The 2013 Hawaii International Film Festival is now underway through October 20 in Honolulu.  Check out more than 200 films from 42 countries showing at HIFF and lots of great film-related events.

Just saw one of the opening films last night, Final Recipe. Fun drama about a culinary competition in China, featuring actress Michelle Yeoh, as the host of a cooking show in Asia, and K-pop star, Henry Lau, as a young chef named Mark.

Actor Henry Lau as a cooking prodigy named Mark in Final Recipe | Photo courtesy HIFF

HIFF Film Notes on Final Recipe:

“Hao was once a famous chef, but his restaurant has seen better times. He blames the changing tastes of modern people, calling them fickle and just chasing trends, disrespecting the traditional ways. Hao’s only hope is that his grandson Mark (Super Junior’s Henry Lau) enters a prestigious university. But, little does he know, Mark is a gifted chef and wants to get into the family business.

Due to Hao’s difficult personality, the restaurant is on the verge of bankruptcy. In order to save the restaurant, Mark enters one of the most prestigious culinary competitions in Shanghai. He competes against talented chefs from Japan, Korea, Australia, and around the Pacific Rim, showcasing his expert skills from years of observing his grandfather slave away in the kitchen. Meanwhile, Julia (Chinese superstar Michelle Yeoh) hopes that her husband David (Chin Han), a former chef himself, enters the contest and rediscovers his love for cooking. But, he’ll have to compete against Mark, the young prodigy. Julia notices something peculiar about Mark, slowly realizing that the budding chef and her husband resemble each other.

FINAL RECIPE, from acclaimed director Gina Kim (NEVER FOREVER), lushly photographs the story’s brilliantly mouthwatering culinary concoctions. The performances, especially from the luminous Michelle Yeoh and K-pop star Henry Lau (Mark), truly shine in this delectable Pan-Asian melodrama.”