SEASONS’ NOODLES

A Story of Taste & Time

Yan (left) & Chao (right)

For Yan & Chao, the American Dream was built one bowl at a time.

From the bustling streets of China to the snowy winters of Upstate New York, “Seasons’ Noodles” follows the intimate journey of a husband and wife who risked everything to open a small noodle shop. It is not just a story about food, but about the seasons of a marriage and the resilience required to plant roots in foreign soil.

DOCUMENTARY TRAILER

Director’s Note

This documentary is inspired by the idea of sonder — the realization that every person we pass is living a life as rich and complex as our own.

Behind every neighborhood restaurant is a story of risk, sacrifice, family, and quiet resilience. By focusing on local restaurant owners, this film looks beyond menus and storefronts to reveal the deeply human journeys unfolding behind the counter — stories of migration, ambition, survival, and hope.

Peam Patrathiranond – Director

Why Seasons’ Noodles?

Season Noodle stands out from modern restaurants by prioritizing the personal experience of each customer. While many places focus on efficiency and cutting costs, Yan takes a different approach. He handcrafts his noodles and dumplings, emphasizing the importance of care and connection in his work. In the film, he explains that owning his own restaurant allows him to better serve people in a more meaningful way.

Yan’s dedication to his craft is inspiring, and his passion for cooking is evident throughout the documentary. His work reflects the idea of “sonder”—the recognition that every customer has their own story. Through his effort and love for what he does, Yan brings depth, warmth, and character to Season Noodle, enriching the cultural fabric of Rochester.

Our Process

1 – Discovery

Two months of research into Rochester’s culinary history led us to a small, unassuming storefront on the city’s edge.

When looking for a restaurant, we wanted something that was human-centered in its approach. Something that cares about the experience of the customer more than the brutal efficiency of producing the most amount of food for the most amount of people at the cheapest cost. We looked at multiple restaurants in the Rochester region that fell under these criteria, with Season’s Noodles embodying these ideals completely.

2 – Interview/Immersion

The crew spent a day in the kitchen without cameras, learning the rhythm of Yan and Chao’s daily labor.

We wanted to know more than just the process of running a restaurant; we wanted to get to know Yan and share that relationship in the documentary. Yan is a Chinese immigrant whose work ethic is truly admirable. When he was younger, he served in the Air Force, an experience that helped shape his discipline and perspective.

The reason he is in Rochester is because of the Eastman School of Music, which he hopes to attend, building on his background as a classically trained pianist. The connection between food and music is something we found especially compelling, as both can serve as windows into how their creator—Yan—thinks, making them among the purest forms of artistic expression.

3 – Production

Filmed over 3 days in the winter, following Yan’s daily life & capturing the authentic atmosphere of the restaurant.

From January 30th to February 2nd, we filmed 3 interviews and followed Yan on his daily routine of running Seasons’ noodle on Sunday and Monday. Filming in so many locations required us to be flexible and quick, so we made sure to work with very little equipment and a small crew. Despite all that, we still had the challenge of dealing with the gruesome Rochester winter in the few shots that we had to get outside.

4 – Post Production

Editing focused on the sensory experience—the sound of chopping, the hiss of steam, the silence of snow.

Two days were not a lot to cover everything that we wanted to, so we made sure to overshoot rather than undershoot. In total, we shot over 800GB of footage across the two days. Post-production was difficult to begin with because of the 4 hours of interview footage to review, and all the remaining B-Roll that had to be combed through. However, once they were all sorted and reviewed, it made the whole process easier, and we are glad to have overshot. Post-production required only very minimal reshoots, only for some exterior shots of Rochester.