A Bite of China () is a Chinese documentary television series on the history and traditions of food, dining, and cooking in China directed by Chen Xiaoqing (), narrated by Li Lihong () with original music composed by Roc Chen (). It first aired 14 May 2012 on China Central Television and quickly gained high ratings and widespread popularity. The seven-episode documentary series, which began filming in March 2011, introduces the history and story behind foods of various kinds in more than 60 locations in mainland China, Macau and Hong Kong. The documentary has also been actively encouraged as a means of introducing Chinese food culture to those unfamiliar with local cuisine. Various notable chefs such as Shen Hongfei and Chua Lam were consultants on the project.
A second season of A Bite of China, also consisting of seven episodes (plus trailer), aired from 18 April to 6 June 2014. The third season was aired from 19 to 26 February 2018, during the Chinese New Year holiday.
The series established a new sales model by linking the documentary contents to domestic e-commerce platforms.
Foods Featured
Season 1 Episode Title Dish (Chinese) Dish (English) Location 1 The Gift from Nature Grilled Matsutake Xamgyi'nyilha County, Yunnan 1 The Gift from Nature Stewed bamboo shoots Suichang County, Zhejiang 1 The Gift from Nature Deep-fried little yellow croakers fried with soybean and pickled bamboo shoots Liuzhou, Guangxi 1 The Gift from Nature Rice noodle in snail soup (Luosifen) Guangxi 1 The Gift from Nature Yan Du Xian Suichang County, Zhejiang 1 The Gift from Nature Nuodeng ham with Celtuce Dali, Yunnan 1 The Gift from Nature Nuodeng ham fried rice Dali, Yunnan 1 The Gift from Nature Deep-fried lotus root sandwichJiayu County, Hubei 1 The Gift from Nature Stewed spareribs with lotus rootJiayu County, Hubei 1 The Gift from Nature Hot and sour diced lotus rootJiayu County, Hubei 1 The Gift from Nature Fish head soup with Chinese style flatbread Chagan Lake, Jilin 1 The Gift from Nature Stewed mixed fish in thick soy sauce of Northeast Chinese style Chagan Lake, Jilin 1 The Gift from Nature Sanya, Hainan 1 The Gift from Nature Fried scomberomorus Sanya, Hainan 1 The Gift from Nature Sanya, Hainan 1 The Gift from Nature Boiled bullet mackerel with pickled cabbage Sanya, Hainan 2 The Story of Staple Food Dingcun, Xiangfen, Shanxi 2 The Story of Staple Food Steamed broom corn millet bun Suide County, Shaanxi 2 The Story of Staple Food Naan Kuche, Xinjiang 2 The Story of Staple Food Liping Rice Noodle Soup Liping, Guizhou 2 The Story of Staple Food Beef chow fun Guangzhou 2 The Story of Staple Food Roujiamo Xi'an 2 The Story of Staple Food Paomo Xi'an 2 The Story of Staple Food Lanzhou beef lamian Lanzhou 2 The Story of Staple Food Jook-sing noodles Guangzhou 2 The Story of Staple Food Longevity Noodles Dingcun, Xiangfen, Shanxi 2 The Story of Staple Food Qishan noodles with minced pork Qishan, Shaanxi 2 The Story of Staple Food Jiaxing meat sticky rice dumpling (meat Zongzi) Jiaxing, Zhejiang 2 The Story of Staple Food Ningbo rice cake (Ningbo Niangao) Ningbo, Zhejiang 2 The Story of Staple Food Niangao (rice cake) stir-fried with crabs Ningbo, Zhejiang 2 The Story of Staple Food Braised noodles Beijing 2 The Story of Staple Food Jiaozi Beijing 3 Inspiration for Transformation Tofu Jianshui, Yunnan/Shiping, Yunnan/Shou County, Anhui 3 Inspiration for Transformation Quark and milk tea Xilingol League, Inner Mongolia 3 Inspiration for Transformation Shaoxing wine and soy sauce Shaoxing 4 The Flavour of Time Pao cai Yanbian Prefecture, Jilin 4 The Flavour of Time Chinese sausage (Wo Hing Preserved Meats) Hong Kong 4 The Flavour of Time Cured Fish, Preserved Pork Xiangxi Prefecture, Hunan 4 The Flavour of Time Jinhua ham Jinhua, Zhejiang 4 The Flavour of Time Shrimp paste Hong Kong 5 The Secret of Kitchen Qiguo ji (Yunnan steamed chicken soup) Kunming 5 The Secret of Kitchen Baozi Yangzhou 5 The Secret of Kitchen Braised sea cucumber Shandong 5 The Secret of Kitchen West Lake fish in vinegar gravy Hangzhou 6 The Equillibrium of Tastes Spring onion flatbread Shantou 6 The Equillibrium of Tastes Smoked duck Xiashan 6 The Equillibrium of Tastes Cured spare ribs Wuxi 6 The Equillibrium of Tastes Chenpi duck Macau 6 The Equillibrium of Tastes Baked chicken in salt Guangdong 6 The Equillibrium of Tastes Sweet and sour pork ribs Zhenjiang 6 The Equillibrium of Tastes Yuxiangrousi (Yuxiang shredded pork, Pork with garlic sauce) Sichuan 6 The Equillibrium of Tastes Doubanjiang Sichuan 6 The Equillibrium of Tastes Mapo doufu Sichuan 6 The Equillibrium of Tastes Green Pepper Rattan fish Sichuan 6 The Equillibrium of Tastes Spicy hot pot Chongqing 6 The Equillibrium of Tastes Seaweed egg drop soup Shantou 6 The Equillibrium of Tastes Seaweed fish ball pot Shantou 6 The Equillibrium of Tastes Steamed fish Guangzhou 6 The Equillibrium of Tastes Steamed chicken Guangzhou 7 Our Fields Fish in sour soup 7 Our Fields Saipangxie (Tasty-as-crab) Zhangzidao, Liaoning 7 Our Fields Crab-roe tang bao Jingjiang, Jiangsu 7 Our Fields Tofu with crab yolk Xinghua, Jiangsu 7 Our Fields Red braised pork belly with taro Xinghua, Jiangsu 7 Our Fields Chhaang Tibet 7 Our Fields Fried pumpkin flowers Beijing 7 Our Fields Zucchini Jiaozi Beijing
Season 2 Some of these English translations are based on China Daily so may not be accurate. Episode Title Dish (Chinese) Dish (English) Location 1 Footsteps Spicy sausage 1 Footsteps Honey-glazed eel 1 Footsteps Stewed mudskippers 1 Footsteps Shandong-style jianbing Shandong 1 Footsteps Chaozhou spring rolls Chaozhou, Guangdong 1 Footsteps Leishan fish sauce Leishan County, Guizhou 1 Footsteps Honey shortening 1 Footsteps Lantian Biangbiang noodles Lantian County, Shaanxi 1 Footsteps Scallions in Shandong-style jianbing 1 Footsteps Quanzhou radish rice roll Quanzhou, Fujian 2 Heritage Rapeseed Oil She County, Anhui 2 Heritage Hung-dried Noodles Shaanxi 2 Heritage Sticky Rice Rolls Suzhou 2 Heritage Suzhou-style Little Diamond Cakes Suzhou 2 Heritage Fern Root Cake Chenzhou 2 Heritage Or Luak (Oyster Omelette with Tapioca Starch) Shantou 2 Heritage Dried tofu threads in consommé Yangzhou 2 Heritage Chicken, Mushroom, Ham Threads in Consommé Shanghai 2 Heritage Flash Fried River Shrimp Shanghai 2 Heritage Swamp eel clay pot Guangzhou 2 Heritage Santaoya (Farm-raised duck stuffed with wild duck and squab) 2 Heritage Bone-free fish 2 Heritage Boat pastry Suzhou 2 Heritage Jujube paste cake Suzhou 2 Heritage Suzhou noodles cooked in first-time soup Suzhou 2 Heritage Chongqing small noodles Chongqing 2 Heritage Pig ears dressed with sause 2 Heritage Thin-sliced pork belly with minced garlic sauce 2 Heritage Chili oil 2 Heritage Fried Scorched rice 2 Heritage Twice cooked pork 3 Seasons Fried shredded pork with early spring bamboo shoots 3 Seasons Stewed chicken with dried bamboo shoots 3 Seasons Fish and tofu stewed in iron pot 3 Seasons Steamed bacon with Huang-ni-gong bamboo shoots 3 Seasons Steamed elm seeds with cornmeal 3 Seasons Purple perilla fried with water snails 3 Seasons Xinjiang cut cake Xinjiang 3 Seasons Xinjiang polu Xinjiang 3 Seasons Noodles with shrimp roe 3 Seasons Steamed lotus root stuffed with sticky rice and sweet olive flower 3 Seasons Braised chicken with chestnuts 3 Seasons Old duck stewed with lactarius deliciosus 4 Home Cooking Steamed concave buns made of maize flour and Chinese chives 4 Home Cooking Naked oat glass noodle 4 Home Cooking Tian-men steamed dishes 4 Home Cooking Red braised pork belly 4 Home Cooking Stewed fish in paocai 4 Home Cooking Paocai 4 Home Cooking Watermelon jam 4 Home Cooking Shrimp roe stewed with manchurian wild rice 4 Home Cooking Cattail omelette 4 Home Cooking Cattail dumplings 4 Home Cooking Stewed cattail in milky soup 4 Home Cooking Braised pork with cattail 4 Home Cooking Orange flavored red bean paste 4 Home Cooking Ginger milk with red bean 4 Home Cooking Lotus seed Guilinggao (tortoise jelly) 4 Home Cooking Dessert soup with snow ear and papaya 4 Home Cooking Tong sui (dessert soup) with quail eggs and ginkgo fruit 4 Home Cooking Glutinous rice cake with brown sugar 4 Home Cooking Stewed pig's feet with ginger 4 Home Cooking Boiled old duck with winter melon and lotus leaf 5 Encounters Stewed chick with mushroom Jilin 5 Encounters Stewed mushrooms with winter bamboo shoots 5 Encounters Chongqing hot pot Chongqing 5 Encounters Beijing hot pot (Shuan yangrou) Beijing 5 Encounters Yunnan mushroom hot pot Yunnan 5 Encounters Chaoshan Beef hot pot Chaoshan 5 Encounters Egg puff Hong Kong 5 Encounters Tapioca Pearls Hong Kong 5 Encounters Toasted sausage 5 Encounters Portuguese-style baked scallops Macau 5 Encounters Steamed mandarin fish with tofu 5 Encounters Stewed mandarin fish in pumpkin soup 5 Encounters Poached seafood 5 Encounters Poon choi / basin meal 5 Encounters West Lake fish in vinegar gravy 5 Encounters Baked noodles with sweet-and-sour carp 5 Encounters Kaifeng soup dumplings Kaifeng 5 Encounters Hangzhou soup dumplings Hangzhou 5 Encounters Noodles with pork, bamboo shoot and Chinese mustard green (Pian'erchuan) Kaifeng, Henan 5 Encounters BorschtShanghai 5 Encounters Deep fried pork cutlet Shanghai 5 Encounters Steamed beef ball 5 Encounters Stewed mutton with noodles (Naren) 5 Encounters Saute spicy chicken with potatoes and noodles (Dapanji)Xinjiang 5 Encounters Meat roasted on skewer 5 Encounters Roasted samsas 5 Encounters Lagman noodle Xinjiang 5 Encounters Shanghai osmanthus cake 5 Encounters Noodles with red braised beef 5 Encounters Dried mussel meat 6 Secret Realms Hot and sour Amur ide 6 Secret Realms Ghost crab extract 6 Secret Realms Chive flower sauce 6 Secret Realms Roasted mutton wrapped in lamb tripe 6 Secret Realms Mutton cubes kawap on rose willow branch 6 Secret Realms Boiled mutton / Mutton eaten with hands 6 Secret Realms Xinjiang naan Xinjiang 6 Secret Realms Steamed grouper 6 Secret Realms Steamed dried fish 6 Secret Realms Steamed dried shrimps 6 Secret Realms Fried termite mushroom 7 Three Meals Tianjin-style jianbing (jianbing with youtiao) Tianjin 7 Three Meals Mianwo (Wuhan-style fried doughnut) Wuhan 7 Three Meals Seafood tofu skin 7 Three Meals Hot dry noodles Wuhan 7 Three Meals Tingzai porridge Guangzhou 7 Three Meals Rice noodle roll Guangzhou 7 Three Meals Siu mai (Steamed pork dumplings) Guangzhou 7 Three Meals Crispy durian cake Guangzhou 7 Three Meals Har gow (Steamed shrimp dumpling) Guangzhou 7 Three Meals Salted duck egg 7 Three Meals Steamed fish head with pickled peppers 7 Three Meals Crown daisy rice cake 7 Three Meals Braised pork with dried tofu 7 Three Meals Seasonal vegetables rainbow cake 7 Three Meals Snow skin mooncake Hong Kong 7 Three Meals Shengjian mantou (Fried bun stuffed with pork) 7 Three Meals 锅盔 Guokui 7 Three Meals Noodles with peas and meat sauce Sichuan 7 Three Meals Chicken cured with chili and flower pepper 7 Three Meals Stewed fish with pickled papaya 7 Three Meals Stir-fried Jian-Shou-Qing mushrooms
Reception A Bite of China attracted high ratings during its nightly airing on CCTV-1, drawing an estimated 100 million viewers. It also has an overall approval rating of 91% on Douban. Oliver Thring of The Guardian praised it as "the best TV show I've ever seen about food. I'd hazard it's the best one ever made."
Controversy In the Episode 2 of the Season 3, the voice-over indicates that Huifang as a community in Xi'an dates back to Tang dynasty. The remark was refuted by a history scholar, Yu Gengzhe. Yu commented on Weibo that where present-day Huifang located, was the Central Secretariat of Tang, along with the barracks of the imperial guards. And a mosque supposedly was sited there in the Song dynasty. Some of the portrayal of certain areas within the series have also been criticized.