Donkey Burger

In 1948, Ma Shouye, the last imperial kitchen chef, wandered among the people with half a jar of old broth. He made a living with his donkey-meat flatbreads and began an eighty-year culinary legacy. From secret recipes of the imperial court to humble street stalls, from public-private partnerships to the age of online traffic, three generations hold on to one pot of old broth, weathering the tides of history. The first generation, Ma Shouye, establishes standards through craftsmanship. The second, Liu Dehou, preserves the tradition through his honest devotion. The third, Liu Tieshu, changes his name to Liu Deser, loses his way amid livestreams and online traffic, and turns the old flavors into flashy gimmicks, nearly abandoning his ancestors’ foundations. Besieged by investors, squeezed by competitors, and swept up in the restlessness of the times, Liu Deser comes to his senses after the traffic bubble bursts and the old broth nearly loses its flavor. Guided by Ma Laonian, a reclusive master, he sheds the glitz and rediscovers his original purpose. Using honest ingredients, he rebuilds the brand and takes on apprentices, bringing a flavor on the verge of being lost back to the world. A pot of old broth simmers with the passage of time, and every flatbread holds a cook’s conscience. This is more than the preservation and revival of a craft. It is also a heartfelt look back at craftsmanship, integrity, and tradition in the age of online traffic. Eighty years of trials and tribulations, three generations passing the torch: the broth keeps simmering, the hearth-fire never dies, and the finest taste in the world is, in the end, staying true to one’s original purpose.