F4’s Jerry Yan makes movie debut

With Cheng Xu as his Chinese screen name, Jerry Yan is better known outside Taiwan including the Philippines as Dao Ming Si, the character he plays in Meteor Garden. At 26, he is the biggest, hottest heartthrob of F4 as proven by legions of fans who follow him wherever he performs solo in Asia.

His star shines even brighter with the release of Magic Kitchen. Yan plays an assistant cook who falls in love with the head chief, played by Sammi Cheng.

"I like my character," says Yan. "It’s the opposite of what I used to portray in the TV series. This time, I am an ordinary guy who goes after the affection of an extraordinary girl."

Currently the top box-office attraction in Hong Kong, Cheng admits Yan is her personal choice to be her leading man.

Magic Kitchen starts with Yau (Cheng), the chef and owner of a speakeasy restaurant who cooks everything literally by the book, or in her case, an encyclopedia of recipes she inherited from her mother. But her successful career cannot compensate for an empty love life. Haunted by a family curse that destines her to fail in every relationship, Yau’s hilarious bar-hopping misadventures have earned the compassion of her assistant and secret admirer Hall (Yan). Soon in between their cooking team-up as they tour to the Iron Chef TV show competition in Japan, a "delicious romantic affair" apparently becomes their winning recipe. Or is it?

Directed by Lee Chi Ngan, Magic Kitchen also stars Maggie Q, Nicola Cheung and Andy Lau. With theme song sung by Jerry Yan, it is released in the Philippines by First Films.