Food

Food

Tech Entrepreneur’s Weibo Accusation Triggers Xibei’s Transparency Pledge Over Pre‑Made Dish Controversy.

Xibei, a well‑known Chinese restaurant chain that has built its reputation on delivering homestyle, “freshly cooked” cuisine, found itself at the centre of an unexpected public showdown in September 2025. The spark came from Luo Yonghao, a high‑profile tech entrepreneur and media personality whose vitriolic post on Weibo accused the chain of relying heavily on pre‑prepared dishes—known locally as 预制菜—rather than cooking from scratch. Luo’s allegations, posted on the afternoon of September 12, quickly went viral, prompting a flurry of comments from concerned diners and a chorus of support for the outspoken critic.

Food

Chinese Influencer Luo Yonghao Accuses Xibei of Using Pre‑Made Dishes, Ignites Food‑Transparency Debate.

Luo Yonghao – the charismatic former smartphone‑maker turned internet pundit – has ignited a fresh debate in China’s food scene with a blunt accusation aimed at one of the country’s best‑known restaurant chains, Xibei. In a series of posts that quickly went viral on Weibo, Luo claimed that Xibei’s menu is “almost entirely made up of pre‑prepared dishes,” suggesting that diners are being served meals that are little more than reheated components rather than meals cooked from scratch. His criticism was not merely a gripe about taste; Luo called for a regulatory solution, urging that restaurants be required to disclose whether they use pre‑made ingredients.

In a recent episode of the Chinese culinary showdown “Burning Game: Hundred Chefs Battle” (炙热游戏：百厨大战), a seemingly trivial detail sparked a nationwide conversation about the balance between flavor and food‑safety standards. The incident centered on a dish that would normally garner applause—a 588‑yuan (about US $84) serving of Yangzhou fried rice prepared by a contestant billed as the “Fried Rice Immortal,” a self‑styled non‑heritage inheritor of the classic Shanghai‑style dish.