Eat Drink Man Woman 1994

As the evening sun dipped over Taipei, semi-retired chef and widower Zhu gathered his three daughters around the dinner table. The eldest, Jia-Jen, a chemistry teacher with a devout heart, had recently found solace in her Christian faith after a painful breakup from her college sweetheart. Jia-Chien, the middle child, was a high-powered executive at an airline company, whose childhood dreams of becoming a master chef were stifled by her father’s patriarchal views. Meanwhile, Jia-Ning, the youngest and most free-spirited, juggled part-time work at Wendy’s with her college studies.

The dinner table conversation turned to Jia-Chien’s surprise announcement: she had invested in a new apartment and would be moving out once construction was complete. To everyone’s surprise, Mr. Zhu approved of his daughter’s independence, only to dismiss her criticism of his cooking skills before rushing off to help his old friend Old Wen at a banquet. Later, as they strolled through the evening air, Mr. Zhu pondered aloud with Old Wen whether there was more to life than mere consumption and indulgence.

Just then, family friend Jin-Rong stopped by with her daughter Shan-Shan, bearing tales of her messy divorce and struggles to balance work, motherhood, and her opinionated mother-in-law, Madame Liang, who had recently returned from America. Jia-Jen offered words of comfort as Shan-Shan sketched a caricature of Mr. Zhu, oblivious to the depth of his emotional connection with Old Wen’s existential inquiry.

The next morning, Mr. Zhu paid Shan-Shan an unexpected visit, learning that her lunches were less than satisfying and deciding to take matters into his own hands by cooking for her. In a clever ruse, he convinced Shan-Shan to let him taste Jin-Rong’s subpar meals in secret, just as Jia-Jen was discovering her new interest in volleyball coach Ming-Dao at school.

Meanwhile, Jia-Chien found herself drawn to Li Kai, the chief negotiator at work, with whom she shared a spark of attraction. As she weighed the pros and cons of relocating to Amsterdam for a potential promotion, her heart remained uncertain. And as Guo-Lun confided in Jia-Ning about his unrequited love, she offered words of wisdom, guiding him toward a profound realization: true love lies not in grand gestures but in the comfort of vulnerability and openness with one another.

As the fabric of their lives begins to unravel, a series of unexpected events unfolds. Old Wen’s hospitalization sets off a chain reaction, as Jia-Jen is unwittingly deceived by love letters she believes are from Ming-Dao (ploys orchestrated by her students), while Jia-Chien discovers that her apartment investment has gone up in smoke after the company files for bankruptcy and absconds with her savings. Meanwhile, Li Kai’s past is revealed when Jia-Chien confronts him about his alleged heartbreak of Jia-Jen in college, only to learn that he never dated her. This revelation sparks a confrontation between Jia-Ning and Li Kai over his potential interest in Rachel, further complicating the love triangle.

As tensions rise, Mr. Zhu’s health takes a turn for the worse, prompting him to secretly visit Old Wen at the hospital, unaware that Jia-Chien has already caught wind of his visits. The news of Old Wen’s passing marks the end of an era, and Mr. Zhu is left grappling with the loss of his sense of taste.

The family’s dynamics continue to shift as they gather for their Sunday feasts. Jia-Chien announces her decision to stay put, while Mr. Zhu offers words of reassurance. Later, Jia-Ning shares the news of her relationship with Guo-Lun and her pregnancy, which sends shockwaves through the group.

In a surprise twist, Jia-Jen reveals that she has eloped with Ming-Dao, sending her sisters into a spin. The trio’s departure from the family home leaves Mr. Zhu alone with Jia-Chien, who begins to confide in Madame Liang, leading her sisters to believe that their father is romantically involved.

As concerns about Mr. Zhu’s health grow, Jia-Chien makes the difficult decision to turn down a promotion, opting instead to prioritize his well-being. The family gathers for one final Sunday feast, where Mr. Zhu drops a bombshell - he’s engaged to Jin-Rong, not Madame Liang, and that his hospital visits were all about gaining her blessing.

The news sends shockwaves through the gathering, effectively ending the dinner on a somber note. As the dust settles, Jia-Ning gives birth to a new life with Guo-Lun, while Jia-Jen converts Ming-Dao to Christianity. Mr. Zhu, meanwhile, sells the family home and moves in with Jin-Rong and Shan-Shan, marking the end of an era.

As Jia-Chien prepares to leave for Amsterdam, she hosts one final feast at the old family home, but only Mr. Zhu shows up. In a poignant moment, as they sit down to eat together, Mr. Zhu’s sense of taste suddenly returns, and he and Jia-Chien share a tender moment, embracing each other as “Father” and “Daughter.”