1996: Starting from a Failing Farmhouse Kitchen

State banquet chef Lu Yuan is reborn in 1996, returning to the very eve of his family's farmhouse restaurant's collapse. Tucked along a remote highway in the far northwest, far from any city and plagued by scarce ingredients, the humble eatery seems destined for failure. Travelers stop by only for a quick rest, yet they are utterly stunned by cuisine worthy of a state banquet—tender, marbled hand-pulled lamb glistening with juices, sizzling stir-fried young lamb with a golden, smoky char, and glossy noodles drenched in rich, meaty lamb sauce. Before long, luxury cars line the highway shoulder, and Lu Yuan's village is transformed into a celebrated internet-famous attraction. When the most prestigious hotel in the capital extends a top-tier offer, Lu Yuan declines, insisting he simply wants to cook at an easy, unhurried pace in the countryside. He also announces that the kitchen will take Mondays off, only to meet with a united petition from his devoted diners refusing to let that happen.