Bright Banquet

Zheng Wan, a food streamer with tens of millions of followers, transmigrates to the Ming Dynasty and becomes a lowly cook in a wealthy household.

Her status may be humble, but she has a few special skills. Winning over the landlord’s foolish son should be a piece of cake, right?

Newly hired Chef Zheng rubs her hands together, ready to show off her skills in the Ming Dynasty.

Honey-glazed lamb chops, oven-roasted wild duck, crab baked with ginger and scallions, lemon chicken feet...

With all kinds of modern dishes and her own ingenious culinary tricks, Chef Zheng is confident and ready to be showered with rewards by her employers.

Then one day, a young maid quietly tells her that the household’s surname is Zhang.

Chef Zheng gets the hint. They have a taboo, huh? Fine, I’ll rename the octopus balls to squid balls right away!

The maid shakes her head. “The master’s given name is Dai, and his courtesy name is Shigong.”

Like a bolt from the blue, Chef Zheng stares blankly.

Zhang Dai? The Ming Dynasty’s famous Renaissance man?

Remembering how hard she studied Reminiscences of Tao’an in her previous life, Chef Zheng silently wipes away a cold sweat.

This isn’t just showing off her skills in front of a master. It’s like waving a cleaver outside a Michelin-starred restaurant.

But then again, now that she finally has a chance to meet her idol up close, shouldn’t she make the most of it?

Zheng “tail tucked between her legs” Wan: There’s always more to learn, and no skill is ever wasted. I’ll study hard and improve every day, so I can serve the greatest gourmet in the Ming Dynasty!

But why is Master Zhang asking her to help compile a cookbook?

And why is an imperial chef asking her about nineteen ways to prepare tomatoes?

And surely they won’t make her sail west with the fleet? She’s only a little cook, so why is she being asked to spread the cuisine of the Great Ming across the world!?

Theme: Promote Chinese culture and recreate traditional cuisine.