Not just home to Lao Gan Ma, Guizhou is where China’s chilli culture was born
Guizhou people were the first in Chinese history recorded as eating chillies. Now the spice-loving province is China’s top chilli producer
The last few years have seen chilli crisp grow in international fame, with the crunchy, oily, umami-packed condiment being drizzled over eggs, folded into ice cream and debated with an intensity that borders on obsession.
But while the internet argued over branding and ownership, the origin story of China’s most beloved spicy condiment has largely been ignored.
In reality, the spark for spice started in a mountainous, landlocked province that few outside China have heard of: Guizhou, where China’s chilli culture was born.
Guizhou, one of China’s poorest provinces, is the country’s top chilli producer and makes arguably the world’s most famous chilli crisp: Lao Gan Ma, which was invented 30 years ago by Tao Huabi.
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Guizhou: The spicy heart of China and home of Lao Gan Ma