Chapter 307: Chapter 194: Sister Jing, you’ll be criticized as a capitalist! Dishes suitable for the finals! [Seeking Monthly Ticket]_3
Huo Yifan nodded. "It depends on what the judges require. Try to make some refreshing, non-greasy dishes."
Soon, the well-fed judges filed in.
The staff brought in a new rack laden with various ingredients, including a whole Jinhua Ham, stock, Fatty Intestines, tofu, and more.
It was the final round of the competition.
The supply of ingredients was now unrestricted.
Liu Zhengyu, holding a microphone, said to Lin Xu and the other three contestants, "The next event is the final four showdown, which is also the last round of the competition. There are no specific requirements for this round. You just need to prepare one dish within three hours. Let’s begin, young men."
That simple?
The online viewers and the audience at the venue, still speculating about the round’s requirements, were all somewhat slow to react.
But Lin Xu and the other three showed no signs of relaxation.
Because the more freedom they were given, the greater the variables.
At the consultants’ desk.
Xie Baomin said with a smile, "Today’s competition topic is really tricky. Every previous round had been a specific challenge with various restrictions, but this final round suddenly offered complete freedom. The contestants might not be able to adapt immediately."
Dai Jianli, seated behind him, asked, "Old Xie, what do you think Lin Xu will make?"
Xie Baomin took a sip of his tea. "It’s really hard to say; we didn’t discuss this at all during the meal."
Qiu Zhenhua asked, "Will he make Qingshui Furong?"
Xie Baomin was about to say it was impossible when he saw his junior brother take a pot of stock from the rack, along with a large pack of Chicken Breast and a box of eggs.
This...
Is his junior brother really planning to make Qingshui Furong?
But he had only seen it made once!
Mastering Qingshui Furong after seeing it only once? That would be sheer genius, wouldn’t it?
Even though Xie Baomin had already witnessed Lin Xu’s genius, he still found it unbelievable at this moment.
"These are the ingredients for Qingshui Furong, right? Old Xie, you really must have secretly tutored your junior brother. With Qingshui Furong on the table, the outcome of the competition is self-evident."
Such a perfect and beautiful dish. Every time it was made, it amazed the foreign dignitaries dining in Building No. 2. The wives of the state leaders would even want to take a photo holding the dish.
After Lin Xu finished picking his ingredients, Huo Yifan took that Jinhua Ham, along with some lotus seeds and Crystal Sugar.
"It seems Huo Yifan is going to make Honey Roasted Square. That’s his father Huo Yuanchao’s signature dish. I wonder how much of his father’s true skill he has inherited."
Guo Weidong sighed. Then, noticing his nephew take a kitchen knife and cut off the thickest part of all the Fatty Intestines, he immediately understood his nephew’s intention. "He’s going for Nine-Turned Intestines. That’s pretty good. If it weren’t for Qingshui Furong, he might actually be able to give Huo Yifan’s Honey Roasted Square a run for its money."
Zhuang Yifan was the last to choose. He took a box of Lactone Tofu, a small piece of Ham, fresh bamboo shoots, and other ingredients.
This is...
"He’s not going to make Wensi Tofu, is he?" Xie Baomin immediately commented. "This kid is probably giving up; that’s why he chose Wensi Tofu."
Wensi Tofu was well-known and visually appealing. However, compared to Honey Roasted Square or Nine-Turned Intestines, it was more than just a tier below; it was also less complex than the Chicken Bean Curd he had made in the previous round.
Down below.
The head chef from the Yanjing Hotel, who was responsible for their team, sighed softly.
Securing third place was highly unlikely now.
Originally, everyone had been vigorously planning to surpass Fishing Platform.
But they hadn’t expected such a result.
When this competition was being planned, the heads of these hotels catering to foreign guests had even considered organizing a competition for middle-aged chefs after defeating Fishing Platform, aiming to completely knock Fishing Platform off its pedestal.
However, their young chefs had now been thoroughly dominated by the opposition. If they switched to middle-aged chefs, they would likely be beaten even more severely. After all, Fishing Platform’s eighteen head chefs were renowned, and surpassing them would not be easy.
Thinking of this, the head chef left the WeChat group called "Siege at Guangming Peak."
In the audience.
Whether it was Lin Xu’s family or his fans, everyone was curious about what Lin Xu was planning to make.
"He picked the same ingredients that Zhuang Yizhou used for Chicken Bean Curd. He’s not planning to make it again, is he?" Lu Lu asked curiously.
Zhu Yong handed her a cup of lemon tea, then said, "Impossible. Boss Lin isn’t as silly as you."
As Lu Lu looked up, Zhu Yong immediately sensed a murderous intent in her eyes and quickly added, "This cup of lemon tea is $399 a cup; it’s an exclusive internal supply."
Indeed, he was afraid that this Lin Daiyu, seemingly capable of uprooting willow trees with her bare hands, might splash it in his face.
Upon hearing the price, Lu Lu quickly took a sip. "Wow, it’s so good!"
Afterward, she transferred $400 to Zhu Yong on WeChat.
$399 for the tea; the rest was for the errand.
She would have given more; after all, this tea wasn’t something you could just buy with money outside.
But his one comment had reduced the errand fee to a single dollar.
Sipping the delicious lemon tea, Lu Lu asked, "What do you think Boss Lin is going to cook?"
"Hard to say. I can only tell it’s some kind of clear soup-based dish because the steps he’s about to take are identical to preparing the ’kai shui,’ or clear broth, for a dish like Poached Chinese Cabbage."
Lu Zhishen, sitting nearby, overheard their conversation and sighed silently.
He changed his online nickname from "Zhishen Burying Flowers" to "A Monk’s Compassion."
From today onwards, I will detach from the mundane world, sever ties with earthly desires, and live a life of great freedom.
Just as he was pondering this, a girl next to him nudged him. "Handsome, I just created a fan group for Lin Ji’s Food. Scan the code and join, will you?"
The girl’s sweet smile made Lu Zhishen’s heart, which had been quiescent for but a second, begin to thump wildly again...
To hell with compassion, I’m returning to secular life!
"Yueyue, what is your brother-in-law making?"
"I don’t know. He hasn’t really made such complex dishes before. But he said he’s going to win the championship, and I believe he can do it."
Chen Yan knew her brother-in-law wasn’t just bragging. However, one opponent was preparing Nine-Turned Intestines, and another was making Honey Roasted Square.
Ordinary dishes simply couldn’t compete against those two; she hoped her brother-in-law wouldn’t stumble.
The company had already prepared a video celebrating Lin Xu’s potential championship win, ready to be released the moment he clinched the title.
If he didn’t end up winning, all their efforts would be for nothing.
Shen Jiayue thought for a moment and sent a message via WeChat to her senior, Xie Baomin, "Senior, senior, what dish is Lin Xu making? Will he not win the championship?"
Soon, Xie Baomin replied, "He’s probably making Qingshui Furong, a stunningly exquisite dish that my master originally created to please his first wife. Prepare to celebrate the championship win!"
Qingshui Furong?
A dish Master originally created to please his first wife?
Stunningly exquisite?
Upon reading this message, Shen Baobao’s heart rippled with emotion.
Master went to such lengths for his wife. Could Lin Xu also try to please me a little too? I’ve been so forward; won’t you make a little effort for me?
At the stove.
Lin Xu, who was removing the sinew from the Chicken Breast, glanced back at his Shen Baobao.
Ever since his mother’s first visit, he felt he owed this girl a proper confession. Perhaps today, with this atmosphere, was the right time to finally do it. They were getting engaged tomorrow. He didn’t want Shen Baobao to go into it with any regrets. With this in mind, he decided to add a little innovation to this Qingshui Furong dish...
[Author’s Note: Some readers have been asking about the confession for a while; I’ll address it in the next Chapter. Personally, I believe that once a relationship evolves naturally, there’s no real need for a formal, step-by-step proposal.
Take me, for instance. In 2018, I met a girl while just chatting and joking around in an online book-readers’ group. After a few days, I said, ’Let’s get married,’ and she said, ’Okay.’ The very next day, she brought her household registration book and drove several hundred kilometers to my hometown, and we registered our marriage. No betrothal gifts, no ’three golds’ jewelry; we’ve just weathered life’s storms together to this day, and now we even have two cats...
I’m not a fan of excessive ceremony, so that tends to creep into my writing... Anyway, I’ve digressed a bit. This Chapter is 5,600 characters long. Please send your Monthly Tickets this way, folks!]