Chinese students take over kitchen during summer holiday

(ECNS) -- Across China this summer, primary and secondary school students have taken over the kitchen, preparing meals for their parents after work in a heartwarming family routine.

In Ningbo, Chen Silin, a vocational high school student, spends two to three hours daily cooking lunch or dinner. Inspired by his mother's casual requests, he has learned to prepare complex dishes, building on skills he first developed in fourth grade. "I love tinkering in the kitchen," he said. "Every day feels fulfilling and rewarding."

His interest in cooking began in fourth grade. "My mom's cooking was simple – mostly steaming," he said. "I wanted more variety, so I started learning on my own." With many relatives working as professional cooks, he would observe them at family gatherings and ask for tips.

In Yuyao, fifth‑grader Cao Xuanrui has taken charge of family breakfasts, rotating between sandwiches, wontons and dumplings, while experimenting with new recipes. "Exploring food is so much fun — every day brings a new expectation," he said, adding that his next goal is Korean fried chicken.

Du Qianle, a fifth‑grader in Ningbo, treats cooking like handicrafts, learning from online videos and preparing dishes three times a week. Her debut dish — scrambled eggs with tomatoes — won praise from guests. Since then, she has expanded to egg tarts, potato cakes and stir‑fried beef. "Mum's dishes are still better," she admitted modestly.

Parents say the children's enthusiasm has transformed kitchens into spaces of creativity and bonding. For many families, the meals symbolize not just nourishment but the joy of shared effort and discovery.

(By Zhang Dongfang)