Against a background of the rich Chinese heritage of the goldfields of Victoria, this program tells the story of three generations of the Chan family, who have run the Toi Shan restaurant in Bendigo for over 40 years. The restaurant was named after the family's village in China. Through their ties with the restaurant, the family members recount their experiences in a country town since World War II. Gladys Chan began working in the Toi Shan at the age of 12, and for two decades worked 12 hours a day, seven days a week, while raising two children. Today, the children want nothing to do with the restaurant. Raymond, finishing high school, wants to be a computer scientist; Patricia is an accountant, who dislikes country life, and is planning to learn Chinese and travel to China to rediscover her ancestry.