Series shares real spices of life
Once Upon a Bite's new season traces evolution of little seeds and plants that enhance global cuisine, Li Yingxue discovers.
After the third season's focus on seafood and the fourth on grains, this season's spotlight shifts to the often-overlooked world of spices — appearing as supporting characters in previous seasons' episodes.
Producer Zhu Lexian explains that the aim of Once Upon a Bite is to uphold continuity and thematic expansion. "What started as a singular focus evolved into a vast series, with each season offering new angles and sensory experiences, touching on taste, smell, sight and sound. Season 5 adds a fresh chapter to the Once Upon a Bite universe," Zhu says.
According to chief director Chen Xiaoqing, the spice theme is not just a shift in narrative focus but serves to deepen the understanding of food as a whole. "Spices make eating an intriguing experience. We want to tell a story that you can actually smell," he says.
