Seafood features prominently in hearty Chiu Chow cuisine from the coastal region around the Swatow district of eastern Guangdong province. Piquant sauces often enhance dishes, with tangerine jam for steamed lobsters and broad-bean paste for fish. Duck and goose are Chiu Chow favourites. Spicy goose is served with garlic and vinegar sauce.

Many Chiu Chow classic dishes are light and tasty, with an abundant use of vegetables. Chiu Chow chefs are skilled vegetable carvers, creating fine flowers, birds, dragons and phoenixes from carrots and ginger. The region's deluxe delicacies include shark's fin and bird's nest soups. The pungent, strong Tiet Kwun Yum oolong tea served in tiny cups before and after a meal is a digestive aid.