CHINA Central Television’s food documentary “A Bite of China” started the upsurge in Chinese food documentaries when it first aired in 2012.

This summer, “Taste Humanity at Night” and the second season of “The Story of Chuan’er” have picked up the recent popularity of Chinese food documentaries, capturing audience members’ common appetite with a down-to-earth style.

The second season of “The Story of Chuan’er” continues last year’s journey of Chinese barbecue cultures on streets and lanes. By depicting diners biting into sizzling barbecue skewers in front of the camera, “The Story of Chuan’er” conveys a keen sense of realism. It captures the folksy air of streets with ordinary people and the warm connections between vendors and diners.

Produced by Bilibili and Authrule Media, the six-episode second season has received an impressively high score of 8.7 out of 10 on Douban, a Chinese review website for film and television. The first season scores 9.0. Internet users can search “人生一串” to watch the two seasons of the series on Bilibili’s website or app.

The eight-episode “Taste Humanity at Night” produced by Tencent Video was also filmed at night at sidewalk stalls in eight Chinese cities: Shenyang, Xi’an, Wuhan, Chongqing, Hangzhou, Nanning, Xiamen and Guangzhou. Although it only received a very low score of 5.3 on Douban due to its mediocre scripts, audience members can still get a glimpse into Chinese midnight dining in the eight cities. Internet users can search “宵夜江湖” to watch the series on Tencent Video’s website or app.

(Cao Zhen)

More Chinese food documentaries

‘Breakfast in China’ (2019)

Episodes: 35

Douban score: 7.9

Web/App: Search “早餐中国” on Tencent Video

‘A Bite of Guangdong’ (2016-2019)

Episodes: 25 (four seasons)

Douban scores: 8.3 (S1), 7.9 (S2), 8.3 (S3), 8.4 (S4)

Web/App: Search “老广的味道” on iQiyi, Tencent Video

‘Once Upon a Bite’ (2018)

Episodes: 8

Douban score: 9.1

Web/App: Search “风味人间” on Tencent Video

‘A Bite of China’ (2012-2018)

Episodes: 23 (three seasons)

Douban scores: 9.4 (S1), 8.5 (S2), 3.8 (S3)

Web/App: Search “舌尖上的中国” on iQiyi, Tencent Video, Youku

‘Flavorful Origins: Chaoshan Cuisine’ (2019)

Episodes: 20

Douban score: 8.5

Web/App: Search “风味原产地·潮汕” on Tencent Video

‘A Bite of Shunde’ (2016)

Episodes: 3

Douban score: 9.0

Web/App: Search “寻味顺德” on iQiyi, Tencent Video, Youku, Bilibili