Aspiring model Wan rejects her late father Master Fly Spirit's dying wish to inherit his legendary culinary expertise, but fails countless auditions in Taipei and is left saddled with her ex-boyfriend's debt.

Returning home to Tainan to flee debt collectors, she learns that her family's traditional outdoor banquet catering business has been reduced to a single noodle stand managed by her well-meaning but inept stepmother Puffy, who recently lost a bet with her late husband's former apprentice, rival chef Tsai.

Local businessman Chairman Hsu is impressed by their nostalgic dish of Fried Rice Noodles, and encourages them to take part in the National Catering Contest, with a one million dollar first prize that would help cover Wan's debt and fame that would restore the family business to its former glory.

Arriving in Taipei, Wan and Puffy brave through multiple rounds of the catering contest, assisted by Tiger Nose, his caregiver Rosemary, an eccentric trio of students, and surreptitious help from Hai, as well as the two debt collectors press-ganged into being kitchen stooges.

Although Wan ultimately loses the final round to Tsai, she restores her family’s reputation and gains satisfaction from successfully catering for the elderly newlyweds' banquet, as well as being rewarded a lucrative government contract to supply railway boxed lunches as second prize.