It's ready to serve.
Okay.
Here's your Ocean set.
Thank you, come again.
- I'll have a Mountain set. - Okay.
Mr. Wang, another Mountain set.
"Little Shanghai Restaurant"
"FLAVOR OF HAPPINESS"
"We Are Open"
See you tomorrow, Mr. Wang.
Of course, there are cultural differences.
You're right.
You idiots...
If you're done, get back to work.
Mr. Wang,
his wife caught him cheating
and kicked him out of the house.
Every time it happens,
she makes him buy expensive bags and jewellery.
What are you planning to buy this time, Mr. Ishida?
Come on, don't tease me.
This time, it's really bad...
Excuse me...
I phoned you yesterday...
I'm Takako Yamashita,
from the food division at Hokuriku Department Store.
I'm sorry if I called at a bad time.
I'm not interested.
It'll just take a few minutes.
I assure you it'll be profitable.
You won't lose...
Welcome back.
Hi.
Yamashita.
Got a sec?
How's the Little Shanghai situation?
Unfortunately he won't hear me out.
Even though we're going by the book,
the stubborn old guy won't sign.
He's got regulars coming in from out of town.
Selling his food here could be good business.
I'm a fan, too.
Just get him to sign the papers.
Yes, sir.
It's Takako Yamashita, sorry I'm late.
Coming.
Noriko, your mom is here.
I'm coming.
Mom, you're late.
Sorry, sweetie. Let's go home.
Noriko, dinner's ready.
Okay.
So... Let's eat.
Hello.
Please don't come back.
I'll have an Ocean set, please.
And crab dumplings, too.
Here you are.
Thank you.
You guys. If you're done, get back to work!
A Mountain set.
An Ocean set, please.
A Mountain set, please.
Wang...
Your body's getting old and brittle.
Maybe it's time...
you hired an apprentice.
I don't need the trouble.
There won't be anybody to carry on your recipes.
It's a real shame...
What the heck did you say, pinhead?
What?
Never mind. Don't bring me bad luck.
Thank you. Here's your receipt.
Please take care.
Thank you very much.
Make sure she's warm and gets lots of rest.
Excuse me...
Hello.
What a surprise.
Do you often come here?
No. This is our first visit.
My daughter was up all night with a bad cough.
And I heard the Chinese medicine prescribed here could help.
Your daughter?
Yes, she's in the washroom.
Have a seat.
Well... Thank you.
I really enjoy your lunches every day.
Actually, I have to apologize.
I proposed a business deal even though I'd never tried your food.
I'm sorry.
- All finished? - Yep.
Noriko, please say hello.
Here.
But I'm not giving up yet.
G'day!
All the vegetables you ordered.
What's on the menu for the dinner party tonight?
Can I come and watch?
Sure.
Thanks. I'll be back around 6 o'clock.
Mr. Wang?
Mr. Wang, what's wrong?
Are you okay?
Mr. Wang! Mr. Wang!
Throw away all the meat.
What about the freezer?
It'll be fine.
I'll cook you a feast when I get home.
Sounds great.
Excuse me...
I didn't want to bother you...
I just wanted to see if you were okay.
How are you feeling?
Oh, well... I'm fine now.
I'll reopen soon.
I'm glad to hear that.
This is for you.
Let me do that. Please, sit down.
Oh, but...
Don't worry. Sit down and stay a while.
- Please. - Thank you.
He's the grandson of the farmer who supplies my vegetables.
You made an effort to come every day.
To be honest, after ten days of making lunch for you
and watching you eat with a big smile
it made me think of what else I hadn't cooked
and new dishes I could make.
I have to confess, I started forgetting about my job.
I wondered how many dishes I could eat.
You're an honest lady.
Thank you for all the meals.
But, Ms. Yamashita...
Please give up on selling my food at your store.
When I cook, I like to be able to see customers' faces.
- Well... - What is it?
Just out of curiosity...
Yes?
What's the secret to your crab dumplings?
Oh, that's confidential.
Of course.
But if you really want to know...
What should I do?
Quit your job and come to my restaurant. Then you can learn.
Your blood pressure is stable.
And you're doing very well with your rehabilitation.
When can I start work again, Doctor?
I'll be frank with you...
You won't be able to work the way you did before.
The paralysis will lessen, but...
strenuous physical activities like cooking will be impossible.
In a way, you're fortunate that
your stroke wasn't worse.
Next time you won't be so lucky.
Perhaps...
you should talk to your family about the restaurant.
Are you all right?
Sir, are you okay?
I'm fine!
Regarding the situation with Little Shanghai.
For now, Mr. Wang...
He's half paralyzed.
Forget it.
It's too bad, but we'll find something else.
He left hospital and is undergoing rehabilitation.
Takahashi,
check out the crab croquettes from Maizuru, right away.
Yes, sir.
If you could just give me a little more time...
No way.
But you and everybody agreed that
Little Shanghai was the best choice...
Should we give up so easily?
What the heck are you talking about? This is a business.
But...
Yamashita, take a break and clear your head.
He's got no family.
Being sick at his age with nobody around is tough.
You think he'll sell his shop?
It's game over for him.
Oshita.
Yes. Regarding Very Berry Pudding...
Hello, Mr. Wang?
Hello?
I'm sorry, I let myself in.
Oh, it's just you. You surprised me.
Sorry.
Mr. Wang's at the dock.
Thank you.
Mr. Wang...
Oh, hi Takako.
I heard you were here.
Do you mind if I sit down?
What were you looking at?
My hometown, Shaoxing, is right across the sea.
Shaoxing?
It's a beautiful place, surrounded by water.
I've never been to China.
I've never even been abroad.
My cooking is the taste of Shaoxing.
Actually...
My late father was a chef.
He ran a Western-style restaurant in the city...
His omelets were so delicious.
Mr. Wang... I'll wait.
For the day I can taste your delicious food again.
So...
Take your time
and please get well.
Hey, where's Yamashita?
She called in sick.
I hope it's not flu or anything.
I dunno...
Ouch, ouch.
How is it?
Not yummy.
I know. It's hard to cook.
But I like mommy's cooking best.
Thanks, sweetie.
Don't worry, mommy can do it!
Noriko, sweetie...
Mommy had a good idea.
Hello?
It's late. Is everything okay?
I've been thinking...
I have a solution.
I'll just say it straight.
Mr. Wang,
please teach me how to cook.
I want you to teach me how to make your delicious dishes.
Please let me help at the restaurant.
I even quit my job.
What?
Don't you remember?
You said if I want to learn from you I should quit my job.
Are you crazy?
- Ask them for your job back! - No, I won't.
Please.
Please, stop it.
Lift your head up.
Takako...
I'm touched that you want to help me.
But your sympathy won't last forever.
It's not like that.
I'm doing it for myself.
I've known for a long time.
I didn't care about business.
When I came here and watched you cook,
I felt like I wanted to be in the kitchen.
I want to be here.
I want to cook, together with you.
That's the truth.
So...
When I heard you might lose the restaurant,
I couldn't just stand by and do nothing.
I felt so sad and upset...
Nobody knows what's going to happen in the future!
So we should try our best.
If we try our best, things can get better.
With you, and this restaurant.
I thought I could change myself, too.
So...
Mr. Wang!
When things settle down, come and see me.
I will.
Thank you so much.
Okay, let's start.
Okay.
Take the chicken mince out of the fridge.
Top left.
Put it in the bowl.
Add three parts water, little by little.
Then start kneading.
What is this?
Soup.
Umm... What about chicken bones?
You've read a lot of cookbooks, haven't you, Takako?
Throw them away!
Just concentrate on the ingredients in front of you.
Don't get caught up in cookbooks.
I understand.
That's good.
Carefully... Powerfully.
Bring it to a boil over a medium flame, then stir slowly.
No lid?
No. It'll make the soup cloudy.
Slaving over a hot stove like that every day?
It hurts!
Hey, get back to work!
It hurts!
First time using a Chinese knife?
Let's see how you cut.
How does it feel? Different than you thought?
The handle makes it hard to balance.
You'll get used to it.
Now I'll teach you the proper way.
Place your left hand fingertips on the ingredients.
Now slowly move the knife as you push down.
Cut the other vegetables the same way. Keep practicing.
Takako.
If you don't cut evenly,
it won't cook evenly and it won't taste good!
I see.
Well?
Try it.
It's awesome!
This is the life of my cooking.
Takako, you have to learn this flavor inside out.
This flavor is your future.
I understand.
All the cooking here is done with one wok.
To learn Chinese cooking, you have to know how to use a wok.
If you can't master the wok and fire,
you can't make delicious food.
First, give it a try.
Rolling up your sleeves is forbidden.
When oil splatters you'll get burned.
Right.
Use your wrist and toss it toward you.
Being able to use a wok is the basis of everything.
I don't understand...
Even with a fresh start, you quit after six months.
You could've had a salary, a bonus,
insurance, and benefits.
What are you going to live on?
Well... This is the budget I worked out.
This won't last long.
If that happens, I'll deal with it.
Child Services doesn't help people find employment.
Mr. Ueda?
Yes?
When I was a little girl, and even now,
I loved the image of my father at work.
He worked hard and did things his way, living an honest life.
That image of my father still gives me great pride.
When my Noriko looks at me,
I want her to see me living my life in the same way.
Listen to me.
If you get into financial trouble, do not get into the sex business.
Of course not.
And...
I trust that you're in good health?
If there are any major changes, make sure you report it.
I will.
Good morning.
Good morning to you.
Sorry.
Not there... here.
Takako, the blade is very sharp, so be careful.
- Okay. - Okay.
You're not used to it, so take your time.
Okay.
Your mom's really nice.
She always nags me.
Thanks for today.
Hey, Takako. Why do you like Mr. Wang's cooking so much?
There are so many chefs.
I never get tired of eating the food he makes.
It's the kind of flavor I could eat every day.
Really delicious food isn't about
showing off or expensive ingredients.
I guess you could say his food is like that.
When Mr. Wang was in Shanghai, he was scouted for a job in Tokyo.
But the people at the hotel he was working at
bullied him so he quit.
Just then, a visiting company president gave him a chance
to work in Kanazawa.
You know a lot.
He became friends with my dad.
When Mr. Wang gets drunk, he has a saying.
There are things you can forget
and other things you should never forget.
Can forget and should never forget.
He probably meant the president.
By the way,
what are your plans for the future?
The future?
I'm just doing my best every day.
I see...
Oh, yeah.
By the way... If you have time,
maybe we...
I just thought...
Fortunately, my son Takashi has finally found a bride.
Oh, that's fantastic news. Congratulations.
His partner graduated from music college
and is engaged as a vocalist.
She's such a bright girl. Perhaps she's too good for him.
Don't say that.
Hello.
Hey, who's that lady?
She's the president I mentioned.
It's a woman?
She owns a dye factory.
To tell the truth, I came here today
because I need to arrange a Christmas dinner for
when his fiancee's family visits.
So I've come to you.
I thought perhaps we could hold the dinner at your restaurant.
Nothing out of the ordinary.
Just the type of dishes you can currently prepare.
Ma'am...
It would spoil such a formal occasion.
I'm sorry, but another restaurant would be better...
There's really no way?
Mr. Wang.
Please forgive me.
I do know about his condition.
But it would be wonderful to see him in the kitchen one more time.
I know too well how he feels.
I don't want him to give up.
Hey, Mr. Wang.
Hi, how are you?
Oh, not bad.
Hey, what happened?
I had a little fall. You should be careful, too.
It's amazing.
Are you feeling all right?
I'm fine.
Let's take a little break.
Thanks, Takako. I'm okay, really.
Mr. Wang!
Hi, everybody.
Are you getting better?
Little by little.
Please join the harvest moon celebration next year.
Thanks.
We were looking forward to your food.
Your duck dish last year was fantastic.
Harvest moon celebration?
And you are...
Oh, it's you.
Takako Yamashita.
I've heard about you.
These are my friends.
The celebration takes place every fall.
We hold a complimentary dinner for all our produce suppliers.
Each chef shows off his skill by preparing one dish.
Mr. Wang cooked duck last year
and sea cucumber the year before.
It's a shame you can't join.
I feel bad about it, too.
Ready to go?
Well, see you.
- Take care. - Goodbye.
That'll do.
Wow, looks great.
Try it.
Thank you.
I'll try some.
Mmm, it tastes awesome!
These oysters are in season. They're at their juiciest.
I have an idea...
What if you cook this for the harvest moon celebration?
But why not?
We can do it next year.
Takako.
Can I talk to you?
Why don't you join the harvest celebration?
What are you talking about?
Mr. Wang's name came up at the union meeting.
Everyone was speaking out and I got pissed off.
What did they say?
Really bad stuff.
They were saying Mr. Wang is finished in Kanazawa.
They were saying nasty things about you, too.
I wanna prove Mr. Wang is not done
and that you're doing great.
The harvest celebration is the best place
to prove it to them!
If Mr. Wang can't join,
you should enter with the oyster dish...
But...
You already cooked it great once. Don't worry.
I'll arrange it all!
He wouldn't agree to it anyway.
I can sweet talk Mr. Wang into it.
Everybody, can you stop working for a second?
This is Ms. Yamashita.
She's learning under Mr. Wang at Little Shanghai.
She'll be taking his place this year.
I'm Takako Yamashita. Nice to meet you.
If you have a question, just ask the person next to you.
I understand.
We sincerely hope you enjoy today's modest occasion.
Our chefs've thoughtfully prepared a selection of dishes for you.
While it's not mentioned on the menu,
this year Ms. Yamashita of Little Shanghai Restaurant
will be representing Mr. Wang.
And now, a toast.