The Spirit of Gourmet

Chapter 224 The Original Aspiration

"It's all better now, right? It must be all better, right?"

Bao Heng swallowed hard and couldn't help but speak.

"Yes." Qin Lang nodded with a smile, "Lobster baked in broth, please enjoy."

As soon as he finished speaking, the seven food recommenders in the room, along with Cao Dongdong, Zhao Qian, Yu Zaozao, and Du Ziyan, all started to move at the same time.

Some of them reached for the shrimp claw meat with their chopsticks, while others reached for the shrimp tail meat. The moment the food entered their mouths, an eerie silence fell over the room.

After a long while, Bao Heng's sobs could be heard, "This smell..."

"Eating this once is enough to make your life worthwhile!"

"Your life is worth many lifetimes for others," Pang Ju said speechlessly, then a look of admiration appeared on his face. "But I really didn't expect that the deliciousness of chicken soup and the deliciousness of seafood would blend so well."

When two different umami flavors intertwined and burst forth perfectly in his mouth, the tremor originating from the tip of his tongue touched his soul, making Pang Ju not want to speak at all, but only want to enjoy the wonderful moment.

Without saying another word, Pang Ju wielded his chopsticks with lightning speed, continuing to compete with the others for the plate of lobster in broth.

Du Ziyan slowly swallowed the shrimp claw meat in his mouth, then picked up a piece of shrimp tail meat and put it in his mouth. Next came the thin noodles soaked in soup under the shrimp tail meat and the broccoli around it as a garnish, which was also soaked in soup.

After that, Du Ziyan fell into a long silence.

Knowing the difference in texture between the claw meat and tail meat of the prized lobster, Du Ziyan made certain differences when cutting the two types of meat. The claw meat is thicker to provide a stronger chewing experience, while the tail meat is thinner to achieve a perfect crispness and elasticity.

Moreover, the peony and rose designs were not chosen randomly, but rather to match the differences in texture between the two parts of the meat, so that each could be highlighted when the broth was poured over them.

He thought he had been meticulous enough.

But Qin Lang's actions taught him a lesson.

Coating the shrimp tail meat with flour and deep-frying quickly locks in the internal juices and crispy texture, while also adding a crispy surface texture, making the shrimp tail meat taste more amazing and rich.

The shrimp oil used to fry the shrimp is then used to fry the thin noodles, giving the noodles a basic shrimp flavor. When soaked in the thickened broth, the elegant and fresh taste melts in your mouth, captivating your heart.

But Qin Lang's ingenuity doesn't stop there.

Unlike the shrimp tail meat, the shrimp claw meat is not coated in flour and deep-fried. Instead, it is added to the broth only after the sauce has been reduced and the essence of the shrimp and chicken has been fully absorbed.

Taking advantage of the claw meat's stronger fibrous texture and ability to absorb juices more easily, it absorbs all the essence, presenting a completely different texture from shrimp tail meat. The juicy and tender texture that bursts with flavor in every bite is irresistible.

If you had to use one word to describe Qin Lang's cooking, it would be "interlocking".

Even the broccoli, used as a garnish, is considered an excellent choice by Du Ziyan because it can retain more juice.

Broccoli itself doesn't need much flavor; the deliciousness of the broth alone is enough to make it an excellent side dish.

A hand gently patted Du Ziyan's shoulder, bringing him back to his senses. He turned his head and saw an old, kind, smiling face.

“Ms. Xu Yueran,” Du Ziyan couldn’t help but speak.

"Although you invited us here as judges this time," Xu Yueran smiled, "the seven of us had already discussed it beforehand on the way here and decided not to comment on the quality of your dishes."

"Because the true outcome is already decided in your heart."

Upon hearing this, Du Ziyan couldn't help but look up at the other food recommenders. They were all smiling at him, clearly having made the agreement long ago.

“…Yes.” After a moment of silence, Du Ziyan nodded with some difficulty. “This time, I lost again.” “But this is not the you I wanted to see.” Xu Yueran looked at Du Ziyan’s forehead, where the red ribbon from before was still tied. “Du Ziyan, do you remember that competition three years ago?”

“That competition wasn’t held in Danju City, so I wasn’t a judge, but I watched all the matches from the audience.”

"You have left a deep impression on me."

Du Ziyan suddenly looked up, somewhat surprised, at Xu Yueran. "Ms. Xu Yueran, you..."

Xu Yueran smiled slightly, "Today you took out that headband from back then again, which helped me find some of the you from back then."

"But back then, you wouldn't have cared about winning or losing a duel like you do now."

“Yes.” Lu Suzhi nodded slightly, a hint of regret on his face. “I remember the competition back then. Du Ziyan was known as the ‘Copy Machine’ back then.”

Du Ziyan stood there, stunned, the sounds of the past echoing in his mind.

"Even though I won, you're really good! I learned something today!"

"Thank you for teaching me the techniques; I will use them to win!"

"I must win the championship! I must prove everything I've learned!"

"... "

These are his words from three years ago on the field. Back then, he had amazing potential and would learn new things from his opponents in every match. He was considered the most promising person to win the championship.

But the regret of the final match became an obsession in his heart.

For the past three years, he has been practicing intensively in seclusion, but he seems to have forgotten his original intention when he stood on the competition stage, which was to exchange and learn from more outstanding chefs.

Wiping away the tears that had somehow fallen from his cheeks, Du Ziyan's entire demeanor seemed to have undergone an inexplicable change.

"Thank you everyone." He untied the ties and then tied them back up, tightening them tightly, his eyes shining with high spirits.

"I will continue on the path of a chef!"

"Qin Lang".

"If we meet again in the future, will you fight me once more?" Du Ziyan said this with a slightly provocative smile on his face.

"You rascal..." Sensing the change in the other person, Qin Lang chuckled, "Alright, I'm always ready!"

"Then it's settled." Du Ziyan nodded emphatically, quickly packed up his kitchen utensils, picked up his luggage, and said, "I bought a train ticket to leave Danju City today. Well then, everyone, see you again someday."

After saying that, he strode out of the venue without stopping.

“This guy…” Cao Dongdong stroked his chin, “I’m suddenly a little curious about what he was like three years ago.”

“Look.” Zhao Qian, who was standing next to him, placed a video of a competition from three years ago that she had found on her phone in front of him. “That’s it.”

In the video, Du Ziyan, with her black hair tied tightly with a red ribbon, is enthusiastically competing against another chef, constantly shouting and occasionally uttering a few cringeworthy lines while cooking.

"…ha?"

"You're saying this is Du Ziyan?!"

(End of this chapter)