Time travels back to the 1970s, and eighteen-year-old Du Shaojie has become the breadwinner of his family.

He has a chronically ill mother and two young sisters to support, while he's merely an apprentice in the company cafeteria.

With a meager salary and constant harassment from his superiors, life is a struggle.

With just a kitchen knife and a wok, he resolves to carve out a peaceful and happy future for himself and his family.

Years later, his favorite saying becomes:

"I'm not a master chef, I'm just a food lover."