西贝餐厅与预制菜的争议故事

What does 预制菜 (yùzhìcài) mean in Chinese?

预制菜 (yùzhìcài) refers to dishes prepared in centralised factories or kitchens in advance, then reheated or finished on-site in restaurants. 预制 (yùzhì) means “pre-made / prefabricated” and 菜 (cài) means dish or vegetable. The word became a flash-point in China around 2023, amid public debate over restaurants and school cafeterias serving industrially pre-made dishes without telling customers — raising questions about transparency, food quality, and what counts as “fresh.”

The clip dramatises the controversy as a mock interview with the founder of Xibei (西贝), a chain known for its Inner Mongolian cuisine. The character-based framing (“西贝” is derived from the founder’s name 贾国龙 — 贾 contains 西 on top and 贝 below) makes the brand name feel personal, and the clip highlights the core accusations: prices too high (68元 for a single dish), and ingredients that are not today’s fresh produce even if the cooking is done on-site. Debate over chains like Xibei using 预制菜 has flared up more than once, centring on disclosure and what diners are really paying for.