. In addition to the restaurant, there are a large number of teahouses, since the Qianlong tea more prevalent. 1840, the ports of commerce appeared in the Western food, and there is a combination of Chinese and Western restaurants.