Chapter 313: Chapter 196: The Magic Circle Explodes! The Champion Truly Deserves It! A Big Surprise in the Rewards! [Seeking Monthly Ticket]_3
He took a bite. The dense, firm texture of the intestine cap immediately filled him with the satisfaction of eating a hearty piece of meat.
It was so delicious.
Since the intestine had been fried, its outermost layer was slightly crisp. This crispness made the soft, tender, and dense texture of the interior even more pronounced.
"My God, Nine-Turned Intestines truly must be made from the intestine cap! The texture is indeed far superior to that of regular intestines," Zhuang Yizhou sighed.
He felt that the intestines were perfectly cooked, with five flavors merging and intermingling in his mouth, as if he were tasting the legendary Nine-Turn Golden Pill.
"Indeed delicious. Master Guo’s culinary skills are impeccable," Huo Yifan nodded repeatedly as he ate.
He planned to try making this dish when he returned.
Guo Xinghai said with a smile, "During the competition, I was stuck in a rut. It was Lin Xu who awakened me, allowing me to find my own sense while cooking."
The judges, too, were full of praise for the Nine-Turned Intestines.
Clearly, once the cage of his thoughts was opened, Guo Xinghai had once again displayed his true capabilities.
After tasting the Nine-Turned Intestines, they began to sample the Honey Roasted Square.
Huo Yifan looked at Lin Xu and the other two, a bit embarrassed, and said, "Sorry about that. When plating, I ended up putting an entire Fire Square on the dish... How about this? Let’s set a date, and I’ll treat you all to it another time."
After drinking Zhuang Yizhou’s Wensi Tofu and eating Guo Xinghai’s Nine-Turned Intestines, when it came to his own dish, he couldn’t offer everyone a taste.
This made the competitively spirited Huo Yifan feel very remorseful.
If this dish weren’t so incredibly time-consuming, he would have even considered making another portion right then and there.
Lin Xu said with a smile, "No worries at all. Come and try my Qingshui Furong instead."
He brought over a small basin containing leftover Clear Soup and scraps of Furong Chicken Slices. Apart from lacking the central flower shape, it looked no different from the portion served to the judges.
"This portion won’t bloom, but try the flavor."
Lin Xu placed the small basin on a side table.
The group didn’t start eating right away but gathered around, examining the dish.
Huo Yifan wore a curious expression. "I just want to know how it blooms. Is there really such a thing as voice-controlled dishes in this world?"
The scene of the flower blooming moments ago had truly astonished him.
Especially since it bloomed at the snap of a finger.
It was even more spectacular than a magic show.
Only after asking the question did Huo Yifan remember that this was Lin Xu’s guarded secret, and it was inappropriate for him, an outsider, to ask such a question so directly.
So he chuckled and said, "I’m just asking casually, Lin Xu. You don’t have to tell me."
Lin Xu, however, didn’t hide it. "I utilized the water absorption and swelling property of Furong Chicken Slices. As for the snap, it was just good timing, nothing magical."
The principle behind this dish would inevitably be figured out by others sooner or later.
Rather than being accused of deliberate mystification, he preferred to be straightforward about it.
Besides, even if the principle was made public, not many chefs could successfully recreate it.
The moment he finished speaking, a shocked expression appeared on Huo Yifan’s face.
Fuck, fuck, fuck! He just outright explained it! Isn’t he afraid we might spread the word? He must trust us a lot to say something like that, right? Don’t worry, I wouldn’t divulge this secret even if it killed me!
Thinking back to how he had glared at Lin Xu at the start of the competition, his face grew hot.
Compared to him, I’ve been so petty!
While he was lost in these thoughts, he saw Zhuang Yizhou and Guo Xinghai start tasting the Clear Soup from the basin with their spoons, so he hurriedly scooped up a spoonful and put it in his mouth.
It was hard to imagine that such a transparent broth could possess such a savory taste.
Moreover, no seasonings had been added to the broth at all; its saltiness came entirely from the whole ham that had been simmered in it, making it far more savory than if salt had been directly added.
After finishing the soup, he tasted the Furong Chicken Slices, which had been fried in warm oil.
The chicken slices were tender and smooth, richly infused with the Clear Soup.
With one bite, a delicious flavor spread and lingered in his mouth.
This is truly an impeccable soup dish!
While Huo Yifan was still marveling, the judges had finished tasting the sweet and savory Honey Roasted Square and now stood before Lin Xu’s Qingshui Furong.
"Oh, I just realized this isn’t a lotus."
"Right, it’s not a lotus. The petals are finer, and there’s a distinct pistil."
"Is this a lily?"
"Lily... a perfect union for a hundred years... It’s all so romantic."
"Then this dish shouldn’t be called Qingshui Furong. It should be called Qingshui Lily."
"..."
Liu Zhengyu no longer cared about the dish’s name. He only wanted to taste it quickly and see if its flavor could live up to its perfect presentation.
He scooped up a spoonful of soup and brought it to his mouth.
The delicious taste that met his palate made him shiver all over.
The other judges had similar expressions.
The crystal-clear soup was quite deceptive. Before tasting it, one might assume it would be bland, but only upon sipping it could one truly appreciate the rich, savory depth within.
It was perfect!
After finishing the soup, they ate the Furong Chicken Slices, which served as the petals.
The texture was equally perfect.
From the audience, Shen Baobao pouted, her voice tinged with grievance, "Don’t eat my flower... My dear Xu made it for me..."
Chen Yan rolled her eyes helplessly.
Too bad I’m not a judge. If I were, I’d take my chopsticks and dismantle that flower right now! Stop your public display of affection already!
After all the dishes had been tasted, it was time for scoring.
The judges gathered to discuss.
After the scores were finalized, Liu Zhengyu picked up the microphone and announced, "Zhuang Yizhou, your Wensi Tofu was truly excellent, perfect in every aspect. Unfortunately, with the other entries being main dishes, a soup like yours is at a slight disadvantage. We give this Wensi Tofu a 9.8. We hope you’ll continue to strive for excellence."
Zhuang Yizhou was somewhat surprised. He hadn’t expected to receive such a high score.
It’s probably because there was ample time.
With several hours at his disposal, he could leisurely perfect every step.
After commenting on Zhuang Yizhou’s Wensi Tofu, Liu Zhengyu continued, "Guo Xinghai, your Nine-Turned Intestines gave me the distinct impression that you truly let yourself go, unlike your previous dishes where you seemed to be holding back. I’ve rarely tasted Nine-Turned Intestines this delicious. We give you a 9.87. We hope you’ll keep up the great work."
Upon hearing this score, Guo Xinghai shot another grateful look at Lin Xu.
Next up was Huo Yifan.
"Huo Yifan, your father and I go way back. This Honey Roasted Square is almost indistinguishable from his. It’s a pity the competition time was still too short. With another two hours, this Honey Roasted Square could have been even more perfect. We give you a 9.9. Keep it up, my nephew!"
The Honey Roasted Square dish requires three cycles of steaming and preparation to achieve perfection.
The entire process takes roughly more than five hours.
Therefore, the time allotted for today’s competition was still insufficient for this dish to reach its absolute best.
After discussing the Honey Roasted Square, it was time for Lin Xu’s Qingshui Furong.
"Lin Xu, on behalf of the online viewers streaming live, the television audience, and everyone present here, I once again express our profound gratitude. This Qingshui Furong is not only spectacular but also flawless in taste and texture. If the maximum score is ten points, then I believe this dish deserves a hundred! Congratulations on winning this cooking competition!"
As soon as he finished speaking, a system alert sounded in Lin Xu’s mind:
"Host has won first place in this round, completing the sixth round of the ’Serial Victory’ chain task, and has received the Perfect Level General Technique — Oil Braise. Congratulations to the Host."
"The Host has won first place in every round, receiving an additional reward of three Perfect Level Cooking Learning Cards and one Perfect Level Dish Exchange Card. Congratulations to the Host."
"The Host has won the championship in the Top Ten International Hotels Cooking Competition, completing the Hidden Task ’Win The Championship’, and is awarded the Superior Grade grilling dish—Roast Whole Lamb."
Three successive alerts made Lin Xu increasingly thrilled.
I even got a Roast Whole Lamb...
Damn, System, aren’t you going a little overboard?
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A quick apology to my ’razor-blade brothers.’ I didn’t have enough time yesterday, so I couldn’t write as much, nor could I properly smooth out the plot, which is why it ended there. This Chapter is 5,600 characters long. Brothers, please send in your Monthly Tickets!