For example, pesticides have been replaced by boiled pepper water to drive away pests from the vegetables and mosquitoes from humans. And hens and cocks are carefully raised and matched to produce the best quality of eggs, which must be hatched by hens rather than artificial lights.

But the most difficult part for Dai is to find enough experienced farmers, who are the living textbooks of all these "outdated but smart" tricks, to help him maintain the desirability of his bowl.

"I hold nothing against urbanization or civilization, but the culture is now boosting one by playing down another, which has taken millions of young and old in the countryside away from the field," he says.

"I still remember when an aging farmer, with a weatherbeaten face, knelt down in front of me with his best chicken after a chatty lunch and received some groceries I brought to him from cities."

Dai has now established a network of more than 100 farmers across the country both to scout his supplies for food and help them with their lives.

Dai says visitors are at liberty to pay for a stay at his college, as he aims to simply "offer an alternative for many Chinese people to know that they can live in other ways". Meanwhile, his restaurant in Hangzhou, which has eight tables but is fully booked all year-round even while charging a minimum of 1,000-yuan a table, is a Robin Hood-style business. "Robbing the rich and helping the poor," he explains.

A galaxy of business people, literati, artists and government officials have supported Dai, who says his culinary philosophy is nothing but "to eat local and eat seasonal". And he believes it could be a model for the nation one day, though he still doesn't know how.

"At least we have started. It's like planting a tree. Even if it takes a century to grow into a forest, we would have a forest a hundred years later if we plant the seed today," says Dai.

Contact the writer at [email protected].

Photos by Gao Erqiang / China Daily

Photos by Gao Erqiang / China Daily