''The Chinese Feast'' (
Chinese: 金玉滿堂) is a
1995
File:1995 Events Collage V2.png, From left, clockwise: O.J. Simpson is O. J. Simpson murder case, acquitted of the murders of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ronald Goldman from the 1994, year prior in "The Trial of the Century" in the United States; The ...
Hong Kong film
The cinema of Hong Kong ( zh, t=香港電影) is one of the three major threads in the history of Chinese language cinema, alongside the cinema of China and the cinema of Taiwan. As a former British colony, Hong Kong had a greater degree of pol ...
co-written, produced and directed by
Tsui Hark
Tsui Hark (, vi, Từ Khắc, born 15 February 1950), born Tsui Man-kong, is a Hong Kong film director, producer and screenwriter. Tsui has directed several influential Hong Kong films such as ''Zu Warriors from the Magic Mountain'' (1983), the ...
, and starring
Leslie Cheung
Leslie Cheung Kwok-wing (12 September 1956 – 1 April 2003) was a Hong Kong singer and actor. Throughout a 26-year career from 1977 until his death, Cheung released over 40 music albums and acted in 56 films. He was one of the most prominent ...
,
Anita Yuen
Anita Yuen Wing Yee (born 4 September 1971) is a Hong Kong film and television actress.
Pageant career
At the age of 18, Yuen entered the Miss Hong Kong 1990 pageant. She was a heavy favorite to win the crown from the semifinal to final. During t ...
,
Kenny Bee
Chung Chun-to (born 23 February 1953), also known by his stage name Kenny Bee, is a Hong Kong singer, musician and actor. He is best known as the singer of the group the Wynners, and as a solo artist who has been active in the Hong Kong ente ...
, and
Law Kar-ying
Dr Law Kar-ying BBS MH (born September 22, 1946) is a Hong Kong Cantonese opera singer and actor.
Background
Born Law Hang-tong on September 22 (August 27 Lunar), 1946 in Shunde, Guangdong as the eldest son of actor Law Kar-kuen (羅家權) an ...
.
Synopsis
Kit was a master chef who once raked in many accolades as being the finest
Chinese cook. An elite cooking competition had placed him enviably in front of many aspiring colleagues and he seemed to have the world at his feet. However, the competition placed him in a dilemma of conflicting interests of heart - his own craft or the woman whom he loves.
His obsession (and persistently stubborn attitude) with his work confirmed that he did not appear to hold his
girlfriend
A girlfriend is a female friend, acquaintance or partner, usually a female companion with whom one is platonically, romantically, or sexually involved.
In a romantic context, this normally signifies a committed relationship where the indi ...
in a special regard. She was about to give birth to their child, at the same time he was about to participate in an important and prestigious cooking contest. She dumped him for disregarding the relationship. Realising that a successful career can only be shared with a significant other, Kit turned bitter. He became an
alcoholic
Alcoholism is, broadly, any drinking of alcohol that results in significant mental or physical health problems. Because there is disagreement on the definition of the word ''alcoholism'', it is not a recognized diagnostic entity. Predomin ...
, traumatized by the separation. Five years later, his career diminished and he was quickly forgotten. To further compound problems, his sense of taste appeared to have left him due to his constant drunken state, and he became cranky and unsociable.
Elsewhere, a popular Chinese restaurant in Hong Kong owned by Au was approached by an organisation 'Super Group' who wished to merge all major Chinese restaurants into a powerful group to eliminate all opposition in
Asia
Asia (, ) is one of the world's most notable geographical regions, which is either considered a continent in its own right or a subcontinent of Eurasia, which shares the continental landmass of Afro-Eurasia with Africa. Asia covers an area ...
. Au protested and the Super Group supremo throws down a challenge to cook the legendary
Manchu Han Imperial Feast
The Manchus (; ) are a Tungusic East Asian ethnic group native to Manchuria in Northeast Asia. They are an officially recognized ethnic minority in China and the people from whom Manchuria derives its name. The Later Jin (1616–1636) and ...
, where the loser would be absorbed into the Super Group indefinitely. Au's employees were poached over to 'Super Group', being promised that they will own a share of the restaurant and better salary if Au loses the challenge.
Au then enlists the assistance of a former
triad member, a rookie chef named Sun who aspires to be a top chef, and had worked at Au's restaurant wishing to shed his criminal past together with Au's daughter Wai. After several foiled attempts at preparing even a simple dish, they realise the futility of their initial efforts as the Feast could only be accomplished by a master chef and their limited cooking skills would be of no use if they were to save their establishment.
They seek the help of Lung Kwun-bo, a master chef, but he did not know how to cook the Imperial Feast. Lung recommended them to seek Kit in China to engage his service to cook in the challenge. After meeting Kit and verifying that his skills are gone, Lung got both of them to find his wife to wake Kit up. Kit and his wife reunited after some persuasion. With the assistance of Lung, Sun and Wai managed to stimulate Kit's skills back.
During the tournament, the contestants prepared rare and luxurious dishes. Kit was able to recapture his previous glories and ultimately saved Au's restaurant after a closely fought contest. The movie would eventually end on a happy note as is the theme of all
Lunar New Year
Lunar New Year is the beginning of a calendar year whose months are moon cycles, based on the lunar calendar or lunisolar calendar.
The Lunar New Year as a celebration is observed by numerous cultures. It is also named " Chinese New Year" becau ...
movies.
Cast and roles
Sources:
The Chinese Feast at chinesemov.com
/ref>
*Leslie Cheung
Leslie Cheung Kwok-wing (12 September 1956 – 1 April 2003) was a Hong Kong singer and actor. Throughout a 26-year career from 1977 until his death, Cheung released over 40 music albums and acted in 56 films. He was one of the most prominent ...
- Chiu Kong-Sun (a former triad member chef)
* Amy Fan Yik Man - Sun's former girlfriend
*Kenny Bee
Chung Chun-to (born 23 February 1953), also known by his stage name Kenny Bee, is a Hong Kong singer, musician and actor. He is best known as the singer of the group the Wynners, and as a solo artist who has been active in the Hong Kong ente ...
- Kit (a deposed master-chef relied upon to save the restaurant)
*Law Kar-ying
Dr Law Kar-ying BBS MH (born September 22, 1946) is a Hong Kong Cantonese opera singer and actor.
Background
Born Law Hang-tong on September 22 (August 27 Lunar), 1946 in Shunde, Guangdong as the eldest son of actor Law Kar-kuen (羅家權) an ...
- Au (restaurateur battling to save his restaurant from a merger)
*Anita Yuen
Anita Yuen Wing Yee (born 4 September 1971) is a Hong Kong film and television actress.
Pageant career
At the age of 18, Yuen entered the Miss Hong Kong 1990 pageant. She was a heavy favorite to win the crown from the semifinal to final. During t ...
- Ka Wai (Au's daughter who cannot cook and is a playful, zany girl)
*Vincent Zhao
Vincent Zhao Wenzhuo (born 10 April 1972), sometimes credited as Vincent Chiu or Chiu Man-cheuk, is a Chinese actor and martial artist. Zhao is best known for playing the Chinese folk hero Wong Fei-hung in the '' Once Upon a Time in China'' film ...
- Lung Kwun-bo
*Xiong Xin-Xin
*Raymond Wong
*Joyce Ngai
*William Ho
*Wong Yat-Fei
See also
*''Eat Drink Man Woman
''Eat Drink Man Woman'' () is a 1994 Taiwanese comedy-drama film directed by Ang Lee, from a script co-written with James Schamus and Hui-Ling Wang.Howe, Desson.‘Eat Drink Man Woman’" ''The Washington Post''. 19 October 1994. Retrieved on 2 ...
''
*''God of Cookery
''The God of Cookery'' () is a 1996 Hong Kong comedy film produced, written, starring, and directed by Stephen Chow.
Synopsis
Stephen Chow (the Chinese characters used for Chow's name in the movie are different from Chow's actual name) is a ...
''
*''Osaka Wrestling Restaurant
''Osaka Wrestling Restaurant'' () is a 2004 Hong Kong comedy film directed by Tommy Law. The film stars Timmy Hung, Sammo Hung and Mang Hoi. This was Mang Hoi's last film appearance until 2014's ''Kung Fu Jungle''. The film features a storyline ...
''
*'' The Banquet'' (1991)
*''The Wedding Banquet
''The Wedding Banquet'' is a 1993 romantic comedy film directed, produced and co-written by Ang Lee. The story concerns a gay Taiwanese immigrant man (played by Winston Chao, in his film debut) who marries a mainland Chinese woman ( May Chin) t ...
''
References
External links
*
*
Love HK film entry
HK Cinemagic entry
{{DEFAULTSORT:Chinese Feast, The
1995 films
1990s Cantonese-language films
Cooking films
Films directed by Tsui Hark
Hong Kong cuisine
Hong Kong films