Friendly Neighborhood chef cooks up joy

Chef David Lai's journey on reality show Chef of China was anything but conventional.

During the grand finale, with the pressure mounting and two spots left in the final round, his fellow chefs were deep in concentration, perfecting their dishes. But Lai, the seasoned Hong Kong chef, took a completely different approach — calmly preparing his closing dish while singing "let me go".

It was more than a tune; it was his message to the judges: he was ready to step aside and let the next generation shine. "He has already achieved the freedom of culinary artistry," said judge Nicholas Tse, sensing not just the melody but the deeper sentiment behind it.