Fish-head soup is a signature dish of Seafood House in Ningbo, Zhejiang province. [Photo by Xu Xiaomin/China Daily]

Yu takes advantage of this benefit endowed by nature. After deep-frying the silver carp, his team of chefs slowly stew the fish for several hours together with local river crabs, clams and dried shrimps, local bamboo shoots, dried mushrooms and green-bean jelly sheets. After hours of slow stewing, the broth turns an attractive creamy white, the signature of a good fish soup. The cooking emulsifies the fat－producing an unsaturated fatty acid with a rich and natural flavor that veteran gourmets look for.

"The people of East China love fish-head soup, as this part of the fish keeps moving in the water, which forms a very nice texture and tastes even more tender than other parts of the fish. You should never miss the lips and cheek of the fish, which are so tender and sticky," the chef says. The price of silver-carp head is always higher than the body in the wet markets of East China, where fish-head soup is a popular dish, both in home kitchens and restaurants.

Around the lake, which is a popular sightseeing destination for weekend escapes, there are dozens of small restaurants, most of which are operated by local fishermen who serve up the catch of the day. On some days, Yu is one of those wielding a net from a boat.

"To stand out from ordinary homemade soup, I add more ingredients from Dongqian Lake as well as a light amount of black pepper to produce a harmonious taste, to highlight the freshness of the foods themselves," says Yu.

"To me, cooking is about creative thinking. To find inspiration, I have to think hard. Sometimes, it is nerve-wracking," says the chef. "Anyway, cooking is very interesting, as much as dining."

Set in traditional Chinese family surroundings, with an outdoor garden and a courtyard, Seafood House serves regional delicacies and specialty dishes from Hangzhou and Ningbo. Also highly recommended on the menu are yellow croaker noodle soup, specially preserved snail, and steamed sweet potato served with eight different sauces. The average cost per person is about 300 yuan ($46).

Contact the writer at xuxiaomin@chinadaily.com.cn

If you go

Seafood House

At Park Hyatt Ningbo, 188 Dayan Road, on Dongqian Lake; 574-2888-1234. (Reservation recommended on weekends and public holidays.)