All Seasons

Season 1

  • S01E01 Enterprise

    • May 27, 2008
    • BBC Four

    The chefs' skills are put to the test in a competition to prepare snake and cook 'Fried Live Fish' and Qin is seen improving the restaurant's signature tofu dish. Communism and commerce go hand in hand as Qin's party connections are revealed to have been integral to her success.

  • S01E02 A Good Match

    • June 3, 2008
    • BBC Four

    Features the wedding between a wealthy property developer and his beautiful bride and examines attitudes towards marriage in contemporary China. For the new moneyed classes, old traditions have come into fashion and the wedding is a colourful carnival of Western traditions and ancient Chinese rituals.

  • S01E03 Family Duties

    • June 10, 2008
    • BBC Four

    Explores the strong sense of duty implicit in family relationships in China. It show how waitress Peng has sacrificed her own education to support her sister's studies. The restaurant is also busy preparing for a 70th birthday banquet for Sun and her family, including special dishes such as steamed longevity buns and stir-fried turtle. Through her story, this episode explores China's painful past and the extreme hardship faced by many families. The owner, Qin Linzi, discusses her own difficult childhood and introduces us to her daughter, who has led a privileged life.

  • S01E04 Bright Future

    • June 17, 2008
    • BBC Four

    Looks to the future with a banquet for a new baby and the anniversary show organised by the West Lake to celebrate its third year. Managers, chefs and waiting staff take to the stage in an all-singing, all-dancing extravaganza rounded off with a star turn by the owner, Qin Linzi. The restaurant addresses the high rate of staff turnover and gives the waiting staff a pay rise, while Qin discusses how important it is for her to drink with her customers.

  • S01E05 Compilation

    • July 7, 2008
    • BBC Four

    Documentary which looks at what it takes to run a successful restaurant business in China. Owner Qin Linzi and her staff keep everything running smoothly, while the chefs' skills are put to the test in a competition. The restaurant prepares for a 70th birthday banquet. Qin Linzi discusses her difficult childhood and introduces her daughter, who has led a more privileged life. There's a banquet for a newborn baby and an anniversary show organised by the restaurant to celebrate its third year.