Courtyard House: The Chef's Intelligence System

In the days that followed, thanks to Master Bai, Li Jiuzhou was introduced to many side jobs.

This period allowed him to earn a lot of money, and his fame skyrocketed.

Why? Because there aren't many chefs in Beijing who specialize in Sichuan cuisine.

As for Li Jiuzhou, he was young and had created three dishes on his own, which drew both skepticism and admiration.

In short, whether out of curiosity or a genuine desire to eat his cooking, many people seek him out.

The true gourmets in Beiping had already tasted Li Jiuzhou's cooking skills; they were serious about food.

Otherwise, why would Li Jiuzhou have such a resounding reputation? It's all because a group of gourmets have given him high praise.

Furthermore, during one of his visits to the Bai family to cook, the Seventh Master gave Li Jiuzhou a recipe book from the Imperial Chef.

This made Li Jiuzhou ecstatic, especially since one of the dishes was his favorite.

That's a famous dish in Sichuan cuisine, "Boiled Cabbage in Clear Broth"!

Of course, Li Jiuzhou knew how to do it in his previous life, because it was already a very common practice.

Videos are everywhere, and ordinary people can make them if they want to, but no one will tell you the real ingredient ratios.

This is a traditional skill passed down through generations, a dish served at state banquets. Do you really think just anyone can make it?

Boiled cabbage in clear broth was created by Huang Jinglin, a famous Sichuan chef who was once an imperial chef.

Li Jiuzhou didn't want to ask how the Seventh Master got the recipe; since it had been given to him, it was now his.

After returning to Fengzeyuan, Li Jiuzhou found his master and told him about it.

Li Tielong glanced at the thick recipe book and was very excited; this recipe book was too precious.

Of course, he had never even heard of many of the dishes.

Because the imperial kitchen served the royal family, ordinary people really couldn't afford the dishes on the menu.

Li Tielong closed the recipe book and said seriously:

"Keep it safe, don't lose it, it's a family heirloom."

Li Jiuzhou solemnly agreed:

"I understand, Master. I'm going to prepare a feast to thank Master Bai."

"I'll cover the cost. I'll ask the shopkeeper to help me find some ingredients and make something different."

"Master, you and the shopkeeper will have a drink with Master Qi then."

Li Tielong was intrigued and asked:

"What kind of different dish should I make?"

Li Jiuzhou chuckled and began reciting the names of the dishes:

"Hehe, I'll make boiled cabbage in clear broth, Buddha Jumps Over the Wall, braised shark fin, braised deer tendon, steamed shad, roasted mutton, rock sugar bird's nest, Wangchuan-style banquet, crab stuffed orange, dragon and phoenix, Peking duck, and braised lion's head meatballs."

"Twelve dishes in total, chef, what do you think?"

Li Tielong listened intently, his eyes wide and his throat bobbing, clearly craving the food.

After calming down, he said:

"Damn it, is this what the emperor eats?"

"Can you do it?"

"Besides, the ingredients aren't cheap. Have you thought this through?"

Li Tielong wasn't worried that his apprentice wouldn't be able to cook well; rather, the ingredients were really expensive.

"Master, isn't this recipe book worth the price of this meal?" Li Jiuzhou asked rhetorically.

"It's worth it, it's fucking worth it! Go for it! With this cookbook, you can cook any kind of dish you want."

Li Tielong blurted it out without the slightest hesitation.

Then you and I will go together to talk to the shopkeeper.

"Okay, let's go."

The master and apprentice went to find Manager Luan together, and when he learned that Li Jiuzhou was going to do something big, he was just as excited.

Why? Just hearing the names of the dishes Li Jiuzhou mentioned made his mouth water.

Moreover, he specifically requested that the person at the table have a drink with Seventh Master, so why shouldn't he agree?

It's just ingredients, he'll take care of it. It's a big deal for Li Jiuzhou, but it's nothing to him.

Moreover, even if you want to eat these rare and famous dishes, there's no guarantee that someone will know how to make them.

Luan Xuetang was really craving it, and he prepared the ingredients in just two days.

Li Jiuzhou helped He Yuzhu prepare the ingredients, starting with bird's nest and shark fin, which needed to be soaked in advance.

Furthermore, the broth needs to be prepared in advance and for a long time.

The dishes Li Jiuzhou mentioned were all his specialties; he had cooked them many times in his previous life.

Now that we have the recipes, it's much easier to explain where the dishes come from.

Manager Luan was quite thoughtful, preparing two sets of ingredients to give Li Jiuzhou a chance to try and fail.

A few days later at noon, Fengzeyuan closed for the day, and Li Jiuzhou continued his work.

As each dish was prepared, the kitchen was filled with an enticing aroma—the aroma of broth.

Manager Luan would come to the kitchen every now and then to check if Li Jiuzhou had finished cooking; he was getting impatient.

For the last dish, everyone in the kitchen gathered around to watch Li Jiuzhou prepare it.

As the broth was poured in, a crystal-clear cabbage heart slowly opened!

It's boiled cabbage in clear broth!

"Wow, that's awesome, junior brother!" Wang Shan exclaimed in surprise.

This is one of the most famous Sichuan dishes, which had been lost, but has now been recreated.

Never mind whether it tastes good or not, it looks so delicious!

Do you know what the most expensive dish in Sichuan cuisine is?

That's the non-spicy boiled cabbage.

It looks bland and tasteless; it seems easy to understand but difficult to master...

The process is actually quite complicated, mainly because the soup needs to be simmered repeatedly to produce a high-quality product.

The table had 12 dishes, and Manager Luan tried them one by one and gave his comments on each one.

They ate with gleam in their eyes, nodding and swaying their heads, and Luan Xuetang really wanted to monopolize the whole table of food.

But seeing a group of people staring at him like wolves, he had no choice but to give up and let them enjoy it together.

No doubt about it, everyone who's tried it gives it a thumbs up, saying they felt like they were emperors for once.

The ingredients for this meal cost 60 yuan, which is the cost price.

If you were to order from Fengzeyuan's menu, you'd be lucky to get two times the price for this meal...

Do you think Fengzeyuan is doing charity?!

With the food in order, Li Jiuzhou immediately called the Bai family from Fengzeyuan.

They specifically requested that Master Bai answer the phone.

When he answered the phone, Seventh Master made a joke:

"Mr. Yu, you certainly have a lot of influence. I'm taking a nap right now, is there something urgent...?"

Li Jiuzhou didn't waste any words and said directly:

"Excuse me, Seventh Master, I've recently prepared some new dishes and would like to invite you to a banquet at Fengzeyuan tomorrow at noon."

Seventh Master laughed upon hearing this:

"Hehe, there are new dishes? Seventh Master doesn't have many hobbies these days, I just like to eat well."

"Tomorrow at noon, right? Okay, no problem. I'll come and see what tricks you've got up your sleeve."

"See you tomorrow..."

Seventh Master laughed after hanging up the phone. He knew without even looking at the dishes that Li Jiuzhou had prepared a feast to thank him.

The imperial chef's recipes were of no use to him or the Bai family, so they might as well be given to someone who was destined to receive them.

Li Jiuzhou is the perfect fit; he's a young man who's innovative.

Having a recipe would be like adding wings to a tiger, and Master Bai certainly hoped to eat more good food.

In this life, besides money, power, and beautiful women, what else is there to eat? And since he has all of the other things, he can only eat.

The fact that the recipe was given to Li Jiuzhou might not mean he didn't have this idea.

I never expected this kid to make a name for himself so quickly. Master Bai is really looking forward to tomorrow's dishes.