Who gave this heretical practitioner permission to cook?

Chapter 88 Congratulations to the Sichuan-Chongqing Ice and Fire Chef for ascending to the throne of "King of Chefs"! (Sixth Update)
"Inside the competition venue"

Two different dishes were placed in front of the seven judges.

The fragrant roasted meat on the left is Xia Ming's masterpiece, while the ordinary-looking fried noodles on the right are Chef Li's creation.

After the tasting, the judges discussed the matter, and Luo Shurong ultimately abstained from voting, while the remaining judges tied with a 3:3 vote.

After this dramatic turn of events, the production team "temporarily" announced a new competition format.

[The two contestants will now taste each other's dishes and give each other a "score for the other's cooking" and a "score for their own cooking."]

The final overall score of the dishes will determine the winner of this competition.

So the two of them sat back down at the round table and began to sample the dishes opposite them.

First, Li Zhian carefully observed the barbecue that Xia Ming had prepared.

In appearance, it looks no different from the ones in ordinary barbecue restaurants, but it smells very tempting.

I picked up a slice while it was still hot and found that the simple grilled meat was very juicy, and the chili sauce on the outside complemented the flavor of the grilled meat very well.

A touch of onion and a touch of garlic elevate the flavor of the grilled meat to an even higher level.

"Although it looks unremarkable, in terms of taste, it is truly one in a million."

"The cooking time was excellent, and the marinating of the meat was also very unique, probably using some Chinese medicinal herbs and spices."

Nodding, Lai Chi-On pondered for a moment, then picked up his fried noodles and took another bite.

Then, as if he had thought of something, he picked up his pen and wrote down the scores for the two of them.

Xia Ming, on the other hand, was enjoying Chef Li's fried noodles.

The control of the heat in this stir-fried noodle dish is also extremely skillful. The wide rice noodles and eggs complement each other perfectly. Chef Li also added dried bamboo shoots, diced ham, sausage and other side ingredients.

The first bite might taste ordinary, but there's an irresistible urge to keep eating.

Of course, this dish also incorporates Chef Li's signature technique – alcohol.
However, this time they used vodka, in very small amounts, with a subtle woody aroma.
After chewing carefully, Xia Ming frowned slightly, and then his mind began to race with thoughts.

"The wine flavor is a bit too strong. Could it be that Chef Li made a mistake? That shouldn't be the case."

Thinking about it, he looked up at Li Zhian, who happened to look up as well.

Their eyes met, and Xia Ming understood what Li Zhian meant.

"So that's how it is. Typical of a reputable family."

After saying that, he wrote the score directly on the sign.

After both sides had finished their evaluations, the host asked them to reveal their opinions to each other.

As the board was raised, the scores for both players were displayed on the big screen.

Xia Ming gives himself a score of 100.

Xia Ming gives Li Zhian a score of 100.

Lai Chi-on gives himself a score of 91.

"Li Zhian gives Xia Ming a score of 100 points."

The live stream chat exploded the moment the ratings were seen.

[Did the Sichuan-Chongqing Ice and Fire Chef give himself and Chef Li a perfect score?]

Yes, but Chef Li gave the Sichuan-Chongqing Ice and Fire Chef a score of 100, while only giving himself a score of 91.

Was there a mistake in the cooking? Why would Chef Li give himself such a low score?

[Hehe, I knew it would turn out like this, but it's normal. It's a variety show, after all; ultimately, it needs an ending that's more favorable to the production team.]

After the scores were finalized, the host came over to interview the two.

Xia Ming looked at the camera and spoke first.

"Chef Li is a seasoned expert, mastering the control of heat in his stir-fry of noodles to perfection. The addition of vodka adds a touch of elegance to the entire dish."

"Whether it's technique or taste, it's a perfect score in my eyes!" Seeing this, the host asked Xia Ming curiously.

"So, for the Sichuan-Chongqing Ice and Fire Chef contestant, what's your reason for giving yourself a perfect score?"

Upon hearing this question, Xia Ming raised an eyebrow.

"Reason? This question doesn't need a reason~"

"Because any dish I serve will always be perfect in my eyes!"

"I will never serve a dish that is not perfect!"

When he said this, Xia Ming's expression was extremely serious, making him look like a very conscientious and responsible person.

But secretly he was overjoyed.
A perfect score? That's completely unimportant!

For him, cooking was simply a matter of making things beneficial to him.

If a scene like the one with the "life" theme from before were to occur again, he would still flip the table without hesitation once more.

In a sense, Xia Ming's words were not wrong. After all, as long as it was beneficial to him enough, then the dish was perfect!

Unlike Xia Ming's passionate speech, Li Zhian was very humble.

He admitted his mistake to the camera and said that Xia Ming giving him a perfect score was to save him face.

He also said that he is getting old and his energy is not keeping up after the previous "Infinite Reincarnation Cooking Showdown".

So this cooking mistake was indeed an accident.
"Although I've been in a daze the whole time, I still understand the ins and outs of cooking."

"I will not cover up my mistakes, because for me, success or failure is a necessary part of the process."

"I also hope that everyone in front of the camera can quickly adjust their mindset when facing this situation."

"Life is full of unexpected events, so maintaining a good mindset is the most important thing."

After Chef Li Zhian finished speaking, he smiled and waved at the camera, and Xia Ming, who was standing next to him, also stood up.

At this moment, the judges backstage walked out from both sides, clapping, while Luo Yumin pushed Luo Shurong into the room.

As the lights swept across the center of the stage like splashes of water, the round table was retracted, and a magnificent golden road extended backward from the center of the arena.

After Xia Ming greeted Li Zhian, they walked along the road and came to a high platform with steps at the back of the stage.

On the high platform, an intricately patterned chair awaits its owner. The trophy for "One Meal to Fame" and the prize card are placed beside the chair.

Xia Ming walked up the platform step by step, plopped down in a chair in front of the camera, picked up the trophy next to him with his right hand, and waved it at the camera a few times.

Seeing this, the host also began to announce the results in an enthusiastic tone.

"Congratulations to our Sichuan-Chongqing Ice and Fire Chef! After overcoming numerous hardships, you have finally ascended to the throne of 'Chef King'!"

"We would also like to thank all the contestants, chefs, and viewers who supported this variety show. Thank you!"

"And once again, thank you to Kangaroo Delivery for their generous support of this program."

As the host announced the program, a large number of reward gift bags appeared in the live broadcast room, and netizens quickly flooded the screen with comments under the deliberate manipulation of the operators.

Congratulations to the Sichuan-Chongqing Ice and Fire Chef for winning the "King of Chefs" title!

[A perfect ending, looking forward to seeing you next time!]

[The edited version also includes a bonus episode, exclusively streamed on Tencent Video. Be sure to tune in!]

[Celebrating the crowning of the "King of Chefs"! Participate in the Weibo poll to vote for your favorite dish. Prizes await!]

As the host finished announcing the program, confetti rained down on Xia Ming's head. Looking down at the crowd below, a slight smile appeared on his lips.

Just as Xia Ming was enjoying the joy of victory, Luo Jinran stood in the corner of the arena, deeply imprinting Xia Ming, who was sitting on the chair, into her heart.

"Xia Ming, I will soon surpass Chen Xiaodong and stand beside you."

"Wait for me. It won't take long."

(End of this chapter)