Established in Beijing, 1996 Si Chuan Cuisine takes its name from the year of its founding and its enduring mission: to honour Sichuan’s legendary culinary culture while presenting it with a contemporary edge.

The restaurant is helmed by Owner and Chef Dee (Liang Di, 梁棣), a Sichuan native from Emei whose career in hospitality began more than three decades ago. From her earliest days in restaurants, she was captivated by the kitchen as a stage where chefs performed their craft like magic. That passion grew into a lifelong commitment: to preserve the entrepreneurial spirit of her first restaurant while channeling it into 1996, a flagship that reflects both her technical depth and her belief in love, perseverance, and refinement as the heart of dining.

Among the highlights are dishes that embody the essence of Sichuan’s “one dish, one style; a hundred dishes, a hundred flavours.” The Garlic Pork Slices (Suan Ni Bai Rou) are cut from premium black pig, each slice as thin and light as a cloud, paired with a sauce of red peppers and freshly ground seasonal garlic. Equally evocative is the Leshan Bang Bang Chicken, where local chicken is pounded into delicate slices, then dressed in a red oil sauce with bamboo shoots, scallions, and wood ear mushrooms—a dish that recalls the earthy roots of Sichuan street flavours with refined presentation.

More than a restaurant, 1996 Si Chuan Cuisine represents Chef Dee’s conviction: that Sichuan cooking in Beijing can be bold yet elegant, authentic yet modern. It is a destination where fiery traditions find new resonance, proving that Sichuan cuisine, with its depth and diversity, continues to thrive in the present.