A pinch of history, a dash of change

"There is no fundamental difference from the first season," Chen said at a media preview in Beijing. "I have a little more room to express myself, and I am more direct in what I say. I also feel less of a sense of mission."

The shift is reflected in the opening episode, in which Chen and local food enthusiasts explore Leshan's neighborhood eateries and sample local specialties such as boboji — skewered ingredients in a spicy broth — tofu pudding, Qiaojiao beef and noodles with shredded eel.

One question sets the tone: How did a dish associated with chicken evolve into a local specialty featuring a variety of skewered ingredients? Today, the dish can include meat, offal and vegetables served in a spicy broth. The episode also examines the seasonings that give Leshan's fried skewers their distinctive flavor and the regional variations of its tofu pudding.

Rather than simply cataloging dishes, the program places them in a broader historical context. Historian Wang Di joins Chen in Leshan to explore the connections between everyday food and the city's past.