It has been a long time since I wrote a post for this blog and if you are one of the rare people who likes my posts, I’m so sorry for being AWOL!!!

I have so many drafts to finish (like writing the post and not just having a title.. ^^”) but I thought I would start a new project (because I’m scared to delve back into the projects I was working on here… *cries*). This is a new kind of format that I’m trying, but I hope you like it! ^^

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Huo Tingen (Chris Wu) is a top chef (who studied in France of course) and has a speciality of ‘curried lobster’, but is pretty much some sort of curry aficionado. Meanwhile, our leading lady  Wei Fenqing (Ivy Shao) runs her family’s stall at the night market, where her food has been labelled as the cheaper, but just as tasty, version of Tingen’s food.

We watch as Tingen cooks the courses and periodically sits with his Chairwoman mother, a CEO and his daughter, the renowned food critic, Gina. The two parents have definitely set this meeting up with the intent of pushing their children together, and everyone present knows it. However, Tingen is more interested in describing his method for cooking and making sure that everyone likes it by watching their expressions.

After this, Tingen and his comic relief buddy (whose name I don’t know or can’t find, but hopefully as I keep watching, I’ll pick up! For know he will be known as sidekick#1) head out and Tingen finds himself walking past the night market (which also had a song and dance number for opening time… I wish Tingen had been there for that! haha) where Fenqing works. Tingen dislikes the comparison between a night market stall’s food and his, but that isn’t what makes him stay (more on that later!)

Tingen tries Fenqing’s food and basically humiliates her in front of her night market family when he decides to cook the same thing (on her stall) and everyone likes it better. However, Ah Wei is their to give her some reassurance (our second lead everyone!)

We have to wait until he gets home to find out why. Tingen has a sister, but she is not completely part of the whole family and has decided to make her way on her own. We see that his sister’s work ethic and little quirks are quite similar to Fenqing. His sister begs him to teach her how to cook a dish for her stall because business is bad, but he doesn’t, knowing that if he did, she would never have a reason to com home like he wants her to.

The next day, Fenqing heads out on her motorbike (or scooter idk) and rolls up to La Mure – Tingen’s restaurant. Fenqing has a challenge for him and it’s also a way of getting a free meal, so that’s already a win right there for me!

Fenqing tells Tingen that she can cook what she tastes and challenges him that she can make his speciality better (or simply as good as). Tingen is amused and agrees, allowing her into his restaurants kitchen. He watches her, and is intrigued by the parallels of her method which were the same as his when he makes it. However, in the end Fenqing doesn’t think her’s tastes right.

Even so, our feisty leading lady doesn’t back down, saying she’ll be able to in 7 days. With the help of Tingen. The latter is no doubt pulled into this agreement because she says she will do anything – meaning he can boss her around for a week.

Tingen starts off by making FenQing do some good old fashioned manual labour by taking the delivery up to the kitchens. He challenges her to do it in 10 minutes and of course FenQing is sure she can do it in half the time. And does.

Next comes a tasting task. Fenqing is fed some curries with her eyes shut and then is told to put the pots in the order in which she tasted them.

Fenqing doesn’t really want to do it and Tingen thinks she is coming up with a lame excuse by blurting out ‘earthquake’. Moments later an earthquake happens (is she a cow? They can sense oncoming earthquakes right? I think I heard that somewhere…).

The lights go out and Tingen gains a human attached at the leg. He tries to pull out of FenQing’s grip, but she is holding fast and climbs up his leg, stopping to hug his stomach. FenQing is scared and Tingen can’t believe this is happening to him. He gets out his phone and puts it on torch mode. He hands it to her and when he knows that she feels better, he frees himself from her grip and goes to turn on the backup lights.

When he gets back to her, FenQing has written out two contracts, one that she has already signed and one for him. Her main motive is to make sure that Tingen doesn’t mention what happened (her being afraid of the dark) to anyone. Tingen finds this ridiculous and questions her intelligence.

Before she can leave (without either contract), he tells her to come forward and the tells her slowly, that she can leave. Tingen enjoys to tease her and wanted to see if she would do what he said. He even gives her some good cooking advice before she goes.

When she has left, he wonders why she always pretends to be brave and finds the contracts amusing.

Fenqing is surprised by her mum and her night market family with a ‘surprise congratulation’s party’. They are celebrating the fact that she lost both challenges to Tingen…but in a good way haha. They are glad because now she has the opportunity to learn from a top chef and it’s something she needs to take advantage of.

After listening to the other woman of the group talk about how handsome Tingen is, Ah Wei takes Fenqing to one side and urges her to tell him if Tingen bullies her. That he will always stand up for her. Fenqing finds this funny (as she thinks she is strong enough herself and because she is older than him), but agrees.

Meanwhile, Gina is writing a very metaphorical and flouncy review of Tingen’s food and she thinks that his pride has meant that he hasn’t texted her yet (it’s been a couple of days), so she decides to text him, asking if he will teach her how to make curry lobster (is everyone just actually after his recipe and not him? haha).

Of course she won’t get a reply anytime soon because Fenqing accidentally took Tingen’s phone home. He answers his home phone and is told he couldn’t be reached on his mobile. Tingen realises what has happened and calls his mobile. Of course it’s never simple in the dramaworld and Fenqing’s reply to him calling her name is “help me!”

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This was such a good episode! It was so cheesy and adorable which is something that I’ve found over the years that Taiwanese drama’s can deliver really well. Of course there will be drama and it will hit me in the gut and probably make me cry, but on a whole this will be adorable! At least I really hope it will be!

I’ve seen Chris Wu as the main lead in Rock n’ Road, so I’m content in his acting. I’m not familiar with Ivy Shao but she is playing our feisty and chipper leading lady well so far.

I like how the two are already squabbling in episode 1 and that it has a cuteness to it. Tingen has been smiling and laughing (which can be rare for a male lead in the opening episode) and it’s so refreshing. I hope this drama keeps up the good work.

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Thank you for reading~