Master Cheng 2019

Cheng, Tommy Chu Pak-Hong, a Chinese master chef, leaves behind the sorrow of his wife’s death in Shanghai and travels with his young son Niu Niu to the Finnish village of Pohjanjoki in Lapland to seek out his benefactor Fongtron, the person who stood by him in a difficult time. Their arrival in Pohjanjoki marks the beginning of a patient, quiet confrontation with a new world. They reach a building that houses a small lunch cafe and a tiny supermarket, where they are welcomed by Sirkka, Anna-Maija Tuokko, who runs the cafe, and by the Linja-autonkuljettaja, Kari Koivukangas, who ferries travelers through the village. Cheng asks for Fongtron, or any trace of him, but the locals can’t help; soon it becomes clear that Fongtron’s real identity was Pekka Forsström, a man who died a year earlier, adding a layer of mystery to their search.

Inside the modest cafe, Sirkka offers them lunch, a simple yet hearty meal of sausage stew, mashed potatoes, and a side salad of shredded carrots and cabbage. The cook’s limited skills and lack of kitchen help shape this routine, but the meal still carries a welcoming warmth. With no hotels in Pohjanjoki, Sirkka helps the travelers find a place to stay in a nearby house, weaving hospitality into the fabric of their new stay.

The next day brings an unexpected twist: a bus full of Chinese tourists breaks down just outside the cafe. Sirkka invites them in for lunch, hoping to share her hospitality, but the tourists aren’t drawn to the local fare. Cheng steps in, offering to prepare what they want instead. He and Sirkka dash to the nearby supermarket, gathering ingredients, and he ends up serving a comforting bowl of Chinese noodle soup followed by a refreshing sorbet of fruit. The tourists are delighted, and the tour guide promises to recommend the cafe to other groups, expanding Pohjanjoki’s small world just a little wider.

This success pushes Cheng to plan more varied dishes, challenging the locals’ expectations and the cafe’s limited resources. The regular lunch crowd must adjust or seek meals elsewhere, yet they also discover the charm and flavor of Cheng’s cooking. He explains that Chinese cuisine can bring happiness and wellbeing, and soon the conversations in the cafe hint at healing beyond appetite—some patrons feel improvements in ailments like high blood pressure and menstrual discomfort. In exchange for sharing his food, the locals open their world to him, introducing him to Finnish experiences such as fishing along the lake, the cleansing ritual of a sauna, and the lively rhythms of tango dancing.

With Sirkka’s encouragement, Niu Niu begins to shed his homesickness for China and forms connections with the local children, gradually weaving himself into the community. The relationship between Cheng and Sirkka evolves from mutual curiosity to companionship, grounded in shared meals and growing trust. As their bond deepens, they face a practical obstacle: Cheng has overstayed his tourist visa. Rather than stay apart, they take a journey to China to formalize their marriage, returning afterward to Pohjanjoki to run the cafe together as a team. Their union aims to sustain the wellbeing they’ve found in each other and to continue spreading happiness through food, friendship, and the fusion of two very different cultures. The story settles on a quiet note of hopeful harmony, where cuisine becomes a bridge between worlds and a small village learns to welcome a different kind of warmth.