In the past few days, the documentary series A Bite of China has topped discussions in online forums and has glued enthusiastic foodies to their televisions every night at 10:30pm.
There are many TV series about Chinese cuisine where chefs and food experts recommend and cook delicious delicacies on screen. But why is this non-prime time broadcast program so popular? Stream an episode on major video sites such as douban and Sina Weibo to get hooked, alongside like-minded fans.
A Bite of China, a Documentary of Chinese Food runs seven episodes and presents sophisticated high-definition images of delicious Chinese cuisine to hungry night owls.
Some viewers see this program as more than just the regular food show: they see it as a revolutionary program that weaves Chinese food with culture in a flattering, realistic angle. The simple stories behind the food are chocked full of humanity. Each episode of A Bite of China covers a range of regions, with true stories interspersed between vivid images of food, varying from the traditional Chinese documentary.
Food porn
"Oh, I almost want to lick the screen," a netizen writes in an online forum.
While food safety dominates news today, CCTV debuts A Bite of China. The timing is excellent.
The director features ordinary food rather than delicacies available only in gourmet restaurants or five-star hotels. The program shows that people can re-create the most delicious food in their own kitchens, instead of spending a fortune to go somewhere lavish.
The excellent filming quality is also praised by netizens. The food, shot up-close, induces drool, beckoning the late night snack.
"The high definition shots presents such clear imagery that my mouth is watering!" writes an online poster.
According to general director Chen Xiaoqing, during the dubbing for the episode "Flavors," a sound engineer suddenly suspended operations.
"There were noises just now, from your stomach," he said to Li Lihong, the voice artist.
Li pointed to a glistening pickle on the screen and cried, "Its [the pickle's] fault!"
Although some Chinese people are already asleep by 10:30pm, the demographic targeted by A Bite of China remains awake: white-collar workers, intellectuals, and students, all hungry for more. It's not hard to imagine the growling stomachs at night.
As one netizen jokingly writes, "the film arouses our desire, but we can only see it on TV. We have to search on taobao for food."
Inside look at the industry
"All of the sensations I felt while watching the show almost made me cry," writes one netizen.
It's expected that food and cooking shows make people's mouth water, but this particular program has the tendency of making eyes glisten with tears.
A Bite of China doesn't just focus on cooking, although that is an aspect. Instead, it focuses more on how workers hunt, dig, process and produce food, showing the sweat and tears of the beleaguered laborers.
Some netizens still remember the "shrimp paste granny" in "The Taste of Time" episode. On Hong Kong's Tai O Island, an elderly grandmother who produces popular shrimp paste in a remote small shop, suddenly begins to cry when she sees a photo on the wall. The picture is of her deceased husband. The duo produced shrimp paste together their whole lives, until his death. This episode touched the hearts of viewers, one of many similar moments.
The director films the hardships in collecting seemingly common ingredients like bamboo shoots, lotus roots, and river fish. These behind-the-scene episodes have touched today's generation, most whom never worry about being hungry or see how their food is collected and processed.
At the end of each episode, flashbacks of the workers and their family are shown, tear-jerkers that work effectively at humanizing simple foods.
Taste of pride
"This is the best patriotic show today," said a netizen. "It has been a long time since I've been moved by a Chinese documentary!"
A bite of China.[Photo: globaltimes.cn]
A Bite of China emphasizes both food and a sense of nationalism. General director Chen Xiaoqing said:
"We hope to reflect a contemporary China through food. Every cuisine in the film carries with it some humanity, enabling viewers to learn about the cultural characteristics behind food, including the customs, rituals, ethics and interests in various parts of China."
Some online expressions are more enthusiastic, albeit exaggerative. "A Bite of China is the best patriotic film because it combines food with the Chinese national spirit," writes one viewer.
Indeed, this food program is filled with warm sentiment. The narrator's magnetic voice and smooth commentary is like the food industry's version of the nature documentary. Even the poster for the show at the Cannes Film Festival has managed to integrate bacon into the picture.
A Bite of China is successful, because it satisfies expectations as a documentary, providing realistic and HD footage. At this critical moment, when the domestic food industry occupies the attention of the public, the program highlights China's proud, traditional food culture, touting historical values of honesty and quality.
As food is a necessity and also occupies a significant part of Chinese society, Chinese culture would suffer tremendously if public focus shifts from what can be eaten to what cannot be eaten.