Ken Hom and Ching-He Huang cook their way across China in a visually rich culinary journey against the backdrop of ancient and modern Asia. Beyond a culinary odyssey, this will be an emotional homecoming, a cultural adventure, and an anthropological and historical road trip.
Ken and Ching travel over 5,000 miles across this vast sub-continent, taking in both the ancient and the modern. Over four episodes they explore contrasting destinations along China's most significant trade routes. Beginning in the vibrant capital of Beijing, they explore the city that China has presented to the west and the rural villages outside of Beijing.
After travelling through China's spicy Sichuan heartland, they explore the influence of minority cultures in Yunnan and the mystical northern city of Kashgar. And finally, in an emotional climax, Ken and Ching return to their ancestral homes to reveal the secrets of a Southern China we rarely see.
They explore the effects of sweeping modernisation in China's fastest growing city, Chengdu. It is the capital of Sichuan province, where the locals cling on to their identity through food. Here, in one of the culinary capitals of the country, they explore the complex spices that set Sichuan food apart and make it the most memorable of all Chinese cuisines. And in a desire to get under the skin of the city, they explore the back streets in search of the most authentic dishes and traditional snacks. They also visit homes and restaurants to banish the gloomy Sichuan climate with some hot and fiery cooking.
