The Secret Kitchen ambient background
CinebyCineby
The Secret Kitchen backdrop

The Secret Kitchen

The Secret Kitchen

★ 8.0/10•2026•45m•15•Drama
Similars

A former actress trapped in an emotionally abusive marriage finds solace in cooking, until meeting an Italian chef who inspires her to reclaim her life.

Daisuke Yamanouchi · Director

Kumiko Asō · Screenplay

Ureha Shimada · Screenplay

Yuko Imanishi · Screenplay

StatusEnded
Runtime45m
LanguageJA
First Air DateApr 9, 2026

Episodes

Episode 1 - Episode 1E145m

Episode 1

Ayumi Tsubokura, married to a wealthy restaurant group president, lives a seemingly perfect life that hides a cold and oppressive household where she is constantly belittled and isolated; seeking comfort, she turns to alcohol and finds solace only in the kitchen, until one night, after collapsing, she encounters a mysterious chef in a hidden “secret space,” setting the stage for an unusual and transformative love story.

Apr 9, 2026

Episode 2 - Episode 2E245m

Episode 2

Ayumi discovers that Kei is actually a ghost who appears only in the Tsubokura family’s kitchen on moonlit nights, able to handle objects but not touch people; as he encourages her to face her situation and offers comfort through his cooking, Ayumi begins to grow closer to him and sets out to uncover his identity, while at home she is pressured by Wataru and her mother-in-law to host an important party showcasing the family business, forcing her to seek Kei’s help as tensions in her life continue to rise.

Apr 16, 2026

Episode 3 - Episode 3E345m

Episode 3

Ayumi’s life slowly begins to change after meeting Kei, whose presence becomes her emotional support amid a troubled marriage; as she investigates his past and uncovers a report of a man who fell from a mountain—possibly explaining why Kei became a ghost—she grows closer to both him and her daughter Hina, while tensions at home persist, leading Kei to help her rediscover the joy of cooking, even as a mysterious visitor arrives and Wataru starts to notice a shift in Ayumi’s feelings.

Apr 23, 2026

Episode 4 - Episode 4E445m

Episode 4

Ayumi learns that Kei is actually Akira Wakabayashi, a chef left in a coma and Fujiko’s fiancé, but fears that revealing the truth may cause him to disappear; as her cooking begins to change and draw attention from Wataru, Ayumi continues investigating Kei’s past and discovers a notebook of unfinished medicinal recipes hidden in the kitchen, suggesting a lingering regret tied to him—one that could change both of their fates forever.

Apr 30, 2026

Episode 5 - Episode 5E545m

Episode 5

After learning that Kei is actually alive but trapped in a coma, Ayumi finally tells him the truth about his identity and his fiancée, Fujiko. Though heartbroken, Kei confesses his love for Ayumi and vows to complete his unfinished recipe notebook before returning to the real world. As the two work together to perfect the mysterious “Summer Polpette” recipe under the moonlight, Ayumi begins searching for the connection between Kei and the Tsubokura family, while Fujiko and Rika investigate the dark truth surrounding Kei’s accident and the Tsubokura Group.

May 7, 2026

Episode 6 - Episode 6E645m

Episode 6

After completing the unfinished “Summer Polpette” recipe, Kei suddenly disappears from the kitchen and awakens from his coma in the hospital beside Fujiko. While Fujiko tearfully welcomes him back, Ayumi is left alone with the lingering memories of their time together. As Ayumi tries to rebuild her relationship with her family and Kei begins rehabilitation with no memory of the mysterious kitchen nights, the two slowly move forward on separate paths—until fate prepares to bring their lives together once again.

May 14, 2026

Episode 7 - Episode 7E745m

Episode 7

Ayumi is stunned when she discovers that the instructor at a medicinal cooking class is Kei, now awake from his coma but with no memory of her or the mysterious nights they shared in the kitchen. Determined to move on, Ayumi decides to return Kei’s recipe notebook while trying to suppress her lingering feelings, even as Kei begins sensing a strange familiarity whenever they cook together. Meanwhile, Rintaro prepares to confront his own lingering regrets for the sake of Koharu, and Fujiko starts to notice the subtle connection growing between Kei and Ayumi once again

May 21, 2026

Episode 8 - Episode 8E845m

Episode 8

After her daughter Hina recovers, Ayumi enrolls in a medicinal cooking class and is stunned to find Kei teaching it. Although he has no memory of her, Ayumi resolves to move on and return the recipe notebook that once connected them. As Kei begins experiencing flashes of familiarity around Ayumi, Rintaro seeks to settle his own unfinished business and help Koharu move forward from the grief that has frozen her life. Meanwhile, with Kei and Fujiko preparing for marriage, Ayumi struggles to bury her feelings as fate continues to draw her and Kei back together.

May 28, 2026

Episode 9 - Episode 9E945m

Episode 9

After returning Kei's recipe notebook, Ayumi is stunned when he regains his memories and admits he remembers everything. Though relieved that he is alive, she tries to move on, knowing he is engaged to Fujiko. As Kei struggles between his commitment to Fujiko and his lingering feelings for Ayumi, Ayumi discovers a suspicious tracking device hidden among her belongings, raising new questions about her family. With the secrets surrounding the Tsubokura Group beginning to surface, both Ayumi and Kei must confront painful truths that could change their futures forever.

Jun 4, 2026

Episode 10 - Episode 10E1045m

Episode 10

Ayumi escapes Wataru’s control and reunites with Kei in Kamakura, where he reveals his dream of opening a restaurant and asks her to start a new life with him. But their hopes are threatened when Wataru intervenes, forcing Ayumi to confront the reality of her marriage. As hidden truths, jealousy, and corporate scandals come to light, Ayumi and Kei must decide whether their love is worth the sacrifices ahead.

Jun 11, 2026

Episode 11 - Episode 11E1145m

Episode 11

After publicly exposing the Tsubokura Group’s food-labeling scandal, Kei becomes the target of a violent attack, leaving Fujiko injured while protecting him. As the company fights back with a press conference and Wataru denies all allegations, Ayumi chooses to remain in the Tsubokura household until the truth behind both the scandal and Kei’s mysterious fall is revealed. Though Ayumi and Kei agree to stay apart for now, their feelings remain unchanged. With secrets unraveling, loyalties tested, and the future of the Tsubokura Group hanging in the balance, the truth that will determine their fate draws ever closer.

Jun 18, 2026

Actors

Haruka Kinami

Haruka Kinami

Ayumi Tsubokura

Mahiro Takasugi

Mahiro Takasugi

Kei

Miori Takimoto

Miori Takimoto

Toko Ogura

Mariko Tsutsui

Mariko Tsutsui

Kyoko Tsubokura

Shunsuke Nakamura

Shunsuke Nakamura

Wataru Tsubokura

Aimi Satsukawa

Aimi Satsukawa

Mai Yoshino

Kanato Tsukishiro

Kanato Tsukishiro

Rika Nagamine

Yusaku Mori

Yusaku Mori

Tatsuya Kobayashi

Ayana Shiramoto

Ayana Shiramoto

Koharu Suzuki

Meika Yoshida

Meika Yoshida

Hina Tsubokura

Junpei Yasui

Junpei Yasui

Rintaro Suzuki

YU

YU

Ryosuke Kato

Recommendations

From Scratch
Midnight Diner: Tokyo Stories
The Girlfriend
Firefly Wedding
Fishbowl Wives
The Terror: Devil in Silver
Obsession
A Sign of Affection
Tales of Wedding Rings
Off Campus
Homecoming
Unchosen
One Day
Tell Me Lies
Ambitions
SING "YESTERDAY" FOR ME
The Newsreader
Sweet Magnolias
Dragonaut: The Resonance
Kill Jackie

Similars

Amigo's
The King: Eternal Monarch
Shuffle! Memories
The Promise
Pride
Oh! My Goddess
Maging Sino Ka Man
Martin
Maria Mercedes
Proong Nee Gor Ruk Ter
Logo Timis: 20 Years Later
Lucky's First Love
Nothing But You
True to Love
The Journey of Chongzi
The Boyfriends I Used to Love
Disguised Family
Love Song in Winter
向明月许愿
Two Hearts