Court Lady Jung Sang Goon suffers from a weak health so she may have to step down from her post. It’s Head Court Lady Jae Jo Sang Gong’s birthday and traditionally the Court Ladies Sang Gong has to cook feast for her.
Court Lady Choi brings food and presents to Head Court Lady to please her. Court Lady Jung cooks up birthday feast with help from Jang-Geum since Court Lady Jung is weak and losing her taste palate. Head Court Lady Jae Jo Sang Goon yells at Court Lady Jung after tasting the food saying it’s horrible and disrespectful. Court Lady Jung tells Jang-Geum the problem doesn’t lie in the food. Jang-geum later discovers that she can’t taste flavours in food.
Court Lady Choi asks the medical lady about Court Lady Jung’s health and finds out Court Lady Jung suffers from weak legs which will eventually worsen her health. Court Lady Choi tells her brother to help her to push Court Lady Jung out so she can be the next head of Royal Kitchen.
Jang-Geum asks the medicine lady about her inability to taste the flavours and the medicine lady tells Jang-Geum to wait since she might still be under the consequences of food poisioning. Jang-Geum borrows more books about medicine from Min Jung-Ho to learn about her illness.
Court Lady Choi bribes Head Court Lady Jae Jo Sang Gong’s servant to help persuade Head Court Lady to make Court Lady Choi the successor of Court Lady Jung.
Court Lady Jung tells the King it’s time for her to retire since she’s getting old and ill. Court Lady Jung asks the King if it’s okay to set up a cooking contests between Court Lady Han and Court Lady Choi to determine who should be the next head of Royal Kitchen.
Head Court Lady and Court Lady become angry that Court Lady Jung went about the matter on her own. Court Lady Jung tells Court Lady Han that she has done everything she could and tells Court Lady Han to trust her own skills and have no fear. Court Lady Han tells Jang-Geum that Court Lady Jung risked her life to give Court Lady Han the opportunity because Court Lady Jung does not want the place where food is prepared to ever become a place for power and greed.
Court Lady Han tells Jang-Geum she intends to stir up courage from within to win the contest and asks Jang-Geum to be her assistant. Jang-Geum tells Court Lady Han she can’t because she lost her taste palate since she ate the ginseng combination. Court Lady Han tells Jang-Geum to wait like the medicine lady said but Jang-Geum says it’s been over 10 days and still no sign of recovery.
Court Lady Han takes Jang-Geum to seek medical advice outside of the palace. The doctor tells them there isn’t much they can do and it may take 10 years or 20 years for the palate to get its taste ability back. Court Lady Han takes Jang-Geum to a second doctor who also gives them no hope. Jang-Geum tells Court Lady Han to gives up on her. Court Lady Han tells Jang-Geum she needs her.
On their way back they stop by to buy fresh fish in the market place. The fish merchant who is blind, recognizes Court Lady Han by her voice and picks out the freshest fish simply by touching.
Night and day Jang-geum tastes as much food as she can think of to see if her taste buds have recovered. Jang-Geum cries out aloud at her loss. Court Lady Han Sang Gong watches and weeps as well. Court Lady Han remembers how the fish merchant picked out the freshest fish and realizes something.
Court Lady Jung tells Court Lady Choi and Han to each pick out an assistant. Choi picks Geum-Young and Han picks Jang-Geum.