Porous　heteroatom-doped　carbons　are　desirable　for　catalytic　reactions　due　to　their　tunable　physicochemical　properties,　low　cost　and　metal-free　nature.　Herein,　we　introduce　a　facile,　general　bottom-up　strategy,　so-called　“cooking　carbon　in　a　solid　salt”　to　prepare　hierarchically　porous　heteroatom-doped　carbon　foams　by　using　poly(ionic　liquid)　as　precursor　and　a　common　inorganic　salt　as　structural　template.　The　obtained　carbon　foams　bear　hierarchical　micro-/meso-/macropores,　large　specific　surface　area　and　rich　nitrogen　dopant.　The　combination　of　these　favorable　features　facilitates　the　catalytic　degradation　of　aqueous　organic　pollutants　by　persulfate　under　visible　light　irradiation,　in　which　they　prevail　over　the　state-of-the-art　metal-/carbon-based　catalysts.　©　2018　Elsevier　Ltd