Difficulty: Summiteer (Level 3)
Hunched over sizzling grills and surrounded by smoke, trainees at the Yueyang Barbecue Academy in southern China roast skewer after skewer of juicy beef tendon, perfecting the skills that could land them a job.
Zhang Tengfei is a former factory worker who spent a decade in the car industry.
He joined China’s first dedicated barbecue school because he hopes to launch a career behind the grill. Zhang now plans to open a stall in his hometown in Henan province.
China’s economy is slowing, and well-paying jobs in traditional sectors are harder to come by. Because of this, many blue-collar workers like Zhang are looking to retrain.
For him and his classmates, the month-long barbecue course, which costs students 5,800 yuan (HK$6,708), offers hope of new employment.
Trainees spend six days a week learning to cook ingredients from aubergine to pork belly. They also learn how to run a kitchen, market their products and turn a profit.
