Jiang Miaomiao, the Chef

She woke up to find that she had gone from being the executive chef of a five-star hotel to Jiang Miaomiao, a miserable concubine-born daughter in a remote corner of the Great Qi Dynasty, saddled with crushing debt and liable to be sold off at any moment to pay it. A hell-mode start? No money or connections? Jiang Miaomiao’s response: So what! She was a modern culinary genius with phenomenal knife skills and an extraordinary palate! A bowl of plain noodles rekindled her will to survive; a plate of mapo tofu won over the local bully’s stomach; and her crispy roast goose left the capital’s dignitaries dropping their chopsticks and crying, “A delicacy fit for immortals!” Smoke curled from the little courtyard, and the aromas drew in a steady stream of diners. From villagers and rich young rakes to powerful nobles from the capital and foreign envoys, everyone found themselves dreaming of her cooking. Her fortune snowballed while her debts vanished into thin air. The Jiang family, who once bullied her, regretted it and wanted her back? Jiang Miaomiao sneered: “My little restaurant is far too busy. No outsiders allowed!” With her nimble hands and trusty cleaver, she won over the entire Great Qi Dynasty’s palate and carved out a splendid life of her own. Who says women are inferior to men? Jiang Miaomiao could thrive in the ancient world on her cooking alone and hold up half the sky!