Many of these recipes use meat such as chicken, pork and even snake. Snake soup is called se gang (蛇羹) in Cantonese. This rich, thick broth has its origins in China’s Guangdong province.

As one of the last keepers of the city's traditional snake soup industry, Chau saves three live snakes for occasional display in wooden drawers that once housed more serpents for cooking.

Her restaurant, one of the last remaining places serving traditional snake soup, reflects the slow disappearance of this culinary tradition. Chau continues to keep three live snakes in wooden ...