1980: Starting as the Chef of TVB’s Canteen

Hong Kong, 1980. A righteous gangster betrayed by his brothers is reborn into the body of a young mainland chef who has just taken over the TVB studio canteen. As their memories merge, he sets aside the cleaver of the underworld and picks up the kitchen knife for good. Determined to make his mark in this golden era of Hong Kong cinema, he resolves to shock the hungry actors with the bold, authentic flavors of mainland Chinese cuisine. From Sichuan classics like boiled beef in chili sauce, mapo tofu, and kung pao chicken, to hearty staples like braised pork hock, fish-fragrant pork slivers, and spicy diced chicken with peanuts—every dish tells a story. Through stir-frying, braising, steaming, boiling, and slow-simmering, he brings a hundred flavors to a hundred plates. Before long, the TVB studio lot gains a warm sanctuary. Actors finishing late-night shoots line up for a bowl of hot soup, extras huddle by the stove waiting for their boxed meals, and even famous stars quietly beg him for an extra portion to take back to set. In this life, he leaves the underworld behind—no bloodshed, no vendettas. Only the crackling fire of the stove, the warmth of human connection, and the quiet healing that comes with every meal. As an old chronicle later recalls: “Ever since Chef Lingyun took over the TVB canteen, the aroma of his cooking has drawn actors and celebrities alike. Between takes, leads and extras queue together for a taste. His slow-simmered soups are rich, his small plates exquisite, and his late-night snacks both timely and affordable. Dishes like boiled beef and pickled fish—once rare in these parts—soon became legendary. After eating, no one is in a hurry to leave; they linger to chat, and Lingyun listens to each one without complaint. From the front of the camera to the backstage crew, they all call him the family patriarch.” —An Excerpt from Old Tales of Hong Kong: The Canteen Chapter