Era: You're asked to cook a home-style dish, but you cook Wellington.

The crowd erupted in uproar.

"Isn't he a Western cuisine chef? How come he's comparing Chinese cuisine to Wang Biao?"

"Oh no, oh no! I had high hopes for him, but now, when it comes to Chinese cuisine, he's definitely not as good as Wang Biao!"

Zhou Guodong's face was also filled with deep worry. As Wang Biao's mentor, he knew Wang Biao's abilities best. If it were Western cuisine, it would be fine, as Wang Biao was not good at it. But Chinese cuisine, a subject as deep as the sea, was undoubtedly a middle-to-upper-level skill for Wang Biao. Even the head chefs of small restaurants wouldn't dare to say that they could easily beat Wang Biao.

"Master Gao, how about we call it quits?"

After a moment's thought, Zhou Guodong couldn't help but advise Gao Yang.

"Master Gao, Wang Biao is just a bit arrogant. We don't need to risk our future to spite him. Besides, he's made stir-fried pork with chili peppers thousands of times. Most people probably can't beat him."

Even Zhou Guodong began to waver slightly in his belief in Gao Yang.

Gao Yang gently patted Zhou Guodong's hand and smiled, "Master Zhou, don't worry, I've calculated everything."

Seeing Gao Yang's confident demeanor, Zhou Guodong knew he couldn't dissuade him and could only step aside.

Meanwhile, in a private room, Su Wanqing, wearing a bathrobe, sat on the sofa with her hair up, engrossed in reading a book.

The lights cast a tranquil and gentle glow, creating a peaceful scene.

"Boss, just as you predicted, let's begin."

Qian Liu entered the private room, walked to Su Wanqing's side, and whispered, "The dish they're competing in is stir-fried pork with chili peppers."

Su Wanqing nodded slightly, indicating that she understood.

The message had arrived, and Qian Liu was about to turn and leave when Su Wanqing called him back.

"Qian Liu, who do you think will win?"

Qian Liu was somewhat taken aback. Su Wanqing had never asked him such questions before; she had her own judgment.

But now, for the first time ever, he was stopped by someone over such trivial matters.

A fleeting look of surprise crossed his face, and he regained his composure. He walked back to Su Wanqing's side, pondered for a moment, and then replied, "I think Gao Yang will win."

"There are too many things about Gao Yang that I can't see clearly, but based on my intuition, he has a high probability of winning."

Upon hearing this, Su Wanqing closed her book and looked up at Qian Liu intently.

"It seems we're on the same page; I also think Gao Yang will win."

Having tasted the steak Gao Yang had cooked, Su Wanqing understood perfectly well the terrifying level of Gao Yang's skill.

Although Wellington is a precious dish, she has eaten many master chefs' versions, but none of them can match Gao Yang's in terms of ingredients, cooking time, or even the sauce ratio.

The feeling flashed through her mind.

How to put it? It's like listening to a private, custom-made performance by a symphony orchestra in the golden Vienna Hall. Every component is extremely complex, and every procedure is extremely intricate. The slightest mistake will completely ruin the overall aesthetic and overturn all the previous efforts.

Then, at the very end of the movement, there's a little surprise for the musician, a surprise he plays only for himself.

Su Wanqing snapped out of her daze.

Putting aside the other dishes, as far as Wellington is concerned, Gao Yang's version is undoubtedly the best within the known scope.

What should I do? I'm thinking of tying him up and cooking him for myself.

This idea suddenly popped into Su Wanqing's mind.

She had no time to read, so she simply stood up and walked to the window.

Qian Liu also left the private room at the opportune moment.

"Gao Yang, you must bring me more surprises!"

Su Wanqing clutched her chest and murmured.

…………

The kitchen on the first floor.

All ingredients have been prepared, and all cookware is ready.

Wang Biao glanced at Gao Yang disdainfully and made the first move.

"Swish swish swish"

With a flash of the knife, the thick pork belly was sliced ​​into thin slices in a moment.

"Look, Wang Biao's knife skills seem to have improved again!"

The onlookers stepped forward to look, and nodded repeatedly after confirming it.

At the Grand Hotel, food preparation is handled by specialists, so the chefs don't have to lift a finger. It's just unexpected that Wang Biao would practice on his own.

Zhou Guodong nodded in agreement, inwardly praising the young man.

Others might not know, but how could he, as the master, not know that Wang Biao would use his off-get off work time to lock himself inside and practice by himself?

This is precisely why Zhou Guodong cherishes his apprentice so much; as soon as the Western restaurant was established, he was the first person sent there.

However, this mindset still needs to be cultivated.

Gao Yang was also watching from the side.

At this age, with this level of skill, one can certainly be described as hardworking and diligent.

But is this level of skill really enough to compete with the top chefs?

Gao Yang picked up the cleaver and began to chop the ingredients with a "whoosh".

"Buzz!"

He took out the Western-style kitchen knife that Su Wanqing had prepared for him, and lightly sliced ​​it across the cutting board, producing a sharp, ringing sound.

"Swish"

The pork belly breaks easily to the touch, as if measured with a ruler; it is of uniform thickness, each slice is the same size, with neat edges and not a single rough edge.

The knife flashed so fast that only a silver shadow remained, and the "swish" sound continued. In just six or seven seconds, the entire piece of pork belly was cut and arranged neatly on a clean white porcelain plate.

The kitchen fell silent instantly, so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

Those who were just praising Wang Biao's knife skills were stunned. They stared blankly at the plate of meat slices, their eyes vacant, and they even forgot to breathe.

Hold the grass!

What's going on?

His speed is incredible! His movements are fluid and graceful, even surpassing Wang Biao's. It's as if he's been in this position for over a decade.

Gao Yang stood still, and after finishing the cutting and preparation, he quietly withdrew his hands so that no one could see that he was shaking.

There's no way around it. I still have the skills from my past life, but this body doesn't have that much control. If I were back to my past life, three seconds would be enough.

Wang Biao had also finished cutting and preparing the ingredients.

He straightened up, looked back, and felt extremely proud. He was confident in his knife skills and believed he would never lose to any of his peers.

"That kid Gao Yang has probably only cut it halfway."

Before he finished speaking, he had already caught a glimpse of Gao Yang's slices of meat out of the corner of his eye.

Yes, just as I expected...

Wait a minute! What's going on here?!

Wang Biao stared wide-eyed at the plate of sliced ​​meat.

"Impossible, impossible! This kid only started cutting the ingredients after me, how could he be so fast? How could he be so neat?"

He rubbed his eyes, hoping that everything before him was just an illusion.

However, reality dealt him a heavy blow. The sliced ​​meat, chili peppers, and all the side dishes were neatly arranged and quietly placed aside. Even the ingredients were ready.

His heart skipped a beat, but he still gritted his teeth and refused to back down.

"What good are knife skills? I'm all about the cooking time and flavor! If it's overcooked, it's still garbage!"

Wang Biao tried to hide his panic, quickly turned around, and started stir-frying.

Once the chili peppers are just cooked through, sprinkle with salt and serve.

The pork belly is put into the pot and fried until fragrant. Then, fermented black beans, ginger, and garlic are added in turn. The iron pot is tossed and turned on the fire, oil splashes everywhere, and the aroma explodes.

Wang Biao's movements were large and sweeping, and the flames churned in the pot.

"This kid is just bluffing. When it comes to taste, nobody can beat me!"

The unease in Wang Biao's heart gradually subsided, replaced by a renewed sense of pride.

I've practiced this technique countless times; the timing, seasoning, and rhythm are ingrained in my very being.

At that moment, Gao Yang also made a move.

The exact same actions, the exact same process.

"Sizzle—"

The pork belly goes into the pot, not too hot or spicy, but incredibly tempting.

With a slight twist of his wrist, the pot tilted slightly, and the slices of meat slid naturally in the pot, neither sticking nor burning.

There was no exaggerated tossing of the wok, no flames shooting skyward; the movements were as gentle as art.

The surrounding chefs held their breath.

"This...this person has mastered the art of timing to the bone."

"It doesn't even splatter oil everywhere, it's so stable."

Within minutes, two dishes of stir-fried pork with chili peppers that looked almost identical were served at the same time.

"Come on, let's see whose tastes better."

Wang Biao's face radiated arrogance, as if victory was already in his grasp.

Gao Yang remained calm and composed, making a simple gesture of invitation.

Zhou Guodong took a deep breath, picked up his chopsticks, and tasted Wang Biao's.

"Hmm, the heat is just right, the flavor is strong enough, your skills have improved again."

Zhou Guodong nodded repeatedly, and the other judges also showed expressions of appreciation.

Having worked in the culinary industry for nearly ten years, Wang Biao's efforts in this field are well-known, and it is only natural that he has reached such a level. It can be said that although this stir-fried pork with chili peppers is simple and common, it contains his understanding of culinary skills and is already at the peak level.

Wang Biao proudly raised his chest and made a cruel gesture at Gao Yang.

"Look, look! Wang Biao's evaluation is so high, it's obvious Wang Biao is going to win!"

"I didn't expect Brother Biao to be so strong. It seems I need to learn a lot from him."

The chefs who watched all praised it, and even some of the younger apprentices had eyes full of admiration.

Wang Biao was very pleased.

"Try yours."

Zhou Guodong picked up his chopsticks again, took a slice of meat from Gao Yang's plate, and put it in his mouth.

With just one bite, Zhou Guodong's pupils suddenly contracted, and he froze on the spot, not even having time to pull the chopsticks out of his mouth.

"This...this..."