A pinch of history, a dash of change

"People from big cities go to less-developed regions and may find the original flavors difficult to accept," he said. "They use their money to vote for sweeter and milder food."

Such changes illustrate how migration, urbanization and tourism reshape culinary traditions. Food reflects not only geography and history, but also consumer preferences and commercial pressures.

Producer Li Jie said the six destinations were chosen for their distinct geographical and cultural characteristics and everyday lifestyles. During filming, the crew worked in Lhasa's high-altitude environment, encountered a typhoon in Shanghai and endured prolonged heat in Zhangzhou.

Yet, the greater challenge, Li said, was capturing what makes each city distinctive. "We don't want stereotypical impressions of cities. We hope to present Chen's experiences of a city, along with the unexpected discoveries and encounters that happen during filming."