The last few years have seen chilli crisp grow in international fame, with the crunchy, oily, umami-packed condiment being drizzled over eggs, folded into ice cream and debated with an intensity that borders on obsession.

In 2024, that fervour bubbled over into a lawsuit when chef David Chang of the Momofuku restaurant empire claimed “common law” rights to “chili crunch” after acquiring the trademark for “chile crunch”, sparking outrage across the food world and ultimately forcing the company to back down.

But while the internet argued over branding and ownership, the origin story of China’s most beloved spicy condiment has largely been ignored.

Ask food lovers where to find the best spicy food in China and they will often point to regions such as Sichuan, known for its numbing mala, or Hunan, with its chilli-spiced fish.

In reality, the spark for spice started in a mountainous, landlocked province that few outside China have heard of: Guizhou, where China’s chilli culture was born.

Guizhou, one of China’s poorest provinces, is the country’s top chilli producer and makes arguably the world’s most famous chilli crisp: Lao Gan Ma, which was invented 30 years ago by Tao Huabi.