The Sichuan Pepper Guy (opens in new tab)

Yao Zhao is the founder of 50Hertz Tingly Foods, a company that sells Sichuan peppercorns (花椒, huajiao) and a variety of oils and snacks made with them. His first career was in clean energy development and rural electrification, but last year he left his World Bank job to devote himself full time to his startup and to proselytizing on the joys of tingly condiments.He is an exemplar of a trend of young Chinese people opening restaurants and launching food brands outside of China that broaden t...