청나라, 중국 제국, 쓰촨성의 작은 식당은 1급 요리사인 슈안에 의해 엉망이 되었습니다. 사망한 어머니의 식당을 변호하기 위해 류 마오 칭('마오')은 슈안과 요리 대결을 벌였는데, 심사위원은 리 장군입니다. 요리: 볶음밥.

쇼안은 가장 맛있는 해산물을 사용하여 해산물 볶음밥을 요리하고 마오는 기본적으로 볶음밥과 계란 노른자를 사용하여 쌀을 금빛으로 만듭니다. 리는 마오의 요리가 쇼안의 요리보다 훨씬 뛰어나다고 생각합니다. 쇼안은 어린아이에게 졌다는 것에 화가 나서 재대결을 선언합니다. 리는 동의하지만 만약 그가 질 경우 1학년 수준을 잃고 다시는 요리를 할 수 없게 된다는 것만을 근거로 합니다. 마찬가지로 마오가 질 경우 그는 쇼안에게 식당을 잃을 것입니다. 두 사람은 동의하고 리는 이 요리가 추가적인 맛을 내는 '오향마포' 두부가 될 것이라고 선언합니다.

일대일 요리 대결에서 마오는 쇼안을 쉽게 물리칩니다. 쇼안은 어린 소년에게 당한 것을 부끄러워하며 식당에서 도망칩니다. 리 장군은 "마포" 두부 요리에서 마오의 현명한 생각을 칭찬합니다. 리 장군은 소고기를 사용하는 대신 콩으로 대체했습니다. 이는 리 장군이 기억하는 사랑스러운 맛을 주었습니다. 왜냐하면 그는 단지 전쟁 중인 군인이었고 소들이 모두 죽었기 때문에 소고기가 없었기 때문입니다.

리 장군은 마오의 재능을 보고 광저우로 가서 요리 특기 시험에 들어갈 수 있도록 기술을 쌓으라고 명령했습니다.

마오는 광저우에 도착해 양춘 식당에 갑니다. 처음에 그는 식당의 마스터 셰프인 초유에게 무시당합니다. 마오는 그에게 리 장군의 추천 편지를 보여주었는데 초유는 약간 놀라지만 편지를 그냥 집어 던지고 마오에게 요리사들이 점심으로 먹을 박초이(흰 배추)를 요리하라고 말합니다.

마오는 박초이를 요리하지만 요리는 다른 모든 요리사들에 의해 거절당합니다. 나중에 초유는 광저우의 물에 많은 먼지가 포함되어 있다고 그에게 말했습니다. 마오는 재능 있는 요리사이기 때문에 즉시 먼지 맛을 제거하는 방법을 찾기 위해 일하러 갑니다.

단 하루 만에 마오는 흙 맛을 없애는 방법을 고안해내고 초유에게 자신의 기술을 증명해달라고 애원합니다. 마오는 이번에도 배추가 흙 맛을 흡수하는 것을 막는 기름을 사용해 박초이를 요리합니다. 마오는 영리한 생각으로 모든 요리사들로부터 축하를 받고 초유가 자신의 업적으로 '4학년 요리사'로 승진시킨 것을 받아들입니다. 물론, 이것은 또 다른 상주 요리 고수인 산체를 약간 질투하게 만듭니다.

양춘식당의 젊은 요리사이기도 한 산체는 마오의 재능을 질투하게 되고 마오의 요리를 망치려고 노력합니다. 그러나 산체는 조유로부터 야채를 잘게 썰라는 요청을 받았을 때 (엄격한 아버지로부터 요리법을 배운 비극적인 어린 시절 때문에) 그것들을 잘게 자를 수가 없어서 모든 손님들은 그 식당의 요리에 대해 불만을 갖게 됩니다. 초유는 산체의 형편없는 요리 실력 때문에 그를 식당에서 쫓아냅니다. 산체는 도망치고 상하이로 돌아가기 위해 배에 타려고 합니다. 마오는 그를 멈추게 하고 그가 식당을 위해 요리할 수 있도록 그의 기술을 초유에게 보여주는 것을 도와주겠다고 제안합니다.

마오, 산체, 메이리는 양의 봄 식당에서 멀어지는 고객들을 끌어들이기 위해 가게를 엽니다. 그들은 '튀김 캡시쿰과 돼지고기 스트립'을 만들지만 독특한 맛을 내기 위해 다른 것을 추가하고 싶어합니다. 밤이 깊어지자 메이리는 좌절하고 나무를 발로 차서 익은 '치'(과일의 일종)를 모두 땅에 떨어 뜨립니다. 마오는 '치'를 그들에게 필요한 특별한 맛으로 사용할 아이디어를 얻습니다.

다음 날, Mao와 그 패거리들이 만든 가게 덕분에 Yang's Spring 식당은 비어있습니다. Mao는 채소를 자르고, 산체는 그 요리를 볶고, Meili는 그들을 최고의 팀으로 만드는 손님들에게 그것을 제공합니다. Choyu와 Ruoh는 Mao의 가게에 대해 알게 되고 약간의 맛 테스트를 하러 갑니다. 그들은 이 새로운 맛있는 요리를 만드는 데 걸린 짧은 시간에 매우 놀라서 산체가 식당으로 돌아오도록 허락합니다.

마오가 자신을 도와준 것에 기뻐한 산체는 채소를 자를 자신감을 되찾고 다시 아버지의 식당이 있는 상하이로 떠난다. 마오는 산체의 유서를 읽은 후 그를 막으려 하지만 너무 늦었습니다.

매년 열리는 광저우 만두 축제가 다가오고 있고, 올해 양춘식당은 다시 우승하기를 희망하고 있습니다. 그러나 새로운 도전자가 도착했습니다 - 중국 만두 형제들! 만두 형제들 중 한 명이 그를 부딪친 후 초유는 그의 팔을 부러뜨렸고 그 축제에서 우승하는 것은 마오에게 달려 있습니다!

광저우 만두 축제가 시작되었습니다! 승자는 만두를 가장 많이 먹은 팀입니다. 한 노인은 멋진 만두 형제의 만두를 먹어보고 싶어하지만 거지처럼 보였기 때문에 가라는 말을 듣습니다. 마오는 그 노인에게 만두를 주고 그가 황제의 마스터 셰프였다는 것을 알게 됩니다. 이 소식 이후, 모두가 그의 만두를 먹기 위해 마오의 가게로 몰려듭니다.

시간이 끝났을 때, 접시들이 세어졌습니다! 마오와 만두 형제가 1242개의 접시로 먼저 동점이 되었습니다. 판사는 노인의 조언에 따라 다음날 재도전을 선언합니다 - 하지만 다른 만두들이 만들어져야 합니다!

밤에, 더 강한 만두 형제는 만두 도전 전에 마오의 재료를 방해하려 하지만 운 좋게도 초유에게 저지당합니다. 한편, 다른 형제는 도전을 위해 빠르게 자신의 재료를 준비하고 있습니다.

만두 재대결에는 새로운 규칙이 있습니다. 각 맛 검사자는 검은색과 흰색 두 개의 공을 얻습니다. 각 가게의 음식을 맛본 후(마오와 만두 형제) 그들은 흰색 공(마오를 위해) 또는 검은색 공(만두 형제를 위해)을 큰 냄비에 넣어 카운트합니다.

만두 형제는 용처럼 보이는 아름다운 대하 만두를 만듭니다. 마오는 또한 보기에는 좋지 않지만 한 가지 특별한 비결이 있습니다 - 그것은 몸을 들 수 있습니다! - '떠오르는 용' 만두 여러분은 이해하기 위해 그 에피소드를 봐야 할 것입니다. 경기가 끝난 후, 큰 냄비들은 박살이 났고 그것들은 완전히 하얀 공들로 가득 찼습니다! 마오가 이겼습니다!

리 장군이 도착해서 마오에게 이제 광저우에서 특별 요리 시험을 볼 준비가 되었다고 말합니다.

마오쩌둥은 특별 요리 시험을 개최하는 큰 성에 갑니다. 이 시험은 4년마다 열리고 오직 한 사람만이 이 시험을 통과할 것입니다 (매우 엄격한!). 첫 번째 라운드에서, 요리를 지난 첫 번째 다섯 명의 사람들은 다음 라운드로 넘어갑니다. 요리될 요리는 라면 (국수)이고 주제는 '이와 동등하지 않은 라면' (이 선들을 따라가는 것!)입니다. 다른 요리사들은 이미 시작했지만, 마오쩌둥은 이 주제어가 무엇을 의미하는지 아직도 생각하고 있습니다. 또 다른 젊은 재능 있는 요리사 페이이는 그에게 힌트를 주고 바로 마오쩌둥은 요리할 것을 알고 있습니다! 불행하게도 마오쩌둥은 중요한 재료를 잊어버리고 메이리에게 그것을 얻기 위해 식당으로 돌아가라고 말합니다. 마오쩌둥은 시간이 빠르게 지나갈수록 기다립니다...

메이리가 마침내 그 재료를 가지고 돌아왔을 때, 두 사람은 이미 그 면을 다 먹고 자격을 얻었습니다 (3명이 남았습니다!). 페이는 심판들에게 충격을 주고 또한 통과시키는 '용 수염' 면을 만듭니다 (2명이 남았습니다!). 한편 마오는 여전히 그의 면을 위한 반죽을 만들고 비밀 재료인 돌멩이를 으깨고 있습니다. 박쥐와 전갈로 면을 만드는 신비한 녹색 머리 여자도 시험을 통과합니다 (1명이 남았습니다!). 마침내 마오는 수프가 필요 없는 그의 면을 완성합니다. 그는 완성됐다고 말하기 위해 손을 올렸지만, 다른 요리사가 그를 이겨냅니다 (마오가 너무 작기 때문에!).

다음 라운드에 진출할 수 있는 단 한 곳이 더 남아 있고 누군가가 국수를 만드는 데 있어서 마오를 이긴다. 마오에게 운이 좋게도, 그 남자의 국수는 거절되었고 그래서 마오의 국수는 맛이 난다. 마오가 국수를 준비할 때 또는 반죽할 때 보통의 물을 사용하지 않았기 때문에, 그 국수는 마오가 국수에 넣은 모든 재료를 흡수할 수 있었다. 또한 그가 사용한 돌은 국수를 더 신선한 맛을 내도록 만드는 특별한 돌이었습니다. 마오는 시험을 통과했고 그것이 끝났다고 생각하지만, 진짜 시험은 성 안에 있는 특수 요리 경기장에 있습니다.

심사위원들은 중국에서 가장 위대한 요리사 중 한 명이며 또한 마오쩌둥의 어머니의 친구이기도 한 새로운 심사위원으로 대체됩니다. 발표된 음식은 다시 면입니다! 이것은 마오쩌둥에게 충격이고 새로운 주제는 '면이 아닙니다!'입니다. (물론 그것은 까다로워야 합니다! 그것의 마지막 시험입니다!)

그 경기장에는 중국 전역에서 온 가장 신선한 재료들이 있어서 마오쩌둥이 무엇을 만들 것인지 결정하는 것을 골치 아프게 합니다. 다시 말하지만, 다른 요리사들이 마오쩌둥을 시작한 반면에, 마오쩌둥은 여전히 무엇을 만들 것인지를 생각하고 있습니다. 시간이 가고 있습니다...

마오는 '나마즈 국수'를 요리하기로 결심했습니다(나마즈는 물고기의 일종으로 메기처럼 생겼습니다). 그는 재빨리 요리를 마치고 메이리에게 맛을 보라고 말합니다. 메이리는 국수가 충분히 신선하지 않고 튀지 않는다는 것을 발견하는 것을 거부합니다. 마오는 자신의 문제를 극복할 방법을 찾고 그것을 찾으려 합니다! - 문어에서! 시간이 거의 다 됐어요!

마오쩌둥은 국수를 다 먹고 시간이 다 되었습니다! 심사위원들은 이제 음식을 맛봐야 합니다... 하지만 심사위원은 다섯 명의 요리사들에게 서로의 음식을 맛보라고 말합니다! 녹색 머리 여자는 그녀의 음식인 검은 면을 먼저 선보입니다. 하지만 그녀는 국수에 아편을 사용해서 중독성이 있으며 마오쩌둥이 국수를 만드는 것을 막기 위해 침을 사용했기 때문에 자격이 박탈되었습니다.

다음은 '고양이 귀' 면을 가진 남자입니다. 대회 내내 그는 엄지손가락으로 팔굽혀펴기를 해서 엄지손가락으로 튕겨 반죽으로 고양이 귀 모양 면을 만들 수 있었습니다! 하지만 그의 면은 '고양이 귀' 면이 면 모양이 아니어서 실패했기 때문에 다른 요리사들에게 패배했습니다.

마침내, Feiyi, Mao, 그리고 또 다른 남자 'Han'이 남았습니다. 그들은 서로의 요리를 맛보고 10점 만점에 서로에게 점수를 주도록 지시 받습니다. 심판은 총 점수를 발표합니다: Mao 9, Feiyi 9, Han 10.

점수는 발표되고 한씨는 그가 이겼다고 믿습니다. 그러나 심판은 더러운 속임수를 사용하여 그의 자격을 박탈합니다. 마오와 페이이가 서로를 공정하게 판단했던 반면, 한씨는 승리하기 위해 점수를 낮추기 위해 그들에게 '1'만 주었습니다.

마지막으로 심판은 페이와 마오에게 그들의 요리에 점수를 달라고 말합니다. 이것은 물론 요리사가 해야 하는 가장 어려운 결정입니다. 마오는 당신이 누구이든 간에 최고의 요리라고 생각하기 때문에 자신에게 10점을 줍니다. 페이는 또한 자신에게 10점을 줍니다.

심사위원이 다른 공무원들과 논의를 한 후, 그녀는 마오와 페이 모두 시험을 통과하고 특별 요리사가 된다고 발표합니다!

마오는 양춘식당으로 돌아와 위대한 소식을 들은 리 장군을 맞이합니다. 마오는 리 장군에게 자신이 쓰촨식당의 마스터 셰프가 되기 위해 집으로 돌아가지 않을 것이며 양춘식당에 머물며 더 많은 것을 배울 것이라고 말합니다. 대신 마오는 새로운 중국 음식을 배우기 위해 중국을 돌아다니기로 선택합니다. 리 장군은 동의하고 그에게 행운을 빌어줍니다. 멜리는 이 일로 너무 괴로워해서 울면서 도망칩니다.

마오는 양의 봄에서 여동생과 요리사들과 작별합니다. 요리사 중 한 명은 메이리가 그를 배웅하지 못했기 때문에 메이리가 꿰맨 손수건을 마오에게 줍니다. 배에서, 마오는 메이리의 작별 편지를 읽고 슬퍼합니다. 그에게 운이 좋게도 메이리는 그의 여행 중에 그와 함께 배에 몰래 탔습니다!

마오와 메이리는 중국의 우남 지방으로 여행을 가고 도중에 기아로 실신한 한 소년을 만납니다. 마오는 그의 주변의 나무의 재료를 사용하여 그를 위한 음식을 만듭니다. 그가 건강을 회복했을 때, 그 소년은 그에게 그의 이름이 시로이고 그는 특수 요리사라고 말합니다. 마오가 그의 특수 요리사 엠블럼을 숨기고 있기 때문에, 마오는 시로의 제자가 됩니다!

일행은 정말 뚱뚱한 공무원이 자신이 좋아하지 않는 음식을 만들었다는 이유로 요리사들을 감옥에 보내고 있는 시로의 마을에 갑니다. 마을에서 가족이 식당을 소유하고 있는 시로 또한 공무원을 만족시키기 위해 노력합니다. 마오의 도움으로 그들은 공무원이 탐욕스럽게 먹었던 신 맛의 볶음밥을 만듭니다. 시로와 모든 사람들을 놀라게 하기 위해 마오는 자신이 특별 등급 요리사라고 밝혔습니다. 시로는 특별 등급 요리사인 척 한 것에 대해 사과하고 마오의 여행에 합류합니다.

마오와 그의 친구들은 새로운 중국 요리를 찾기 위해 우남 지방으로 갑니다. 그들은 마을로 들어가 아름다운 여성 요리사 앙의 환영을 받습니다. 앙은 마오가 특수 요리사라는 것을 알게 되고 앙의 아버지가 그녀에게 맡긴 큰 공과 체인 요리 도구를 어떻게 사용하는지 알아내도록 그를 유혹합니다. 마오는 거의 즉시 시로와 함께 일을 하러 갑니다. 그들이 마침내 요리법을 알게 되었을 때, 그들은 앙에게 말했고 그녀는 그것들을 방에 가둡니다. 앙은 그 다음 공과 체인을 사용하여 온 관리를 위한 요리*를 만듭니다.

*앙씨가 만드는 요리는 우남의 명물 중 하나로 '새둥지'라고 불리며 토란가루를 새둥지 모양으로 튀겨 만듭니다. 둥지 안에는 보통 야채와 고기를 볶는 볶음 요리가 있습니다. 앙씨가 만들려고 하는 요리는 보통 새둥지처럼 반구가 아닌 구입니다.

마오와 시로는 메이리에 의해 발견되고 풀려납니다. 한편 관리는 앙의 요리가 겉모습은 똑같지만 아버지의 맛이 나지 않기 때문에 거부합니다. 마오가 나타나 앙에게 공과 체인 악기를 제대로 사용하는 방법을 보여줍니다. 앙은 마오와 그의 친구들에게 감사하고 그들은 떠났습니다.

마오는 밤에 숲에서 메이리와 시로와 헤어집니다. 그들이 다시 모였을 때 그들은 그곳에서 요리사에 의해 아주 맛있는 식사를 제공받는 큰 집을 발견합니다. 그러나 병든 주인들은 빨간 죽만 먹기를 원합니다. 마오와 일당은 이 중독성 있는 죽의 비밀을 찾고 독이 있는 빨간 버섯으로 만들어진 것을 알아내려고 노력합니다. 또한 그들은 요리사가 이 중독성 있는 빨간 죽을 사용하여 주인에게 그들의 모든 돈과 딸을 주기로 계약을 맺도록 강요했다는 것을 알게 됩니다. 그래서 마오는 주인들에게 주는 허브 '오색' 죽을 만듭니다. 이것이 그들의 빨간 죽에 대한 중독성을 치료하고 요리사는 떠날 수 밖에 없습니다.

마오, 메이리, 그리고 실로우는 식당에서 식사를 하고 있지만, 그들이 돈을 내려고 했을 때, 그들은 실로우가 그들의 모든 돈을 잃었다는 것을 알게 되었습니다. 그들은 수석 주방장인 해리와 그의 깡패들에 의해 쫓겨났지만, 특정한 이글, 3학년 주방장이 그들을 막았습니다. 싸움이 이어졌고 식당의 주인이 그의 딸 라이아와 함께 도착했기 때문에 중단되었습니다. 마오는 그리고 나서 주인에게 그들이 식당에서 일함으로써 빚을 갚을 수 있게 해달라고 부탁했습니다. 라이아가 해리와 약혼했다는 것도 알게 되었고, 그들은 다음 날 결혼할 예정이었습니다.

한편 이글은 라이아에게 줄 선물로 얼음으로 불사조를 조각한 후 식당을 떠났습니다. 걸어가던 중 그는 라이아와 결혼한 후 식당을 술집으로 만들 계획인 해리(두 명의 소녀와 함께!)를 발견했습니다. 이글은 화가 났지만 해리의 친구들이 그보다 수가 많았습니다.

마오는 흙 위에 누워있는 이글을 발견했고, 그를 도와 해리를 좌절시키기로 결심했습니다. 결혼식 동안, 마오는 은하수, (검은 하늘의 별처럼) 반짝거리는 완전히 검은 수프를 만들어서 해리의 계획을 모두에게 말해줌으로써 교묘함을 사용했습니다. 그리고 나서 마오는 라이아에게 이글이 그녀에게 약속한 진주 뱅글을 보여주었습니다. 그리고 나서 그들은 이글이 만든 얼음 조각을 보여주었습니다. 라이아는 그들이 사랑을 고백한 다리 위에서 이글을 찾기 위해 도망갔습니다.

마오쩌둥의 일행은 중국 남서부에 있는 한 마을 '치킨 타운'에서 묵습니다. 이 마을은 중국에서 가장 큰 닭 공급처입니다. 마오쩌둥이 모든 돈을 요리책에 쓴 후, 블랙 윙 식당의 주인인 티아는 그들에게 음식과 쉼터를 제공합니다. 보답으로 그리고 어떻게 그녀의 오빠의 검은 닭 사육이 그의 죽음에 이르게 했는지에 대한 티아의 비극적인 이야기를 들은 후, 마오쩌둥은 검은 닭을 이용하여 치킨 타운에서 매년 열리는 닭 요리 대회에 참가합니다.

Mao just returned from his trip and he is given a key for Yosen Shuka because Master Luo & Chouyu went to attend the chef alliance’s meeting for two weeks.

When they were already closing, a stranger forced his way inside and ordered a stir-fry. Since Mao is out doing some errand, Shilou made the stir-fry, but forgot to dip it in oil. This made ths stranger unhappy and demanded for the manager. Mao faced him and asked for another chance, anything the stranger wants and Mao will cook it. The stranger asked for an egg dish, but not an ordinary egg dish. Mao must use three different kind of eggs that has unity but at the same time the tastes of the three eggs must be distinct. Mao is to do this in only 15 minutes.

In half the time, Mao produced the egg dish, a siumai dish. The stranger claims that he is quite strict with siu mai and even without tasting the dish, he already knew what two of the three eggs are. When he tasted the siu mai, he found out the third and he exclaimed that the dish is very delicious! He then announced himself as Shell, the youngest dim sum master chef. Because of the excitement of finding a person that is equal or might be better than him with regards to cooking siu mai, he challenges mao into a siu mai battle!!!

Mao was chosen to hold the restaurant key. Then, when he had to leave the restaurant for some pick-me-ups, he left the restaurant to Meirii and Siro's care. Now, when Meirii was about to close the restaurant, Shel (even though his name isnt mentioned yet), demanded to be let in and ordered for some stir-fry veggies. Siro, thinking that he would be some help, decided to fry the stir-fry instead. Shel was outraged to taste such a disgusting dish and demanded for the cook. Mao immediately took responsibility and thus, Shel saw the cloth wrapped over Mao's 'Super' badge. Shel then showed Mao the stars he earned when defeating other good chefs and Mao is surprised (naturally).

Shel challenges Mao for a siu mai battle but Mao refuses as he has to take care of Yosen Shuuka. Shel, outraged, uses his stick to destroy the place. Ruoh and Choyu came back when Mao finally accepted the challenge and Meirii is doubtful about this. By that time, Shel had discovered that Mao is a 'Tokyu Jiushin' or Super chef.

Mao doesnt believe that Shell has chosen the same ingredients as him and stolen his idea! Mao sits on the floor, cursing himself and thinking about something else. There is less than one hour for the battle to last.

Shel however thinks that Mao has given up and he is the winner. Siro, being clumsy and concerned about Mao's situation, knocks over a basket of eggs. Meirii scolds Siro for being careless and Mao suddenly has an idea. He kneads the dough like he did earlier on (see The Challenger! Mao was chosen to Fight!). He goes outside and uses centriferal force to spin the dough and calls Meirii and Siro to bring him the biggest steamer in the restaurant. Then, Siro orders everyone to go in while he, Meirii and Mao stay outside to complete the siu mai.

Then, Choyu checks his hand watch and sees that time is up. He calls Mao out to present his siu mai. Mao then calls Meirii and Siro to bring the steamer in. Ruoh muses at seeing Mao taking the huge steamer ut of storage. Mao gives the O.K signal to Siro and Meirii and they lift up the cover. When the steam is cleared, they see a huge siu mai in it.

Shel however knows that big siu mai wouldnt be cooked properly in the insides. Mao invites Ruoh to taste his siu mai. Ruoh takes out some siu mai shaped like a small siu mai and eats it. A wave of cooking taste engulfs him as he eats it. He goes to the other parts of the siu mai ad tastes them. A burst of universe engulfs him, making him think like a whole of something is in there. Therefore, Mao announces that his siu mai is Big Bang Siu Mai!

Shel is bewildred to see such amazing act and sputters that how all of the meat is cooked through. Ruoh calls for his cattle bane sword and someone gets it for him. Ruoh then jumps and cuts the siu mai into quarters. Shel is shocked to see the insides all marblelized.

Mao explains the process of cooking and everyone oohed and aahed at the method. Shel admits defeat after Choyu announces that Mao has won hands down. Choyu looks at the Big Bang Siu Mai and Shel's 50 orders of siu mai and orders Meirii to open the door to let everyone in to eat. Choyu however tells Siro that as punishment for cooking as an errand boy, Siro has to massage Ruoh's back. Shel leaves the restaurant, predicting that they would meet again soon.

It was a beautiful morning in the Yosen Shuka, and it was broken by an arrow hitting a wall with a note tied around it.

Mao gave flowers to Mei Li and she comments that they are beautiful and her mother will like it too. It turns out that it was Mei Li’s mother’s death anniversary. Their conversation was broken when Shilou arrived and told them what Chouyu was making. They were amazed when they saw a huge ice sculpture of a dragon going up to the sky and that it shows the complete mastery of Chouyu with his skills. Then, as Mao and Mei Li decide to go back, Shilou started teasing Mei Li which resulted in a chase. Shilou first saw the arrow and told Mao and Mei Li about it. They read the note and it is a dinner invitation for Chouyu and Mei Li to the Sea Bell Park, an abandoned mansion. They showed it to Chouyu who discovered a symbol of “compulsory obedience”. They decided to go, but Mei Li wanted Mao to go with her. Master Luo agrees, but he denies Shilou’s request to go with them.

At the mansion, they were welcomed by a creepy fellow and inside they saw the representatives of the Guangzhou Cooking World. The creepy fellow said that the master chef has prepared a very special meal for them. They were given good food, until the main course arrived. The creepy man said it was pigeon. They started eating it, but Mao and Chouyu immediately realized that it’s not pigeon, but red frog’s meat. Mei Li and the other who have already swallowed the food have already fainted, and then the chef revealed himself, behind an armour and a mask.

The chef immediately sees Mei Li’s mom in her. Chouyu asks who he is, and he taunts him in saying that he forgot already. Chouyu finally realized who the masked chef is and asks why he is doing this, the masked chef it was revenge. The masked chef gave an ultimatum: Chouyu has to win two out of three in a lobster contest, the same as before, in order to save the poisoned people with the antidote. Chouyu agrees, and both blindfolded themselves for the first battle, but as Chouyu was cutting, he was stung by a scorpion and fainted.

Mao accused him of cheating and the masked chef revealed that Chouyu did the same thing years ago. When the masked chef claimed victory by default, Mao challenged him and revealed that he is worthy because he is a Super Chef…to be continued…

The masked chef rejected Mao’s challenge, but Mao insisted.

The next scene, we see Shilou working in the restaurant cleaning the dishes when all the lights went out. He was very scared when he saw some shadows and then he realized it was Master Luo. Master Luo reminded Shilou of the ice sculpture, and that it would melt in the rain, so they decided to bring it inside. But just as they were about to do it, the lightning hit the sculpture, destroying it. Master Luo comments that it is a sign of bad luck.

Back at the mansion, Mao insists on continuing the battle for Chouyu, believing that Chouyu couldn’t cheat in the match. The masked chef still rejects Mao. To make the masked chef accept the challenge, Mao finished the first battle, cooking and cutting lobster blindfolded. The masked chef was intrigued and impressed, he accepted the challenge. He tells Mao that the second round will be complete deep fry. The condition is whoever finishes the dish first, a complete deep fry, will be the winner.

Shilou decided to go after Mao running in the rain, but after a while he gets lost for a while, finally he reaches the mansion. Meanwhile, back at the mansion, the second round continues and the masked chef thinks that Mao is better than he thought. While the masked chef is making the sauce, Mao announces that he is done. The masked chef’s dish is the Phoenix Tail Lobster, lobster covered with nuts, but since the sauce is not finished, Mao refused to taste it because the meal was incomplete. Mao then reveals his dish, and the masked chef tells him that it’s just a deep fry dish, and he claims that it’s also incomplete. Mao says it’s complete, if he’ll just take a bite. The masked chef did take a bite and he was surprised because the sauce that he’s been looking for in Mao’s dish is inside the lobster and that it’s very good. Mao explains why the sauce didn’t seep out when it fries, it’s the bean curd skin wrapped around the lobster. The masked chef realizes the technique and talent in Mao and that he really is a pupil of Chouyu. The masked man made another ultimatum, if he stops the battle, Mao will get spared but Chouyu and Mei Li will die. If Mao wins he’ll get the antidote, but if he loses, he’ll take the poison. Mao decides to fight for Chouyu and Mei Li.

The third round starts, and it will be a cooking in a pot. Mao has a choice of the freshest ingredients, while the Masked Chef is going to use the seafood ingredients that he has stored for a long time and told Mao that he will complete his revenge. Mao told the Masked chef to stop calling Chouyu a cheater, because he isn’t one, until the Masked Chef told his past.

In the past (he wasn’t a Masked Chef yet, this is just a name for his character), the Masked Chef was working with the same restaurant that Meika (apparently, Mei Li’s mother) and he is in love with her. He told Mao that his passion for cooking is his passion for Meika. But then, Meika’s father announced that her husband will be chosen by a cooking match, against the Masked Chef’s rival from his old school: Chouyu. The match was also a three-round lobster match. The Masked Chef even told Meika that he will make Meika happy. The match began, but then when the Masked Chef reached in for a lobster, he was stung by a needle. He started to get dizzy, but he didn’t want to lose Meika so he continued to cook. But as he put it: “The first two rounds are utter defeat.” And the winner was already chosen.

Because of this, he decided to go to the underground (Mao was surprised and interested when he heard of the cooking underground). He trained really hard and changed his whole personality so he can have revenge on Chouyu who cheated him of Meika. And that now he returned. He also told Mao that he was using the same ingredients he hadn’t used the last time and now it was preserved and Mao knew that when it’s soaked in the water the taste will come out.

Mao was having a hard time thinking about what to use, thinking that no seafood could beat the Masked Chef’s ingredients. Then, Fei flashed into his mind, the one when he took the Super Chef Exams, telling him to stick to his roots. Mao finally gathered all “mountain” ingredients he could find and started cooking. The Masked Chef saw what he was doing and noted that Mao made a mistake: lye is forming in the cooking, and it will be difficult to remove with such a small amount of time. Mao said that he knew all about lye and he will start to show his real skills. The Masked Chef asked Mao if he’s still holding back. Then, Mao pulled out an old cookbook and started tearing out the pages.

All while this is happening, Shilou who is already near the mansion, was taken captive.

Both chefs finished their pot: Mao’s in black and the Masked Chef’s in white. Mao then asked the Chef to do the judging, but then the Masked Chef said that there’s going to be a third party and it turns out to be Shilou! If Shilou picks Mao’s bowl, all will be saved. But if not, Mao will die too. But they wouldn’t tell Shilou who cooked which bowl. Shilou can’t take the pressure, knowing that Chouyu, Mei Li and the other’s lives are in his hands…

Yosen Shuka was closed and the employees of the restaurant had a picnic and a fishing tournament. The prize who caught the biggest fish will be a ladle. Everyone is having a great time and Master Luo is teasing Chouyu that a great chef is a great angler. While Master Luo got another fish, Chouyu got another log. Then, when Chouyu was about to catch a large fish, Master Luo threw a rock at it and announced that he’s drunk again, to everyone’s chagrin. Mei Li thought it was unfair.

Meanwhile, to win, Mao, Shilou and Mei Li went to another part of the lake to catch larger fish. But Shilou tripped and fell, Mao caught him, but they were also dragged down.

Back at the side of the lake, everyone is already eating, when Chouyu was remembering what Lien (the masked chef) had said to him, that the Underground will be targeting him and Mao next.

Mao, Shilou and Mei Li were moving their way towards the crops when they hear sounds. At first they thought it was a bear, but eventually it was Shell. He’s still on his journey and was thinking on going back to Yosen Shuka. Since everyone hasn’t eaten, Shell used his steel stick as a fishing rod. Mei Li noticed that there are more marks on his steel stick, but there is a black star. It was his defeat from Mao and he told Mao to be ready next time because he’s going to change it to a victory mark.

While catching fish, Shell told Mao he heard the news about Mao having a match with the Underworld. Mao affirmed the news, and Shell warned Mao that this will not be the last. Meanwhile, Shilou and Mei Li are arguing, saying that he is very hungry and he wants to go back. Mei Li blamed Shilou about going too far than was ordered. Then, Shilou asked if they could cook the fish that Shell caught. Shell said that it can’t happen because the fish is carp and it will take them half a day just to clean the fish. Shilou said that he can’t wait that long and that he will die in hunger. Shell commented that even Mao can’t do anything about it. Then, little yellow leafs started floating about and Mao had an idea. He asked Shell for flour and ordered Mei Li to gather some rape blossoms (the little yellow leafs). Mao and Shell started cooking. Mei Li came back with the rape blossoms and Mao asked her to put the flowers inside the pot. It was used to erase the smell of carp. Then, Mei Li commented that the fire isn’t enough to boil the carp. But boiling longer will ruin the taste, so Mao put boiled stones inside the pot, and it instantly boiled. The finished product, was the outside cuisine of friendship, the water dumplings!

Shilou, on the other hand, is making a dish of his own. He’s making smoked carps. But he needed more smoke to burn properly, he got something, like a rag, and put it inside the fire. Shell realized what it is. It was the bag where he put all his money inside. All his traveling money is gone!

Back in the restaurant, Shell made Shilou help him in gaining his money back by selling siu mai. Shilou came home very tired, complaining. Mei Li then treated Mao and Shilou to a meal. Shell, now drunk, came home, bringing buns. He went to Yosen Shuka when someone appeared and recognized Shell. The man said that he doesn’t want to stay with him, he wants to see the chef that beat Lien, but he will take away Shell’s steel stick. A fight ensued, and eventually the man got Shell’s steel stick. The man commented that a chef’s cooking utensil is his life and soul, therefore Shell is useless. Shell recognized the tattoo on his hand as the man disappeared again.

Mao, Mei Li and Shilou are already coming back from eating, when they noticed Shell lying outside, thinking he was drunk, until he revealed that he encountered someone from the Underworld that took his steel stick. Shell said that they had spread their way into Guangzhou.

Mao was preparing a dish, and the employees at the restaurant are all fascinated with his knife skills. Luo arrived and asked Mao to prepare a special dish for a special guest. They went outside, and they saw a big buffalo. Master Luo said that this is the special dish that they are going to prepare for the special guest. While they were cutting the buffalo, a stranger started cutting the buffalo in quick easy strokes. Then he put a red paper on the buffalo’s forehead. Suddenly, the buffalo was cut perfectly! Everyone was wondering who he is, and then Mei Li somehow recognized it. Mao recognized the cut and said that it was a move taught only in the underground. Shell went over to the stranger and raised his hand, there was a tattoo of the underground on it!

Shell started accusing the stranger of taking his stick, when the stranger said that he’s never seen Shell in his life. The stranger recognized Mao, and said he’s the one who defeated Len from the underground. They were about to beat him up when Mei Li finally recognized him. It was Leon a genius cooking boy that’s as good as Mao and was training at Yosen Shuuka. Mei Li remembers that Leon is very kind-hearted, that sometimes he cries when he has to kill an animal in order to cook. He then went on a journey to be a better cook, and now he returned. Mei Li asked what happened to Leon, and Leon pushed Mei Li. They can’t believe this was the kind-hearted Leon they knew from the past.

Then, Chouyu and Master Luo arrived and saw Leon sitting on the chair with his feet up in a table. It was revealed that Leon was the special guest. Leon reminded Luo of a promise, that Luo give Leon the legendary cooking tools. Shell explained the tools. There are cooking tools in China that has mysterious power. Shell was adamant, saying that Leon stole his stick and that someone from the underground shouldn’t receive the legendary cooking tools. Chouyu thought otherwise. His skill in cutting is proof. But Chouyu said that he must prove himself in receiving the tool. It was kept in a Daisen Temple in a closed room. Luo agreed with Chouyu. Luo wanted to see Leon’s real talent and recognized that Seven Star Knife that Leon carries. Leon asked who will battle him. It was going to be Mao.

Leon was mad. He thinks it was a joke saying that Mao can beat a guy like Len but not him. Chouyu remembered Lien and what he said about Mao. Chouyu told Mao to show Leon his true power. Chouyu asked Luo for the contest and Luo said that the contest will be tomorrow at the Daisen Temple. The battle is on!

Mei Li goes to Mao’s room, but he’s not there and she and Shilou start searching for him. It turns out Mao is in the kitchen, holding his mother’s knife. They discuss the underground and it’s plans to take over the overworld. Then, Shilou and Mei Li wonder where Mao got all the information, wondering if he’s part of the underground himself. Mao finally reveals a book that Pai left. He found it when Mao and Mei Li and Shilou were separated and found their way into the haunted house. It was lying in the ruins of her old house. The notebook has recipes and also the matches she had against the underground society. Mao said that he wants to follow his mom’s footsteps in beating the society and their plans using his mom’s knife that has her soul.

The next morning, people are already gathered around the Daisen Temple for the match. It will decide who will own the tool. Master Luo announced that the food to prepare is red snapper because knife skills will decide the taste of the fish. Leon came full-armed with the seven star knife, but Mao steps forward with nothing in hand. The battle has no time limit and each chef has to come up with 4 dishes. The match begins!

As usual, Mao watches in fascination and all were amazed with Leon’s knife and his skills. Then, Mao finally starts by scaling the fish. At first they thought that he is scaling the fish with his bare hands but it turns out that he has a wire knife between his fingers. Mao is then teased by the crowd because after scaling, he’s doing nothing, then Shell arrived and finally, Mao has his secret weapon, his mom’s knife.

At first, people ridiculed Mao, until they saw that the knife can be bent and Mao started on the snapper. Mao requested Shell to put holes in his mom’s knife. Leon was surprised to know that Mao knew something that an overworld cook knows an underground trick, the hundred-hole knife. Chouyu then exclaims that with the Hundred Hole Knife, they are now even.

Leon thinks that he should win the match because he overcame the society. Mao won’t let anyone from the underground who hurts people win

The gong sounded and both chefs are finished. The chiefs of Guangzhou cooking are the judges of the match. Leon starts the tasting with his dishes: 1st dish, sashimi. 2nd dish, stewed fish head with vegetables. 3rd dish, thin slices of fish porgy that is dipped inside boiling porgy soup stock. 4th dish, special fish head dish. The judges are all very happy with Leon’s cooking and Mao is amazed.

It’s Mao’s turn. The ladies bring out a big dish and when they opened it, it’s the porgy. They asked if this is the first dish, but Mao answered that this is all his dishes. Mao then asked Shilou’s help and Mei Li pushed him, Mao asked Shilou to cut the string that holds the porgy at the same time. After the string was cut, the porgy moved and the flesh is spreading out like a fan, and when the food settled, the porgy is shaped like China! Mao’s dish is the Porgy Continental Seal.

The judges started tasting the dish, each one tasting different sides of the porgy (north, south, east, west) and it contains the four tastes of the four major regions of china: Beijing, Szechuan, Shanghai and Guangdong.

The elders finally announced that they came to a decision. It’s a tie!

But just as the elders are about to finish the battle, Leon challenged Mao into an extension round and Mao accepted the challenge! Chouyu commented that Mao is at an disadvantage. Chouyu mentions that Leon hasn’t used any underground tricks left, and he still has a trump card.

Leon finally revealed his trump card. The North Star Heavenly North Blade

There is only one porgy left, and Leon asked Mao to choose the parts. Mao insisted that they have equal parts. Mao cut the porgy in half, with incredible skill. Mao claimed that he did this because he has respect for a great chef, which is Leon.

Leon mentioned that he hadn’t hoped of using the secret knife. Leon crushed the end to the floor and pulled out a shining knife. Leon said that the winner will be the one who gives the greater taste, and he will be the one. Mao thinks otherwise.

Leon breaks open the seal of the Northern Wolf knife, and it turns out to be a knife that has a blade made completely out of ice! A story is told of how the knife was made. Leon and Mao each take a half of the last porgy left to cook. Leon slices the meat so finely and neatly that the reflections of the judge's faces can be seen on the slices of meat. Naturally, the judges are amazed by the incredible knife skill that Leon possesses.

On the other side, Mei Li, Shell and Shilou are getting extremely nervous, because Chouyu just mentioned that Mao would have a serious disadvantage. Just then, there is an explosion of some sort, and everyone turns to look at Mao. It seems that whenever he brings his knife dow n onto the meat, the meat explodes and little bits of it drop onto a plate. No one knows how Mao is managing to do it, not even Chouyu.

It is then noticed that Leon is getting a severe frostbite on his hand, because of the bitter cold that the knife is producing. Leon finishes his dish just when the porgy meat is at its highest level of taste. However, the knife shatters. The dish turns out to be slices of porgy placed on a chunk of ice. The judges take a slice of porgy each and dip it in a sauce, and are instantly taken over by the wonderful taste.

Late in the evening, Mao finishes his dish, the 'Resurrection Spring Rolls' . The judges are amazed that Mao managed to keep the taste of the porgy at its highest stage. Leon notices that Mao's hand has lots of burns and it is revealed that Mao had combined his two knives together to produce the exploding effect. He had placed the knife in a fire, and used the knife when it was still burning hot. The judges like both dishes tremendously, and dis cuss who should be the winner. The episode ends with Master Luo saying loudly: 'The Winner Is....'

Finally, the winner is announced. It’s Liu Mao-Hsing! The tool now has a new owner. But there’s a tradition, the tool chooses it’s owner.

Chouyu explained where the legendary cooking tools are made from. The legendary chef Shuri made them from a meteorite that hit the earth hundreds of years ago. Master Luo then starts the ceremony by telling Mao that he should hold the knife, and the knife can tell if the owner is good or evil. Mao held the knife in his hands and a dragon appeared and seems to be sucked by Mao’s body, then the dragon appeared in the knife, saying that Mao is its owner after 400 years.

Mao starts using the same knife on some leftover porgy that has lost its best taste. When Mao tasted the fish, he exclaims that the fish has retained its good taste. That is the secret of the knife, it returns any food into its original condition, thus the best taste.

Then, Mao tells everyone that the knife has another owner and runs over to Leon. Everyone starts pointing out to Mao that Leon is from the underground and that he might attack Mao. But Mao insists, and Leon holds the knife. The dragon appeared again and went straight in Leon’s body and it appeared on the knife! Leon is an owner too! Which means, Leon is a good person.

Leon starts explaining how he came upon the underworld. Four years ago, he left Yosen Shuuka to gain the ultimate knowledge in cooking, that’s why he came upon the underworld. Although he gained hardships through it, he was happy because he was cooking. But soon after, he realized the real intent of the underworld, and he began feeling scared and wanted to get out. He escaped, and he vowed to crush the underworld by obtaining the legendary cooking tools.

After everything is cleared, they were now having a great feast where Mao and Leon will use the legendary cooking tool in cooking. While Mao was cooking his spring rolls, Shell wonders who really stole his stick, because now he’s sure that it’s not Leon. It was then Leon’s turn to cook. Mao handed him the knife, but the dragon disappeared! Mao exclaimed that it’s an impostor, and the fake Leon starts his escape. Shell realized that he’s the real thief of his steel stick and starts a battle, where his mask is destroyed and revealed an ugly face. As the impostor is about to escape, Leon caught him and the impostor was trapped. Chouyu asks the impostor to hand over the knife, but the impostor instead killed himself with it, saying that if the knife is used for other purposes than food, it loses its power, also explaining that it’s the way of the underworld.

After the event, Master Luo revealed the maps of the other seven legendary cooking tools scattered in China. Mao asked Master Luo if he could search for the tools before the underworld gets them. Then, Shell and Leon promised to join him and defeat the underworld. Mei Li and Shilou wanted to join too, but Chouyu did not permit them saying that Shilou has to help in the restaurant and it’s very dangerous for Mei Li.

Mao, Leon and Shell are already leaving, when Shell realized that Mei Li and Shilou are not around to say goodbye. Then, all of a sudden, Mei Li and Shilou appears saying that Chouyu permitted them to go. Mei Li embraced Mao and Shilou teases them. Mao starts chasing Shilou.

Back at the restaurant, Master Luo comments that Chouyu is getting softer. But Chouyu reveals that he has not given permission to the two. Luo says that they can’t do anything about it.

The Yosan Shuka group composed of Mao, Leon, Shell, Shilou, and Mei Li are off to their first destination in search of the legendary cooking tools - Shanghai. There they are reunited with Sanche, an old friend who is now the head of their family restaurant. However, the happiness ends soon when the team finds out that the Underworld has already reached Shanghai. They declare war on Mao and his team-mates and takes Sanche’s father and the other elders of the Shanghai Cooking Union as hostages. The Underworld asked for four chefs who will compete with them. The price for the challenge is the map indicating the location of the legendary cooking tools.

The team then agreed to compete. They were blindfolded as they were transported to the “Lou Lin Vessel” - a large cooking arena built by the underworld.

Mao’s group has arrived at the Lou Lin Vessel, a large cooking arena inside a huge boat. The underworld announces that the competition will be a Banquet Cooking Battle with four categories. The team that won in most rounds will win. The price will be the map that shows the location of the legendary cooking tools.

The first category is soup. It is Sanche’s turn and he is going to compete with Rouko - the underworld cook with a mechanical hand. Before the competition was started, Sanche was surprised when he finds out that the judges are the leaders of the different guilds in Shanghai. Rouko uses a whole chicken for his soup. He has a minor advantage because the broth that he will use was prepared even before Mao’s team arrived. When the judges tasted his soup they were very delighted and said that the soup is delicious. It is Sanche’s turn to present his soup. Everyone was surprised to see that Sanche is holding a glowing melon bowl.

Rouko was angry when Sanche showed that a melon couldn’t be a soup. But Sanche replied that it is a soup, and it’s his special: the bouncing snapping turtle soup. Sanche served the soup and Mei Li helped him. But when she laid down the melon, the cover fell off, but the soup didn’t spill! Then, when one judge tried to get soup, and the spoon bounced off. They were saying that the soup is solid and wonders if the dish Sanche prepared is really a soup.

Sanche explained that his soup is congealed food. Rouko then announced that his soup wouldn’t do, because a soup is a dish upon itself and not a part of the cuisine. He also told Sanche that the judges look unsatisfied.

It is now time to vote. The judges should raise the white spoon for Rouko and the red spoon for Sanche. Each one of them raised the red spoon! Sanche was very happy, but Rouko demanded an explanation. Mao explained that it’s a banquet cooking battle, and although soup is supposed to be delicious, it is also a dish that continues to the next. Rouko’s dish is too heavy and you can’t continue to eat anymore. As comparison, Rouko’s soup has many leftovers as compared to Sanche’s, which are all empty.

Then, two guys grabbed Rouko’s arms, and the woman says that it’s shameful to lose to an outside chef, and he is branded with the symbol of distaste. (The same process how they brand cattle).

The second round is announced, and it is dim sum, and Shell decides to fight. It’s going to be the old man. Leon recognized the emblem on the old man’s stick, saying it’s the Hakura emblem, the family that once calmed a raging river by offering dim sum. Shell said that the lineage died, the last would be Lakon, the dim sum king. Shell then realized that the old man is Lakon himself!

Dim sum has many varieties, and a spinning wheel is pulled out to choose the category. Shell was allowed to choose, with Lakon saying that he should choose the one’s he best with. Shell wanted to fight fair, and by spiting the stick he’s chewing on the spinning wheel, he chose “buns”, not siu mai, much to Shilou and Mei Li’s dismay. Leon said that Shell chose the one that he shouldn’t have chosen. Everyone asked why. Leon answers: the Hakura family invented the buns.

In this episode, King Lakon prepares the Spirit Calming Buns of the Hakura Family. The bun’s secret ingredient was a piece of 1600 year old ‘lao mien’, a piece of fermented dough passed on from his ancestors (apparently the older the better). The 8 types of buns altogether: all of them first rate seafood which includes shark’s fin, abalone, lobster and sea cucumber, served in a bamboo boat. Method of preparation: Clay pots. The judges give the dish a thumbs up.

While Lakon cooked up his dish using the traditional methods passed on for generations, Steel Stick Shell used his own creativity to cook up: Fried Laughing Buns. Even King Lakon was shocked when it laughed in his hand. Secret ingredients: diced steak (not minced) and vermicelli (to retain the juices during frying). Secret method: To make the buns laugh, Shell made a slit on each bun. While frying, the oil will rush in and cook the insides. However, the slit will be sealed trapping the juices inside. Once taken out of the fryer, the pressure inside the bun will reopen the slit and the air coming out of it creates the laughing effect. The judges loved the buns, delicious and fun.

Now comes the judgement: the judges were told to raise a red spoon for Shell and a white spoon for King Lakon. It ends with a cliffhanger: None of them lifted their red spoons when asked to do so!

Now that none of them lifted the red spoons for Shell, they were asked to lift the white spoons for King Lakon. Surprise, surprise! The result of the battle is: A DRAW. The judges could not decide which is better and agreed that both were evenly matched.

After hearing the judgement, both Steel Stick Shell and King Lakon gets into a heated argument on whose dish is better. After trading blows, they dropped to the ground and exploded with laughter. Actually, they both admired each other’s cooking very much.

King Lakon realized his mistake in joining the Underworld and wanted to leave to go on a learning expedition across China (just like Shell did). He told Shell to be prepared to face him again in 10 years time after his expedition and started to walk away. However, Mysterious Shan from the Underworld tried to assassinate King Lakon as he leaves but she was foiled by Shell’s Steel Stick. King Lakon then disappeared in a cloud of smoke. Then it echoed in the room: Shell, we shall meet again in 10 years time.

Matchup no. 3 involves Leon and Shan from the Underworld. The chosen ingredient is crab.

What follows is demonstration of each other’s abilities. Leon demonstrates his cutting skills by fishing out a giant squid and cutting it into giant squid sashimi on the judges table. Shan fished out a beluga whale, cut it up to remove the caviar and seal it up again. Soon, the beluga whale was swimming as if nothing happened. Only tool is capable of doing the feat: the Seven Star Knives. How could Shan have in her possession another set of Seven Star Knives?

Shan then says to Leon: You will pay for your sins. Leon looks very disturbed. Shan knew something that Leon has done and regretted ever since.

Finally, Leon decides to come clean. Leon had killed the blacksmith that made those knives, after he said that he would make better set of knives than the Seven Stars Knives. Knowing that he cannot let that happen, he stabbed the blacksmith and pushed him off the cliff. When he finally come to his senses, he deeply regrets his actions. His mistake was to tell the elders in the Underworld about the incident.

After encouragement from Mao, he starts in making his dish. Special skills: Removing meat from crabs with knives (picks even the leg clean). Special ingredients: Crab shell (when he picked the crabs, picked the small, inferior ones. The crab meat is stuffed into the shells, and when deep fried, the crispy shell can be eaten). While Leon was busy with his dish, Shan lazed around and even mingled with the judges. Her dish was a bowl of soup and crab omelet.

Then it was tasting time. Shan went first. The judges were not thrilled with her entry. It was a normal fare. However, when the judges tasted Leon’s stuffed crispy crab shells, they spat out the crab while saying that it was the most disgusting thing they have tasted. How could it be? Everyone was surprised. Was it sabotage? But how?

The judges awarded the verdict in favor of Shan. However, Mao finally figures it out. It was Shan’s soup. Shan’s soup was rich in crab taste. Since the judges tasted the soup first, Leon’s fried crab shells tasted disgusting (all they could taste was oily batter). Although the truth was exposed, it was too late. The judges decision was final.

Shan took the advantage to further weaken Leon’s spirit, saying that he was not the true owner of the Seven Star Knives. The vulnerable Leon crumbles to the ground dropping his knives. While Shan tried to reach for them, Shell interfered with the TRUTH!

The only reason why Shan had her set of Seven Star Knives was that she found it out from the blacksmith. But didn’t Leon kill him? Apparently, he survived the wounds and the fall. Shan nursed him to obtain the location of the second set (all good blacksmiths keep another set of their best work as offerings to the gods). After she got them, she killed him in cold blood.

Knowing the truth, Leon and Shan engaged in a fight to determine the rightful owner of the knives. In the heat of fighting, the soul of the blacksmith was released. Stating that his intention of making the knives was so that Leon can make people through his cooking, he told Leon to forget the past and that Leon was indeed the true owner of the knives. After leaving his message, Shan’s set of Seven Star Knives broke by itself, one by one. Now, there is only one set of Seven Star Knives. A victory behind a defeat indeed. The battle will now be decided in the next match.

Thanks to Shan’s trickery, now the banquet cooking competition is now tied. The results of the next dish will determine the winner.

Mao finally meets his competitor: Shou An, his late mother Pai’s disciple. There is a history between the two. It was Shou An that caused Pai’s death. And Mao was the one that defeated Shou An in a Mabo Tofu competition, resulting in Shou An losing his license to cook forever. Mao was the reason that Shou An joined the Underworld! Shou An’s rise in the underworld was phenomenal, driven by his desire to defeat Mao.

It was only fitting that the category for the final dish is tofu, which is Pai’s specialty, and the dish Mao defeated Shou An with.

Since tofu needed time to be made, the final battle was postponed to the next morning to allow the competitors to prepare the ingredients. However, when Mao’s soy beans were being soaked, the Underworld resorted to dirty tactics. Shilou and Mei Li who were guarding the beans were knocked unconscious with needles laced with sleeping potion. In the morning, when Mao check on the beans, they were already spoilt! But Mao does not seemed concerned and said that he will make the tofu dish of the century!

Sabotaged by the Underworld, Mao had to wait for the tofu to harden. Shou An was cooking away as Mao sits besides his box, much to the disappointment of his friends. As Shou An presents his dish for the judges, Mao finally moves but takes the whole box with him, without cooking the tofu.

When he emptied the contents on the table, it was layered tofu (black and white layers). Everyone was thinking how Mao could expect to win with uncooked tofu when the magic began. The tofu crumbles into small cubes that floated in the air, before settling down in a delicious sauce, just like magic. It is actually Mabo tofu. After enjoying the spectacle, the judges tasted it. The judges loved it! Secret ingredients: Black tofu (sweetened due to fermentation). The black tofu enhanced the hot taste of the sauce (even when the sauce was never heated up) and went well with the white tofu. But will it be enough to beat Shou An?

Now that the judges have savoured every bit of Mao’s tofu, Shou An’s dish is Three Harmony Tofu. Secret Ingredients: Tofu, meat-flavoured tofu strips and tofu noodles cooked together with a special sauce. The judges also finished every bit of Shou An’s dish. It appears that it is now tilting to Shou An’s advantage. As the judges emerged from a closed session, they announced the winner: Mao.

What tilted the judges toward Mao’s Magic Panda Tofu was universality and originality. While the judges were split over the taste and the cooking techniques of both dishes, one of them recalls eating Shou An’s dish at Kikkaro, Pai’s restaurant some years back. Hence, Shou An stumbled upon Pai’s secret dish without realizing it! No marks for originality there!

Convinced now that he has truly lost, Shou An resorts to blowing up the ship, with everyone on it!!

Shou An triggered the self-destruct mechanism and the ship begins to sink, as explosions rip through the ship and destroys all life boats. Shan runs away with the Treasure Maps and escapes through a trap door under the ship with Leon in hot pursuit.

Mao and the rest tried to find their way out, along with the rest of the ship’s passengers. They had to go further up the ship to escape the fire. Coming out at the top of the ship, they noticed Shan getting away on a small boat!

But all was not lost! Leon has caught up! Leon grabs the Maps from Shan and ordered her and her minion to jump ship. Leon turns his attention to the sinking ship but realizes that his small boat will not be able to save all the passengers.

Luckily, a passing large ship spotted the sinking vessel and came to the rescue. As everyone flees the sinking ship. Shou An shows up to challenge Mao to a duel. Mao stayed on board despite his friends pleas. Shou An gave Mao a beating before an explosion caused him to fall into the burning flames. Mao grabbed Shou An and told him that Pai never blamed him for his actions and her dying wish was that Shou An, Mao and Mao’s sister team up to make Kikkaro the best restaurant in China. Shou An realized then that he has been wrong all along and tossed Mao a package that he said will help Mao in the future. After that, Shou An falls to his death. As the ship sinks, Leon comes to Mao’s rescue.

Now that they have the Maps, they proceed to find the next cooking tool: a fossilized pot. Dragon Pot. As Mao holds the tool, the fossilized shell breaks revealing the Coiled Dragon Pot.

Now they have gotten the Coiled Dragon Pot, Mao used the pot to cooked Pai’s famous Kikka sauce using the recipe in the package given to him by Shou An in his dying moments (which was actually the second portion of Pai’s cookbook). Normally, the sauce takes months to mature but the powers of the Coiled Dragon Pot shorted the process to seconds.

Bidding their farewell to Sanche, they leave Shanghai to continue their journey. They stumbled upon a group of traveling acrobats. After a night of good food and wine, they fell asleep. When they awoke, the acrobats were gone and they found themselves cornered by the local minister’s men. Shell was arrested for robbery and sentenced to death on the same evening.

When Leon went to look for the real culprits, Mao devised a cunning plan to delay the execution. As the minister was going the execution, Mao cooked noodles and fanned the aroma to attract the minister (Mao found out earlier from the kitchen that the minister loved noodles). Using 100 different spices to concoct flavoured noodles and soup and using them in different combinations and small portions, it made sure that the kept the minister’s appetite in high gear. Mao calls the dish: The Chamelen Bowl Tower.

When the minister finally realized something wrong, he arrests Mao. As he was executing Shell, he was interrupted. It was Shell! The person who was about to be executed was the real culprit (mistaken for Shell as he disquised himself during the robbery to frame shell). Leon had succeeded in capturing the culprits after all. It turns out that the minister was in the mastermind and executed innocent people to cover his tracks. The minister was arrested and Shell was freed.

Shilou found the other portion of the third map in the treasures stolen by the bandits. Putting the two maps together, they know the location of the third tool: Mount Jiuhua.

Upon arriving there, they found the people to be wasting away, lying on the streets. They woke to the sound of the gong and everyone rushed to the temple of the Abalone Deity. They exchanged valuables for what appeared to be normal abalone soup. Curious, Mao gave all his money in exchange for the soup. The taste was fabulous and all of them were mesmerized by the taste! It was then that Mao realized that someone had used a legendary cooking tool to produce the soup: the Holy Copperware.

Recognising the ‘Abalone Deity’ to be a swindler they met on the way to Mount Jiuhua, they tried to expose him. However, the Holy Copperware was indeed real despite the fect that only cooks of worthy skills can use the tool. Realising that any sort of rash action will incite the anger of the masses, they figured out another plan: to pose as Comet deities themselves.

Well Mao and his group of friends (Meiri, Siro, Shel, and Leon) arrive in a village and the village is empty because everyone is at the temple where a little man is pretending to be a God and is cooking abalone in a magical pot. Abalone usually takes hours to cook but this magical pot only takes a couple seconds to cook it, and the villagers are mistaken that the little man is a God.

The little man forces the villagers to give him gold, land or properties by saying if they don't they won't get any of the Abalone which is God's food. Mao and his friends find out that the little man is a con. Mao challenges the little man to a cook off. Mao wins by pretending to be a God and getting Shel and Leon to send rice into the sky and land onto the plate next to Mao. The rice is special as it has lots of vitamins and minerals and restores the villagers to their normal selves. Mao then explains to the villagers that the little man is a con and not a God. Mao then touches the magical pot and it turns out the pot is a legendary cooking utensil.

After finding the third piece of kitchen utensils, the Magic Sacred Bronze Ware, the young masters continued their journey to find the fourth piece. On the way, he was framed by Xiang En, and Xiaodangjia and Dudu were trapped in a mysterious cave. Xiang En asked to exchange their lives with the legendary kitchen utensils. Just when Master Xie was hesitant about what to do, the young head accidentally discovered an air pot that could turn salt water into fresh water in the cave.

The imperial capital Beijing, the clutches of the dark culinary world xa0 Hearing Admiral Li say that the dark culinary world's clutches have reached Beijing, so the young masters hurried to Beijing, unexpectedly the dark culinary world has already cooperated with insiders and outsiders, the first thing is to put Admiral Li in prison, Next, they are planning to seize the position of the chef of the imperial dining room. The young masters accidentally broke into the new chef's inauguration ceremony. Unexpectedly, that person was A Fei. In order to stop him, the young masters proposed a showdown of imperial cooking...

The genius A Fei's unique skill, the New Man-Han Feast Imperial Cuisine Showdown stipulates that one hundred dishes must be prepared within three hours. A Fei quickly started to cook with the theme of the Man-Han Feast, but the young master is still thinking about what the emperor thinks is delicious. Seeing that the emperor suddenly got the answer, he started to do it immediately. Fortunately, the time caught up, but unexpectedly, the emperor chose to try A Fei's work first, and after eating a hundred dishes, he couldn't eat it anymore...

While Fei and his team are working away cooking, Mao is still thinking of what to cook, with his friends anxiously waiting. Finally, after observing the king for a little, he comes up with a 'theme' and they start cooking. After a lot of rushing and hurrying, they finally finish their 100 dishes just in time. Fei presents his neo Man Han Banquet, and the king takes one spoon out of each of the 100 dishes and says that he's full (implying that Mao's dishes are rejected). However, after some begging from Mao, the king decides that he will try one dish. After that, he became crazy, and started eating more and more until he finished all 100 dishes! So he askes Mao the secret behind his dishes, and Mao said that he had observed that the king had small wrists and oily skin and the theme of his food was to be healthy and fresh. Then the king declares that Mao has won, and Mao says that he doesn't want to take the job, instead travel to find the remaining cooking utensils. He then askes Fei to come along, and Fei tells them why he joined the UCS. So they set off to look for the remaining 5 cooking utensils.