Courtyard House: Become Stronger Through Blind Dates

He Yuzhu listened while his hands kept moving.

Not only did he finish chopping his own vegetables, he also took care of the side dishes that had piled up next to him.

In no time, the kitchen helpers had easily completed about half of their tasks.

"Brother Zhu, thank you so much!" Li Weidong wiped his sweat and said gratefully.

"It's nothing." He Yuzhu waved his hand, just in time to see Zhao Dezhu walking in from outside with a notebook in his hand.

As soon as Zhao Dezhu entered the kitchen, he saw He Yuzhu helping the kitchen helpers and chatting and laughing with them. A satisfied look appeared on his face.

Yesterday he was a little worried. He Yuzhu was so young but had such good skills. What if he couldn't get along with the old hands in the kitchen? That would be troublesome.

Now it seems I was overthinking it.

Zhao Dezhu walked over and handed the menu to He Yuzhu, saying, "Xiao He, some leaders from the Commerce Bureau heard that a new Sichuan cuisine chef has arrived, so they specially ordered a few dishes to test your skills."

He Yuzhu took the menu and glanced at it.

The menu read: Beef with Smoked Sauce, Chicken Tofu, Braised Rock Carp, Home-Style Sea Cucumber, Shredded Pork with Garlic Sauce, Kung Pao Chicken, Mapo Tofu, and finally, a clear broth.

These are indeed some of the more challenging dishes in Sichuan cuisine, especially the chicken tofu, which best showcases the chef's skill.

Braised rock carp and home-style sea cucumber are also time-consuming and labor-intensive dishes.

This doesn't seem like they're here to eat; it seems more like they're here to cause trouble.

He Yuzhu got excited. He had been worried about not having a chance to show his strength, and this was just the right opportunity!

"Director Zhao, don't worry, I guarantee I'll complete the task," He Yuzhu said confidently as he put the menu down.

Zhao Dezhu patted him on the shoulder: "Good, I like your spirit!"

"Just tell me what ingredients you need, or if you need help."

"Not for now, I'll prepare it first," He Yuzhu said, turning and walking towards his stove.

Zhao Dezhu watched his retreating figure, nodded to himself, and turned to arrange other matters.

He Yuzhu first dealt with the most time-consuming dishes.

Dry-fried rock carp: Rock carp is not an ordinary carp, but a rare fish species that lives among rocks in rapids. Its flesh is firm and has a mild fishy smell, but improper handling can easily ruin its tenderness.

Sure enough, the Oriental Hotel's food storage had stock; two rock carp, each weighing about one and a half pounds, had already been cleaned and gutted.

He Yuzhu took the rock carp and, instead of using the usual method of scraping the scales, gently scraped against the fish scales with the back of a knife, removing impurities while preserving the fish skin as much as possible.

Then, make deep cuts on both sides of the fish, down to the bone, with even and fine cuts to help it absorb the flavor.

Heat a wok, add the mixed oil, and when the oil is about 60% hot, gently slide the rock carp into the wok along the edge.

With a "sizzle" sound, the fish skin instantly tightened and took shape.

He Yuzhu flicked his wrist slightly to pour the hot oil evenly over the fish. Once one side was golden brown and slightly charred, he carefully flipped it over.

The entire process was smooth and effortless, and the rock carp remained intact in the pot without breaking at all.

Remove the fried rock carp and drain off the excess oil.

Leave some oil in the pot, add Pixian chili bean paste, pickled chili flakes, minced ginger and garlic, and stir-fry over low heat until the oil turns red and fragrant. Add cooking wine, chicken broth, salt, sugar and soy sauce.

Once the soup boils, carefully add the pan-fried rock carp, turn the heat to medium-low, and let the soup simmer slowly, constantly using a spoon to ladle the soup over the fish.

The soul of this dish lies in the natural reduction of the sauce. It cannot be thickened with cornstarch. The sauce is simmered slowly into the fish over high heat until it is reduced and coated on the fish, resulting in a glossy, reddish-brown color.

It is extremely demanding on the chef's patience and control over the heat.

While the fish was simmering, He Yuzhu began making braised beef, chicken tofu, and home-style sea cucumber.

In contrast, classic dishes like shredded pork with garlic sauce, Kung Pao chicken, and Mapo tofu are easy for He Yuzhu to prepare.

................

When the time came, Zhao Dezhu came in and looked at the eight dishes neatly arranged on He Yuzhu's stove with admiration in his eyes.

Zhao Dezhu patted He Yuzhu on the shoulder and called out to the people beside him, "Serve the food!"

Well-trained waiters filed in and carefully carried the dishes to the private rooms at the front.

In the kitchen, the chefs who had temporarily finished their work couldn't help but gather around, their eyes filled with complex emotions as they looked at the figure cleaning the stove.

"Zhu Zi, you're amazing!" Master Chen was the first to come over, giving a thumbs up. "I've been making that 'Lantern Shadow Beef' with such skill, I've only ever seen a handful of people who can match it in my thirty years of experience."

"Master Chen, you flatter me. It's all thanks to your excellent teaching. I was just following the instructions," He Yuzhu said modestly, wiping his hands.

"To be able to recite from the book to this extent is no ordinary skill."

Another experienced craftsman surnamed Wang also came over, looking at He Yuzhu and exclaiming, "The younger generation is truly formidable! The younger generation is indeed formidable!"

He Yuzhu responded politely, with a dignified yet respectful attitude.

Meanwhile, on the second floor of the Oriental Hotel, in the "Listening to the Rain Pavilion" private room.

Several leaders from the Commerce Bureau sat around a table. At the head of the table was a man in his fifties surnamed Zheng, who was the deputy director of the bureau in charge of the catering service industry.

The dishes are all served, their aroma is enticing, and their appearance is tempting.

"Director Zheng, take a look. These were made by the new Sichuan cuisine chef," the accompanying restaurant manager said with a smile. "I heard he's young, but he comes from a prestigious school."

Deputy Director Zheng adjusted his glasses, his gaze sweeping across the table before finally settling on the plate of sliced ​​beef and chicken tofu, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes.

"Oh? That's interesting." He picked up his chopsticks and reached for the shredded beef first.

I picked up a piece and looked at it against the light from the window; it was indeed so thin that light could pass through.

"Good!" Deputy Director Zheng only gave one word of praise, but those who knew him well knew that this was already the highest praise.

He then tried the chicken tofu pudding. The soup was clear as water, but it was incredibly delicious. The tofu pudding was so tender that it melted in his mouth with just a gentle press of his tongue, leaving a lingering fragrance.

With each dish he tasted, Deputy Director Zheng's eyes shone even brighter.

After finishing the last sip of clear soup, he put down his chopsticks and let out a long sigh of relief.

"Manager, what's this new mentor's name? How old is he?" Deputy Director Zheng asked.

"His name is He Yuzhu, and he's only sixteen years old," the manager reported.

"Sixteen years old?" The other leaders at the table were also taken aback.

"Heroes emerge from among the young!" Deputy Director Zheng exclaimed. "This skill, this foundation, I would believe it if you said he had been immersing himself in it for decades. You've really struck gold this time."

He looked at the manager and said seriously, "Such talent should be nurtured and retained. Don't shortchange him in terms of compensation. If there are any difficulties, you can report them directly to the bureau."

"Yes, yes, Director Zheng, don't worry, we will definitely take it seriously," the manager replied hastily, secretly overjoyed.

With such a high evaluation from Deputy Director Zheng, He Yuzhu's position at the Oriental Hotel and even in the entire system is now secure.

"The dishes today were very good," Deputy Director Zheng concluded. "Tell the kitchen staff to thank them for their hard work, especially Chef He."

When this news reached the kitchen, He Yuzhu was cleaning his own abyss.

Zhao Dezhu personally came to deliver a message: "Xiao He, Director Zheng is very satisfied and specifically praised you, saying that the hotel should give you proper training!"

"You've really made a name for yourself this time!"