Food Wars, My Dishes Don't Just Shine

Seeing Bai Yuan advance to the finals, the girls immediately started chattering excitedly, their faces filled with excitement and absolute confidence in him!

The others neither agreed nor disagreed with their statements.

It's normal for everyone to have their own supporters. Once it's over and they see their supporters lose, they'll realize it.

"The four of you are very talented and have made it through the preliminary rounds of this Divine Swordsmanship Showdown."

Next, we'll move on to the final round. The three of us will serve as judges, evaluating and scoring the four dishes to determine the top three.

Because everyone had different opinions, after much deliberation, Master Baiyao decided to adopt a scoring system with a maximum score of ten. The three of them would score the patients, and the final ranking would be determined by the combined scores.

This is a common occurrence in multi-player competitions.

The audience didn't seem to care, and the contestants on stage nodded, their eyes fixed intently on Master Baiyao, waiting for him to continue.

"There are actually many dishes that test knife skills, such as Wensi Tofu and Suoyi Cucumber."

However, limiting the contestants to only one dish can restrict their performance and is detrimental to culinary competitions.

Therefore, this assessment will not restrict the dishes selected; contestants are free to choose dishes that showcase their knife skills, with knife skills and taste serving as the scoring criteria.

Master Baiyao's voice rang out on the scene, saying that such a test would not limit the contestants' abilities and would allow them to choose the dish they were best at to perform.

While such themes are less common in master chef competitions, they do appear.

"A self-selected topic? As long as you demonstrate your knife skills and ensure the taste is good! That's not a huge advantage for a top-tier five-star chef! After all, having lived this long, they must have some signature dishes!"

The older a person gets, the more they accumulate knowledge. The open-ended questions are very unfriendly to young master chefs because of the gap in their knowledge.

"It sounds simple, but it's actually quite difficult. It would be better to set a specific theme."

In this situation, if you attempt a very difficult dish, a single mistake could result in a lower final evaluation than a relatively simple dish.

Some people have analyzed the situation rationally, saying that although the test questions seem simple, they actually test not only the chef's cooking skills, but also his decision-making ability. It is a highly comprehensive assessment!

"You're overthinking it. These are all top-level chefs. Do you know what a top-level chef is? Only one in hundreds or thousands of chefs can achieve that! How could they possibly make the same mistakes as a junior chef!"

For them, there's nothing they can't do, only things you can't imagine! Even dishes they're unfamiliar with can be mastered with just a little learning!

Those around him listened to his analysis and saw his confident and well-reasoned demeanor, and immediately looked speechless.

Dude, look closely! This is a master chef! One of the very top chefs in China, how could he possibly make such a mistake that even a novice chef might not make!

"Look, they've started selecting materials!"

As a dozen or so monks carried various vegetables, meats, seafood, and mushrooms onto the competition field, Bai Yuan and the others immediately went forward to search for them. Someone shouted something, and the audience below the stage also turned their attention to that direction.

"Why did that boy take several live ducks, as well as pigeons and quails? What is he planning to do? Is it Peking duck? After roasting, you have to slice the skin with a knife, which really tests the chef's knife skills."

Some people noticed Bai Yuan's actions and immediately began to speculate, their faces filled with curiosity.

"How could it be Peking duck? Peking duck doesn't use pigeons or quails."

Someone nearby complained that although he couldn't tell what it was either, since they had taken pigeons and quails, it didn't look like a dish like Peking duck.

"Compared to this, Master Tianci only took a piece of pork. Does he intend to use this piece of pork to make a dish related to knife skills?"

"Only took a piece of pork? What are they planning to do with that?! The thoughts of these master chefs are truly unfathomable!"

Those who were paying attention to Master Tianci couldn't help but speak up, drawing the attention of others as well. They then discovered that despite having so many ingredients, he had only taken one piece of pork and returned to the cooking station!

"The man in the blue shirt also made a move. He chose carp and pork... dishes I've never seen before. This isn't Guangzhou cuisine, is it?"

"That young man in black robes, what he took..."

"Ahhh! I don't understand what they're trying to do at all, but it feels so exciting, like I'm actually there, participating in a cooking competition!"

The actions of the chefs on stage were completely incomprehensible to laymen, as they touched upon areas of ignorance, leaving them with a sea of ​​questions.

But that didn't stop them from feeling excited, especially the skilled chefs who were quick and efficient, their crisp and clean movements were incredibly stress-relieving!

"That's the charm of cooking competitions; they can give people an immersive feeling, as if they are actually participating in the competition."

Moreover, the chef's superb skills also provide a visual treat!

Someone nearby exclaimed in admiration, their eyes shining as they looked in the direction of Bai Yuan and the others.

He was also a chef who came to watch the competition to learn. He then started fantasizing about one day standing on that stage, being watched by so many spectators, who cheered for him!

On the playing field.

Looking at the prepared ingredients, Bai Yuan's expression was extremely serious. He placed his hands on the counter, taking long breaths in and out, constantly adjusting his state.

This wasn't about winning the competition, but about gaining the approval of the legendary kitchenware.

Although the specific conditions are unknown, it's best to do your best at this time and let the legendary kitchenware see his determination!

Come to think of it, he has never given his all in all his time in this world!

After all, although there are people in this world who can pique his interest, they are too weak to be dealt with without going all out.

But now...

Gazing at the legendary kitchen utensils wrapped in red cloth not far away, Bai Yuan's eyes seemed to burn with boundless passion! Even the surrounding temperature seemed to rise considerably!

"This kid's got me all fired up. Let me see what you're capable of giving it your all. I hope you won't disappoint me!"

Bai Yuan's boiling passion infected the uncle in blue at the nearby kitchen counter.

There was a live carp in front of him. As he finished speaking, the fishing stick came down, and the once lively carp instantly became still.

Make a horizontal cut at the tail, severing the spine. Insert a long, thin, sharp knife through both cuts and gently separate the flesh from the bone along the spine, keeping the fish's belly intact.

Remove the spine and internal organs from the gill opening, wash and drain them for later use.

Mince the pork and put it in a bowl.

Add Shaoxing wine, salt, scallion and ginger juice, and MSG, mix well, and finally beat the pork quickly by hand to make it firm.

Once the mixture has developed a firm consistency, add diced shiitake mushrooms, diced bamboo shoots, diced chicken gizzards, and shrimp, and mix well...

The man in blue moved nimbly, and his eyes, which had been casual at first, became serious and earnest, like a sleeping tiger slowly awakening.

"Master Tianci has started cooking pork! This method... I roughly know what he's going to make. This is a famous dish from Sichuan, Lizhuang Pork Belly!"

Renowned for its thin skin, tender meat, perfect lean-to-fat ratio, refreshing aroma, and non-greasy texture, this dish truly tests one's knife skills!

Some audience members recognized the dish that Master Tianci was making, and their faces lit up with excitement. They then began to tell the people around them about it.

"Indeed, I've heard that there's a famous dish in Sichuan that requires laying the pork belly flat and then slicing it horizontally with a cleaver, making sure the skin and meat remain intact. Only a master with extremely exquisite knife skills can achieve this!"

On the playing field.

Master Tianci ignored the comments of others and quietly continued cooking, his movements slow but orderly.

After putting the pork in cold water, bring it to a boil over high heat, add scallions and Sichuan peppercorns to season and remove any unpleasant smell, then use chopsticks to pierce the meat to ensure it is cooked through during the cooking process.

As time goes on, once the meat is about 90% cooked, turn off the flames, cover the pot, and let it simmer until fully cooked. This will improve the texture and make the meat more tender.

It takes about an hour to simmer until cooked through, and the time in between is used to prepare the sauce.

Sichuan cuisine is mostly spicy and numbing, with numbing being the main flavor. People in Lizhuang like to make glutinous rice cakes with chili peppers. The chili peppers are boiled in a pot for four or five minutes, then simmered. After simmering and cooling, they are pounded. While pounding, fragrant garlic is added. One ounce of dried chili peppers and three ounces of garlic are used. Pounding until the peppers are stringy and release moisture is considered acceptable. The more thoroughly pounded, the better the result!

"These chilies look really spicy, will this dish really taste good?"

Some people from Guangdong frowned when they saw Master Tianci take out so many chilies, and some even took two steps back, their faces looking as if they were wearing a mask of pain.

"This meat is pretty good. It would be perfect if you sliced ​​it thinly and added some minced ginger and garlic. Adding so much chili would be a waste!"

"You don't know anything! If Lizhuang pork belly doesn't have chili peppers, then it's not Lizhuang pork belly!"

"But there are so many chilies, it's impossible to eat them! Just looking at them gives me goosebumps, and the smell makes my eyebrows twitch. I can hardly imagine what it would taste like!"

With the abundance of chili peppers prepared by Master Tianci, a heated discussion broke out on the spot. Some people believed that authenticity should be upheld, while others believed that when in Guangdong, one should adapt to local customs and modify the seasonings.

The argument lasted for more than ten minutes until Master Tianci finished processing the chili peppers and began processing the soy sauce.

"So many spices! I can't even imagine how delicious it would be if these spices were simmered with soy sauce! I feel like it would be perfect with just this soy sauce!"

Place galangal, bay leaves, cloves, cinnamon, Sichuan peppercorns, cardamom, white cardamom, and star anise into a cloth bag, put it in a pot, and then add a large amount of soy sauce to simmer.

The rich aroma immediately filled the air, drawing most people's attention to the soy sauce, which was bubbling and simmering with various spices. They couldn't help but swallow hard.

This stuff tastes good even when dipped in shoe soles!

Chapter 80 Dark Secret Technique: Heavenly Phoenix Escape Technique

"Tianci's cooking skills have improved again. He's probably not far from being a top-tier six-star chef. I never expected him to come to this competition. The legendary cooking utensils are indeed a source of anxiety for our generation."

Watching everything unfold on the field, Master Baiyao couldn't help but sigh. As a powerful figure from the same era, he was naturally familiar with Lei Tianci.

Because he was much older, he always referred to Lei Tianci as "that kid".

So many years have passed and the habit is hard to break. Even though that kid has become a famous master, he is still just that kid in front of him. It's a really nostalgic past.

Thinking of some things from his youth, Master Baiyao's eyes revealed a sense of nostalgia.

It seems like more than a decade has passed since they last met. Life is like that! How many more times can we meet without any connection...?

"Brother Tianci is right. He's been at the Special Grade Five Star level for over thirty years. Now he's suddenly changed his style. He must have found an opportunity to break through, and perhaps he's already succeeded!?"

The skillful old woman nodded excitedly, and a look of nostalgia appeared in her eyes.

Back then, the three of them had a very good relationship, almost to the point of being inseparable. They would call on each other no matter what competition they participated in. You could say they were both the best friends and the best rivals. I can't believe so much time has passed!

"Whether he has become a top-tier six-star chef or not, you'll know once you taste his dishes."

Fatty An smiled with his eyes narrowed, but although he was smiling, one could not feel his joy; rather, there was a faint sense of melancholy.

The herbalist and the skillful old woman exchanged a glance, both seeing the helplessness in each other's eyes.

These two have disliked each other since they were young. Now that Lei Tianci's strength is suspected to have broken through to the sixth star level, the one who feels the most threatened is Fatty An.

After all, his current status as one of the Four Heavenly Kings of the Guangzhou Culinary Alliance was taken from Lei Tianci. Back then, he had a slight advantage in their food battle, and then Lei Tianci left Guangzhou and disappeared. He never expected that Lei Tianci would come back now.

The feud between these two dates back over seventy years. They were both in love with the same girl and frequently fought and bickered over her.

The girl also enjoyed being fawned over, so she played the game of neither agreeing nor refusing, keeping the two of them hanging on.

Later, Lei Tianci and Fatty An also realized what had happened, and with the guidance of their relatives and friends, they finally saw the girl's true colors.

So he abandoned her one after another, but the enmity between them had already been deeply rooted in their repeated confrontations and has continued to this day.

However, as people get older, they tend to cherish old friendships. At this age, even if they meet an enemy, they will only feel an extraordinary sense of warmth, and they will probably have long forgotten about the grudges.

"This...is simply too astonishing!"

Shaking his head, Master Baiyao refocused his attention on the competition, then his gaze was drawn to Bai Yuan's actions and he couldn't look away.