Who gave this heretical practitioner permission to cook?

Chapter 188 I wouldn't joke around with my life if I wasn't sure~ (Bonus chapter for 2K chapters)

【Extreme Wilderness Kitchen: Season of the Four Seas】

A variety show primarily funded by China and co-produced by six countries.

It was announced to the public as an "extreme challenge variety show that tests the chef's abilities in a wilderness setting".

However, Tan Zhifeng, one of the specially invited judges, knew that this was a deliberately designed chef trial.

"The international exchange competition is just around the corner, and many overseas chefs have closed their restaurants to deal with this."

"At this time, the higher-ups used this variety show."

"Actually, the purpose was to select a portion of the contestants."

"According to regulations, contestants participating in variety shows must ultimately be placed in the candidate pool for domestic and international exchange competitions."

"But on the other hand, even if you don't get into a variety show, you can still go to the exchange competition through other channels."

"Getting a spot in the exchange competition shouldn't be too difficult for you right now."

"By the way, Xia Ming, are you familiar with international and domestic exchange competitions?"

Hearing Tan Zhifeng's words, Xia Ming nodded.

Before he arrived, he had obtained a lot of information about "variety shows" and "competitions" from Qiao Ruoning.

Among them, the international and domestic exchange competitions are undoubtedly the highlight.

During the competition, each country will bring many of their own selected outstanding chefs, focusing on exchange rather than competition, forming a bottom-up ecosystem.

The chefs who can communicate can be at least "West Level 4" or at most "West Level 8".

In comparison to China, this would be equivalent to "Hua Level 3" to "Hua Level 7".

Of course, there are no strict rules, and it's possible for a level 9 in the West or a level 8 in China.

Because it's an exchange, the competition isn't as intense as one might imagine, and the questions aren't always entirely rigorous or absolutely fair.

However, old grudges always exist between countries, and when it comes down to it, they basically don't hold back.

In previous years, the participants in the exchange competition were selected from the data in the Chefs Association's backend system, and then decided by the Chefs Association in a meeting.

The advantage of doing this is that it ensures a balanced distribution of players' abilities and also helps to broaden the horizons of newcomers.

The downsides are also obvious: when a bunch of old-timers from the culinary association get together to discuss things, it often just means that each faction adds a few people to the discussion.

Then share some scraps with the geniuses outside.
In the past two years, after a purge, the Chefs Association has undergone significant changes. A group of chefs with relatively upright positions have begun to emerge, and the internal structure of the Chefs Association is no longer as rigid as before.

Therefore, the rules for this exchange meeting were slightly changed.

All interested members can sign up; those who do not sign up will not be assigned a spot.

Ultimately, through comprehensive AI analysis of contributions, reputation, culinary skills, style, and characteristics, relative fairness can be ensured.

The rules are much better than before, and the chefs below now have a chance.

Because the reference data includes a contribution criterion, some diligent chefs also have a chance.

However, unlike the "New Chef Competition", the exchange competition does not offer large rewards to outsiders.

After all, everyone is here to participate in the competition in a polite manner; friendship comes first, competition second.

However, in reality, this private exchange competition can generate a lot of revenue for the culinary association.

This contribution can be exchanged for many things: insights, recipes, kitchenware, and even learning opportunities.

Among these, ingredients are of paramount importance to Xia Ming.

Because many research projects use blood, there are ways to exchange it here.

For example: "Horseshoe crab blood"

Its blood is known as "blue liquid gold".

Due to overfishing in the past, it has become a protected animal in China.

These organisms are now under centralized control, released into fixed areas, and their blood is drawn in fixed doses.

Xia Ming has no access to legitimate domestic channels (only pharmaceutical companies and research institutions can apply for and use them), and overseas channels contain too many impurities and are very expensive.

Comparatively speaking, the exchange rate offered by the Chefs Association is quite reasonable.

There are other mountain delicacies and blood, which the Chefs Association can also obtain.

But most of the time it's very expensive, and usually only certain chefs handle some extremely special banquets.
Or perhaps it's only when some veteran chefs are researching and recreating "ancient recipes" that people will exchange for them. Most people, however, use their contribution points to buy more experience.

Xia Ming has no shortage of experience or skills; what he lacks is these strange and unusual blood types.

Although it hasn't been absorbed, the compatibility can't be determined, and it's not necessarily true that old blood is 100% effective.

But he still has to exchange for it and try it out. If it works well, he won't mind going to some secret places once his cultivation level improves.

At least for now, it's faster for him to gather information from the program.

Before he came, he didn't know that participating in "Extreme Wilderness Kitchen: Season of the Four Seas" would put him in the reserve seat for the exchange competition.

But it doesn't matter, because he will definitely not be like Wei Yan, handling the affairs of the Chefs Association on a daily basis to earn contributions.

They're definitely rushing to make as much money as possible when the contribution is substantial.

Of course, those are things for later. Right now, he needs to face the question of what kind of application criteria [Extreme Wilderness Kitchen: Season of the Four Seas] should have.

Seeing that Xia Ming had learned about the "domestic and international exchange competitions," Tan Zhifeng stopped wasting his breath on the topic.

He then began to tell Xia Ming about the "Extreme Wilderness Kitchen".

According to him, the basic rules for this season still follow the core traditions of the previous season.

Exploring every place, every flavor

However, the scope of variety show filming and the selection of personnel have both expanded.

The auditions are conducted separately by the production team; those who don't pass the auditions won't get any screen time.

The preliminary rounds consist of 280 contestants competing for 15 spots.

First, a basic duel will be held in the same wilderness. Only the 15 people selected later will compete against the special invitees.

Before participating in the "New Chef Competition", Xia Ming would definitely have to go through a preliminary selection and then a semi-final to compete for a spot.

But now, he doesn't need to.

Based on his previous performance, the culinary association will certainly not refuse to let such a contestant participate.

This means that Xia Ming only needs to pass the program team's assessment to confirm that he really has the ability to complete tasks in the wild, and then he can directly join the specially invited team.

From Tan Zhifeng's personal perspective, however, he felt that Xia Ming did not need to participate in variety shows in this way.

"Xia Ming, you may not know this, but the specific competition format this time is highly variable."

"From what I've heard, a single shoot could take anywhere from 1 to 5 days."

"This means that, in extreme cases, athletes may spend multiple nights in the wild."

"This is something that has never happened before in this variety show."

"Similarly, due to some changes in the rules regarding ingredients, the contestants' ability to catch prey will be affected."

“Relying solely on melee weapons while firearms are prohibited is undoubtedly extremely risky.”

"Even with the protection of the production team, it is easy for care to be inadequate and for injuries to occur unintentionally."

"Personally, I think this variety show is more for those who wouldn't normally be able to get into the exchange competition. If you want to get into the exchange competition, you don't need to go through this channel!"

Hearing the concern in Tan Zhifeng's tone, Xia Ming smiled.

Tan Zhifeng got the point wrong by participating in the variety show; he actually preferred to go hunting in the wild.

The more hunting stages there are, the more he wants to go.
Seeing Xia Ming's slightly excited eyes, Tan Zhifeng also revealed a hint of helplessness.

"Okay, if you're willing, I can register you right away, but I have to remind you."

"Because you have no prior record of 'wilderness survival' or 'wilderness hunting' with the Culinary Association, you are required to undergo an assessment according to regulations."

"Only if you pass the assessment and are sure that you can really protect your own safety will the Chefs Association allow you to join."

"You're not like Li Yuan, you didn't do any gourmet hunting, understand?"

Xia Ming saw that Tan Zhifeng was speaking very seriously and understood his concerns.

However, for him, who had been living in the Nine Provinces, the city was actually the abnormal environment.
"Don't worry, I know a bit about things related to the wilderness."

"I'm not sure. I wouldn't joke around with my life."

(End of this chapter)