RECIPE FOR THE HEART [TVB]

Written by Funn Lim

This review was posted many years ago, exactly when I am not sure but it should be within months from the original broadcast of this series. I am posting it as I have posted it originally.

SPOILERS ... SPOILERS ... SPOILERS

How Long
Too long to the point of boredom.

Who’s in it
Louis koo,Bobby Au Yeung,Chun Pui,Lydia Shum,Maggie Cheung,Jessicca Hester Hsuen,Esther Kwan,Lam Hiu Fung, and plenty of guess stars. This is a big production in terms of who’s in it.

What’s it about
Rival chefs in two retsurants,one Mei Mei Yuen and another,I forgot the name.Modern serials.Not Happy Ever After-ish.

Really,what’ the plot
It’s about the search of the God of Cookery,Bobby who disappeared 3 years after he won the competition against Esther’s father(Lydia’s husband),Chun pui.It was because he won in unfair circimstances like sneezing into Chun Pui’s food and caused the taste to change.So anyway,Esther wants to revenge but she’s a terrible cook.Her restaurant was also having some troubles and was bought by Bobby who had a different identity.He bcame her SiFu and also the chief chef there.He also has a disciple(the boy who played the mentally retarded brother in Burning Flame) .Anyway,a lot of things happened in between,but later they discovered that Chun Puy isn’t dead but was actually in HK,a dance teacher and in a love relationship with Nancy Sit.He lost all his memory and now hates his wife.So can Lydia get her husband back?Will Esther,who is now deeply in love with Bobby ever forgive Bobby,her arch enemy?
Then there’s the secondary story of Jesicca,who studied under the same master as Bobby who is in love with Bobby and did all sort of things to get his attention.Will Bobby ever get out of her clutches?

Then there’s the third story of Louis Koo,who is a young excellent chef in a rival restaurant who has a problem with his tounge causing him some speech problem.He has a girlfriend (Yeung Chin Wah) who hates to eat and later dumps him for a guy who personally feeds her and has a disciple(Lam Hiu Fung).He later met and fell in love with Maggie,a reporter.But he’s ashamed of his problem.Will they ever be together?”Will he be cured of his speech problem?Will he be God of cookery?Let me spare you the trouble here.The answer to all the questions above is YES!

Any annoying factors
The serial itself.They should have ended like 10 episodes earlier but they kept going on and on and on.It was funny in the first few episodes but later,it disintergrates into a farce of a serial until it’s not funny anymore.The worst serial so far for whatever year it was produced in.

Hate factors
The writers for this serial for not ending it earlier when it was still good.And Jesicca Hester Hsuen who is really annoying there and you’ll hate her for causing the problems to Bobby.

Pity factors
Bobby for all his troubles there and Louis koo for his inferiority complex.

Cute factors
Bobby,Chun Pui,who was soooo funny with his wig and the way he walks like he is dancing tango and Louis for his speech problem.i know I should not laugh but I can’t help it.Every time he speaks,I have to laugh.

Fave couple
None.The serial being dragged too long somehow you will forget,who is in love with who.

Annoying couple
None.As I said before,This serial has an amnesia effect on the viewers,makes you forget the plot coz you will probably have fallen asleep later on in the serials.

Mismatched couple
Same as above.Don’t ask me why.

The award for Best Actor goes to
For once,Louis Koo.For once,I ADMIT,I finish this serial because of HIM.HE was sooooooooooooo cute here,soooooo funny.You would never think this guy,so good at being cool can be so funny and charming.So fans of his,do watch this serial just for him.You’ll love him here.He’s quite a comedian.

The award for,”Well,good try but not good enough” as an actor goes to
Nobody.This serials has actors with good acting skills so everybody is so-so here except Louis who is excellent here.

The most dramatic change
The Serials itself.From very interesting to good,to OK to urghhhhhhh!When will they just END IT??????

Fave scene
Any scenes with Louis in it.Believe me.I never like this actor coz I think his acting is only mediocre but he’s really funny here.He lights up every scene he’s in.Great.

Least fave scene
Any scenes with Jesicca.Soooo annoying.

So,the verdict
For Louis,I LOVEDIT. But for the story itself,HATED IT. For the SONGS,loved it. For the Serials, HATE it.Get my drift?

Really,do be honest
Maybe I should refuse to answer this question anymore. I have and always will be honest in writing my reviews.

But it must’ve been better than…
1: Happy Ever After : NOPE!! Happey ever After was excellent and soo funny except for the ending.
2:Food of Love: NEVER!! Wong Hei gave his excellent acting chops here and the story was more drama,more compelling,not comedy at all.

Any redeeming factors
Louis koo. And that is all. Not even the food. They looked YUCKY!

Be serious now
Maybe I should delete this question too. What do you think?OF COURSE I AM SERIOUS HERE!

Any interesting facts
Yep. This serial was a birthday bash production but wasn’t that succesful,compared to the above named serials. And Louis can ACT!!I hate to admit that I am wrong. I never thought I would watch a serial for HIM but I did for this one. So fans of his,don’t miss this. And a plus point for the girl-fans.He’s always in tight fitting shirts.