Art in the best possible taste

"As the famous Chinese saying 'min yishi weitian' (to the people, food is heaven) goes, Chinese people regard food as an important part of our traditional culture. For all our creators behind the Royal Feast, we hope this drama will help overseas audiences learn more about China's cuisine culture," says Wang.

The director says the drama also wants to bring to life shangshiju, an ancient bureau that was established especially to recruit talented women to cook for the ruler at the palace during the reigns of the emperors Zhu Di, Zhu Gaochi and Zhu Zhanji of the early Ming Dynasty.

"The excellent female cooks were appointed as officials. However, the all-female staff system was gradually altered with the women eventually replaced by men in later centuries," explains the director, citing his research of historical archives.

Aside from food, the drama also showcases the distinctive aesthetics of the Ming Dynasty, which Luan Hexin, the drama's art consultant, depicts as "simple, elegant, solemn and introverted".