Chinese Drama 2020

Chef Hua (Chinese Drama Review & Summary)

Also known as: The Fires of Cooking: Hua Xiao Chu

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Global Granary Drama Recommendation ✴️✴️✴️✴️

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• Genre: Historical Costume Drama Fiction, Romance, Food, Cooking, Entrepreneurial Woman
• Release Date: 2020
• Origin: China
• Cdrama:  36 Episodes
• Opening OST: Taste of the Food of the World by Nico Sun

Cast

• Tang Min as Hua Xiao Mai / Chef Hua/Meng Hua
• Yang Kai Cheng as Meng Yu Huai
• Siqini Gao Li as Hua Er Qiao [Hua’s sister]
• Liu Chan as Jung Tai He
• Li Xiao Hong as Meng Yu Huai’s mother-in-law
• Rachel Liu as Guan Rong
• Liu Shan Wen as Chun Xi
• Xu Yan as Zhou Yun Er (Chef Hua’s Apprentice)
• Liu Yu Kun as Wang Zhan Rui (Master Tea Chef)
• Sun Yi as Sun Da Sheng
• Wang Wei as Ke Zhen Wu (Chief of Escort Agency)
• Yang Zhi Wen as Luo Yue Jiao
• Lin Le Xuan as Song Jing Xi

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Episode 1

Omigod!  You must not watch this drama if you are starving because you might start gnawing the inside of your mouth.

The food looked so delicious and easy to do.

Anyway, young Hua Xiao Mai went to live with her married sister and her brother in law.

Xiao Mai likes foraging in the forest and river for fresh ingredients.

One day she was grilling some prawns, mushroom, and fish all fresh from the nearby river and woods when she spied a cluster of orange cup mushroom near a ravine.

Xiao Mai did not have a second thought she must have the mushrooms, which almost caused her death when she slipped and started falling to her death or serious injuries if a rather gorgeous guy who is a martial artist had flown out of nowhere to save her.

He held her for the longest time and she was equally fascinated with him and his chest that she started touching him.

He asked her what she was doing and she asked him in return why he was still holding her.

He let her go immediately and she ended on the ground with a tump.

He supposed that she wanted the orange cup mushrooms.  He flew up and gathered them quickly and gave them all to her.

The gorgeous guy noticed the smoke coming out near the river bank and went there immediately.  He quickly put out the fire and kicked the food she was grilling.

She was so annoyed with but he said that she was so thoughtless in starting a fire in the forest when it was the dry season.

He then left riding his equally handsome black horse.

Suddenly her annoyance abetted because he was so stunning astride his horse.

Xiao Mai was just getting home when she heard whispers about some people who were so useless that they infringed themselves on others.

Xiao Mai met an old man (grandpa) who told her that whatever she hears, don’t listen to it.  He also said to tell her sister not to send him any more pudding.  He made her promise to tell her sister.

Xiao Mai asked grandpa if he knew of a man of about 23 and who is an expert martial artist?

Granpa said there was a young man called Yu Hauai of the Meng Family in the East Village.

Her sister was so annoyed with her when she finally got home.  She had been so worried.

When it was dinnertime, her sister asked her to sit at the dinner table with the kind brother in law.

She really did not want to eat the food her sister cooked because they were horrible and uncooked.

Her sister always scolds her but she was quite caring about Xiao Mai.

She told Xiao Mai to take a packed lunch to her brother in law, who works as a blacksmith.

She was almost there when she heard someone said Yu Huai.

She climbed up the wall by the gate to just see if the Yu Huai was the same guy she met the other day.

He was and he say her looking which caused her to fall.

Her brother in law was so concerned, he brought her back home.

Her sister was so concerned for her and told her to have a rest while she cooked as she had told her husband to invite his friends at the blacksmith for dinner.

Xiao Mai was doubtful that her sister will be able to provide an edible meal so she told her sister the truth that she was a terrible cook.

She then took off her sister’s apron and she started making stuffed pancake which looked so delicious I will try to make them.

Then she made the most mouthwatering Dongko Pork.  Again so good.

Her brother in law arrived with his friends and one said after he found out that Xiao Mai will be a permanent fixture in the young couple’s life that it must be hard to have another mouth to feed.  He kept going on and on about it that Er Qiao (sister) got annoyed.

Then the cooked food turned up and it was so good they should have been Instagrammed.

Xiao Mai who did not want to sit with the guests was forced by her sister to join in.

Everyone said that her cooking was so good, it was better than any restaurant around.

I love the story and the food.

Episode 2 

I love this drama mainly for the food.  The recipe had been made to look easy to follow  It makes you want to try cooking.

I really love this series, very underrated.  Good script as well and the cinematography is fantastic. The leads are endearing.

Anyway Yu Huai saved Xiao Mai again in the forest when she was yet again foraging for mushrooms.  He jokingly said to her that she seemed to fall over every time she sees him.

She shyly said that it was an accident.

He escorted her down the mountain when they met Guan Rong, who was obviously in love with Yu Huwai.

To make sure that Xiao Mae is not in Huai’s face all the time, Guan Rong started taking interest in Xiao Mai and would visit and be rather helpful to her.

Guan Rong volunteered to help Xiao Mai sell preserved bamboo shoots.

At first it was hard going to sell the preserved bamboo shoots but a young lady from Lianshan Bodyguard Agency saw how good her bamboo shoots were, she offered to buy them but it had to be approved by her master.

When they got to the agency, the master called Yu Huai to see the goods.

Yu Huai recognised her immediately and the master teased that perhaps Xiao Mei is Yu Huai’s girlfriend.

Xiao Mei was rather annoyed with Yu Huai when he said that he hardly know her and she was only a little sister to him.

She priced her goods on the tad high and she would not change her mind but Yu Huai convinced the boss that the preserved shoots will be worth the money and Xiao Mei is a fantastic cook.

The master requested Xiao Mei to cook lunch for the barracks.

Her cooking was a hit with everyone.

Episode 4

She was invited by Mr Qiao for his annual dinner festival to do the cooking.

He has already a chef who was very dismissive of the young Xiao Mei.

The regular chef decided to cater to the more illustrious guests while Xiao Mei will feed the peasants.

The honoured guests how much the peasants were enjoying their meal.  One got curious and joined the peasants’ table.  He was in ecstasy especially when he tasted the Supreme Soup.

Before you know it everyone was on the same table fighting over the food.

Mr Qiao paid her handsomely and also gave her 200 coins to pass to Guan Rong as her agent.

Xiao Mai was a bit uneasy the Guan Rong was profiting from her.

Xiao Mai was on her way home when she was abducted.  Her abducted was the chef who did not take kindly to being shown off.

Yu Huai was there to save her and they had the cutest moment.

To show her gratitude, she kissed him on the cheek briefly which shocked him and excited him at the same time.  So cute.

Mr Ping An, who was a guest at Mr Qiao’s spring dinner, came to see Xiao Mei and her sister to do business,  He proposed to sell her cookies in the city.

Episode 5

Master Zhao, the son of the chief of the Bodyguard agency almost got duped by a spice merchant.

Good thing the nosy Hua Xiao Mai was around and saw that half of the star anises were the 10 petalled Japanese variety which is poisonous.

Master Zhao was very grateful and Yu Huai couldn’t be more proud.

Episode 6

Mr Ping’an is becoming a regular buyer of Xiao Mai’s cooking.  He now wanted to try to sell her sauces.

Guan Rong had come to visit Xiao Mai again and asked her to accompany her to visit Grandma Sun for her famous dessert soup.  But  Gua Rong was actually wanted to gossip with Xiao Mai about Yu Huai’s mother who had been looking for a potential bride for her son.

Mr Ping’an came to collect the sauces and inadvertently mentioned about Xiao Mai becoming a good mother one day.

This was heard by her sister who became stroppy.

She asked the town elder who told her that her sister had been married for three years and yet had failed to conceive.

The town elder told her to bring her sister to the town doctor because Hua Dou Village doctor was a bit of a quack.

The next morning, Xiao Mai pretended that she had the most excruciating stomach pain and can’t manage to get up.

Her sister insisted to taking her to see a doctor but Hua Xiao Mai said that she heard the village doctor was no good so what was the point.

Her sister said that they will see another doctor in town.

They saw the doctor who immediately understood what was happening.  After having a look at Xiao Mai, he also insisted to examine Er Qiao.

He told her that she needed to take her medication to balance her ying.  She also needed to consult him on a monthly basis.  After a year she should be ready to conceive.

I really love the relationship between the sisters.  They look after another, which is very heartwarming.

After seeing Grandma Sun, Xiao Mai also wanted to open her stall by the riverside.

At first, her sister was not happy with her plan thinking that her sister is overworking.  She said they have enough to live, she does not have to work full time.

But in the end, her sister supported her all the way.

Yu Huai came from his duty and went to see Xiao Mai immediately. At first she was rather wary of him after hearing that he was to be married soon.  But he remained the kind and handsome guy that he was that she told him about her plan for a stall.

Yu Huai designed one for her and gave it to her brother-in-law.  Who created a stall from the design.

Yu Huai went to see Mistress Meng, his mother, who told him that she met the perfect girl for him.  Yu Huai was so annoyed.  He told her rather enigmatically that he had already had plans for it.

Episode 7

Xiao Mai’s food stall became very popular.

Guan Rong came to visit and without being asked, she started helping in the eatery.  Xiao Mai tried to stop her but she continued to help.

She presented herself as the hostess.

Xiao Mai told her sister about her problem with Guan Rong.

Her sister turned up and told Guan Rong that they don’t need her to help out because she was helping her sister.

Episode 8

Her sister saw the village elder who asked her if Guan Rong was an investor to the Xiao Mai’s food stall.

Apparently Guan Rong had been implying that she was Xiao Mai’s co-founder at the food stall had was then squeezed out as the eatery was getting more popular.

The elder said that Guan Rong and family are a bad lot and they should stay away from them.

Er Qiao realised the predicament her sister was in so she asked her friends to help her make something clear about Guan Rong to end the gossip.

Episode 9

So  Er Qiao especially invited Guan Rong to eat at the food stall .

With the people in there, Guan Rong was forced to confess that she had nothing to do with the food stall.

Xiao Mai should have been happy after this, but she heard that Yu Huai was missing after his group had been ambushed by bandits.

Suddenly she can’t concentrate of her food business.

Guan Rong also heard the news and went immediately to Mistress Meng to report that her son was missing and maybe dead.

Mistress Meng collapsed.

Episode 10

Xiao Mai was worried and missing Yu Huai so much.  Then she sort of felt and then really heard a horse coming. She knew immediately that Yu Huai is coming back.

And he was,

Xiao Mai immediately brought him home to see her worried sister and brother-in-law.

Xiao Mai’s cooking prowess was becoming well known and she was even being recruited by the owner of An Tai Garden.

Episode 11

The merchant who provides An Tai Garden Restaurant with sauces went looking for Xiao Mai for undercutting them.  Xiao Mai did not know anything about this as she was selling her sauces to Mr Ping’an.

The merchant and his hood went to Er Qiao and husband’s house.  But they are ready because Yu Huai heard about the gang looking for Xiao Mai.

After Yu Huai and his two friends who are bodyguards like him had beaten the gang, everything turned out to be a misunderstanding when the merchant heard that An Tai Garden wanted to hire her as chef.  Apparently the merchant’s boss is a brother to the owner of the restaurant.

Despite a satisfying ending, Xiao Mai was again deep into more scandal.

She and her sister met Master Wen, an impoverished scholar, who encouraged her to help Mr Tan, whose restaurant in the city will be foreclosed if he loses a cooking contest.

Well Xiao Mai, encouraged by her sister helped Mr Tan and help him to delay paying his debt for another six months.

Guan Rong and her aunt saw how Mr Wen held on to Xiao Mai’s sleeves as he tried to convince her.

Before long Xiao Mai was being gossiped as dating Mr Wen.12

Episode 12

Though Yu Huai did not believe that Xiao Mai was dating Mr Wen, he went to see Xioa Mai, who of course laughed at the gossip and denied that she was seeing the poor scholar.

Yu Hai was helping her close her food stall for the day when Mr Wen turned up.  He said that he heard the gossip.  He admitted that it was partly his fault but he will take responsibility towards her.  He will marry though she was only a cook.

This infuriated Xiao Mai.  She asked him disbelievingly that he actually thought that she was not good enough for him.  She was ready to beat him up herself but Yu Huai intervened and was going to beat Mr Wen if the other man did not look so scared.

Er Qiao found out who was spreading the gossip. It was Guan Rong and her aunty but Guan Rong said that she was partly to blame but it was her aunt who had been blabbing.  Guan Rong did not know that her aunt heard what she said and hell broke loose.

Episode 13 – 14

Eight Delicacies Competition in the City and Xiao Mai went to participate as a member of the Wonderland Restaurant by Miss Song.

Xiao Mai immediately knew that she could not stay in the city because of the cutthroat atmosphere.  She was very shocked when she found out that Miss Song would do anything to win the competition.

Luckily, Yu Huai wanted to be with Xiao Mai so much he hurried his job in time to see her.

Xiao Mai told him that she wanted to go back home and not stay in the city, it is not the place for her.

Yu Huai took her on a date.

By a romantic backdrop of flower lights in the ponds, Yu Huai told Xiao Mai to open her own restaurant.

She said that she intends to but she was short on funds at the moment.

Yu Huai said that he had been working as a bodyguard and had some savings.  He will give it to her.

Xiao Mai asked if he was going to give her a loan?

Yu Huai slightly discomfited said that he hopes she will marry him.  Awww

Xiao Mai was so shocked, she just stared at him.

Yu Huai suddenly did not know what to do.  “You don’t want to marry me?”

Xiao Mai joyfully said “I do.”

Yu Huai can’t wait to take her home to talk to her sister to arrange their marriage.

They were lovey dovey all the way home but Xiao Mai said perhaps she has to speak to her sister first before announcing the marriage.

Her sister was so happy to see Xiao Mai and surprised that Yu Huai was there as well.

Anyway Xiao Mai said her goodbye to Yu Huai.

Inside her sister teased her so much, she could not tell her about the engagement.

But the next day, her brother in law suddenly came home from work to say that Yu Huai had asked permission to marry Xiao Mai.

So cute.

Episode 15

Yu Huai recommended a place for a restaurant for Xioa Mai.

The Hua family went to see it and loved it.

They worked very hard to make it really good as a restaurant.

Episode 16

Meng Hua and YU Huai have some sort of understanding that they were already together but Guan Rong was still to insinuate herself between them.

Guan Rong sent her mother to tell Yu Huai was very ill,

The gentleman that he is Yu Huai, followed by his mother, went to see what was wrong with Guan Rong, who cunningly made herself rather minimally attired in bed.

Guan Rong pretended to by hysterical when Yu Huai saw her and then her mother started screeching and begging Huai to take responsibility for Guan Rong who had been wronged.

Huai’s mother was having none of it and humiliated Guan Rong’s mother for being sneaky.

Meng Hua got to hear about Guan Rong trying to set Yu Huai up so Meng Hua went to find Yu Huai.

As soon as she found him she kissed him and then told him that he had to take responsibility for her because he kissed her.

Huai happily took her in his arms and kissed her back for the longest time.

and then…

The Wedding

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Hiring an apprentice.

Episode 18

Chef Han, the owner of the Jade Pavillion restaurant, challenged Xiao Mai to a cooking contest that got back to Yu Huai.

Yu Huai became rather jealous when he heard that Chef Han was rather dreamy (every girl’s dream, successful and a brilliant cook). He went to Xiao Mai’s restaurant where the contest was being held.  He made sure that Chef Han knew that Xiao Mai was already taken.

The men’s posturing ended of them having a drinking contest themselves.  They were so cute.

Yu Haui was so drunk but he still waited for Xiao Mai outside her sister’s house where she was visiting.

Yu Huai asked her if she wanted to move to the city to open a bigger restaurant.  He was gratified to hear that Xiao Mai was not thinking about it because she wanted to stay where she was so she could spend the rest of her time forever with him. Ahhhhh

I am really loving this drama, to the point that I am addicted to it. Very underrated.  Everyone would enjoy the food and the gentle romance between the two charismatic leads.

Episode 19

It was the Celebrity Banquet contest.  Xiao Mai more or less had the prize in the bag because the judges are her admirers.

Now, having won the contest, she was having kittens because the most important ingredient to her gourmet recipe is not available.

Sister in Law said that she had gone to all the shops but not one was selling.  Apparently because of the heavy rain, gathering the rock tripe is dicing with death.

But what Xiao Mai wants, Xiao Mai gets as far as Yu Huai is concerned who saw how dejected his young wife was.

So  Yu Huai claimed a dangerous ravine to gather the rock tripe.

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Did you notice?  When the chef touched something hot that it could burn the fingers, the chef touches his/her earlobe.  Why???

Episode 30

I can honestly say that I would be rather upset when this drama had been fully subbed and over.  I have loved every episode so far.

I admire the cast, there are great but most especially the lead, Tang MIn who is, of course, Chef Hua.  She looked as if she could really cook.

I love the location and I am often blown by the food.

In this episode, the newly hired escort had been found out as a spy and working for the other Bodyguard agency in town.  The spy and his cohorts were easily apprehended which cause the closure of the new agency.

It was the New Year and also the final appraisal and evaluation for Yun’er as a chef.  She passed and was so overwhelmed with the gratitude for having been made as the chef in charge of their front yard take-out.

Episode 31

This episode is a bit sad and rather dramatic.

Yun’er has two admirers.  Dasheng from the Escort agency and Scholar Wen.  Yun’er, however, is a daughter of a violent alcoholic who sold her for 20 taels to a trafficker.

Yun’er overheard the transaction and went to Meng Hua for protection.

While Yun’er was alone at the restaurant with only Scholar Wen at the till, her father came to get her.

He was very insisted and pushed Scholar Wen violently on the ground and dragged the screaming Yun’er.

Thank goodness, Dasheng turned up and stopped Yun’er’s father.

By this time, Meng Hua and her husband also turned up.

They asked the father how much was he paid for selling Yun’er?

Scholar Wen said that 20 taels is equivalent to 3 years of Yun’er’s working in the restaurant.  So if he sold her, where was he going to get the money afterwards?

The father did see reason afterwards.

Meng Hua asked Yun’er who she liked?  Dasheng or Scholar Wen?

Yun’er had always been in love with Scholar Wen but for some reason, he was pushing her away, towards Dasheng.

But poor Dasheng.  He was stabbed in the line of duty when the bank he was guarding got raided by thieves.

Now Yuhuai had to investigate and the first clue was a vagrant child who has one of the government silver in his possession.

Episode 32

It was Chief Ke’s retirement dinner and officially handed the escort agency to Huai.

The experience of danger during the last week made Meng Hua realised that she wanted a baby so Huai would think twice about leaving her and their baby.  So cute.

She then cooked all kinds of oyster recipe which made mother-in-law giggle in anticipation of a grandson.

Episode 33

An elderly man came to Hua Jian Restaurant not as a diner but as a merchant of dried tea leaves.

It turned out that the man was Chef Wang’s father.

And what made the father extra special was that he was known in the culinary world as Wang Tonghe, the God of Chef.

It was immediate to know that Chef Wang does not get on with his father, who has nothing good to say about his son.

It was up to Meng Hua to reconcile the father and the son and she did it beautifully and kindly.

News of Master Wang Tonghe staying at Hua Jian Restaurant and that he had taken Meng Hua as his apprentice spread like wildfire.

Meng Hua, who is so honest to the bone, went to Master Wang to clarify the gossip with her.  But Master Wang was unconcerned and told Meng Hua that he might as well teach her a recipe to make so she would feel as his apprentice.

Master Wang and Meng Hua went into the kitchen and he showed her how to make Mapo Tofu (I am going to make it, I wonder where I can get the secret ingredient of dried scallops?), apparently Mapo Tofu should be thickened three times.

Breeze Restaurant owned by the sneaky Chef Zhao invited Master Wang and Meng Hua to a chef evening.

Master Wang however was not interested because he went back to his house in the mountains.

Meng Hua and Chef Wang went instead and the evening ended up in drunken dizziness.

Episode 34

I love, love this drama.  It has many nasty things which are likely to happen but in the end they don’t and I love that.  LOL

Like what Chef Zhong was planning for the drunk Meng Hua/Xiao Mai.  He was going to put Xiao Mai with an equally drunk Chef Wang in the same bed to make it looked like they were in a very compromising position but Huai arrived just in time to save his wife.

He then threatened Chef Zhong that if anything to happen to his wife, he can his life goodbye.

Huai carried his wife all the way home.  His mother was equally worried about his daughter-in-law when they found that she was running a fever.

Huai did not waste any time and went to get a doctor who diagnosed that Xiao Mai was ok, just drunk.  She should not be getting drunk in her condition being pregnant.

Yes!  Xiao Mai is finally pregnant and everyone was happy and Xiao Mai was treated with kid’s glove.  They don’t want her to go to the hot smoky kitchen for the first trimester.

To be fair she adheres to this.

It was so funny when she had her check-up with her doctor. Huai was with her.  She was told to be careful, and what to do and then the doctor mentioned about sex.

Poor Xiao Mai did not know where to look and Huai immediately said for her to wait for him downstairs as he was going to speak to the doctor .. about the sex thing.  This couple is so lovely.

Xiao Mai is getting bigger and her mother-in-law is a godsend.

Meanwhile the intrigue from this episode si Chef Song.

She came to Hua Jian to try a poached Chef Wang, who was really doing very well in the restaurant.

When Chef Wang finally came to see Xiao Mai, she told him that he was going to leave then…

Chef Wang was not happy.  He was disappointed with Xiao Mai.  He told her that the last thing he wanted to do was to leave Hua Jian. He would not do anything Chef Song would asked because she was a very untrustworthy woman.

Xiao Mai was happy to hear what Chef Wang said.  She told him that she agreed the Chef Song was no friend of her and she can’t be trusted. She was now going to be fearsome toward Chef Song tell her to sling her hooks.

Episode 35

Learn new things everyday.  Apparently to make unwanted guests to leave, just serve them boiled chicken feet and stewed pigs trotters.  These were some of the dishes Meng Hua/Xiao Mai served Chef Song.

When Chef Song saw the dishes, she did not even touch them.  She quickly said her goodbyes.

It was the time of the annual Eight Delicacies Contest which apparently had been widen to include restaurants from nearby towns and provinces.  This meant Huan Jian Restaurant is qualified to enter.

Unfortunately, Meng Hua was not interested as by now she is heavily pregnant.

Chef Wang was disappointed and went to speak to Meng Hua to say that it was an honour for Huan Jian if they could qualify for the contest.  He also said that he realised it would be rather too much for Meng Hua to join but if she was willing, he would go on behalf of their restaurant.

Meng Hua and Huai went with Chef Wang to the town to participate in the preliminary contest.

Episode 36 – Finale

Meng Hua won the Eight Delicacies Contest but Chef Song did not make it easy by giving her stress.  However Meng Hua had a strong support from Huai, mother in law and her sous chefs.

To the end Chef Song tried to sabotage Meng Hua’s soup but Mother-in-law was such a battleaxe, Chef Song’s assistant did not stand a chance.

The juries said that Chef Song will be eliminated from the remainder of the contest but Meng Hua disagreed because she wanted to show that her soup was better that Chef Song.

When the judges had a taste of Meng Hua’s soup it was unanimously agreed that it taste so good with perfect texture.

She won the year’s contest.

When they went out of the scenic arena, they were met by friends, family, neighbours and co-workers.  They were all happy for her.

Meng Hua imagined her grandfather giving her the thumps up.  But he disappeared and then the pain.  The baby is coming.

I have loved every single minute of this drama.  The familial love is so apparent. It is a very heartwarming drama.  Highly recomended.

 

I love the leads so much that I fervently hope that they do another drama together.  Love them.