China's Wealthiest Province: Is Taking Guests to Rural Farmhouse Eateries the Ultimate Hospitality?

Guangdong, the Chinese province with the highest number of high-net-worth households, is also nationally renowned as a culinary powerhouse. Here, the most heartfelt and delicious choice for locals hosting guests isn’t upscale starred hotels or Michelin-rated establishments. What truly wins over Cantonese hearts and draws crowds is "Shankala"—or rural farmhouse eateries.

In Guangdong, "Shankala" primarily refers to remote mountainous or rural areas far from cities, similar to the term "backcountry." These aren’t typical touristy "farmhouse experiences" but rather pure culinary havens prioritizing freshness and exceptional flavors.

A proper "Shankala" must meet three criteria: First, its location must be sufficiently remote, far from urban industrialization, ideal for growing vegetables, digging fish ponds, and raising free-range poultry. Second, the farmhouse dishes must be authentically delicious, relying on natural flavors rather than elaborate techniques, paired with rustic staples like wood-fired rice and slow-simmered soups. Lastly, the dining environment is unpretentious—open-air seating for dozens or even hundreds of tables, evoking the vibe of a countryside feast.

Friends and family drive there together. Early arrivals can fish, pick vegetables, or select a prime free-range chicken from the wire-enclosed poultry area. By mealtime, an array of farmhouse delicacies arrives at the table, enjoyed amid lively conversation—this is the quintessential Cantonese dining experience.

No mountain of gold or silver compares to a perfect free-range chicken!

For Cantonese hosts, "no banquet is complete without chicken."

Here, chicken could be white-cut chicken, tenderized by "three dips and lifts"; earthen-oven roasted chicken smoked with local lychee wood; or golden-skinned Hakka salt-baked chicken. With a hundred ways to prepare it, Cantonese culinary mastery ensures chicken always shines as the centerpiece, whether for family meals, hosting guests, or ancestral rituals.

Though chicken is commonplace in Guangdong, locals never compromise on breed or rearing methods. Nearly every city boasts its own celebrated "local chicken": Qingyuan chicken, Yangshan chicken, Maoming’s Xinyi Huaixiang chicken, Zhaoqing’s Fengkai Xinghua chicken, Huizhou’s three-yellow bearded chicken, Guangzhou’s Jiang Village yellow chicken, Zhongshan’s Shiqi chicken, Yunfu’s Luoding Liangting free-range chicken... Yet, the one that unites all diners in agreement amid this "chicken rivalry" is the free-range chicken.

Raised far from urban noise, free of artificial feed, and roaming freely in fresh countryside air, these chickens are tender, odor-free, firm-fleshed, and crisp-skinned—the irresistible "dream chicken" for Cantonese. This is also why Shankala dares to operate dozens of kilometers from cities. These ultra-remote spots are perfect for free-range poultry. Unlike packaged chilled chicken, selecting a lively, beautifully feathered bird on-site for immediate preparation is the Cantonese gold standard.

Clearly, these "farmhouse delicacies" are anything but casual, embodying Cantonese cuisine’s core: "highlight natural flavors, minimize heavy seasoning." Beyond free-range chicken, they feature self-raised pond fish and garden-fresh produce, minimizing processing. Without rigid culinary boundaries or "SKU limits," the menu sprawls across walls through sheer ingredient combinations.

Dining at Shankala in Guangdong means reconnecting with the land, tasting primal flavors long lost in cities. So when jokes like "even the most domineering CEO succumbs to farmhouse chicken soup" or "no novel’s Guangdong tycoon escapes it" circulate online, food-obsessed locals cheerfully debate free-range chicken standards and plan trips with friends.

"Eat seasonal, eat fresh, preserve authenticity, cherish wok hei (breath of the wok)"—this philosophy defines Cantonese restaurant critiques. While visitors safely follow high-rated or Michelin guides in cities, a local-led trip to rural Shankala reveals true Cantonese essence.

Cantonese cuisine follows its own aesthetic: "Chicken must taste like chicken, fish like fish, vegetables like vegetables." Take chicken—the "chicken flavor" locals crave isn’t just "tasting like chicken." Regardless of preparation, seasoning must be simple to highlight the meat’s natural aroma, cooked just right for tender flesh and silky skin—a test of both ingredient quality and chef skill.

Among Cantonese chicken dishes, "sauna chicken" reigns supreme. Farm-raised free-range chicken, freshly killed and chopped, is lightly seasoned and steamed over water—like a sauna—locking in maximal "chicken flavor." The result? Juicy, tender meat served in heaping stainless-steel trays, brimming with pure umami.

With coasts and rivers, Guangdong excels at fish. To earn "fish flavor" praise from discerning locals, freshness is key. While city restaurants tout live tanks, they pale next to farmhouse ponds. Take脆肉鲩 (crispy grass carp)—fed broad beans to firm its flesh and raised in pristine water, it sheds earthy notes, becoming fragrant and crisp even when steamed.

For ultimate texture, farmers starve the carp beforehand, letting it shed fat. When ready, simply steam with ginger and salt for清蒸辟谷鲩 (fasted steamed carp), a "fish flavor" masterpiece. Or customize: sliced into congee, steamed with black bean sauce, or pan-fried—create your own "fish feast."

Another farmhouse staple is the "爽鳝" (springy eel). For classic豉汁盘龙鳝 (steamed eel with black bean sauce), plump eels are sliced continuously, coiled on a plate, and steamed with savory sauce. Or try沙姜蒸焗 (sand ginger steamed eel)—chopped and cooked without fuss, spotlighting the spice-meets-meat magic.

No Cantonese meal is complete without greens. True "青菜" (qing cai) must be fresh, crisp, and verdant—think choy sum, kale, or lettuce in cities. At Shankala, standards soar: hand-picked garden greens, wild簕菜, goji leaves, sweet potato leaves, or mulberry leaves. Cooked simply—stir-fried, blanched, or in broth—to preserve "vegetable flavor."

Rumor has it: No Cantonese can resist food prefixed with "local, rural, home-raised, freshly killed."

Shankala exists to fulfill Cantonese obsession with unadulterated flavors. Found only by locals, these sprawling, low-density havens needn’t cater to outsiders. Even plain rice, cooked with local grains and wood fire, becomes the nostalgic "wok-fired rice" of Cantonese dreams.

Cantonese rural cuisine offers vast creative possibilities, with ingredients ranging from farm-grown, mountain-raised to water-dwelling, all backed by the culinary expertise of Cantonese cuisine, one of China's Eight Great Cuisines. Despite the abundance of farmhouse dishes, their names are often casually coined, sticking to the timeless "cooking method + ingredient" formula. This may seem "lazy," but it actually reflects the rural chefs' absolute confidence in their flavors.

Besides chicken, fish, and greens, if there were a must-order ranking in rural eateries, pigeon would undoubtedly claim the fourth spot. An old Cantonese saying goes, "One pigeon surpasses nine chickens," and squab is the darling of gourmands.

Petite squabs are served whole, inviting diners to tear into them with their hands. The dark-brown skin is crispy, revealing juicy, tender meat that makes the long drive worthwhile. If there's a downside, it's that squab is often in limited supply—first come, first served, so order enough upfront to avoid missing out.

Like squab, rice with eel is another limited-edition dish. Freshly killed eels are deboned, sliced, and stir-fried with rice and eel blood before being simmered until the flavors meld. Served in a clay pot with scallions and cilantro, it’s a satisfying standalone dish. The eel bones are repurposed into a medicinal soup, perfect for pairing.

Among main courses, the only contender to free-range chicken’s throne is free-range goose. Locally raised, outdoor-bred geese yield firm, flavorful meat. Paired with red rice wine, secret sauce, ginger, and garlic, it becomes the most visually striking rural dish: Drunken Flame Goose.

Freshly chopped goose is pan-fried to render excess fat, then cooked with seasonings before being flambéed with red rice wine. The result is chewy, umami-rich meat with a hint of wine, leaving a lasting aftertaste.

Hurun Research Institute released the "2023 Hurun Wealth Report" on March 19.

Shunde published "In Shunde, Embark on a Culinary Dragon Hunt."