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Tourists enjoy an outdoor feast in Jiaxing, Zhejiang province. [Photo/Tide News]

The rural outskirts of Jiaxing came alive with smoke, spices, and global curiosity as the city launched a countryside tourism campaign featuring an open-fire cooking competition on March 29.

Eleven teams from local towns competed in a lively outdoor cook-off, drawing attention not just for their culinary skills but for the immersive atmosphere. Among the crowd were 20 foreign residents, drawn in by the aroma of a rustic dish cooked over an open flame.

"This is my first time making wildfire rice — it smells incredible, and I can't wait to try it," said Sean Doherty, an Irish national speaking fluent Mandarin, as he stirred ingredients over a brick stove.

Stu Lancaster, who has lived in China for 12 years, said it was his first time cooking over an open flame in a rural Chinese setting. "The ingredients are fresh, and the experience is close to nature. I’d love to invite my friends to come to Tongxiang and try this with me," he said.