Episode Summary
A major shake-up occurs at Highland after the truth about head chef Philips' harassment is revealed, leading to his and the manager's dismissal. He Guangyuan confronts his past trauma and steps up as the new head chef, beginning a promising culinary partnership with Liu Yan, whose skills are increasingly in demand, particularly by the discerning Mr. Luo.
Spoiler Alert
The episode opens with a flashback to five years ago, where He Guangyuan recalls a time with his famous mother. Back then, she was a celebrated chef and the soul of her restaurant, Highland. Despite his own passion and talent after returning from abroad, his mother publicly declared he wasn't ready to be Highland's head chef, a moment of profound disappointment that has haunted him ever since.
In the present, another renowned chef, Fabio, dines at Highland. He praises the food but challenges He Guangyuan to evolve beyond the shadow of his "mother's flavor." Meanwhile, Liu Yan slips into the kitchen to confront Philips, forcefully retrieving a precious heirloom belonging to Li Zan's mother from him.
Alerted to the commotion, He Guangyuan warns Philips to prepare a dessert for Fabio within ten minutes. However, upon hearing the famous chef is present, Liu Yan takes the initiative. She rallies the kitchen staff to help her create a dessert. Though its presentation is lacking and He Guangyuan is about to send it back, Fabio takes a bite and is immediately impressed by its unique and exceptional taste, giving Liu Yan high praise.
Later, He Guangyuan confronts Liu Yan, suspecting she arranged for Philips to be beaten. She is clueless until she sees security footage of Lu Tianchi attacking Philips, realizing he had secretly helped her all along. He Guangyuan initially notes that Philips was merciful for not calling the police. Angered, Liu Yan finally reveals that Philips and his friends had been harassing her repeatedly. Upon learning the full truth of Philips' despicable behavior, He Guangyuan fires him on the spot.
The arrogant Philips boasts that Highland's reputation over the past three years was due to him and that the restaurant will fall without him. He Guangyuan then confronts the female manager for covering up for Philips and fires her as well. With both the head chef and manager gone, He Guangyuan makes an executive decision, promoting Adu to manager and turning his hopeful gaze to Liu Yan for the chef position.
Elsewhere, Tang Shuangshuang confesses to Liu Yan that Lu Tianchi has a criminal record because he was implicated while handling a case for her. She explains that the misunderstanding is now resolved and hopes Liu Yan can forgive him. He Guangyuan continues to struggle with the memory of his mother's constant criticism, which had crushed his confidence and made him afraid to cook. Liu Yan, meanwhile, joyfully tells Wang Yang about her new job as a chef at Highland. Later, she sees a troubled He Guangyuan furiously kicking a soccer ball by the sea.
The next day, He Guangyuan finally musters his courage, puts on his chef's uniform, and officially takes on the responsibility of head chef, determined to lead Highland to a new era. That evening, as Liu Yan asks for advice on improving her dishes, he offers a single, profound piece of wisdom: true success is when you can make a guest who isn't even hungry want to eat.
Soon after, Mr. Luo's assistant seeks out Liu Yan, explaining that Mr. Luo has had a poor appetite and deeply misses her cooking. Liu Yan happily agrees to help, preparing noodles and a dessert for him at a breakfast shop, which he devours with great satisfaction. Back at Highland, He Guangyuan is developing a new fish dish. With a clever suggestion from Liu Yan to add a bit of yellow wine, the flavor is elevated to a new level, earning praise from everyone who tastes it. The episode closes with Mr. Luo becoming increasingly dependent on Liu Yan's cooking, refusing to eat anything else.
