A taste of romance

Human recognition of the complex relationship between food and love might be universal. This is exemplified by American novelist Richard Ford's quote, "the way to many an honest heart lies through the belly".

A Chinese equivalent: "If you want to seize a man's heart, then seize his stomach first."

Literally, that is how an unconventional romance in Delicacies Destiny－a Chinese food-themed romantic comedy－is captivating audiences in the country. Released online on April 7, the 16-episode series is running on Chinese videosharing platform Bilibili and Disney Plus, the streaming service of Disney, which is available in more than 50 countries. Originally voiced in Mandarin, the Chinese drama has three dubbed versions, in English, French and Portuguese, and offers more language options for its overseas streaming via subtitles.

Rolling out with a light-hearted tune, the fictional series, set in ancient China, is about Ling Xiaoxiao, a talented cook who aspires to become the best royal chef in the palace. Impressing her examiner with a plate of fried eggs, one of the easiest dishes to cook but hard to outperform rivals, she manages to land a job in the crown prince's private kitchen. With food playing a pivotal role in the royal family, ranging from fostering the loyalty of the emperor's favorite general, to reuniting estranged princes, the female protagonist helps the crown prince to solve a string of crises and finally wins his heart.

He Ruixian, a young actress who plays Ling, describes her role as "straightforward, brave and intransigent", that of a heroine who battles against societal bias to pursue her culinary dream.

As the story is set in the imperial era, when women were given a lower social status than men and had few opportunities to get educated or work outside the home－the character resists family pressure and follows her heart, reflecting a woman's power that can resonate with a modern audience, He says.

A common practice for movie and TV drama cast and crew members is to eat on set, which is known as "he fan", or takeaway food in China.

He and fellow cast members were treated to "royal-level" menus designed for the drama, which she says also made her understand more about Chinese culinary culture. The actress, who graduated from the Beijing Film Academy, says the delicacies featured in the drama represent a distinctive Chinese understanding of the relationship between people and food.

"A precious dinner can be a feast, with colorful ingredients and lavish tableware, but also a simple meal, like bao'er fan (fried rice wrapped in Chinese cabbage) as shown in the drama," she says.

"The taste of food also depends on who you are eating with－a caring family or intimate friends or just by yourself to enjoy a quiet moment."

A graduate from the Central Academy of Drama, actor Wang Xingyuan plays the crown prince, also marking his first time in a food-themed comedy.

The "top challenge" for Wang's role, where a lot of scenes show him sitting at a dining table to taste different kinds of food, was to avoid putting on weight, Wang says. He adds that he, too, learned more about Chinese culinary culture from experts during filming.

"They gave a detailed introduction to the history of most of the dishes, which have seen their recipes passed on for centuries. From preparing the ingredients to the time needed to cook and how to set the table, they covered different aspects, and to some extent, they reflected Chinese people's attitude toward life," says Wang.

Wang says he wants the drama to reach more foreign audiences to raise their interest in traditional Chinese cuisine.