Chinese Restaurant () is a Chinese celebrity reality show broadcast by Hunan Television. The show features five celebrities as they run a Chinese restaurant abroad in 20 days with the aim to promote Chinese Food culture. It's Vicky Zhao's first reality show as a regular guest.
The first season was taped in Thailand, and it was premiered on 22 July 2017 with 11 episodes. The second season was taped in France, and it was premiered on 20 July 2018 with 12 episodes. The third season was taped in Italy, and it was premiered on 26 July 2019 with 13 episodes. The fourth season was taped in China due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, and it was premiered on 31 July 2020 with 12 episodes. The fifth season was taped in China again, and it was premiered on 30 July 2021 with 12 episodes. The sixth season was taped in China the third time, and it was premiered on 12 August 2022 with 12 episodes. The seventh season was taped in Hungary, and it was premiered on 21 July 2023 with 12 episodes. The eighth season was taped in France again, and it was premiered on 19 July 2024 with 12 episodes. The ninth season was taped in Morocco, and it premiered on 20 June 2025 with 12 episodes. The tenth season was taped in Thailand again, and it was premiered on 19 June 2026 with 12 episodes.
Cast Season 1 Vicky Zhao Huang Xiaoming Zhou Dongyu Sean Zhang Enti Jin
Season 2 Vicky Zhao Shu Qi Alec Su Karry Wang Pax Congo
Season 3 Regular Huang Xiaoming Qin Hailu Karry Wang (left in Episode 8 due to school work) Yang Zi Jack Lin
Recurring Tong Zhuo (start from Episode 3)
Season 4 Huang Xiaoming Zanilia Zhao Sean Zhang Jack Lin Ariel Li
Season 5 Regular Huang Xiaoming Ning Jing Zhou Ye Tenzin Tsundue Annabel Yao
Recurring Gong Jun (Changsha) Tan Jianci (Guilin)
Season 6 Huang Xiaoming Yin Tao Yin Zheng Chen Linong Zhang Ruonan
Season 7 Huang Xiaoming Mark Chao Yue Yunpeng Yin Zheng Shen Mengchen Greg Hsu Jelly Lin Cheng Xiao
Season 8 Huang Xiaoming Yin Zheng Esther Yu Jiang Yan Jack Lin Hu Yitian Corentin Delcroix Bill Zhai
Season 9 Huang Xiaoming Jiang Yan Ryan Ding Shen Yue Bill Zhai Patrick Finkler Jack Lin
Season 10 Huang Xiaoming Karry Wang Hannah Quinlivan Jiang Yan Enti Jin Zhang Yaqi Jack Lin
List of guests Season 1 Cui Xinqin (Episode 4) Mike D. Angelo (Episode 5) Hongyok Chansakorn (Episode 5) Boat Sirirod (Episode 5)
Season 2 Zhang Tielin (Episode 4 – 5) Bao Bei'er (Episode 8 – 9) Yang Zishan (Episode 8 – 9) Huang Xiaoming (Episode 9 – 10)
Season 3 Neil Gao (Episode 3 – 5) Shen Mengchen (Episode 6 – 7) Du Haitao (Episode 6 – 7) Dylan Wang (Episode 9 – 11) Alec Su (Episode 11 – 13)
Season 4 Nemo Feng (Episode 4 – 6, 9 – 12) Casper Chu (Episode 4 – 6, 9 – 12) Liu Yuning (Episode 6 – 12) Yang Chaoyue (Episode 8 – 12) Du Haitao (Episode 9 – 12) Karry Wang (Episode 9 – 12) Li Zifeng (Episode 9 – 12) Cai Cheng (Episode 9 – 12) Joy Wang (Episode 9 – 12)
Season 6 Will Liu (Episode 4 – 6) Vivi Wang (Episode 4 – 6) Huang Xiaolei (Episode 6 – 7) Hu Lianxin (Episode 6 – 7) Wu Xingjian (Episode 6 – 7) Na Ying (Episode 9 – 10) Cai Guoqing (Episode 11) Wowkie Zhang (Episode 11)
Season 7
Lai Yumeng (Episode 6) Ge Jiabi (Episode 7 – 8) Alyssa Chia (Episode 8 – 9)
Season 8 Deng Yaping (Episode 2 – 3) Su Bingtian (Episode 2 – 4) Fang Jinlong (Episode 6 – 8) Julien Gaudfroy (Episode 7 – 8) Peng Jingxuan (Episode 8 – 9) Yan Xi (Episode 8 – 9) Huang Yi (Episode 9 – 11) Lu Chen (Episode 9 – 11) Joyce Jonathan (Episode 12)
Season 9 Yue Yunpeng (Episode 3 – 5) Dina Ottmani (Episode 6 – 9) Cai Guoqing (Episode 10 – 12) Zhang Baiqiao (Episode 10 – 12)
Season 10 Joie Qu (Episode 1, 3 – 4) Deon Dai (Episode 3 – 4) Yuan Yiqi (Episode 3 – 6) Patrick Finkler (Episode 6 – 8) Liang Feng (Episode 7) Hai Qing (Episode 8 – 9) Cecilia Yip (Episode 11)
Theme Song "Chinese Restaurant" (Season 1 – 3) Composer: Tu Yi Lyricist: Meng Xiao (Season 1 & 2) Meng Xiao and Ye Feng (Season 3) Performer: Vicky Zhao and Huang Xiaoming (Season 1) Zhou Dongyu (Special Edition of Season 1) Vicky Zhao and Alec Su (Season 2) Huang Xiaoming, Qin Hailu, Yang Zi and Karry Wang (Season 3) "Chinese Flavor" (Season 4) Composer: Casper Chu, Gen Neo Lyricist: Casper Chu, Zhang Jinghao Performer: Huang Xiaoming, Zanilia Zhao, Sean Zhang, Jack Lin, Ariel Li, Liu Yuning and Casper Chu Liu Yuning and Casper Chu Casper Chu "The Flavor of China" (Season 5) Composer: Mo Yanlin Lyricist: Xia Nuo Performer: Huang Xiaoming and Ning Jing
International broadcast Country/Region Network Release Notes E City 1 November 2017 Season 1 9 January 2019 Season 2 26 November 2019 Season 3 18 September 2020 Season 4 10 September 2021 Season 5 16 September 2022 Season 6 25 August 2023 Season 7 2 October 2024 Season 8 12 August 2025 Season 9 TVB Asian Variety 13 January 2018 Season 1 TVB J2 28 October 2018 Season 2 (Cantonese & Mandarin) Astro Quan Jia HD 16 February 2018 Season 1 20 July 2018 Season 2 (concurrent) Sky Link TV 25 July 2018 Season 2 CTi Variety 5 August 2018 Season 1 CTV Main Channel 9 December 2018 CTi Variety 6 January 2019 Season 2 CTV Main Channel 25 August 2019 CTi Variety 6 September 2020 Season 3 CTV Main Channel CTi Variety 21 April 2024 Season 7
Reception Awards and nominations Award Category Nominee Result 26th Magnolia Awards Best Variety Program Chinese Restaurant 3
Influences After premiering of the first season on 22 July 2017, the canned bacon labeled "SPAM" was sold out in Chinese online shopping in several hours, which Vicky Zhao bought in a Thailand supermarket and cooking in the show. After premiering of the second season on 20 July 2018, the white stork toy was sold out in Chinese online shopping in several days, which repeated Vicky Zhao's words in the show.
Controversy Chinese Restaurant has been accused of plagiarism in regards to its format being very similar to South Korean reality show tvN's Youn's Kitchen. Both shows are food-themed and work with the concept of overseas restaurants. Na Young-seok, producer of Youn's Kitchen responded to the claim, stating that "The [Youn's Kitchen] format is not expensive to purchase. If they purchase the format, I can help them on specific details as well."
References
External links
Chinese Restaurant season 1 on Mango TV Chinese Restaurant season 2 on Mango TV Chinese Restaurant season 3 on Mango TV Chinese Restaurant season 4 on Mango TV Chinese Restaurant season 6 on Mango TV Chinese Restaurant season 7 on Mango TV Chinese Restaurant season 8 on Mango TV Chinese Restaurant season 9 on Mango TV Chinese Restaurant season 10 on Mango TV Chinese Restaurant season 2 on TVB.com