Food Wars, my food not only glows!

　Having confirmed that there were still the necessary ingredients in the kitchen, Bai Yuan looked at Tadokoro Megumi, who was standing next to Tadokoro Mieko, and beckoned her to come into the kitchen with him.

　Watching the two figures disappear into the distance, Tadokoro Mieko was still a little worried, so she quickly followed them, and soon the three of them appeared in the kitchen.

　Because there were no customers, the kitchen staff were all resting. They only stood up and greeted Tadokoro Mieko when they saw her.

　"Could you please use the kitchen, Master Fengcong?"

　"Please make yourself at home, there aren't many customers around anyway." Master Feng Cong waved his hand, but his gaze couldn't help but linger on Bai Yuan a few more times.

　Bai Yuan didn't pay attention to these things. Instead, he looked at the ingredients in the kitchen and started picking and choosing. He found that this one was not fresh or that one was not properly prepared.

　The final list included: "White radish, carrot, burdock, lotus root, taro, pumpkin, buttercup, shiitake mushroom, bamboo shoot, konjac, potato, komatsuna, and garland chrysanthemum... These are more suitable for stews."

　Megumi Tadokoro quickly jotted down the list, then looked at Mieko Tadokoro standing to the side: "Mom, I'm counting on you for these ingredients."

　"Don't worry, leave it to me." As she spoke, Tadokoro Mieko took the note and couldn't help but gasp inwardly at the large quantity of ingredients listed on it.

　The list Bai Yuan gave her contained more ingredients than she originally needed to make fish stew.

　However, looking at this list, her confidence in Bai Yuan increased considerably.

　The more ingredients used, the higher the skill level required of the author. The fact that the other party dared to use so many ingredients proves that they have absolute confidence in their abilities.

　The thought of enjoying the most exquisite delicacies filled me with intense anticipation.

　After moistening her lips, Tadokoro Mieko left without looking back, went to the market to buy all the ingredients Shirabuchi needed, and then returned.

　“Smells so good!”

　Back at Zhuang Huiyuan, as soon as she arrived at the kitchen door, a rich aroma made Tadokoro Mieko unable to move, and a look of infatuation appeared on her face.

　"You're back, Mieko-nee."

　Hearing the sound from the doorway, Bai Yuan turned around and saw Tadokoro Mieko standing there. He immediately went up to her and took the bag from her hand.

　After a quick glance at the vegetables inside, Bai Yuan nodded in satisfaction.

　As for his current form of address, it was at Tadokoro Mieko's insistence. She said that they should address each other as they see fit, and calling her "Auntie" felt like making her sound too old.

　Because her husband died early, she is now in her thirties and takes good care of herself. People would believe she is only twenty-five or twenty-six. She looks incredibly young!

　"Where's Xiaohui? And the others...?"

　He glanced into the kitchen and saw that Tadokoro Megumi, who was supposed to be cooking with Shirai, was nowhere to be seen. All the other chefs had also left, leaving him alone.

　"I asked her to go to the market to buy some fish for me, and the others were responsible for transporting them back. After all, we need to prepare dinner for tonight, and we need to buy quite a lot of fish."

　As they were talking, Bai Yuan took a potato from the vegetables that Tadokoro Mieko had bought, quickly peeled it, cut it into chunks, and put it into the pot to stew with the seafood.

　Potatoes, with their soft texture and ability to absorb the flavor of broth, are a perfect side dish and are commonly found even in Western cuisine.

　After adding the potatoes, stick a few sheets of dough around the sides of the pot, and it will resemble the iron pot stew from Northeast China.

　However, one leans towards seafood, and the other towards meat, so the requirements for vegetables in various aspects of cooking differ.

　As Bai Yuan spoke, he stuck the freshly made dough onto the pot, then covered it with the lid. The heat of the iron pot naturally cooked the dough. Once cooked, he scooped it out of the pot, and after absorbing the broth, it became an unparalleled delicacy!

　The purpose of flatbread is the same as that of potatoes: to increase edibility.

　At the same time, both flatbread and potatoes can enhance the flavor of the soup base.

　"Shouldn't we add the rest?"

　Walking over to Shirayuki's side, Tadokoro Mieko looked at the untouched vegetables on the cutting board and asked with some confusion.

　Some ingredients need to be prepared at the beginning of cooking.

　Add it to the pot later, otherwise the flavor won't be fully released; adding it now would be a complete waste.

　At the kitchen counter, Bai Yuan felt a fragrant breeze waft over and turned his head to see Tadokoro Mieko, who had a curvaceous figure and exuded a strong sense of wifely charm, bending over to look at the pot.

　When asked, he gave a brief explanation and then quickly looked away.

　"I see."

　Mieko Tadokoro nodded as if she understood, a strange look in her eyes. She was the type who could cook a little, but not very well.

　This level of financial stability is more than enough to provide for the family's daily meals, but it doesn't allow her to run a shop outside; she's just an ordinary housewife.

　"Hmm, this pot is almost ready."

　As soon as the lid was lifted, a rich aroma wafted out. Tadokoro Mieko, who had been able to remain calm, suddenly felt weak and her face lit up with an expression of utter infatuation the moment she smelled the fragrance.

　"This tastes...it's similar to what I made, yet it's also completely different!"

　Taking a deep breath and pressing her face close to the glass, Tadokoro Mieko murmured to herself, her face slightly flushed. She was puzzled as to why the dishes she and Shiro Akimoto made were so different.

　At this moment, she was certain that Bai Yuan's fish offal stew would definitely attract all the customers across the street.

　It smells so good!

　"Actually, this dish would be better eaten while it's still hot, but due to limited resources, we can only serve it in small portions right now."

　Divide the fish offal stew into bowls, then add a flatbread to each bowl, allowing it to fully absorb the essence of the stew's broth.

　"Alright, give it a try."

　There was no dazzling golden light; after being served in a bowl, the fish stew only had a layer of shimmering light on the surface, which looked very high-end.

　Beside her, Mieko Tadokoro, unable to contain her desire any longer, picked up a spoon and scooped up a spoonful. The next moment, her body began to tremble violently.

　"Ah! Hmm~"

　Mieko Tadokoro shifted slightly, her face flushed with an inexplicable blush, and she uttered sounds that were difficult to decipher.

　Of course, most importantly, the deliciousness of the fish stew surges through the mouth before entering the throat and heading deeper into the mouth.

　"This is simply a feast for the taste buds, with each layer building upon the last, leaving you wanting more!"

　The moment it enters your mouth, a rich and savory aroma fills your palate.

　The freshness of the fish offal and the soft, fragrant potatoes combine perfectly, creating a rich yet not greasy broth with a hint of fresh ocean flavor.

　The pan-fried dough is crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. After being soaked in the broth, the outer layer absorbs the deliciousness of the broth, while the inside still retains the chewy texture that noodles should have.

　Take a bite, and the rich broth and the aroma of the noodles intertwine in your mouth, bringing a unique sense of satisfaction that makes you want to shout out!

　No one can resist this kind of cuisine!

　Chapter 224 The Glowing Cuisine Makes Its First Impression, A Dimensional Reduction Attack!

　"What smells so good?"

　Outside Zhuang Huiyuan, the air was filled with a complex and rich aroma of freshness, which made passersby stop and take a look.

　"Don't miss out! Accommodation includes free meals, first come, first served, while supplies last!"

　Just as the pedestrians were curious and reluctant to leave, Bai Yuan's voice suddenly rang out, containing a great deal of internal energy, which could be heard throughout the entire street.

　"Isn't providing free meals during accommodation a basic requirement for hotels? What's so special about that? People who don't know any better might think they're giving away a huge discount!"

　Across from them, the manager of "Hyakutori-ju" was also drawn out by the aroma, and then heard Bai Yuan's shout, immediately revealing a cold, mocking smile.

　"Indeed, and the three meals provided by the hotel are very average. Although they are not bad, they are definitely not delicious. When you are traveling, you will definitely eat out. Providing three meals a day is not attractive at all!"

　Most pedestrians on the road thought the same way; even when they heard Bai Yuan's voice, they remained unmoved and continued searching for the fragrance in the air.

　After searching for a long time, I found nothing. There were no restaurants around, only two hotels and some food stalls. Where was the aroma coming from?

　until...

　"This is the food provided by our hotel, a local specialty: fish offal stew. All guests staying at our hotel can enjoy it for free."

　Wearing a chef's uniform, Tadokoro Megumi strode out of Zhuanghui Garden, carrying a large iron pot in her hand, and placed it directly on the wooden table in front of Bai Yuan.

　As soon as the lid was lifted, dazzling golden light burst forth from the pot, blotting out the sky and instantly attracting the attention of everyone present.

　To their astonishment, they discovered that the source of the aroma they had been searching for was right there in that iron pot!

　What surprised them even more was...

　"What...what is this? The food is glowing?!"

　"Fluorescent agent! Did she pour fluorescent agent into it?!"

　"Could it be...could it be the legendary luminous dish! A top-tier delicacy that only a master chef can reliably produce, with a chance of being made by a master chef and only a five-star master chef can consistently produce?!"

　Although most people were puzzled by the glowing dish, and even suspected that Megumi Tadokoro had put fluorescent agents in it.

　However, there were also many discerning people in the crowd who knew that great dishes would glow, and they immediately recognized that this was a glowing dish that only a master chef could make!

　can

　Only a top-tier five-star chef would casually present a dish that glows so brightly in front of the public.

　Only top-tier five-star characters can reliably produce glowing dishes and are willing to share them with others.

　When an ordinary master chef creates a dish that shines like a light, he either tastes it himself, disassembles it for research, or even enshrines it for blessings.

　Could this young girl be a top-tier, five-star chef?!

　How could that be? She's so young!

　“The number of places is limited and it’s on a first-come, first-served basis.”

　Seeing that everyone was momentarily stunned by the sight of the golden light, Tadokoro Megumi's voice rang out again. This sentence was like flipping a switch, and in an instant, everyone on the street ran towards Zhuang Huiyuan.

　Some people had just arrived in town and hadn't even checked in yet, but they immediately went up to register and moved in with just their bags.

　Some had already checked into other hotels and were now asking Tadokoro Megumi if she could pay for it, but were ruthlessly refused.

　Only those who stay at this hotel can enjoy the food served at this restaurant; otherwise, no matter how much money you spend, you can't buy it. This is the only mandatory condition.

　Unfortunately, those who were originally staying at other hotels checked in directly on the spot in order to enjoy a top-notch meal, and then went back to get their luggage.

　The hotel's "Hyakutorii" (Hundred Birds Gate) was hit the hardest because it was right across the street. Large numbers of tourists rushed out of the gate to check in, then came back to check out, dragging their suitcases across the street.

　This action really infuriated the manager of the "Hundred Birds Gate". He knew that the other party was targeting them, but there was nothing they could do.

　Once a luminous dish is presented, all beings are equal; the only way to counter it is to bring out a dish of the same level.

　However, they run a hotel, and although the chef's cooking skills are good, they are not at the level where they can casually serve up dishes that are considered "glowing" in quality.

　"No wonder they dared to challenge us to a food battle. There's a chef on the other side who can make dishes that are absolutely amazing. Luckily, we didn't accept the challenge rashly."

　The manager's name was Bai Niao Yi, the third young master of the "Bai Niao Group". At this moment, he was gritting his teeth, because this was a practice project given to him by his father, and he could not fail no matter what, otherwise he would lose his inheritance rights in the group's "hotel" business.

　The "Bai Niao Group" has businesses in various fields, the most famous of which are "hotels", "restaurants" and "poultry and meat products".

　His two older brothers had already taken over the "restaurant" and "poultry" sectors, leaving him with only the "hotel" sector.

　A field with relatively low profit margins, but strong stability.

　Below him are a younger brother and two younger sisters. If he fails this test, he will not inherit the "hotel" business and will only be able to live a life of idleness in some smaller businesses.

　For a person with lofty ambitions, this is something he absolutely cannot accept; he must get the guests back no matter what!

　At this point, the only option seems to be a food battle.

　Looking at Zhuang Huiyuan not far away, Bai Niaoyi frowned so much that he could almost trap a fly. Since the other party was so stubborn, he didn't mind using some extreme measures.

　"I never imagined that the daughter of a rural innkeeper would be a top student at Totsuki Academy, and even the champion of this year's Summer Selection, capable of creating luminous dishes..."

　Because his underlings had just been taught a lesson the day before, he ordered people to investigate Bai Yuan and Tadokoro Megumi's identities overnight, but in the end they only found out about Tadokoro Megumi.

　As for Bai Yuan, there is no mention of him in the records, so he is most likely an insignificant figure.

　She might also be a student of Totsuki Academy, but her strength is probably not as good as Tadokoro Megumi's, otherwise she wouldn't be so unknown.

　"Manager, what should we do now?"

　Beside the Hundred Birds Wing, the burly man who had come to the door yesterday had recovered from his injuries and was now wearing a black suit.

　Looking at Zhuang Huiyuan across the street, where people were crowding together and the threshold was almost worn down, he spoke with utmost respect and behaved very meekly.

　Has Old Wang arrived?

　Bai Niaoyi glanced at the big man and asked about the location of the outside help he had requested. The other party was his secretary, who was responsible for handling and conveying his instructions.

　"We said it would take a while, so we didn't notify him. We just got a last-minute notification that even if he takes a plane, the earliest he can arrive is tomorrow afternoon."

　The big man opened the document in his hand, took out Old Wang's schedule and handed it to Bai Niaoyi in front of him, then stepped aside and said nothing more.

　"I can wait a day. If it's Old Wang, even if the other party is a top-level chef, we still have a great chance of winning."

　"Let's go see what's going on. Maybe we won't even need Old Wang's help. I don't believe that little girl alone can make a luminous dish; it must be the recipe's power."

　Looking in the direction of Zhuang Huiyuan and smelling the rich aroma of fish stew in the air, Bai Niaoyi thought of this possibility.