A modern chef's soul travels back to 1984, becoming Shu Chunsheng, a temporary worker in the Nancheng Rolling Mill canteen. Having cooked for three years, his official staff quota is awarded instead by Director Wang to his lazy nephew Wang Defa. His fiancée's family despises him for losing his secure job and immediately comes to break off the engagement. In this desperate situation, he sets up a stall at the factory intersection selling braised pork. His excellent culinary skills make him an overnight sensation, and he rents an abandoned security lodge to open the "Chunchen Small Restaurant", gathering a team including Aunt Zhao, childhood friend Hao Dayong, and simple-minded youth Sun Erhu. Uncle and nephew Wang repeatedly resort to shady tactics for revenge, but instead get reported to the factory director, leading to both losing their jobs and being expelled. Shu Chunsheng then touches the secluded imperial chef Elder Han with his sincerity, kowtows to become his apprentice to learn imperial cuisine, and saves up his first savings.