Of Cooks and Kung Fu A.K.A. Duel of the Dragon • 饕餮功 (1979)

Of Cooks and Kung Fu (1979), Also Known As: Duel of the Dragon, Fists of Vengeance, Cooks of Kung Fu, and Tao Tie Gong (饕餮功), is a Hong Kong-Taiwanese martial arts comedy directed by Ting Chung. Starring Jackie Chen (Chan Siu-lung), Kai Chia, Chen Shan, Lee Kwan, and Wu Ma, the film mixes traditional kung fu with comedy, revenge, and the unusual concept of Cooking Kung Fu. Produced during the popular kung fu comedy period of the late 1970s, it remains an entertaining choice for collectors of unusual old-school martial arts films. Available from ClassicKungFuMovies.com for collectors seeking rare kung fu movies and hard-to-find physical media.

The Story

After a respected royal chef and his household are murdered by a jealous rival, the chef's young grandson is secretly rescued and raised by the eccentric Master Glutton. Years later, the boy has been trained in an unusual martial arts system based around the movements and techniques of cooking. When the time comes to face the men responsible for his family's destruction, his strange training becomes the key to surviving a series of dangerous encounters.

The Martial Arts

Of Cooks and Kung Fu is built around the film's unusual Cooking Kung Fu style, combining traditional martial arts movements with techniques inspired by cooking. The action features hand-to-hand combat, acrobatic movement, creative props, and the fast-paced choreography associated with late-1970s kung fu cinema. Jackie Chen brings an energetic physical performance to the unusual fighting style.

Why Collectors Pick It

Collectors appreciate Of Cooks and Kung Fu for its unusual premise and its place in the wave of martial arts comedies that became popular in Hong Kong during the late 1970s. The combination of revenge, comedy, traditional kung fu, and Cooking Kung Fu gives the film a distinctive character among independent martial arts productions of the period.

Historical Significance

Released in 1979, Of Cooks and Kung Fu represents the inventive side of the Hong Kong and Taiwanese kung fu movie boom. Films of this period regularly experimented with unusual training methods, comic characters, and distinctive fighting styles, and this title stands out for turning the movements of a chef into the basis for its martial arts action.

International & Alternate Titles

Film & DVD Details

Carefully researched and prepared for collectors of classic martial arts cinema by ClassicKungFuMovies.com.