This anime traces the path of up-and-coming young cook, Mao in 19th Century China on his road to Special Grade Cook and his journeys in search of the Legendary Cooking Utensils. Ju Xia Lou is a restaurant in the south-west region of China in the 19th century. After the death of Pai, the owner of the restaurant, his daughter Karin and her brother Mao help to run the restaurant. One day, Mao and another cook, Shao An who was Pai's understudy, confront each other for the position of head cook. The solution? A cook-off. General Lee, an expert in Chinese cooking is asked to be the judge. Both young men are extremely good, but possess very different cooking styles. After their sumptuous feat, the general dubs Mao the winner, and realizing the boy's genius and natural skill, sends him on a journey to south China — the mecca of cooking — to become a Special Grade or Master Cook. He faces more challenges on his journey, and his skills are pitted against other cooking masters.