The premiere episode of "Tastefully Yours" unfurls with an illuminating glimpse into Hansang Group, a colossal food empire encompassing numerous esteemed restaurants. We are promptly acquainted with Han Beom-woo, a director within the conglomerate whose business acumen is as icy as it is unyielding. A poignant scene unfolds as a protestor, armed with posters branding Beom-woo a "recipe thief," stands in stark contrast to his ruthless business style.
When a junior staffer falls short in securing an abalone restaurant, Beom-woo personally steps into the fray. He confronts the restaurant's proprietor, leveraging the man's clandestine gambling addictions as leverage. If the proprietor fails to persuade his mother to part with the establishment, Beom-woo threatens to expose his illicit habits to the world.
Subsequently, Beom-woo ventures to Motto, an elite fine-dining establishment under his purview, to scrutinize the culinary offerings for their impending new menu. At this prestigious locale, Chef Jang Young-hye is immersed in an interview, heralding the restaurant's virtues. Unannounced, Beom-woo barges in, berating her for her failure to finalize the menu's marquee dish—a truffle neobiani.
When she dares to invoke the sanctity of creativity, he dismissively retorts that creativity has no place in his schema. Instead, he mandates that she adhere strictly to the recipes he has meticulously curated from across the nation. With unwavering resolve, Beom-woo imposes his will, instructing her to ensure that Motto attains the coveted three-star rating.
Beom-woo returns to the hallowed grounds of Hansang, where he is acquainted with Han Sun-woo, his estranged brother and formidable rival, under the watchful eye of their shared mother, the esteemed chairwoman. During a dinner where she nonchalantly dismisses her chef, the chairwoman declares that the mantle of Hansang's next proprietor shall fall upon the shoulders of whichever son earns three stars for their restaurant.
Beom-woo's ambitious plans for Motto soon encounter a roadblock when his junior staff member discovers another establishment in the small town of Jeonju serving a truffle neobiani, a dish that Motto prides itself on as unique. Alarmed by this revelation, Beom-woo decides to confront the situation personally. After a lengthy journey, he arrives at a quaint, homey eatery, where he encounters a woman working in the garden. Startled, she wields her knife at him when he accidentally steps on her cabbage patch, causing him to tumble to the ground. Realizing she is the owner, he attempts to engage her in conversation about the neobiani.
She corrects him, insisting it's not neobiani but seopsanjeok. Regardless, she steadfastly refuses to prepare it due to the lack of a crucial ingredient—beef rump sourced specifically from Mawon Farm. Determined, Beom-woo resolves to obtain it himself but is mocked by the butcher when he inquiries about Mawon Farm's beef (presumably because the cuts are unlabelled). In desperation, he purchases an entire shelf of various beef rump packages.
Meanwhile, Yeon-joo, the store owner, realizes she needs to stock up on eggs. She ventures to a chicken farmer, who informs her that his wife is unwell. Undeterred, she enters the coop herself and bravely retrieves eggs from a flock of rowdy chickens.
With an assortment of beef cuts in tow, Beom-woo arrives at the restaurant, much to Yeon-joo's surprise. Instead of presenting genuine Mawon Farms beef, she discovers that he has merely affixed stickers to the meat. Nevertheless, she manages to uncover a solitary authentic piece and reluctantly agrees to prepare the dish. To obtain a unique ingredient, she leads Beom-woo on a exhilarating trek into the mountains, where they gather a specific mushroom. Upon their return, Yeon-joo begins her culinary preparations.
Intrigued, Beom-woo takes a bite of her cabbage kimchi, which transports him back to fond memories of his grandmother. As he savors the truffle dish, he realizes, despite its superficial resemblance, that it is a far cry from the one served at Motto. He thoroughly enjoys her rendition and expresses his earnest desire to acquire her restaurant.
However, Yeon-joo flatly refuses, emphasizing that those who are motivated solely by money fail to appreciate the genuine passion and sincerity that underpin food and cooking. She challenges him on his true intentions within the culinary world. In response, Beom-woo contends that without financial stability, her love for cooking cannot thrive.
The next day, Yeon-joo's landlord arrives with a stark ultimatum: she has just one month to settle her overdue rent. Meanwhile, Beom-woo learns that the individual he had threatened for illegal gambling has attempted suicide and is now hospitalized. At Hansang, Beom-woo's worst fears are confirmed as he is officially relieved of his duties as Director. Despite this setback, he decides to visit the hospital to offer his apologies. Unfortunately, he inadvertently eavesdrops on a conversation between the victim and Han Sun-woo, realizing with shock that Sun-woo had orchestrated the entire ordeal against him.
He promptly rings his mother, yet she displays an indifferent attitude towards Sun-woo's underhanded tactics. She informs Beom-woo that, from this moment on, Sun-woo will oversee Motto, and suggests he seek alternative means to validate his worth. Subsequently, Beom-woo makes an unexpected appearance at Yeon-joo's doorstep, querying whether he might have a word with her.
