Foodie Stories, but Not the Kind Where the Characters Work Themselves to Death 美食文 不要那种累死累活的美食文

1. 101 人 A Chef in Another World, a Hitman on the Side 人在异界当厨师，兼职却是杀手 Rob the Martial Wasteland Star劫武荒星Urban156k WordsCompleted [The Supernatural + Ghosts + System + Infinite Flow + Master Chef + Small but Sharp + A World of Everything] When Su Xiaobei woke up, he found he was no longer in his own room. He was standing in front of a shop. The sky was blood-red, as if someone had spilled paint across it. The sight was eerie and terrifying. “Well~ are you here to eat, or to apply for a job as a chef?” A clear, bright female voice rang out. A figure emerged from the shop, making Su Xiaobei shudder with terror until his legs 14Reads—Score—Shelves
2. 102 白 The Army Wife and Her Child Join the Troops: Her Cooking Takes the Compound by Storm 白月光带娃随军：靠美食风靡大院 Xiaobai Sells Xiaoxin小白卖小新Modern Romance594k WordsCompleted [Delicate Beauty + Tough Military Officer] (Alternate History + Food + Military Wife + Raising Kids + Reborn + First Love + Family Life) When Cheng Yuewan opened her eyes, she had returned to the day in her previous life when she abandoned her children and ran away. In her previous life, she resented Song Huaisheng for ruining her life, and disliked their two children because of him. Only at the end of her life did she realize she had blamed the wrong person. Given another chance at life, all sh 2.9kReads7.2Score195Shelves
3. 103 七 The 1970s: My Son and His Dad Both Have Off-the-Charts IQs 七零：崽和崽他爹智商双爆表 Li Jia Qiqi黎家七七Modern Romance1.2M WordsCompleted {The short drama is now streaming ♥ Title: The Best Mom in a Period Novel} [Alternate-history period setting + transmigrating into a book + adorable child + cozy everyday life] After transmigrating into a book set in the 1970s, Su Taotao faced two choices: 1. Follow the original plot, abandon her husband and child, return to the city, and rekindle her romance with her childhood sweetheart; 2. Do nothing and wait for her husband of convenience to show up six months later and take her back to the 22.2kReads9.3Score2.3kShelves
4. 104 异 Otherworldly Culinary Lord: Starting by Adopting a Silver Dragon Girl 异界厨神领主：从收养银龙娘开始 The Crow Who Doesn't Fly不坐飞机的乌鸦Eastern Fantasy505k WordsCompleted [Western Fantasy, Demon King, Gourmet, Lighthearted, Monster Girls, Invincible] (Note: The lord arc begins in Chapter 119.) On the Lamas Plane, the down-and-out Demon King Luxiu Charles arrives in human territory. Thanks to the special talent “Soul-Piercing Cuisine” granted by his Godhood System, he starts rebuilding his fortune by opening a small Chinese restaurant. Not long afterward, he unexpectedly adopts a little dragon girl, and his life as a demon quietly takes a new turn. He’s tired of a 602Reads7.2Score101Shelves
5. 105 开 From the Start, Maxed-Out Cooking Skills: Earn Money, Grow Strong, and Become a Lord 开局满级厨艺，赚钱发育当领主 Doesn't Like Celery不爱吃芹菜Eastern Fantasy1.1M WordsCompleted [Western Fantasy + Laid-Back + Everyday Life + Silly Comedy + Beast-Eared Girls + Nearly Invincible] The continent of Celsis is home to many races. Besides humans, there are elves, beastfolk, dragons, merfolk, vampires, demons… From the start, Cheng Yu gains max-level cooking skills and can exchange the positive emotions of his customers for all kinds of items. One day, the Skeleton Lord who rules a vast territory goes missing. Someone asks Cheng Yu, “Mr. Cheng Yu, do you know where the Skeleton 30.1kReads9.1Score2.9kShelves
6. 106 八 80s Military Marriage: The Fake Heiress Becomes a Stepmom 八零热辣军婚，假千金当后妈养崽 Charcoal-Grilled Mandarin Duck炭烧鸳鸯Modern Romance1.0M WordsCompleted [Period setting + stepmother + raising children + adorable kids + everyday family life + fake and real heiresses + spatial powers + contrasting characters] Fang Xiaoluo transmigrates into the 1980s as a fake heiress and becomes the apple of her military officer husband's eye. With a space containing a spiritual spring, Fang Xiaoluo can raise children, make money, and farm with ease. Her life is so happy it feels like she has a cheat code. Xu Yaqiu is reborn. In her previous life, she married a m 8.8kReads9.2Score1.1kShelves
7. 107 七 Military Marriage on a 1970s Island: Daily Life as a Stepmom 七零海岛军婚：二婚后妈养娃日常 Achoo Achoo啊啾啊啾Modern Romance1.0M WordsCompleted Military Marriage + Stepmother + Second Marriage + Raising Kids + Sweet Romance + Food + Everyday Life + Love After Marriage When she opens her eyes, Song Shiwei discovers she has transmigrated into a book! Worse, she’s become the female cannon fodder with a tragic ending! To save her life and escape the plot’s control, she impulsively marries Zhou Tingyue, a cadre ten years her senior! She thinks she can now enjoy a carefree little life of her own! But when she arrives, she discovers that the f 3.4kReads8.9Score312Shelves
8. 108 八 Pretty Eighties Stepmom Marries a Factory Director and Raises the Kids 八零漂亮后妈，嫁个厂长养崽崽 Huo Beishan霍北山Modern Romance1.3M WordsCompleted [Short drama: I Became a Stepmother in the 1980s] The 1980s, stepmother, raising kids, everyday life, love after marriage The moment she opens her eyes, Si Nian finds herself in a period novel as a fake heiress. She’s sent back to the countryside to marry a twice-married man in place of the real heiress, and has to raise a whole brood of children. To make matters worse, she runs into the real heiress, who has been reborn. In her previous life, Lin Sisi was pressured by her family into marrying a 56.5kReads9.4Score7.3kShelves
9. 109 漂 The Beautiful Army Wife Is So Alluring, Even the Ice-Cold Commander Has Fallen for Her 漂亮军嫂太撩人，冷面首长沦陷了 Jia He Yue嘉禾岄Modern Romance465k WordsCompleted [Period Setting + Military Marriage + Face-Slapping + Sweet Romance + Heroine's Entrepreneurship] When Fu Xueyao wakes up, she discovers that she has transmigrated to the 1980s. Here, she's a lazy girl who's willful, spoiled, rude, and crude, and even her newlywed soldier husband was tricked into marrying her. Since she's here, she might as well make the best of it. Fu Xueyao, who has been single her whole life, thinks this bargain husband isn't bad at all. A slim waist, long legs, a great figur 2.4kReads9.0Score174Shelves
10. 110 七 The Military Wife’s Farming Life in the 1970s 七零军嫂种田忙 A Floating Fish in a Dream一梦浮鱼Modern Romance755k WordsCompleted Lin Yunxi wakes from a nap and discovers that she has transmigrated into the body of a military wife in the 1970s. She got married young and already has an adorable son. In an era when people don't have enough to eat or warm clothes to wear, Lin Yunxi isn't worried at all: her pocket dimension for growing crops came with her! Watch as she wins the country's support, opens factories, starts businesses, and builds a business empire of her own. She hears that a courtyard house in the capital co 9.7kReads9.0Score726Shelves
11. 111 随 Random Street Stalls: I Use Food to Lure Snakes Out of Their Holes 随机摆摊：我用美食引蛇出洞 AAAA Prosperous BloomsAAAA花开富贵Urban889k WordsOngoing [Food + undercover work + comedy + catching criminals + System + no heroine + no romance] Also known as Food: The Undercover Cop Sets Up a Street Stall, and Fugitives Beg Him to Get Back to Work Xiao Lan transmigrated into the body of a police officer in a parallel world and was assigned to pose as a street-food vendor while keeping an eye on a suspect. As it happened, he’d been a cooking genius in his previous life. This was right up his alley. The next day, a tricycle loaded with top-tier food 10kReads9.4Score879Shelves

    Reader note

    I'm still reading the first one, and it's really good. It truly depicts the world of chefs in the real world, with different schools and cuisines, but the male lead's cooking skills are truly exceptional. The second one is super good; it shattered my previous impressions of food novels, and the descriptions of the flavors are incredibly tempting. It's very uplifting, and I don't know if it was written by a police officer, but it seems to have a lot of expertise in criminal investigation. My kids love listening to it; they even eat an extra bowl of rice while listening. It's a pity it's not finished yet.

12. 112 兴 The Xing'an Ward Diner 兴安坊小饭馆 Ten Miles of Drifting Mist十里浮岚Ancient Romance457k WordsOngoing [No romance, a warm ensemble cast, a slow pace, and an unwavering female perspective with a focus on women] Yan Luo transmigrates to the Great Yong Dynasty and becomes the eldest daughter of Madam Song. In Liushui Alley, Madam Song raises her two daughters alone. The hardships they endure go without saying. Hardworking Yan Luo throws herself once more into the food business she loves. Dear guests, come cool off with a bowl of liangpi on a hot day! Tender chicken, silky noodles, and a mouthwateri 19kReads8.6Score2.6kShelves

    Reader note

    It's very relaxing, with only a few tense moments, probably because I'm too busy making money [laughs]. The descriptions of food are vivid, and there's detailed research into ancient texts. The female lead and her family are all very nice; it's a female-centric novel, and all the lecherous men have been punished. I don't know why the rating is so low; it's clearly a very good book. You'll know how good it is once you read it.

13. 113 美 Gourmet: A Restaurant Across from the High School 美食：高中对面开饭馆 Haruna春名Modern Romance649k WordsOngoing [Everyday life + delicious food] [Male protagonist] [No romance] The romance tag wasn’t my choice, sob Orz [July 28: I just saw that the rating is up! Thank you all for rating my story (bows). Thanks for your support.] Yao Yiji works overtime to support his sister’s two children, then collapses at his desk. Bound to System 677, he’s told that completing his mission will send him back to the day before he died suddenly. After the mission ends, he returns to the present day with System 677. He pla 643Reads8.0Score—Shelves

    Reader note

    These three are all food-themed books.

14. 114 重 Reborn as a Food Lover 重生之美食爱好者 Cappuccino Rina Ice卡布奇诺瑞纳冰Two Male Leads722k WordsCompleted In his previous life, Ye Lan didn’t have many hobbies. He just liked cooking and reading novels. He’d been prepared from childhood to spend his whole life alone, but one day an accident happened on a plane. He thought his life was over, but when he opened his eyes, he discovered he had transmigrated to a world completely different from his own. This world was full of top-quality ingredients, and not only could he indulge his appetite, he also found himself a ridiculously powerful spirit pet. 1.4kReads8.9Score125Shelves
15. 115 灶 The Kitchen God's Daily Life as a Mortal Worker 灶君下凡的打工日常 Clear Little Pi清澈的小皮Urban471k WordsCompleted [Gourmet] [No Female Lead] After ascending from a small world, Jixiang served for three hundred years as the Divine Lord of Blessings, also known as the fourth-generation Kitchen God. As a newcomer, he found that the vast Heavenly Court had no place for him to stay. And this so-called post as Kitchen God involved far more than simply tending the fire and cooking. Did immortals really live on nothing but nectar and dew? Deeply puzzled, Jixiang gathered his things and returned to the trade he knew 1.9kReads9.1Score241Shelves
16. 116 开 Sold from the Start: From Street-Corner Pancake Seller to Regional Tycoon 开局被卖，从卖饼小贩到富甲一方 King Wen Was Right文王说得对Ancient Romance618k WordsCompleted [Food + business + imperial exams + farming + infrastructure + character growth + mutual first love] Food blogger Lu Yan died suddenly of heart disease and transmigrated into a novel about a heroine’s rise to success. The heroine in the book was the legitimate daughter of the prime minister, but her stepmother schemed to have her kidnapped and sold to a poor, remote village. An older man bought her and raised her as his own daughter. Before long, the heroine came across the fallen crown prince, 16.1kReads8.6Score1.2kShelves

    Reader note

    Food articles are really good if you can remember the title and content; at least I finished reading them, and they were very enjoyable.

17. 117 我 Opening a Little Restaurant in Shengjing 我在盛京开小馆 Four Bayberries四颗杨梅Ancient Romance381k WordsCompleted [Alternate world, slow burn, not a wish-fulfillment novel, food + court intrigue + transmigration. Read with caution if that’s not your thing.] Miss Li’s Changhuan Eatery, tucked away on Qingxing Alley, serves delicious food at affordable prices. The officials who get up early for roll call tug at their increasingly tight uniforms, but still can’t help ordering another bowl of fresh pork wontons. Pei Hongzhi happened to eat there once and discovered that Miss Li didn’t just make excellent breakf 28.2kReads9.4Score3.7kShelves

    Reader note

    Food articles are really good if you can remember the title and content; at least I finished reading it, and it was very enjoyable.

18. 118 隔 The Neighboring Streamer's Daily Feedings 隔壁主播的投喂日常 Lan Youyou, Who Loves Fish-Fragrant Pork爱吃鱼香肉丝的蓝幽幽Modern Romance398k WordsCompleted Synopsis: "The Neighboring Streamer’s Everyday Food Deliveries" Tian Qi, a food streamer with crippling social anxiety, unexpectedly opens the door of her neighbor, the picky gaming expert Chai Jingmo, with a bowl of tomato-braised beef brisket made without scallions, ginger, or garlic. Chai Jingmo has a sensitive stomach and a fussy palate, but Tian Qi’s home cooking hits the spot. From then on, they settle into a rhythm of sharing food. Tian Qi often brings extra lunchboxes to the door opposit 121Reads—Score—Shelves
19. 119 首 Chief Minister, Your Wife Has Opened a Snack Stall Outside the Academy 首辅，你老婆在书院门口开小吃摊 I Just Want to Get Off Work我只想下班Ancient Romance408k WordsCompleted (Also known as: I Transmigrated to Ancient Times to Make Money from Students) Xu Nuo, a mukbang blogger, transmigrated into a book and became the wife of the male lead, Shangguan Ziqian. A poor scholar who rose to greatness, Shangguan Ziqian passed the imperial exams with top honors at all three levels. He became a scholar at the Hanlin Academy, destined to become a Hanlin academician. Since she was here, she might as well make the best of it. First, she’d latch onto this future big shot and lea 3.2kReads8.5Score271Shelves
20. 120 带 Fleeing Famine with My Family and a Space Full of Grain 带着全家去逃荒，我有空间满仓粮 Bai Yi Yi柏一意Ancient Romance1.3M WordsCompleted [Fleeing Famine] [Space] [Everyone's Darling] [Feel-Good Story] [Making a Fortune] [Later: Nation-Building] Du Youling was originally a three-and-a-half-year-old girl from a farming village in ancient times. Born with extraordinary good fortune, she was nevertheless killed in her previous life after her cousin stole her luck. In this life, she has returned with a max-level System! The story opens with a drought, forcing her family to flee. Whether it's drought, locusts, or snow, this lucky littl 6.9kReads9.0Score659Shelves

    Reader note

    I recommend two completed novels! They're about escaping famine, farming, and food, with the protagonist running a food shop: cold-cooked rabbit, Zhou Hei Ya (a type of braised duck), braised large intestine, spicy strips, flavored broad beans, hot pot, and milk tea. The parents are loving, there are five older brothers, the family is adored and has a special ability, and there are no awful characters in the family. It's very heartwarming and super enjoyable!

21. 121 被 Dumped Before the Wedding? I’m Feasting on Meat in a Famine Year, and You Can’t Have Me! 被退婚？荒年我吃肉你高攀不起！ Bai Yi Yi柏一意Ancient Romance228k WordsCompleted [Farming + Food + Everyday life + Feel-good wish fulfillment + Making a fortune] Jiang Wansheng transmigrated into a book. Her fiance, Li Hongwen, was a gold-digger. He came to break off their engagement for the sake of the scheming Jiang Ruxue, and his future mother-in-law raised a huge fuss at the Jiang household. After Jiang Wansheng angrily banged her head against a tree, she regained the memories of her previous life. It turned out that Jiang Ruxue was reborn. Using her knowledge of the 313Reads8.0Score—Shelves
22. 122 我 I Sell Lunch Boxes, So Isn't It Only Natural for the School Cafeteria to Go Under? 我卖盒饭，学校食堂倒闭很正常吧 Super Crawfish超级小龙虾Urban576k WordsCompleted [Food + comedy + one heroine + transmigration + System] Lu Rong rents a small stall on a college campus to sell boxed meals, but business is so poor that he's on the verge of closing down. Luckily, at the crucial moment, he awakens a Super Gourmet System and instantly becomes a top chef. A simple plate of egg fried rice is enough to draw countless students and teachers to his stall. Then Lu Rong starts offering even more top-quality dishes, and the whole campus goes wild. Everyone joins the rank 1.3kReads8.6Score103Shelves

    Reader note

    Looking for food-themed books? How about these 7?

23. 123 开 I Opened a Restaurant, Then Got Called Up to Cook at the State Banquet 开餐饮店，被叫去担任国宴主厨 Round-Faced Fat Chicken圆脸肥鸡Urban819k WordsCompleted Synopsis: Food + System + doting dad + everyday life Shen Yi divorces Jiang Ruoyun, the CEO of a publicly listed company, and leaves with nothing but the custody of their daughter. To his surprise, he awakens the most powerful food System! Earn money, and you get to draw prizes! From then on, a Shen's Restaurant opens at No. 14 Fuhua Road. He wins god-tier bun-making skills in a prize draw! Soft and springy, bursting with savory flavor with every bite! A passing schoolgirl is so tempted that tea 2.4kReads8.7Score218Shelves
24. 124 让 I Told You to Set Up a Street Stall, Not Outside the City Management Bureau 让你摆地摊，没让你城管局门口摆 Watching the Moonlight看风月Urban1.6M WordsCompleted [Gourmet]+ [System]+ [Wife- and Daughter-Doting Devotee]+ [Cozy Daily Life]+ [No Transmigration, No Rebirth] After turning thirty, Jiang Tian loses his job. His boss flees overseas with his sister-in-law and 80 million yuan. Comforted by his wife, Lin Wanqing, Jiang Tian decides to start a food stall. To his surprise, he binds himself to the [Supreme Street-Stall System]. A humble bowl of fried rice from a roadside stall leaves countless customers overwhelmed: "Boss Jiang's fried rice is the 18.3kReads8.6Score1.3kShelves
25. 125 美 A Food Blogger Builds Wealth in Ancient Times 美食博主在古代发家致富 Cocoa and Black Tea可可红茶Two Male Leads2.1M WordsCompleted [Two male leads + food and farming + raising kids] Food blogger Song Yuan transmigrates into a book, becoming the cannon-fodder elder brother in a farming novel. His parents are both dead, leaving him with three children. One, two, three children, all of them little villains. Song Yuan: Damn it, I'm going to lie flat. Fortunately, his portable space comes with a modern kitchen and an endless supply of ingredients in the fridge. No food? Tomato and egg stir-fry, followed by chili meat sauce, and 4.7kReads8.9Score628Shelves

    Reader note

    The food descriptions are all pretty good. I highly recommend 1 and 5, which are a bit funny. 2 Is quite heartwarming. 3 And 6 have two male leads. 4 Is a heartwarming family drama with romance elements. 7-11 Are all similar in genre.

26. 126 穿 Reborn as the Villain Cub's Paternal Aunt, I Go Viral Streaming My Cooking 穿成反派崽崽小姑后，我直播美食爆红了 The Wayfarer Who Knows and Acts知行客Modern Romance891k WordsCompleted Apocalypse powerhouse Meng Nanxu accidentally became bound to the Villain Rehabilitation System. After being reborn in the interstellar era, she somehow became the villain boss's aunt! Looking at the pitiful little villain, Number One, she decides to build a fortune and raise him through food livestreams. Thanks to the irresistible charm of Earth cuisine, Meng Nanxu becomes the top streamer on the Star Network. Meanwhile, she meets the parent of Villain Number Two. Weisheng Mo: My nephew and you 3.2kReads8.8Score363Shelves
27. 127 谢 I’m a Grade-Schooler, and I’ve Become a Culinary God! 谢邀，我，小学生，已成厨神！ Selling Egg Burgers!卖鸡蛋汉堡咯Urban1.1M WordsCompleted [Gourmet]+ [Slice of Life]+ [No Romance]+ [Heartwarming]+ [Healing]+ [Comedy] “The only thing an elementary school student should be doing is studying hard... But I think Master Fang going to school is neglecting his proper work.” “I’ve finally made it to the front of the line... Master Fang, can we put your homework aside for a bit? Could you fry me some rice first?” “You think I’m waiting outside the elementary school to pick up my own kid? I’m actually here to pick up Master Fang after schoo 24.5kReads8.8Score2.4kShelves

    Reader note

    The food descriptions are all pretty good. I highly recommend 1 and 5, which are a bit funny. 2 is quite heartwarming. 3 and 6 have two male leads. 4 is a heartwarming family drama with romance elements. 7-11 are all similar in genre.

28. 128 服 Good Grief, I’ve Been Making Baby Food for a Lifetime 服了这宝宝饭一做就是一辈子 Mid-Lane Mage King中单法王Two Male Leads413k WordsCompleted [Two Male Leads + Food + Period Setting + Golden Finger + Sweet Romance + Size Difference + Age Gap] Tang Zhou was sent to the First Alajin Machinery Factory with a letter of introduction from his grandfather... He got in through connections, only to be targeted and sent straight to the factory daycare center. The director was a kind, beautiful woman. Her picky child would only eat food that looked pretty. If the colors were even slightly unattractive or the ingredients were hard to identify, th 3.1kReads8.2Score340Shelves
29. 129 孤 Running a Food Stall Alone with My Little Sister, We Take the World by Storm 孤身带妹，我的小吃摊火爆全球 Big Whale Blowing Bubbles大鲸鱼吹泡泡Urban2.7M WordsCompleted Su Yang is raising his three-year-old younger sister all by himself when he unexpectedly binds to the Divine Snack Stall System. So he starts selling buns on a bridge late at night, roast chicken in the park at dawn, pork intestines outside a proctology hospital, and barbecue at a marathon… The food Su Yang makes leaves customers coming back for more, completely hooked. But to complete his missions, Su Yang can only set up his stall at random locations each time. Soon, his customers can’t take i 8kReads8.1Score912Shelves
30. 130 美 Gourmet: I Sell Lunchboxes at a Kindergarten, and Everyone Craves Them 美食：幼儿园卖盒饭，全都馋哭了 A Little Baby Cabbage一颗娃娃菜Urban2.0M WordsCompleted After transmigrating to a parallel world, Su Haoze took in the little tyke left behind by his big brother and sister-in-law. To support the family, he opened a small lunch spot outside a kindergarten. Who would’ve thought he’d end up bound to a Gourmet System! Braised lion’s head meatballs, chicken tofu soup, Dongpo pork, sweet-and-sour ribs, cola chicken wings... Dish after delicious dish won over not only the children, but also a whole crowd of parents. “Boss, do you sell meal plans?” “I want 5.4kReads7.3Score411Shelves
31. 131 全 Interstellar Cuisine: The All-Round Spirit Chef Who Went Viral on the Star Network 【星际美食】全能灵厨在星网火了 Lou Twenty楼二十Two Male Leads442k WordsCompleted [Complete] [Interstellar + Food + ABO + Zerg + Mecha] Couple: Cheerful spirit chef omega Lin An × S-rank military alpha, scheming seme Shi Xiao Lin An, a spirit chef from the twenty-first century, wakes up to find himself in an interstellar age where food has fallen into decline. He has also gone from being a chef with a job and a home to a penniless omega celebrity with no prospects. Hoping to get famous, his predecessor begged his agent to book him on a wilderness survival variety show fil 2.6kReads8.8Score379Shelves
32. 132 我 I Serve Manchu-Han Banquets at Kindergarten, Making the Whole City Drool 我在幼儿园做满汉全席，全市馋哭 Fairy Pond Koi仙池锦鲤Modern Romance581k WordsCompleted 23.5kReads9.2Score2kShelves
33. 133 流 A Roaming Food Stall: The Whole Internet Both Loves and Hates Me! 流动美食摊，全网对我又爱又恨！ Don't Say Studying Is Too Hard别说读书太苦Urban1.0M WordsCompleted [Gourmet] + [Everyday life] + [Comedy] + [Lighthearted] After unexpectedly getting a Gourmet System, Su Chenyang decides to set up a food stall outside a university. His amazing cooking goes viral online. Before the foodies who flock there have had their fill, they discover the next day that Su Chenyang has moved his stall outside a different university. At the new location, a customer asks, “Boss, why did you move?” Su Chenyang: “There weren't any pretty girls at the last university.” The 11.2kReads7.8Score1.2kShelves

    Reader note

    China. Jiangdong City. Royal Capital - Villa No. 3. ... Before dawn, Lin Zhou was awakened by a system notification. [Ding! Random stall task has been refreshed.]

34. 134 厨 Master Chef: From the Start, My Junior Sister Stole My Chicken 厨神，开局被小师妹偷吃了鸡 Pineapple Pizza菠萝披萨Eastern Fantasy3.4M WordsOngoing Hardcore food fiction + laid-back daily life + steamrolling the myriad races with food The executive chef of a six-star restaurant transmigrates to the Yaochi Holy Land and becomes the greatest chef in the world of culinary cultivation. There, he discovers that the pigs are bigger than elephants and the chickens have six legs! From then on, Beast-Taming Peak gets a large-scale, professional livestock farm, while fields of vegetables flourish year-round on Spirit Herb Peak. “These evil dragons an 6.7kReads9.2Score472Shelves
35. 135 人 In America, Eastern Cuisine Takes Over New York 人在鹰酱，东方美食占领纽约 Moonlit Longing月相思Urban1.0M WordsCompleted “No one in this country understands jianbing guozi better than I do!” The New York Times’ Mr. Dong column On bustling Fifth Avenue, the line stretches as far as the eye can see. Cut in line, and you could find yourself in a street shootout within minutes. Stinky tofu takes over Wall Street, crawfish conquer Silicon Valley, and the scent of luosifen fills the air all over Manhattan. The giant screens in Times Square play a nonstop reel of mysterious Eastern magical cuisine. Americans don’t e 5.9kReads9.3Score725Shelves

    Reader note

    These few are pretty good.

36. 136 随 I Set Up a Random Stall, and Every Customer Goes Quiet After One Bite! 随机摆摊，顾客一吃一个不吱声！ Prosperity Little Shark旺旺小小鲨Urban1.0M WordsCompleted The novel is complete! [Food + healing + villain + slice of life + cozy + delicious reads + comedy] No romance The spoiled rich kid Lin Mo is told by the System that he's actually a fake young master, and even worse, a villain in a book. To change his fate, the System assigns him a street-stall quest. This outgoing rich young man sets out on the path of running a street stall. Selling baked flatbreads at a cemetery, fried chicken at a psychiatric hospital? Stinky tofu at the marriage registry? R 6.8kReads8.6Score760Shelves

    Reader note

    They're all pretty.

37. 137 美 Gourmet: Mr. Ye, Where Do You Think You'll Run This Time? 美食：叶先生，看你这次往哪跑 Born a Foolish Child天生笨小孩Urban1.6M WordsCompleted [Everyday Life] [No Romance] [Comedy] [Heartwarming] [A Good Read Over Meals] In his previous life, Ye Fan had an accident and was dragged to the underworld by Ox-Head and Horse-Face. With a wave of his hand, King Yama changed Ye Fan's fate. He is given a brand-new identity as a master chef. Watch him complete his missions while enjoying life. Random dishes, random street-stall locations, one thing always stays the same: everything tastes amazing! Selling buns beside a restroom, lobster outs 909Reads6.6Score100Shelves
38. 138 成 After Becoming a Master of State Banquets, I Started Running a Street Stall 成为国宴大师后开始摆摊 Fried Hawthorn油炸山楂Urban460k WordsOngoing The warmth of everyday life is what comforts the human heart most. [Food + street stalls + lighthearted + plenty of cooking knowledge + street-stall guide + slow-paced everyday life + detailed recipes + no harem + the author genuinely wants to teach readers to cook] Chen Feng has studied cooking for years and mastered the four major regional cuisines of Sichuan, Shandong, Guangdong, and Huaiyang. He became the youngest person in the Dragon Kingdom to earn the title of National Banquet Master. Af 4.3kReads8.9Score284Shelves

    Reader note

    This book is good, but the updates are too slow.

39. 139 不 Why Not Add Another Bowl of Rice? 不如添碗饭 Lu Guagua鹿瓜瓜Ancient Romance238k WordsOngoing [Farming + Food + Healing + Growth + Cozy + Lighthearted Comedy] [Cheerful, lively little cook × Arrogant, childish young lord Pei Qun of the marquis’s household: a bickering couple] A young woman who sells wontons in Jingzhou City finds an arrogant, childish man at her doorstep. She takes him home and stuffs him full of food, but the next day he sneaks away. The young woman saves up to open a restaurant and takes a job as a cook in the marquis’s household. Then one day, she discovers that the a 125Reads8.1Score—Shelves

    Reader note

    The plot is simple and heartwarming. Although the female lead is a cook, she doesn't work herself to the bone. Overall, it's a light and comforting story. She cooks because she enjoys it and wants to, and she uses her food to warm the hearts of others.

40. 140 社 The Shy Little Breakfast Shop That Doesn’t Open Until Afternoon 社恐小可怜的早餐店，下午才营业 Second Young Master Cucumber黄瓜二少爷Modern Romance786k WordsCompleted [Food Therapy] [Lighthearted Comedy] [No Romance] [Perfect With a Meal] [Socially Anxious Protagonist] There is a secluded breakfast shop that doesn't open until 2 p.m. The timid, socially anxious Zuo Ci is bound to the Queen Cat Food System. She has no ambition and is only aiming for the guaranteed 8,000. To reduce the number of customers she has to serve, Zuo Ci racks her brains to find loopholes in the System. The shop sign says "Early Die Shop" because she hopes it'll scare customers away. A 9.5kReads8.4Score2kShelves

    Reader note

    This is incredibly tiring work; the breakfast shop doesn't even open until 2 PM.

41. 141 位 Quick Transmigration Across Planes: I Own a Little General Store 位面快穿，我有一间小杂货店 Pipi Loves Tangerines爱吃橘子的皮皮Modern Romance4.1M WordsOngoing [No romance + no male lead + general store + ensemble cast + doing business in various novel worlds, including storylines where the heroine gets help] [Main characters: Su Ling + a calico cat] After waking up one day, Su Ling finds that her general store has bonded with a planar trade System, and she transmigrates into a book. First book world: a lucky heroine in a story set during the era of rationing. A general store suddenly appears on the hill behind Dawang Village. It has more goods tha 53.5kReads9.3Score4.8kShelves

    Reader note

    The first book's female lead wasn't tired at all, and the stories were all heartwarming and healing. The second book's female lead, besides being incredibly strong, didn't have any other special abilities; she just honestly cooked, but modern snacks were a complete disaster for ancient people!

42. 142 假 The Fake Heiress Returns to the Village to Farm? Stockpiling Food and Raising Kids to Become the Richest 假千金回村种田？屯粮养崽成首富 Senbei仙贝Ancient Romance1.5M WordsCompleted The animated series The Fake Heiress Builds a Fortune with Her Kids is now streaming~ [Farming]+ [Gourmet]+ [Building wealth]+ [Everyday business]+ [Real and fake heiresses] Qi Miaoyi accidentally enters a novel and becomes the fake heiress who was switched at birth with the Song family's daughter. When the real heiress returns, the first thing she does is demand that Qi Miao leave the home she supposedly stole. Remembering how the fake heiress in the novel dies with her eyes open, Qi Miao grabs 20.5kReads8.2Score1.9kShelves
43. 143 成 Growth-Type Chef God: My Proficiency Rises Every Day 成长系厨神：我的熟练度每日上涨 Leg-Day Slacker练腿摸鱼仔Urban1.5M WordsOngoing [Food] [System] [Everyday Life] [Leveling Up] [No Female Lead] [Lighthearted] (The animated series is now out, and the print edition has been signed. Feel free to dive in!) Song Yan was tricked into coming home by his father to inherit the breakfast shop, but unexpectedly activated the God of Cooking System. [Host]: Song Yan Seasoning (Beginner): 165/1000 (Not enough to kill anyone) …Collapsed… Knife Skills (Beginner): 0/1000 (You should worry more about cutting your hand than cutting vegetables 155.1kReads8.7Score15.9kShelves

    Reader note

    These two books are good. They feature a system where the protagonist works hard and improves their skills. The diners have personalities and their own stories, unlike other food novels where cooking is just a system-generated skill where the supporting characters watch the protagonist and only praise his cooking without anything else.

44. 144 食 The Southern Gourmet 食南之徒 Ma Boyong马伯庸Historical173k WordsCompleted Tang Meng, a gluttonous envoy of the Han Empire, arrives in Nanyue, a land renowned for its cuisine. With ingredients in abundance, it seems like a food lover’s dream. Yet behind the feasts simmer tensions between north and south, divisions between peoples, struggles for power, and battles over the rise and fall of national policies. The twists and turns are even more complex than the flavors of Lingnan’s ingredients. This laid-back Han envoy finds himself caught in the whirlpool of political st 5.7kReads9.6Score1.3kShelves

    Reader note

    Reading Ma Boyong's novels allows one to see the big picture from small details, reconstructing the customs and atmosphere of the time from historical scraps. His writing is skillful, concise, and never verbose. This novel is not merely a food story; while the lengthy descriptions of food make our mouths water and our appetites whetted, we can also see behind the food the politics of the conflict between the two countries, the schemes of the envoys, and even the complex interests and interpersonal relationships behind them. Food is not only food, but also clues; it is both motivation and cause and effect; it is both culture and metaphor. We can also discover the emotional connections between people; the characters are not merely tools. Whether it's the brotherhood between brothers, the interests between families, or loyalty to the king, the author portrays them with great subtlety. They are not empty historical symbols, but real people living in that era. Even in the finale, a single dish—goji glutinous rice sauce—connected to the expansion of the Han Chinese territory and laid the groundwork for the conquest of the Nanyue Kingdom. It also served as a bond between families, delivering a series of poignant moments in the finale before ultimately reuniting them in a way that could be described as fulfilling. "You live at the head of the Yangtze River, I live at its tail"—isn't this a kind of reunion within the river itself, a family that had suffered so much? Then there's the protagonist's transformation, from an initial contentment with a peaceful life to a willingness to spend twenty-two years scheming and plotting to open a passage and avenge the family of the little girl from years past, all for the sake of his initial conviction. Tang Meng had no ambition, nor did he desire great achievements; initially, he acted out of compassion rather than national duty, which, in my opinion, imbued the character with a deeper human warmth. The narrative of a small figure from a remote corner to a hero rewriting history concludes perfectly, but his sense of justice will never end. The destruction of a kingdom because of a single dish is truly a unique chapter in history. I also thank the author for using their exquisite and engaging writing style to unravel the complexities of a mere hundred-word historical record, then expand upon it logically, allowing me to once again learn about little-known history and a historical figure I was unfamiliar with. This is much more memorable than simply reading biographies of historical figures. [Admiration]

45. 145 全 A World of the Eerie, Where Every Guest Is a Big Shot 全球诡异，我的客人全是大佬 Goodnight Choc Ice晚安巧乐兹Mystery1.4M WordsCompleted This is an age of supernatural resurgence, when ghosts roam the night. The Special Affairs Department is overwhelmed, and ghost tamers are run off their feet. Yet in a corner of the old district, a little restaurant called Gu's has become the most unbelievable haven between the living and the dead. Its rules are strange: 1. The food is outrageously expensive, but only the living have to pay. 2. When ghost customers come calling, they pay with their deepest obsessions. 3. No matter who you are, y 5kReads8.6Score550Shelves

    Reader note

    Highly recommended! The ultimate no-CP (no romantic pairing) restaurant-running story! The male lead is a former art student turned chef. He runs a small restaurant, cooking up all sorts of human flavors. He heals the living and soothes the spirits. It has everyday life's simple joys and also a strong sense of national pride. The writing is engaging, and the story is incredibly moving. The more you read, the more addictive it becomes; a must-read for fans of heartwarming stories!

46. 146 中 Little Chef of China: The Path of the Culinary Dao 中华小当家：厨道食途 He KongmengHome何空濛HomeHistorical276k WordsOngoing [Gourmet] [The perfect dish to eat with rice] [Ancient-style setting] [Chinese Culinary Master] [Feel-good novel] The imperial kitchen inspector kicked over his stall. “You run a roadside stall, and you dare call yourself a chef?” With the few ingredients he had left, Cheng Xiaocai made a bowl of scallion oil noodles. An old Taoist watching the crowd finished a bite and immediately declared, “I'll take care of the authorities for you!” It turned out Cheng Xiaocai was descended from a famous chef 45Reads—Score—Shelves

    Reader note

    Relaxing and enjoyable, delicious food paired with fine wine, perfect with rice!

47. 147 王 The Princess Consort’s Snack Shop 王妃的零食铺子 The Kitten Doesn't Eat Oranges小猫不吃橙子Ancient Romance419k WordsCompleted [Transmigration + Food + Princess Consort + Marriage First, Love Later + No Pocket Dimension + Heartwarming] Su Lele owns a snack shop. One day, she transmigrates to ancient times into the family of an official. With a harmonious family and a comfortable life, she decides to return to her old trade and start making snacks, beginning with retail sales. Her goal is to open snack shops all across the Great Yun Kingdom. Hawthorn rolls, potato chips, fish balls, grilled shrimp, little dried fish, pin 4.3kReads8.9Score341Shelves
48. 148 穿 Transmigrate to the 1980s, and I Offer One-Stop Banquet Services 穿越80，我搞酒席一条龙服务 Loves Sweetheart Rice Cakes爱吃糖心糍Modern Romance740k WordsOngoing [Alternate setting + Transmigration + System + Food + Business management + Family life + Countryside] Original title: Transmigrated to the 1980s, I Run a One-Stop Banquet Service Lin Chujiu transmigrates to 1988 in a parallel world, where her grandfather mistakes her for a relative returning from Hong Kong. She decides to play along, setting up a stall in town and selling roast duck under the title of a five-star chef from Hong Kong. Her crispy roast duck breaks a tradition that has stood f 17.5kReads8.7Score1.8kShelves

    Reader note

    This is practically a food review; the names of the dishes make me want to eat them all! [Facepalm]

49. 149 重 Back to the 1970s, Spoiled at the Cost of My Life by a Sinister Tycoon 重回七零，被阴戾大佬拿命宠 Lamb Who Loves Spicy Food爱吃辣的小羊羔Modern Romance1.0M WordsCompleted [Period setting + reborn + building wealth + food + adorable child + redemption] Reborn, Xia Chuhe rolled up her sleeves and got to work, facing a family that barely had enough to eat or wear. Pickled pepper bullfrog, braised fish, braised pork, marinated meats... Every day, she carried all kinds of delicious food through the black market, raking in stacks of cash and ration coupons. In her previous life, she was brutally murdered. The “madman” she had always feared went mad for her, avenged her 7.4kReads8.8Score469Shelves

    Reader note

    1. This is a food-themed novel where the male and female protagonists find redemption in a historical setting. There aren't any particularly intense events, just a heartwarming story of family companionship. 2. The male and female protagonists have a arranged marriage, no special advantages, and their military assignment is on an island. They eventually earn money and help many people. 3. The protagonist transmigrates into the body of a mother of three in a book. She receives news of her husband's death and her wicked mother-in-law's demands for a division of the family property. An accidental injury activates the farm, but the male protagonist is not dead at all; instead, he gets promoted and lives a life of abundance.

50. 150 军 A Sweet Military Marriage and Life on an Island for a Lovely Beauty 军婚甜如蜜，俏美人的海岛生活 Cong Xuan丛萱Modern Romance459k WordsCompleted [1980s setting + no golden finger + transmigrate + island life + military marriage + food + sweet romance] Lu Ting has barely woken up when she realizes she has transmigrated into a book. There’s even a reborn woman in the story who has her in her sights. Determined to turn her fate around, Lu Ting refuses to go to the countryside as an educated youth. Instead, she immediately attends a matchmaking event organized by the authorities. She finds herself a suitable husband and gets married in a fla 8kReads8.8Score502Shelves

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