"Chinese Restaurant" Gets Out of the "Nth Generation Variety Show" Curse
2024-08-07
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Author: Liu Zongzhi
Can a variety show that has gone through eight seasons still usher in a viewing boom? Recently, the newly launched eighth season of "Chinese Restaurant" easily "turned the tables" with its diverse guest lineup and timely theme settings, sweeping away the decline in popularity in previous seasons and gaining recognition from the audience.
New members create different sparks
As an old-fashioned "Nth generation variety show", "Chinese Restaurant" was born at a time when a food craze was sweeping the Chinese variety show market. The program has created its own unique tone and won the audience's reputation through the identity recognition behind the food, the emotional appeal brought by the character relationships, and the ups and downs of running the business.
However, due to the loss of the contrast of being in a foreign country, the popularity of "Chinese Restaurant" has declined significantly since the fourth season. After the seventh season resumed overseas "operation", the program team adjusted the program rules to add new highlights, dividing the guests into two teams, each with its own funds, kitchen, and dishes, and settling accounts separately every day. The winning team will receive some extra rewards. The continuous innovation in form has kept the audience fresh to a certain extent, but the content has gradually deviated from the original intention of spreading Chinese food culture, causing the program's reputation and ratings to decline.
Perhaps due to the belief of "no destruction, no construction", the eighth season of the program, which has been upgraded in multiple dimensions, has swept away the decline and won praise from viewers and netizens. Compared with the previous seasons of "cooking novices gathered together", this season's program has made great adjustments in the guest lineup. The partners present a more natural state in a relatively harmonious environment. As the first resident French chef in the new season, Dai Guangtan had been to Beijing more than 20 years ago and is a true "China expert". He not only quickly got along with other partners, but also demonstrated his skilled bun-making skills in the program, which amazed Yin Zheng and Huang Xiaoming.
Jiang Yan, who just won the Magnolia Award for Best Supporting Actress, also showed her superb cooking skills in the show. As early as before the eighth season of "Chinese Restaurant" was broadcast, Jiang Yan opened her own food sharing column on the social media platform. In the show, Jiang Yan was able to cooperate with the chef while constantly developing new dishes, such as pear preserves, passion fruit tea, Poria tea, small hanging pear soup and jasmine... Netizens jokingly said that "Chinese Restaurant" has its own Doraemon." When the store manager Huang Xiaoming was worried about the next day's turnover, Jiang Yan said that she could make egg pancakes. So, after a busy day, Jiang Yan came to the kitchen in the early morning of the next day to make dough and prepare ingredients in advance. From finishing her own task list to trivial matters such as taking out the garbage, she handled them properly. This down-to-earth energy allowed the audience to see her most real and life-like side.
In the show, Yu Shuxin took on more responsibilities for external communication. She not only gave diners gifts she brought from China, but also turned into a photographer in seconds after hearing the guests' request to check in and take photos, which won praise from the guests.
Telling food stories closely following the Olympics
The popularity of the eighth season is also closely related to the novel theme setting. This year marks the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and France, the China-France Cultural Tourism Year, and the Paris Olympics Year. In line with the relevant cultural themes, the eighth season of "Chinese Restaurant" was recorded in the Giverny Garden (Monet Garden), the former residence of Impressionist painter Claude Monet near Paris.
The second episode of the program was broadcasted at the same time as the opening ceremony of the Paris Olympics. In order to fit the theme of "Olympic Cheer Week", the guests specially created an "Olympic Menu". Chefs Lin Shuwei and Dai Guangtan were constantly inspired. The "Torch Cake" that looks like the Olympic flame, the "Olympic Colorful Plate - Monet's Garden" cold dish platter composed of five different colors like flowers, and the "Olympic Five Rings Egg" dyed with vegetable juice and eggs... They gave each dish a beautiful meaning.
On the day of the official opening, the Chinese restaurant welcomed two guests, Deng Yaping and Su Bingtian. As Olympic athletes with a great reputation in the sports world, the two well-known athletes excited everyone as soon as they appeared. Deng Yaping used fluent English to show the guests a sense of relaxation. Su Bingtian turned into an "all-round helper", taking on all the chores in the restaurant. During the break, he showed everyone the unknown side of top athletes, and emotionally recalled every detail of his career, telling the story behind his creation of historical records in the Olympics. In addition, the two champions also shared the origins of China and France with the "Centennial Olympics" on the spot, adding a cultural atmosphere beyond food to the program. (Liu Zongzhi)
Source: Qilu Evening News
