Reality show sinks its teeth into 100 ancient recipes

Since ancient times, Chinese literati have eloquently captured their culinary delights in writing, for food is not only life's paramount necessity but also a profound multisensory pleasure that resonates deeply with their hearts and minds.

In his Ode to the Old Epicure, Northern Song Dynasty (960-1127) poet and scholar-official Su Shi (also known as Su Dongpo) masterfully outlines the essentials of fine dining: the careful selection of ingredients, the precise control of heat, proper cooking techniques, and the subtle art of seasoning.

A true gastronome, Su vividly describes his preferences — the choicest cut of pork from behind a suckling pig's neck, the largest claws of crabs caught fat before the solar term Frost's Descent (shuang jiang), cherries stewed soft and pan-fried into candied treats, and steamed lamb luxuriously served with almond cream.

Classical Chinese literature is marked by an extraordinary economy of language, and Su's descriptions of these four delicacies, each crafted in just six characters, conjure rich imaginings that have endured across centuries. Inspired minds of later generations have thus sought to re-present these dishes recorded so long ago.

One such attempt appears in the first season of 100 Ancient Recipes, a 25-episode culinary reality show recently streamed on Tencent Video.

Hosted by Taiwan food vlogger Kao Wen-chi, the show is joined by guest celebrity foodies, including British food writer Fuchsia Dunlop, culinary documentary director Chen Xiaoqing, who is known for A Bite of China and Once Upon a Bite, and anthropologist Cao Yu, author of a monograph on the history of the chili pepper in China.

Each 10-minute episode reimagines an ancient dish based on historical records.

In one episode, Kao and gourmet columnist Lin Weihui, who has extensively studied Su's food-related writings and anecdotes, demonstrate the preparation of the lamb-with-almond-cream dish mentioned above.

During the Northern Song Dynasty, lamb was a luxury. Historical records note that Su's acquaintance Han Zongru traded Su's letters — Su was one of the most outstanding calligraphers of his time — for lamb, each letter worth several kilograms of meat.

To prepare the dish, the hosts slice the lamb, add spring onions, ginger, salt, and a little water, cover the bowl with a damp paper towel, and steam.

Drawing from Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) essayist Yuan Mei's 1792 gastronomy manual, Suiyuan Shidan (Recipes from the Garden of Contentment), they make almond cream by grinding almonds with water, straining the mixture, adding glutinous rice flour, and simmering until thickened.

They then add vinegar, soy sauce, huangjiu (Chinese rice wine), and minced ginger to the lamb, steam it further until tender, and finally ladle the almond cream over it. According to an anecdote, Su once remarked that this dish is better eaten with a spoon than with chopsticks.

A key question, however, is the flavor of the almond cream. Kao and Lin point out that while Yuan's recipe calls for sugar, Su's concise, poetic line offers no clue about seasoning. Considering sugar was not widely available in Su's time — and other Qing records document sugar-free versions — the hosts opt to omit it. The result, they find, is a satisfying re-creation.

For those inspired to try it themselves, each episode ends with subtitles listing the ingredients and cooking steps, along with extended discussions on related culinary topics.

Ode to the Old Epicure was written in Su's late years, while he was demoted to what is now Hainan province, China's southernmost region. Throughout his life, Su experienced repeated cycles of promotion and demotion. Yet, wherever he was sent, he adapted, served the local people with dedication, and took pleasure in food. When lamb was scarce, he devised new ways of cooking lamb spine. His name graces arguably China's most iconic pork dish, Dongpo Pork (red-braised pork belly).

Kao says the show aims to showcase the richness and diversity of Chinese culinary culture.

"Over the long course of history, across various regions, with diverse ingredients and cooking methods, Chinese culinary culture has evolved into an incredible 'culinary universe' — a treasure trove shaped by different eras, geographies, produce, and ways of life," he explains.

"Each dish embodies a piece of living wisdom. We hope more people will discover this unique aspect of Chinese culture and develop a taste for its culinary traditions."

According to the show's producer, He Shifei, production was grounded in intensive reading of ancient literature spanning the Warring States Period (475-221 BC) to the Qing Dynasty, as well as consultations with cultural experts. Given that many ancient dishes are recorded only briefly, the team turned to similar recipes from the same period or later as practical references.

Beyond restoring historical dishes, the show aims to offer glimpses into the food and daily lives of earlier times.

In light of this, the team, bringing a youthful perspective, uncovered stories such as the popularity of takeout meals among Song Dynasty (960-1279) emperors, the high status of professional female chefs during that era, and the ancient practice of holding cloves in the mouth to freshen breath.

Chen, who leads the production team from his documentary studio DOClabs Beijing, says they have long been drawn to tracing the historical evolution of food.

"Food is both our subject and our lens for understanding the world and history. It can be hot or cold, just as people experience joy and sorrow," he says. "Most traditional dishes have changed significantly over time. Searching for the foods of the past and how they were made is a means to taste our way back to our origins. Time may not soothe everything, but it teaches us how to relate to food."

Kao acknowledges that while there's hardly any way to verify whether they've truly re-created the flavors their predecessors enjoyed, the show strives as faithfully as possible to restore the methods of handling and cooking ingredients from specific historical periods — even if the results are not always tasty or visually appealing.

The team carefully considers whether seasonings like sugar, chili and soy sauce were available when a dish originated, while adapting certain recipes to modern cooking habits and ingredient accessibility. "Where historical records are ambiguous, those are precisely the areas where we can exercise our creativity," he says.

Born in the 1960s, Kao studied philosophy at Taiwan's Fu Jen Catholic University and at Stanford University as an exchange graduate student. He previously taught at his alma mater in Taiwan, worked in media, publishing, and catering, and served as a consultant for Chen's culinary series.

Since 2006, he has traveled across the Chinese mainland, writing a 12-volume series on regional culture and history, as well as several books on food culture. He gained wider popularity with his short video series reviewing restaurants and promoting culinary culture, which began in late 2022.

Kao credits his philosophy training for instilling in him a lasting curiosity. "When I encounter a flavor, I naturally wonder why it has become this interesting thing in itself — why it's so enticing, why it's consumed this way, or even whether it's edible at all."

He finds it fascinating to consider, for example, why the very first person decided to eat something spicy, and how. Cooking methods, he notes, haven't changed much over time, but modern tools allow people to do more with less effort.

One question the show explores is why some flavors fade while others endure. Kao believes basic tastes — sour, sweet, salty and spicy, though spiciness is technically a pain sensation — will never disappear, even if their sources vary. A good flavor is often layered and complex; innovation often means experimenting with new arrangements of basic flavors while controlling their sequence.

"Taste is highly personal, and the appreciation for cuisine is entirely subjective," Kao says. "It's important to be open-minded and willing to try new things. Always aim to eat the right food at the right time and in the right place, using the right method and appropriate utensils. And most importantly, share the meal with the right people."

He recalls a visit to Anji county in Zhejiang province, where he and his friends picked spring bamboo shoots at dawn and cooked them immediately. After peeling, they boiled the shoots and intended to pair them with soy sauce. "Then I found they actually tasted great without seasoning. Delicacies from nature are a true gift," he adds.