Flavor of Happiness (2008)

Profile

• Movie: Flavor of Happiness
• Romaji: Shiawase no Kaori
• Japanese: しあわせのかおり
• Director: Mitsuhiro Mihara
• Assistant Director: Masaharu Take
• Writer: Mitsuhiro Mihara
• Producer: Kazushi Miki, Toshiya Nomura
• Cinematographer Akiko Ashizawa
• Release Date: October 11, 2008
• Runtime: 124 min.
• Genre: Drama / Food
• Studio: Toei
• Distributor: Toei
• Language: Japanese
• Country: Japan

Plot

Yamashita Takako (Miki Nakatani) works in the food section of a department store. She pays frequent visits to a reputable local Chinese restaurant about opening an in-store branch. The owner of the restaurant, Wang Qingkuo (Tatsuya Fuji) from Shanghai, who does all the cooking by himself, gives Takako the brush-off. One day, however, Wang collapses due to overwork, and is left with partial paralysis. Hearing the rumor of the restaurant’s closure, Takako resigns from the department store and becomes an apprentice to Wang. Takako’s skill gradually improves and she participates in the chefs’ gathering, which Wang has withdrawn from, with her oyster cuisine, when a case of food poisoning occurs. Takako is cleared of suspicion as the source, however, she withdraws to her house. When Wang visits her, Takako tearfully pours out her feelings. Wang decides to let Takako manage a dinner party which is requested by a company president he has known for years, and he takes her to Shanghai. The dinner party is a big success, and Wang looks beaming as he cooks his favorite dish at the end.