This anime traces the path of up and coming young cook, Mao in 19th Century China on his road to 'Special Grade' Cook and his journeys in search of the 'Legendary Cooking Utensils'. Ju Xia Lou is a restaurant in the southwest region of China in the 19th century. After the death of Pai, the owner of the restaurant, his daughter Karin and her brother Mao help to run the restaurant. One day, Mao and another cook, Shao An who was Pai's understudy, confront each other for the position of head cook. The solution? A 'cook-off'.