China’s new food documentary is a hit

(Photo/Qilu Evening News)

Following the huge success of A Bite of China, new Chinese food documentary Once Upon a Bite racked up almost 200 million views and widespread praise when it hit screens recently.

The first episode, which broadcast nationwide on Oct. 28, included 20 types of food such as ham and hairy crabs. Within 14 hours, the now-famous documentary got over 150 million views on Tencent video and scored 9.4 on Douban, a popular movie rating platform in China.

(Photo/Qilu Evening News)

"A Bite of China" explored the history of food, cooking and cookware in China over a period of three seasons, but Once Upon a Bite, with the same director Chen Xiaoqing, presents a connected world of food from a global perspective through comparisons of the east and west.

For example, the first episode introduces and compares ham made in southern Anhui province and Spain.

(Photo/Qilu Evening News)

Besides the mouthwatering shots of food, the eight-episode documentary is full of macro and microphotography shots that reveal the cooking process and hard work behind each of the delicacies.

The public have high expectations when it comes to food-themed documentaries, said Chen Xiaoqing, who felt the pressure when producing Once Upon a Bite.

(Photo/Qilu Evening News)

There are always stories behind these delicacies, through which viewers can obtain an understanding of a country's history, community and emotion, added the director.

The series was filmed over a period of four years, and saw the crew visit more than 20 places across six continents.