“Chinese Restaurant” Filmed in Tangier Highlights Sino-Moroccan Cultural Exchanges

This season, which focuses on gastronomy, cultural exchange, and entrepreneurial challenges, chose the Strait city as its filming location, breathing new life into cultural ties between Morocco and China, according to a press release from the show’s producers.

“The Kingdom of Morocco, a key player in the Maritime Silk Road, was the first North African country to sign a Memorandum of Understanding with China to jointly advance the Belt and Road Initiative,” the statement recalled.

In 1330, Wang Dayuan of the Yuan dynasty arrived in Tangier via the Maritime Silk Road, while more than 600 years ago, the famed Moroccan traveler Ibn Battuta journeyed to China, visiting cities such as Quanzhou, Guangzhou, and Hangzhou. Today, Chinese Restaurant: Entrepreneurship in Africa retraces this ancient trade route by returning to Africa.

Using food as an intercultural bridge, the show creatively reflects the stories of Wang Dayuan and Ibn Battuta, allowing audiences to experience this cultural fusion “through time and space, in the blending of flavors and aromas.”

According to the program’s producer Liu Lihui, the central concept of Chinese Restaurant lies in “promoting Chinese cuisine while telling China’s stories.”

With a focus on the true spirit of entrepreneurship, this new season documents its guests’ journey as they open a new Chinese restaurant in Tangier, from research and operations to management and problem-solving.

Chinese celebrities Huang Xiaoming, Jiang Yan, Ding Yuxi, Shen Yue, Zhai Xiaowen, Yin Haoyu, and Lin Shujian, divided into three teams, tackled the daily challenges of entrepreneurship: coordination, street-level customer outreach, and high-intensity work.

Their experiences will culminate in a book titled Business Plan for Opening a Chinese Restaurant Abroad, designed as a valuable reference for future ventures seeking to expand internationally. This reflects the enduring value of the Chinese Restaurant brand, the statement added.

The show continues its signature production model of “21 days of continuous filming,” requiring participants to commit fully to the process — a practice that has remained unchanged over nine seasons. This immersive approach allows stars to forget the cameras and show their true selves. This season also features the program’s first non-human guest: the intelligent robot Xiao Jiu.

Following its broadcast, the show achieved outstanding ratings, dominating its time slot for several episodes. By July 20, it had sparked 1,393 trending topics online and generated over 200 viral videos with more than 10,000 likes, fueling lively discussion across the internet.

The Chinese Embassy in Morocco officially endorsed Chinese Restaurant: Entrepreneurship in Africa, stating: “A touch of Eastern elegance and a glimpse of the African spirit: Chinese and African cultures meet and blend here!”

It further added: “Chinese Restaurant: Entrepreneurship in Africa vividly demonstrates how entertainment programming can showcase its strengths through unique perspectives, within the framework of international cultural exchange and cooperation.”

Through its daily interactions and natural storytelling, the show builds a cultural bridge by using cuisine as a language of expression, opening a new path for Chinese culture to leave its mark on the global stage.

Editorial team/le7tv