Who gave this heretical practitioner permission to cook?

Chapter 77: Casserole-cooked tofu balls, the contestants are gradually squeezed and exhausted.
"Inside the competition venue"

There are only a few minutes left in the fourth round of production.

Xia Ming's current creation is "Clay Pot Tofu Balls with a Straw Raincoat". First, he cuts the firm tofu using the straw raincoat knife technique, then deep-fries it in oil, slowly stretching the straw raincoat while frying until it is basically shaped.

Next, take it out, rinse it with ice water, take the fish paste prepared earlier, use the fish paste to fill the gaps in the raincoat, and then use the fish paste to make it into a ball shape.

Finally, it is added to fish soup and simmered to create a stew.

This dish has a delicate and rich flavor. The combination of fish and tofu in a straw raincoat shape achieves a perfect balance of tenderness and chewiness. The texture of the straw raincoat itself adds a lot to the dish.

The fish soup with pickled red chilies, after being stewed, adds a touch of pickled chili sourness to the overall dish, making it more appetizing.

Nicholas Tse likes spicy food and gave this dish a so-so review, but Zheng Yongqi really liked it.

Sui Wubai even took a closer look at the straw raincoat inside the meatballs; it was cut very precisely.

"I don't believe that the Sichuan-Chongqing Ice and Fire Chef has no apprenticeship in knife skills."

Inside "Brother Hui's General Store" in Sichuan and Chongqing.

Wen Zhixia turned her head and glanced at Xia Minhui.

"So, this is why you disappeared for so many years? After that incident, you chose to hide away and secretly train a genius who suddenly amazed the culinary world?"

Xia Minhui's eyes held a complex expression.

"If I told you that I haven't really taken care of him since he was nine years old, would you believe me?"

"I don't believe you! That's tofu wrapped in a straw raincoat! Could you cut it like that yourself now?"

"Then you really underestimate me."

Xia Minhui stroked the stubble on his chin. Although he didn't cook on the surface, he had handled a kitchen knife in private.

After all, decades of hard work can't just be wasted.
However, he is now genuinely puzzled. Xia Ming did indeed undergo training when he was young, and it was very rigorous training.

They have had complete and detailed training in ingredient identification, flavor profile preparation, and basic knife skills.

Furthermore, Xia Minhui discovered early on that Xia Ming had an extraordinary talent for smell.

Just as his wife said, being a chef was Xia Minhui's life. From the moment he secretly hid his Peking University admission letter and told his family that he was going to learn to cook, Xia Minhui had already decided on his future.

But Xia Minhui's life should not be Xia Ming's life; everyone has the right to choose their own path.
Adding to the trouble that followed, his wife passed away, and Xia Ming had a falling out with him over things like learning to cook and his mother's death. Xia Minhui's thinking gradually changed.

He discovered that this kind of "tiger parenting" had cast a shadow over Xia Ming's young mind. So, after much deliberation, he decided to let Xia Ming walk the path he had chosen—the same path as the vast majority of people.
After graduation, Xia Ming said he wanted to open a barbecue restaurant, and he agreed and even gave him some start-up capital.

As for calling to ask for money to play mahjong, that was just an excuse to show concern.
Just when he thought Xia Ming's life would continue in this uneventful way, one day he suddenly received a green message.

Xia Ming told him that the store had been shut down recently, and he originally wanted to come back for a while, but now he inexplicably saw a variety show holding auditions and said he wanted to give it a try.
Why not give it a try? After all, in Xia Minhui's eyes, his son's appearance is impeccable. Even if he doesn't debut on a variety show, he might still be noticed by a talent scout.
At worst, he should be able to get one or two short dramas. If all else fails, he can come back and take over the general store, and then get married.

Who knows, maybe my grandson will prefer learning to cook.
Little did he know, Xia Ming wasn't going to a talent show!

He actually went and participated in a cooking variety show.
Even more outrageous is that he not only passed the preliminary rounds, but also barely made it into the top 16. Then he tricked the foreign chef and directly entered the top 11.

It was only then that he realized Xia Ming had culinary skills. He subconsciously thought that Xia Ming must have found a teacher to learn from in order to open a barbecue restaurant.

Looking back now, it wasn't just learning; it was the reawakening of memories from before the age of nine!

Seeing Xia Minhui's expression, Wen Zhixia's pupils contracted.

"You really didn't teach me?"

Xia Minhui's eyes darted around.

"They did teach me, though."

"You scared me! I thought someone had fallen from the sky. Just like in those short dramas, a top chef reincarnated thirty years in the past!"

Wen Zhixia patted her chest.

"So, you specifically called me here just to entrust your son to me? He's very capable, but you know I have plenty of capable men like him on my side."

"However, for the sake of my old partner, I'll..."

Xia Minhui reached out to interrupt Wen Zhixia. "No, when did I say I was going to hand my son over to you?"

"Then what do you mean?"

"It doesn't mean anything, I just missed you."

Upon hearing Xia Minhui's words, Wen Zhixia paused, and after a long while, she put her hands back in front of her chest, supporting the waves.

"I don't believe you. Alright, stop beating around the bush, just tell me what you want. I'll agree to anything that's not too outrageous."

Xia Minhui remained silent for a moment.

I think 50 is the perfect age to strive and work hard.

Wen Zhixia's eyes widened instantly.

"You're making a comeback?"

"We have this plan."

"Are you paving the way for your son?"

"Too much of a good cook can't handle it, too strong and they don't need me, so let me, someone of average ability, lend a hand."

After confirming that Xia Minhui really wanted to make a comeback, Wen Zhixia perked up, because it meant that they could be together again as partners.

However, Xia Minhui also said that it was only in the consideration stage, but Wen Zhixia was unwilling to let go of this hard-won opportunity.

"Let's make a bet, just like before. I bet your son will advance this round, and if he does, you'll make a comeback. Do you dare?"

Xia Minhui looked at Xia Ming's face on his phone screen, and after a long while, he let out a long sigh.

"Okay~ But his road won't be easy to travel~"

After saying that, Xia Minhui pulled out a small notebook from the side.

"Look, the competition has gone through nearly four rounds now. Four rounds of tofu have already made the judges a little tired."

"I'm assuming this competition will be the same as it was back then, with seven rounds."

"Let's look at Lai Chi On's side first. The first dish is 'mixed tofu,' which is a 'mixing' technique in Chinese cold dishes. The second dish is 'braised,' the third dish is 'stir-fried,' and now the fourth dish is 'sauce.'"

"A very standard cold plate technique, ingeniously designed, and the timing is well controlled."

"In comparison, Wang Qingrui clearly set his sights too high. He started with 'Wensi Tofu,' showcasing the pinnacle of knife skills, and then, to differentiate himself, he continued with the 'slicing' technique."

"Silk, slices, powder, chunks... there aren't many options left for him to showcase his knife skills."

"This Luo Luo is humming and hawing. In the last round, she mentioned that she started cooking as a child. I don't know which family she's from. She chose the safest approach."

"Since the first dish was sour tofu sauce, we later made both 'sweet' and 'bitter' tofu, depending on the situation. Now we're making spicy tofu."

"Therefore, he probably chose 'sour,' 'sweet,' 'bitter,' 'spicy,' and 'salty,' with the latter two most likely being 'umami' and 'fragrant.'"

Looking at Xia Minhui's earnest eyes, Wen Zhixia felt as if everything had come back to normal.

Back when she was just a junior agent, Xia Minhui used a small notebook to analyze the strengths and weaknesses of various chefs from home and abroad in front of her.
Although technology has advanced now, with specialized software and artificial intelligence (AI), the feeling of sitting next to him and listening to him explain things attentively is still just too wonderful.
"So, what about your son? What is he doing now?"

Xia Minhui smacked his lips.

"These four dishes that this kid is currently cooking represent the four traditional Chinese hot dishes: stir-frying, boiling, steaming, and stewing."

"In terms of technique and thinking, he and Li Zhian have surpassed Wang Qingrui and that girl."

"But in terms of the actual situation we face..."

At this point, Xia Minhui looked up at the tofu that had risen again, and at the time above, which had been shortened again, leaving only 20 minutes.

"From this time perspective, the room for maneuver he has is getting smaller and smaller."

(End of this chapter)