Xin Rong Ji College is established in Taizhou in East China's Zhejiang province on April 23. [Photo/taizhou.com.cn]

Taizhou in East China's Zhejiang province inaugurated a culinary college on April 23, a move that reflects the city's ambitions to turn itself into a world-famous city of gastronomy.

The college, named Xin Rong Ji College, will operate as a school subordinate to the Taizhou Vocational & Technical College.

A famous Chinese restaurant chain, Xin Rong Ji was founded in Linhai, a county-level city in Taizhou in October 1995.

It presently has a few dozen outlets in China, including a three-Michelin-star branch in Beijing and a two-star branch in Shanghai. Some of the must-try dishes at Xin Rong Ji include braised sea anemone with sweet potato noodles and the crispy fried silver ribbon fish.

With Zhang Yong, president of Xin Rong Ji, as the honorary president, the newly established culinary school will focus on training chefs, developing new dishes as well as promoting local culinary culture.

The school was unveiled at a culinary industry development conference themed on Taizhou cuisine, which is generally known for its umami-filled seafood dishes and savory carb-heavy street snacks.

At the meeting, local authorities also announced the goal of building over 10 aggregated dining zones highlighting Taizhou dishes in the city by 2025.