The Chinese film “Once Upon a Time in the Middle East” highlights the enduring human desire for peace amid conflict by telling the story of a Chinese cook named Xu Fu, who creates a simple yet meaningful dish—braised rice stew—during wartime. The dish symbolizes hope and normalcy in the midst of violence and hardship.

Set against the backdrop of a Middle Eastern conflict, the film follows Xu Fu as he moves to the region to work in a Chinese restaurant after encountering financial difficulties at home. There, he and the restaurant manager Ma Junsheng develop an establishment that becomes a hub for people from diverse backgrounds. When war erupts, the restaurant’s role as a center for everyday life is disrupted, and Xu Fu finds himself caring for orphaned children while preparing the modest rice stew that eventually gains symbolic significance.

Ameen Muneer Mohammed Al-Obaidi, an Iraqi actor who survived the Iraq War, plays a waiter in the film’s closing scene. Al-Obaidi, who moved to China’s Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region in 2011, drew on his own experiences growing up in Baghdad amid conflict. He described a stark contrast between his war-torn childhood, characterized by scarcity and fear, and his life in China, where celebrations like the Spring Festival brought joy and a sense of peace previously unknown to him.

Director Wen Muye emphasized the deliberate use of food as a narrative device to convey warmth, unity, and the universal longing for normalcy during times of destruction. The film repeatedly features scenes of cooking and shared meals, underscoring the cultural and emotional connections forged through cuisine.

Since its release in August, the film has performed strongly at the box office, grossing over 2.3 billion yuan (approximately 343 million U.S. dollars), and receiving positive reviews for its heartfelt depiction of life amid conflict.

The fictional Loong Restaurant depicted in the film is inspired by real-life Chinese eateries that have operated in conflict zones, particularly in Iraq. One such example is Yan Loong Wan, a Chinese restaurant opened in downtown Baghdad in 2003 by Chen Xianzhong, a Chinese Arabic-language graduate. Despite the outbreak of the Iraq War, Chen continued to run his restaurant, adapting its menu to accommodate Muslim dietary customs. During the conflict, the restaurant served not only locals but also international journalists, diplomats, and even American soldiers, offering a rare semblance of normal life amid the chaos.

Chen eventually closed the restaurant in 2005 due to escalating violence but chose to remain in Iraq, operating a hotel and shopping mall. He cited his familiarity with the country and language as reasons for staying despite the risks associated with ongoing instability.

“Once Upon a Time in the Middle East” uses the shared human experience of food and family to explore themes of resilience and peace, illustrating how ordinary moments of togetherness become precious in times of war.