On Oct 16, the 12th China (Chongqing) Hotpot and Food Culture Festival kicks off in Chongqing. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

According to the Chongqing Hotpot Association, by the end of 2019, there were more than 30,000 hotpot restaurants in the city, with annual revenue of nearly 60 billion yuan ($8.95 billion) and 600,000 employees.