Promotional material for Granny Knows Best Photo: Courtesy of Tencent Video

Jamie Bilbow, a 31-year-old host and documentary producer, is passionate about Chinese cuisine. His desire to talk with Chinese people about cooking led him to become fluent in the language. 

Learning Chinese at School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) in London, Bilbow came to Beijing and lived in a hutong (traditional alleyway) for four years. During his time in Beijing, he hosted several food documentaries produced by CCTV and came up with the idea of filming a cooking show featuring elderly grandmothers, who usually still use traditional cooking methods in the kitchen. 

This idea became Granny Knows Best, an eight-episode documentary that has earned more than 22 million views on streaming platform Tencent Video. The documentary currently has an 8.9/10 on Chinese media review site Douban.

Bilbow noted that many Chinese his age were raised by their grandmothers and so the food on the program probably reminded them of their childhoods. 

"I wanted to create a documentary where people could relate to the content and could share their feelings," Bilbow told the Global Times.

On the program, Bilbow visits many rural areas around China, speaking with these elderly women in fluent Chinese and asking them to teach him their traditional ways. After enjoying the fruits of their labor, he then treats them to a meal combining Western and Chinese ingredients and cooking methods. 

What has hit viewers right in the hearts is not only the taste of food prepared by these grandmothers, but also the poignant life stories they sometimes shared in the documentary. Bilbow told the Global Times that he was sometimes not prepared for those stories and was even shocked when they would tell them with smiles on their faces.  

"Many grannies were straight-talking, extremely caring, kind and sweet. I think the way they tell these sad stories shows their maturity and wisdom," Bilbow said.