A taste of romance

He and fellow cast members were treated to "royal-level" menus designed for the drama, which she says also made her understand more about Chinese culinary culture. The actress, who graduated from the Beijing Film Academy, says the delicacies featured in the drama represent a distinctive Chinese understanding of the relationship between people and food.

"A precious dinner can be a feast, with colorful ingredients and lavish tableware, but also a simple meal, like bao'er fan (fried rice wrapped in Chinese cabbage) as shown in the drama," she says.

"The taste of food also depends on who you are eating with-a caring family or intimate friends or just by yourself to enjoy a quiet moment."

A graduate from the Central Academy of Drama, actor Wang Xingyuan plays the crown prince, also marking his first time in a food-themed comedy.

The "top challenge" for Wang's role, where a lot of scenes show him sitting at a dining table to taste different kinds of food, was to avoid putting on weight, Wang says. He adds that he, too, learned more about Chinese culinary culture from experts during filming.

"They gave a detailed introduction to the history of most of the dishes, which have seen their recipes passed on for centuries. From preparing the ingredients to the time needed to cook and how to set the table, they covered different aspects, and to some extent, they reflected Chinese people's attitude toward life," says Wang.

Wang says he wants the drama to reach more foreign audiences to raise their interest in traditional Chinese cuisine.