It is a Taiwanese drama belonging to the romantic genre. The funny part for me is that it is also categorized in the cooking genre! This is the first time I saw any drama called a cooking drama. But Sweet Relationship definitely fits the bill. It is aptly named 'Sweet' because that is exactly what this is- a sweet, simple drama. And it is also a cooking drama revolving around restaurants, chefs and food.
The story follows Chang Bai Hui ( played by Patty Huo) , a rich yet an unassuming and simple girl. She has been brought up very lovingly by her gourmand father. Food has been a very important part of their life starting with a lovely feast after her mother's funeral. Her father believes that 'A person who can't enjoy a meal, he must have a mental problem'. It actually makes so much sense - if we are mentally preoccupied with some issue or the other, we don't taste our food. I was hooked onto the drama after that dialogue came up.
And so the drama begins. Bai Hui loses her father on the day of her graduation and is turned penniless overnight. She has a complex and very well developed palate for her age. Food brings her comfort, hope and joy on bleak days. While she is trying to find a job and face the new realities in her life, she comes across Little Bear restaurant. A small independent shop selling affordable western food to locals. And she finds a soup which evokes memories of her father, so she convinces the shop owner to hire her as the new waitress and kitchen help.
Enter Fang Zhi Tian(played by Vic Zhou), the head chef at Little Bear. A mean grumpy ole' bear if there ever was one. Even though he is an accomplished chef, he doesn't find any joy in food. He considers her a spoiled little picky princess who doesn't know how to do anything. He tries to bite off her head at the slightest chance. Thus starts their sweet journey down a path of food, work, camaraderie and relationship. They face their past and their present while learning valuable lessons in the process. And the friends and customers who make up the rest of the cast, all have something important to contribute to the story. Special kudos to Alan Kuo ( plays He Ma Yang) and Billie ( plays Jin Dao puopuo) who add some hilarious flavor, while Megan Lai ( plays Ren Ke Xin) adds a tinge of bitterness which help balance the sweetness.
Overall a beautiful tale. The pace is nice and slow and the relation develops gradually. It leaves you with a warm feeling just like a perfect dish that has simmered long and rested well for all the flavors to bloom and marry splendidly.
If you are looking for steamy scenes and intense romance this is not it. But if you are looking for some nice old-fashioned romance and clean sweet relationship then you must check it out.
Available both on youtube ( uploader; minervaajane) and veoh ( intangible FS).
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