There are a lot of things that one can find fault with regarding this series. The focus is supposedly Chinese but even the dress is Korean. That's a bit interesting...??! But with that said - this show is charming. Keep in mind American audiences have eating habits are very different Stateside. No slurping, lip smacking, teeth chomping, gurgling. In Asia enjoying your food is more polite than so called table manners. I discovered this rudely when I watched a man hock a loogie into a napkin at dinner in my first dining experience in Guangzhou. I did find this a bit annoying, and I found the same to be true as I watched this series, but table manners are also one of my pet peeves. I'm a bit neurotic about table manners and having been to China it was a good lesson in getting over myself. Nevertheless, this could be a trigger for those as fastidious as I am. But oh, my goodness...watching the cooking, the gorgeous sets, the gorgeous food, the gorgeous (Nationally and Historically incorrect) clothing, the gorgeous hair and costumes and a playful storyline with wonderful, fun, engaging actors and this little series is magic. We Americans do not have millenniums of history of cooking and recipes. Our cooking technique is born of a three-hundred-year history that has been honored by various worldwide cooking traditions. But the cooking traditions of China and Asia in general are thousands of years old and it is fun to catch a peek into this ancient tradition. I once was privileged enough to visit China and one of the high points of the visit was the truly exquisite food. This series though extremely historically inaccurate does bring some of those wonderful memories back. I remember getting Stateside and spending years trying to figure out the ingredients to a single cucumber salad I had been served. Our actors are charming and convincing. The storyline is something we all love - Food and Competition and Love of course!! A cute little series I plan on re-watching!
