Chefs help spice up lives of Antarctica researchers

The Chinese icebreaker Xuelong has set a course for a new scientific expedition at the South Pole, carrying an especially welcome cargo for researchers at China's Zhongshan and Changcheng stations in Antarctica.

The ship's hold is filled with fresh grains, meats and vegetables, with which two or three talented chefs will produce six-course meals that are so popular they attract foreign scientists from nearby polar stations.

The chefs hail from Wuhan Business University, which has sent 13 chefs and assistants to Zhongshan Station over the past six years. They cook four meals a day, prepare dinner parties for major festivals and are in charge of planting fresh vegetables in nutrient solutions.