Tan Chu was perhaps the most famous courtyard chef of the Qing Dynasty, and his elegant culinary style spawned a school of cooking now called Tan Jia Cai (Tan Family Cuisine). His recipes have been adapted over the years by chefs across China. I tried a version of the Tan Jia Cai Imperial-style Golden Seafood Soup at a tiny, atmospheric little restaurant in Beijing called Gao Yao Xiao Ju. The chef was a disciple from Tan Jia Cai, and dusty photos of old officials, China’s f