Tastes Like Home
Tastes Like Home is a touching and flavorful TV series that explores the universal connection between food, identity, and memory in a world shaped by globalization.
Each season is set in a different city, beginning with New York—a dynamic place where diverse cultures collide and coexist.
Structure and Flow
The show dives into the lives of locals and expats living far from their homelands, spotlighting how they adapt local ingredients to recreate cherished dishes that remind them of home.Each episode introduces a new individual, couple, or family with a personal connection to a dish that represents their roots. Viewers follow them through three key stages:
-
The journey begins with sourcing the key components of their dish. Whether it’s exploring Chinatown for rare spices, hunting down specialty markets in Queens, or improvising with what’s available at a local farmers' market, this segment highlights the creativity and dedication needed to recreate familiar flavors.
-
Back in their kitchen, the featured cook(s) prepare their dish, often sharing stories of family traditions, cultural rituals, and nostalgic memories. These moments weave together food and emotion, showing how cooking becomes a way to connect with home.
-
The episode culminates in a communal moment—whether it’s sharing the dish with friends, neighbors, or family—or reflecting on how the process has helped them feel closer to their identity.
Why me?
Why now?
I’ve always felt like I belonged to many places, yet not entirely to any of them. Born in New York, I was sent to live with my grandparents in Shanghai when I was just a baby, while my parents focused on their studies and careers. My grandparents' cooking defined my earliest memories—a mix of comfort, tradition, and care. Food was more than just a meal. Later, I moved to Atlanta with my mom, and the flavors shifted again. In a city far removed from the tastes of my childhood, I watched my mom adapt recipes using what was available. It wasn’t the same, but it was still home in its own way. Now, living in New York, I’m constantly discovering food in a city that thrives on diversity. I’ve learned that “home” is not about a specific place but the feelings we recreate through the dishes we cook and share.
With the rise of remote work and global connectivity, more young people are embracing flexible lifestyles like the digital nomad trend, where jobs no longer tie them to a single location. This shift creates new opportunities but also deepens the feeling of rootlessness for many. As individuals move across borders, they carry their culture in unique ways—especially through food. Dishes that remind them of home become a way to reconnect with family, tradition, and personal history, even when they’re thousands of miles away. This series feels especially timely because it reflects how food bridges the gap between physical distance and emotional closeness. It shows how people use the universal language of taste to stay grounded in an increasingly globalized world. For a generation that is constantly redefining home, this series explores how food offers a sense of belonging wherever you go.
Characters
-
Nina Pate
Nina is a recent graduate working as a data analyst while exploring her love for art on weekends. Born in Mumbai, she moved to New York to attend university and stayed for work. She misses her family's bustling kitchen, especially the monsoon evenings when her mother made hot pakoras and chai.
Dish: Pav Bhaji – A spicy vegetable mash served with buttered rolls, a quintessential Mumbai street food.
-
Marcus Reed
Marcus is a freelance graphic designer living in Brooklyn with his cat, Luna. Born and raised in New Orleans, he grew up surrounded by jazz and soul food, taught by his grandmother. After Hurricane Katrina, his family relocated to Atlanta, but he moved to NYC to pursue a career in design.
Dish: Gumbo – A hearty stew with shrimp, sausage, and okra.
-
Hana Kobayashi
Hana moved to New York 40 years ago with her late husband, who was an architect. Now retired, she spends her time gardening in her small backyard and teaching origami at the local community center. Hana often prepares simple, traditional Japanese meals for her grandchildren, who visit her on weekends.
Dish: Oyakodon – A simple chicken and egg rice bowl, a dish her mother used to make for her after school in Kyoto.
-
The Stylish Uncles
Best friends Carlos (Puerto Rican), Marco (Italian-American), and Ali (Egyptian) are retired barbers who co-own a small vintage shop in Queens. Known for their sharp suits and endless banter, they meet every week to cook, drink wine, and reminisce.
Dish: Fusion Feast – A collaborative meal featuring Arroz con Gandules (Puerto Rican rice and pigeon peas), Spaghetti Carbonara, and Koshari (Egyptian lentils, rice, and pasta).
Seasons
8-10 episodes, each around 1hr
Tokyo
Season 1
Season 2
New York
Hong Kong
Season 3
London
Season 4
Season 1 Breakdown
-
![]()
Episode 1: Three Uncles, One Kitchen
People featured: Best friends Carlos, Marco, and Ali
-
![]()
Episode 2: Nina's Pav Bhaji
People featured: Nina Pate, a graduate working as a data analyst grew up in Mumbai and moved to New York for study and work.
-
![]()
Episode 3: 2:00 a.m.
People featured: Marcus Reed, a freelance graphic designer living in Brooklyn with his cat, Luna. Moved from New Orleans to Atlanta, and later to New York.
-
![]()
Episode 4: Fusion Roommates
People featured: Sofia Ma and Matteo Rossi, the two girls know each other through college and become roommates ever since. Their kitchen is a mix of Chinese and Italian.
-
![]()
Episode 5: Pho for the Soul
People featured: Bao Nguyen who grew up in Hanoi where his family’s pho shop was a beloved neighborhood staple. He finished his CS degree in New York, but decided to follow his heart and become a private chef.
-
![]()
Episode 6: Tacos, Tacos, Tacos
People featured: Maria Gutierrez, grew up in Mexico City and moved to New York when she was a child. Now she owns a small storefront in Brooklyn, serving some of the city’s most beloved tacos.
-
![]()
Episode 7: Family in a Bowl
People featured: Hana moved to New York decades ago with her husband, who has since passed. She maintains her Japanese heritage by cooking traditional dishes for her grandchildren.
-
![]()
Episode 8: The City
A episode featuring the daily routes of every characters in the order of morning to evening. Even though they don't meet each other, but their routes have some how crossed.
Platforms & Extended Experience
-
Hosted on Netflix, Amazon Prime, etc.
-
(Available in 2D & 3D)
-
A Podcast Series featuring the guests from each episode. Here they'd share personal stories about dishes that reminds them of home, as well as their recipes.
