"After humans began farming, the range of food was quite narrow. Eating noodles or rice every day can become monotonous," he says. "Spices have made our meals more vibrant and diverse. I think this is the biggest effect of spices. They make the world more colorful.

"We also view the history of spices as a different perspective on culinary culture. The ones we explore in this series reflect the changes in food culture over time," he adds.

This season also has the highest proportion of overseas content in the Once Upon a Bite series.

"When selecting overseas topics, we sought common ground through Chinese cuisine. By choosing relevant content, the audience feels more connected. At the same time, we leveraged global cuisines to offer viewers a worldwide view of food," Liu says.