Updated on 10 April 2013

Updated on 24 Mar 2013

Information from: michelleyeoh.info
ORIGINAL SOURCE: Hollywood Reporter: The Passion of Michelle Yeoh
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Updated on 11 Mar 2013

Reported by Hong Kong Media in a news related to Michelle Yeoh’s schedule, there are plans to release some footage and behind the scenes of the movie at the Cannes Film Festival.

Information from: michelleyeoh.info
ORIGINAL SOURCE: Oriental Daily
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Updated on 24th Feb 2013

Synopsis

Family is the secret ingredient

Hao was once a famous chef but his Chinese restaurant is now an unpopular destination due to changing tastes of modern people. He despises the fact that people nowadays do not respect traditional dishes and has become a bitter old man who is difficult to deal with. Hao’s only hope is that his grandson Mark enters a prestigious university, but Mark’s dream is to follow his grandfather’s footsteps and become a chef and take over the restaurant.

Due to Hao’s difficult personality, the restaurant is on the verge of bankruptcy and he finally collapses. In order to save the restaurant, Mark enters a cooking contest without his grandfather’s knowledge and consent in Shanghai. He competes against talented chefs from Japan, Korea and Australia, and freely shows of ravishing cooking skills that he has accumulated from his grandfather over the years.

Meanwhile, contest producer Julia hopes that her husband and world-reknowned chef David enters the contest and rediscovers his love for cooking. As Mark wins round after round and gains attention, Julia notices something particular about him, then she slowly realizes that Mark and her husband David resembel each other…

Casts

Michelle Yeoh as Julia
Henry Lau as Mark
Chin Han as David

Information from: michelleyeoh.info
ORIGINAL SOURCE: Fortissimo Films
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Updated on 12th Feb 2013

New Straits Times

On another matter, Yeoh said her latest movie ‘Final Recipe’ should be released either in April or May this year.

“We are hoping to get it ready for the Cannes Film Festival to be held in May,” she added.

In ‘Final Recipe’, previously called ‘Cooktales’, which was set in Singapore, Yeoh plays the producer of a television show which pits local chefs against each other.

The Star Online

Yeoh added that one of her latest films, “Final Recipe” would be released between April or May this year.

The film, directed by Korean filmmaker Gina Kim, tells the story of an aspiring chef who decided to take part in a cooking contest to save his grandfather’s restaurant from closing shop.

The film also stars Henry Lau of Super Junior-M, Chin Han (The Dark Knight), Korean actor Ha Joeng-woo and American Vera Farmiga.

Information from: michelleyeoh.info
ORIGINAL SOURCE: New Straits Times, The Star Online
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Updated on 7th Feb 2013

EXCLUSIVE: Korea’s CJ Entertainment and Fortissimo Films will be introducing Gina Kim’s English-language Final Recipe, starring Michelle Yeoh, to buyers at the European Film Market (EFM).

CJ produced and fully financed the film which is currently in post-production. Fortissimo executive produced and is handling sales in European territories while CJ handles the rest of the world. Bang Singapore and A Grand Elephant Productions co-produced with CJ.

Set in Singapore, the film stars Yeoh as the producer of a TV show that pits local chefs against each other. Henry Lau, a member of pop group Super Junior M, plays a young chef who enters the competition in an attempt to save his family’s restaurant. Chin Han (The Dark Knight, 2012) also stars.

Fortissimo’s Michael J. Werner is an executive producer on the film along with Tae-sung Jeong, Mike Suh, Jonathan Kim, Keiko Bang and Yeoh. Gina Kim and Steven Nam produced and Yeonu Choi is credited as co-producer.

Kim previously directed romantic drama Never Forever, starring Vera Farmiga, and documentary Faces Of Seoul, which had its world premiere at the 66th Venice film festival.

Information from: michelleyeoh.info
ORIGINAL SOURCE: Screendaily
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Admin’s note: After combing through European Film Market(EFM) and Fortissimo Films websites, we have not found any information stating that Final Recipe will be SCREENED during the film festival. However, the movie is listed in Fortissimo Films’ recent newsletter as an upcoming film. Both CJ Entertainment and Fortissimo Films will be having a booth at the EFM 2013 exhibiting their productions.

Updated on 6th Feb 2013

Meanwhile, Yeoh, who played Aung San Suu Kyi in Luc Besson’s 2011 film “The Lady,” is starring with Henry Lau in her upcoming film “Final Recipe.” The film is directed by Korean filmmaker Gina Kim, whose previous works include the 2007 romance “Never Forever,” which starred top Korean actor Ha Joeng-woo and American actress Vera Farmiga.

The film tells the story of young aspiring chef Mark (played by Henry Lau), who decides to participate in an international cooking contest in an attempt to save his grandfather’s restaurant from going out of business. Lau is a Hong Kong-Canadian, and is known to speak Mandarin, Cantonese, Korean and English.

Information from: michelleyeoh.info
ORIGINAL SOURCE: Korea Herald
Teaser images from: 피그말리온, Fortissimo Films (Berlin 2013 Newsletter #2)
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Updated on 17 January 2013

The article is about CJ E&M 2013 line up.
Extract

양자경과 슈퍼쥬니어 M의 헨리가 주연한 ‘파이널 레시피’

“Final Recipe” that has Michelle Yeoh and Super Junior M Henry as main cast

Source: http://www.nocutnews.co.kr/Show.asp?IDX=2359678
Translated:StringswithHenry.com
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Updated on 17 October 2012

Korea’s CJ Entertainment introduced some of their upcoming movies at the CJ Night held during the 17th Busan Film Festival which ended last Friday. Some footage from Cooktales were shown.

Source: MichelleYeoh.info

Updated on 10 October 2012

The news was mainly on Michelle Yeoh. But it mentioned that Cooktales will be scheduled for release in 2013.

Source: News link
Translated: StringswithHenry.com

Update on 23 September 2012
Cooktales’s Director Gina Kim(half Korean) previously had a special screening session in Korea of another movie she directed “The Lady”, which is also acted by Michelle Yeoh. (Admin random say: Saw the trailer of The Lady when watching Michelle Yeoh being interviewed on a Taiwan tv show, looks like a very good movie.It’s related to Burma’s democracy movement.)

Only extracted parts that mentioned about Henry and Cooktales

한 관객의 “양자경이 아시아 최고의 배우라고 느꼈던 에피소드는?”이라는 질문에 김진아 감독은 “배우들은 연기를 할 때 많은 에너지를 소모하기 때문에 자신의 연기 부분이 아닌 부분에서는 힘을 빼기 마련인데, 양자경은 처음 연기에 도전하는 헨리를 위해 자신의 연기 부분이 아닐 때에도 120% 리액션을 보여줬어요”라며 영화를 위해 열정을 아끼지 않는 그녀의 모습을 극찬했다.

One audience posted a question “Is there one episode/moment when you felt that Michelle Yeoh is Asia’s top actress?” and Director Kim Gina replied “Many actors/actresses use up a lot of energy when acting, that is why if it is not their own parts, they will not bother with it. However, towards Henry who is acting for the 1st time, even if it was not her parts, Michelle Yeoh gave 120% effort in helping him” giving the actress who is passionate in acting a very high praise.

이어, “앞으로 한국영화가 어떻게 될 것 같나요?”라는 심오한 질문에는 “많은 분들이 애를 쓰고 있다고 생각해요. 한국영화가 <쉬리> 이후에 많은 발전을 이뤘고 거대 감독들인 박찬욱, 봉준호, 김지운 감독 등 많은 분들이 산업영화를 하면서도 작가영화를 만들 수 있다는 것을 보여주었죠. 이번에 제가 연출한 는 배우는 아시아계지만 대사는 영어로 하고 배경은 상하이로 되어있어요. 이러한 퓨전 영화들이 앞으로도 많이 기획되고 있는 것으로 아는데, 결국은 이렇게 글로벌 무대로의 진출이 우리에게 큰 기회가 되지 않을까 생각해요” 라고 답했다.

Rough translation for this above part(because only 1 sentence is about Cooktales):
Director Gina Kim was asked what she thinks Korean movies will be like in future. She mentioned in her reply that “Cooktales although the actors/actresses are Asians, but the script is in English and the background is based on Shanghai.I heard many fusion movies will be planned in the future, as a result I thought that entering the global movie market will become the huge opportunity to us.”

Source: The Lady Official Blog (http://blog.naver.com/theladymovie?Redirect=Log&logNo=30147238081)
Translated: StringswithHenry.com
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Filming ended on 15 June 2012

Update on 15/06/12
Henry with Thai fans on his last day of filming

Source: @anniiez_z

Update on 06/06/12
Clearer picture of Henry, Michelle Yeoh and other casts

Source:
http://michelleyeoh.info

Update on 01/06/12
Interview with Michelle Yeoh at Giorgio Armani fashion show, One Night Only in Beijing, May 31st.

“Three generations of men are separated for pursuing their own ideals. I am the woman who tries to bring them back together. The background of the story is a cooking show,” Michelle spoke about Cooktales during media interviews when she attended a fashion show yesterday. “I’m having a pleasant and easy time. Everyone else worked very hard to learn cooking – chopping, dishes, dumplings, noodles, etc., I just relax and taste their food,” said Michelle with a smile. Asked if she has gained weight with all the good food, Michele said “a little bit” and she laughed: “I was worried that I would not be able to fit in this dress!” She said she doesn’t usually cook herself since she travels so much and often lives in hotels.

Source:
http://michelleyeoh.info

Update on 24/05/12
Production is now underway in Thailand on Cooktales, an English-language drama about food and family set in Singapore.

The much-delayed film is directed by South Korea’s Gina KIM 김진아 and stars Asian superstar Michelle YEOH 楊紫瓊. It is fully financed by Korean entertainment giant CJ E&M Corp, which is also hatching a new US project with Brett RATNER (see below).

Cooktales is an epicurean coming-of-age tale of an amateur cook who has to deal with the twisted fate of his family. Production is by Keiko BANG’s Bang Singapore Pte Ltd and CJ Entertainment Inc ＣＪ엔터테인먼트. Shooting is expected to continue to the end of June, with a release scheduled for the end of 2012 or early 2013.

Other cast include Chin Han, Henry Lau and Chang Tseng.

The film was previously announced in Nov 2010 as a venture backed by Singapore’s Media Development Authority (MDA) through its New Feature Film Fund and by investment firm Asia Media & Technology Capital. Neither company is involved any longer.

Production was delayed by Kim’s recent illness, but during the hiatus the Singapore government changed its funding policies and withdrew its support from the film, leaving CJ to pick up the $8 million budget.

Separately CJ has agreed with US director Brett Ratner to develop buddy action adventure franchise The Golden Age.

The deal involves Rat Entertainment’s John Cheng and CJ Entertainment’s HONG Min-young 홍민영 overseeing screenwriters J.P. LAVIN and Chad DAMIANI scripting what is intended to be a franchise, involving a British puzzle expert, a Chinese police officer and a mysterious Chinese female pirate on the hunt for China’s hidden treasures. Ratner is considering directing the first film in the series The Golden Age: The Lost Treasure of Zheng He.

The agreement was announced by CJ’s Miky LEE 이미경 and newly appointed head of international business JEONG Tae-sung 정태성.

Source:
http://www.filmbiz.asia/news/yeoh-stirred-by-cj-cooktales

Update on 09/05/12

Set in Singapore, the story is written and directed by South Korea’s writer-director Gina Kim (Never Forever). The project was first announced at AFM in November 2010. The production was planned to begin last summer in Singapore and China before Michelle’s busy promotional tour on her latest film The Lady. It got postponed to this year because the director fell sick before the scheduled shooting.

In recent interviews Michelle said the film is a family drama and about cooking. Personal differences break apart a family of three generations and cooking brings them back together. Singaporean actor Chin Han (The Dark Knight) and Chinese Canadian singer-songwriter-dancer Henry Lau will play father and son. Other cast members include Hong Kong actor Chang Tseng (2012), Australian actor Aden Young (Mao’s Last Dancer), Japanese model and actress Lika Minamoto, Korean American actor and comedian Bobby Lee (MADtv), and Broadway actress Lori Tan Chinn. Some of the main and supporting actors were in Bangkok in March, learning cooking in preparation for the shooting.

Michelle’s character in the film is described as an “executive producer on a prestigious television cooking show” and “culinary grand master”. More relationships will be revealed as we learn more about the story. The film is being shot in English.

Source:
http://michelleyeoh.info

About Cooktales:

Cooktales (working title), an epicurean drama set in the food paradise of Singapore about a coming-of-age tale of an amateur cook who at the same time has to deal with the twisted fate of his family, will be a film directed by Gina Kim (Never Forever). This is the second collaboration between Bang Singapore and Korea’s CJ Entertainment following Neon Sign, a project that was announced at last year’s American Film Market.

Source:
Singapore MDA’s International Film Fund shortlists The Harvest and Cooktales

http://www.mda.gov.sg/NewsAndEvents/PressRelease/2010/Pages/08112010b.aspx