Gilded Chopsticks
Gilded Chopsticks is a 2014 Hong Kong historical drama produced by TVB. The 25-episode series is in Cantonese and aired on Jade and HD Jade from February 10 to March 14, 2014. The opening theme is Loyal Subject and the ending theme is Tears of Departure. The title in Chinese is 食為奴, literally meaning “Eat to be Enslaved.”
Set during the Yongzheng era of the Qing dynasty, the story follows Ko Tin-po, a lazy but brilliantly talented imperial chef who wins the friendship of the Yongzheng Emperor while navigating palace intrigue and power struggles over the throne. The drama is inspired by Jin Yong’s The Deer and the Cauldron.
Main cast includes Wong Cho-lam as Ko Tin-po; Ben Wong as Yongzheng; Louis Cheung as Yinsi; Bob Lam as Choi Hok-ting; Nancy Wu as Nin Yeuk-bik; Joey Meng as Lu Siniang; Stephanie Ho as Mai Siu-yu, with Jack Wu as Lee Wai. The production also involved filming in Hong Kong and Hengdian World Studios, with multi-camera setups and about 45 minutes per episode.
Development notes: the project began with a sales trailer in 2012 under the working title Food for the Slaves, featuring different early cast members. The show eventually brought together Wong Cho-lam, Joey Meng, Ben Wong, Nancy Wu, Louis Cheung, and others, with filming starting in March 2013.
This page was last edited on 2 February 2026, at 19:19 (CET).