Chinese Restaurant (TV series)
2017 Chinese TV series or program
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Chinese Restaurant (simplified Chinese: 中餐厅; traditional Chinese: 中餐廳; pinyin: Zhōngcāntīng) is a Chinese celebrity reality show broadcast by Hunan Television. The show features five celebrities as they run a Chinese restaurant abroad in 20 days with the aim to promote Chinese Food culture. It's Vicky Zhao's first reality show as a regular guest.[1][2]
| Chinese Restaurant | |
|---|---|
| |
| Simplified Chinese | 中餐厅 |
| Traditional Chinese | 中餐廳 |
| Hanyu Pinyin | Zhōngcāntīng |
| Genre | Cooking show Reality show |
| Starring | See below |
| Country of origin | China |
| Original language | Chinese |
| No. of seasons | 10 |
| No. of episodes | 120 |
| Production | |
| Production locations | Season 1: Ko Chang, Thailand Season 2: Colmar, France Season 3: Taormina, Italy Season 4: Yangtze River Basin, China Season 5: China Season 6: Chenzhou, Hunan, China Season 7: Budapest, Hungary Season 8: Giverny, France Season 9: Tangier, Morocco Season 10: Chiang Mai, Thailand |
| Camera setup | Multicamera setup |
| Running time | 90 minutes |
| Production company | Hunan Broadcasting System |
| Original release | |
| Network | Hunan Television |
| Release | 22 July 2017 – 4 September 2026 |
The first season was taped in Thailand, and it was premiered on 22 July 2017 with 11 episodes. The second season was taped in France, and it was premiered on 20 July 2018 with 12 episodes. The third season was taped in Italy, and it was premiered on 26 July 2019 with 13 episodes. The fourth season was taped in China due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, and it was premiered on 31 July 2020 with 12 episodes.[3][4] The fifth season was taped in China again, and it was premiered on 30 July 2021 with 12 episodes. The sixth season was taped in China the third time, and it was premiered on 12 August 2022 with 12 episodes. The seventh season was taped in Hungary, and it was premiered on 21 July 2023 with 12 episodes. The eighth season was taped in France again, and it was premiered on 19 July 2024 with 12 episodes. The ninth season was taped in Morocco, and it premiered on 20 June 2025 with 12 episodes. The tenth season was taped in Thailand again, and it was premiered on 19 June 2026 with 12 episodes.
Cast
Season 1
- Vicky Zhao
- Huang Xiaoming
- Zhou Dongyu
- Sean Zhang
- Enti Jin
Season 2
- Vicky Zhao
- Shu Qi
- Alec Su
- Karry Wang
- Pax Congo
Season 3
- Regular
- Recurring
- Tong Zhuo (start from Episode 3)
Season 4
- Huang Xiaoming
- Zanilia Zhao
- Sean Zhang
- Jack Lin
- Ariel Li
Season 5
- Regular
- Huang Xiaoming
- Ning Jing
- Zhou Ye
- Tenzin Tsundue
- Annabel Yao
- Recurring
- Gong Jun (Changsha)
- Tan Jianci (Guilin)
Season 6
- Huang Xiaoming
- Yin Tao
- Yin Zheng
- Chen Linong
- Zhang Ruonan
Season 7
- Huang Xiaoming
- Mark Chao
- Yue Yunpeng
- Yin Zheng
- Shen Mengchen
- Greg Hsu
- Jelly Lin
- Cheng Xiao
Season 8
Season 9
- Huang Xiaoming
- Jiang Yan
- Ryan Ding
- Shen Yue
- Bill Zhai
- Patrick Finkler
- Jack Lin
Season 10
- Huang Xiaoming
- Karry Wang
- Hannah Quinlivan
- Jiang Yan
- Enti Jin
- Zhang Yaqi
- Jack Lin
List of guests
Season 1
- Cui Xinqin (Episode 4)
- Mike D. Angelo (Episode 5)
- Hongyok Chansakorn (Episode 5)
- Boat Sirirod (Episode 5)
Season 2
- Zhang Tielin (Episode 4 – 5)
- Bao Bei'er (Episode 8 – 9)
- Yang Zishan (Episode 8 – 9)
- Huang Xiaoming (Episode 9 – 10)
Season 3
- Neil Gao (Episode 3 – 5)
- Shen Mengchen (Episode 6 – 7)
- Du Haitao (Episode 6 – 7)
- Dylan Wang (Episode 9 – 11)
- Alec Su (Episode 11 – 13)
Season 4
- Nemo Feng (Episode 4 – 6, 9 – 12)
- Casper Chu (Episode 4 – 6, 9 – 12)
- Liu Yuning (Episode 6 – 12)
- Yang Chaoyue (Episode 8 – 12)
- Du Haitao (Episode 9 – 12)
- Karry Wang (Episode 9 – 12)
- Li Zifeng (Episode 9 – 12)
- Cai Cheng (Episode 9 – 12)
- Joy Wang (Episode 9 – 12)
Season 6
- Will Liu (Episode 4 – 6)
- Vivi Wang (Episode 4 – 6)
- Huang Xiaolei (Episode 6 – 7)
- Hu Lianxin (Episode 6 – 7)
- Wu Xingjian (Episode 6 – 7)
- Na Ying (Episode 9 – 10)
- Cai Guoqing (Episode 11)
- Wowkie Zhang (Episode 11)
Season 7
- Lai Yumeng (Episode 6)
- Ge Jiabi (Episode 7 – 8)
- Alyssa Chia (Episode 8 – 9)
Season 8
- Deng Yaping (Episode 2 – 3)
- Su Bingtian (Episode 2 – 4)
- Fang Jinlong (Episode 6 – 8)
- Julien Gaudfroy (Episode 7 – 8)
- Peng Jingxuan (Episode 8 – 9)
- Yan Xi (Episode 8 – 9)
- Huang Yi (Episode 9 – 11)
- Lu Chen (Episode 9 – 11)
- Joyce Jonathan (Episode 12)
Season 9
- Yue Yunpeng (Episode 3 – 5)
- Dina Ottmani (Episode 6 – 9)
- Cai Guoqing (Episode 10 – 12)
- Zhang Baiqiao (Episode 10 – 12)
Season 10
- Joie Qu (Episode 1, 3 – 4)
- Deon Dai (Episode 3 – 4)
- Yuan Yiqi (Episode 3 – 6)
- Patrick Finkler (Episode 6 – 8)
- Liang Feng (Episode 7)
- Hai Qing (Episode 8 – 9)
- Cecilia Yip (Episode 11)
Theme Song
- "Chinese Restaurant" (Season 1 – 3)
- Composer: Tu Yi
- Lyricist:
- Meng Xiao (Season 1 & 2)
- Meng Xiao and Ye Feng (Season 3)
- Performer:
- Vicky Zhao and Huang Xiaoming (Season 1)
- Zhou Dongyu (Special Edition of Season 1)
- Vicky Zhao and Alec Su (Season 2)
- Huang Xiaoming, Qin Hailu, Yang Zi and Karry Wang (Season 3)
- "Chinese Flavor" (Season 4)
- Composer: Casper Chu, Gen Neo
- Lyricist: Casper Chu, Zhang Jinghao
- Performer:
- Huang Xiaoming, Zanilia Zhao, Sean Zhang, Jack Lin, Ariel Li, Liu Yuning and Casper Chu
- Liu Yuning and Casper Chu
- Casper Chu
- "The Flavor of China" (Season 5)
- Composer: Mo Yanlin
- Lyricist: Xia Nuo
- Performer: Huang Xiaoming and Ning Jing
International broadcast
| Country/Region | Network | Release | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
 Singapore | E City | 1 November 2017 | Season 1 |
| 9 January 2019 | Season 2 | ||
| 26 November 2019 | Season 3 | ||
| 18 September 2020 | Season 4 | ||
| 10 September 2021 | Season 5 | ||
| 16 September 2022 | Season 6 | ||
| 25 August 2023 | Season 7 | ||
| 2 October 2024 | Season 8 | ||
| 12 August 2025 | Season 9 | ||
 Hong Kong | TVB Asian Variety | 13 January 2018 | Season 1 |
| TVB J2 | 28 October 2018 | Season 2 (Cantonese & Mandarin) | |
 Malaysia | Astro Quan Jia HD | 16 February 2018 | Season 1 |
| 20 July 2018 | Season 2 (concurrent) | ||
 United States | Sky Link TV | 25 July 2018 | Season 2 |
 Taiwan | CTi Variety | 5 August 2018 | Season 1 |
| CTV Main Channel | 9 December 2018 | ||
| CTi Variety | 6 January 2019 | Season 2 | |
| CTV Main Channel | 25 August 2019 | ||
| CTi Variety | 6 September 2020 | Season 3 | |
| CTV Main Channel | |||
| CTi Variety | 21 April 2024 | Season 7 |
Reception
Awards and nominations
| Award | Category | Nominee | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 26th Magnolia Awards | Best Variety Program | Chinese Restaurant 3 | Nominated |
Influences
After premiering of the first season on 22 July 2017, the canned bacon labeled "SPAM" was sold out in Chinese online shopping in several hours, which Vicky Zhao bought in a Thailand supermarket and cooking in the show.[5] After premiering of the second season on 20 July 2018, the white stork toy was sold out in Chinese online shopping in several days, which repeated Vicky Zhao's words in the show.[6]
Controversy
Chinese Restaurant has been accused of plagiarism in regards to its format being very similar to South Korean reality show tvN's Youn's Kitchen.[7] Both shows are food-themed and work with the concept of overseas restaurants. Na Young-seok, producer of Youn's Kitchen responded to the claim, stating that "The [Youn's Kitchen] format is not expensive to purchase. If they purchase the format, I can help them on specific details as well."[8][9]
