Food Wars, my food not only glows!

　No, "cover" isn't a good word. A more accurate description would be "absorb," "layer," which creates a richer, more complex fragrance.

　The aroma bursting in her mouth was an extremely intense sensation, instantly making Qiao...

　Grandma Shou's face was rosy, and she almost lost her balance.

　After being fried, braised, and pan-fried, the taste and texture of white king oyster mushrooms are indistinguishable from real beef, and even their appearance is hard to tell the difference!

　If she hadn't watched Bai Yuan cook with her own eyes, and if she hadn't seen the white lingzhi mushrooms cut relatively smoothly, unlike beef which has a textured surface, the skillful old lady would definitely have thought she was eating real beef!

　This dish is not made with beef; instead, it uses king oyster mushrooms. Vegetables and spices are combined to create a complex aroma, which is then infused into the king oyster mushrooms through braising. A sauce is also prepared to enhance the surface flavor, catering to different tastes.

　While locking in the aroma, the baijiu adds an enticing layer of wine fragrance to the surface of the white oyster mushrooms. This incredibly mellow flavor acts as a catalyst, piquing diners' interest in the dish.

　What appears to be vegetarian beef made to cater to exam questions is actually a top-quality delicacy with meticulous details hidden in various places!

　Such a transformation is truly astonishing!

　"Like a mysterious treasure chest from childhood, it is full of endless surprises. No matter when or where you open it, you can find new and interesting toys, immersing yourself in the pure joy of continuous exploration and discovery."

　Savoring the unique flavor of the wine-infused vegetarian steak, the skillful grandmother couldn't help but exclaim that she hadn't tasted such a creative and vibrant dish in a long time!

　And this was only because Bai Yuan wasn't interested in cooking. If he were to get into it and put all his effort into it, what kind of dishes would he serve up?

　"Gudu."

　The skillful old lady swallowed hard, feeling incredibly excited just thinking about it!

　"It's an amazing work. I saw your creativity in it, turning the white oyster mushrooms into the shape of a steak, simulating the taste, texture, and appearance of beef. It's simply flawless!"

　Furthermore, you added your own touches—a rich aroma of wine, a complex fragrance of vegetables and spices—undoubtedly, you perfectly captured the theme!

　a long time.

　The skillful old woman snapped out of her reverie of the delicious food and turned her gaze to Bai Yuan, giving the "wine-infused vegetarian steak" a very high rating.

　"You don't need to participate in the next mutual evaluation; they are not qualified to judge your cooking."

　The Guangzhou Chefs Association has specially reserved a special chef position for you. Starting today, you are a registered master chef in Guangzhou, China!

　The skillful old lady's powerful voice echoed throughout the venue, directly announcing that Bai Yuan had been awarded the title of Special Grade Chef.

　It was only natural to rate the chef who created the luminous dish as the Special Grade, and no one at the scene was surprised. In fact, the contestants secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

　Because Bai Yuan directly obtained the status of a special chef, it means he doesn't have to compete with them for the current special chef spot, which greatly increases their chances of qualifying!

　At the same time, bursts of flame suddenly shot out from the city tower, shooting into the sky and bursting into an incomparably magnificent display of fireworks.

　"Time is up!"

　Looking at the fireworks in the sky, the skillful old woman shouted, then swept her sharp eyes across the contestants. If anyone still hadn't stopped, she would immediately disqualify them.

　"Thankfully, I finished cooking before the fireworks started!"

　Looking at the dish in front of her, Kakuzaki Taki patted her not-so-ample chest with a relieved expression.

　"I'm going to get the Chinese dragon-shaped armband!"

　Leah spoke confidently in French.

　"It's about to begin! The moment that will decide our fate!"

　Jin Lanyu looked at the dishes on her cooking counter with a complex expression, equally confident.

　"I will definitely achieve the status of a master chef, I'll bet everything on it!"

　Iron Arm Amu clenched his fists, his eyes flashing with sharpness!

　The people at the kitchen counter stopped what they were doing at the same time, raised their heads, and looked at each other with determination in their eyes.

　Soon, Jin Lanyu, Amu, Liya, and Kakuzaki Taki stood side by side.

　Before them was a large white round table, surrounded by a circle of silver candles, which were now casting a faint glow.

　Regardless, the atmosphere was perfectly captured.

　"The midnight deadline has arrived. The four contestants' beef and non-beef dishes are now being scored!"

　"The scoring method uses a peer-to-peer scoring system. You will review your opponents' work and then score each individual's work. In other words, in addition to being participants in this competition, you are also qualifying judges!"

　Looking at the four people gathered in front of her, the skillful old woman changed her previous gentleness and put on a stern look, and what she said was the rules and regulations that had been set long ago.

　"I see. This method is indeed the best way to select top-level chefs."

　Lia muttered to herself in French, glancing at the others with a mixture of nervousness and excitement. She wanted to know how her cooking would be perceived by the others.

　"As a chef, you must have the ability to properly evaluate other people's work, otherwise you can't be called a master chef."

　Kakuzaki Taki crossed her arms and nodded in deep agreement. At Totsuki Academy, after the food battles, they improved by tasting each other's dishes.

　"Each person's work can be scored out of ten. You should carefully appreciate it and give it whatever score is appropriate."

　First, Jin Lanyu; everyone else, please take your seats.

　The skillful old lady retreated to a...

　Meanwhile, several staff members brought out Jin Lanyu's dishes and placed them in front of the other three contestants.

　"Give me one too."

　Bai Yuan, who had been silent all along, suddenly raised his hand and spoke to Granny Qiaoshou and the other contestants.

　He also wanted to try their food and see if he could learn anything new from it, even though the chances were slim, he wouldn't give up any opportunity.

　A wise man is a teacher. Even a third-rate cook may have strengths that the other man lacks, just like the two children arguing about the sun, which Confucius learned from.

　"Alright, although you have passed the top-level assessment, you are still a candidate this time, and there should be a place for you here."

　Upon hearing Bai Yuan's words, the skillful old woman nodded and did not refuse him on such a small matter. Instead, she asked the staff next to her to bring over a chair.

　Seeing this, Bai Yuan nodded slightly and sat down next to Kakuzaki Taki.

　"The dish I made is called Special Beef-Flavored Vegetarian Skewers!"

　As the dishes were served, Jin Lanyu stood before everyone and began her introduction.

　"Soybeans are ground into powder, and the soybean pulp is used to make vegetarian beef with a texture similar to beef. After frying, braising, and grilling, this special vegetarian kebab with beef flavor is made!"

　For the skewers, I chose potatoes and mushrooms to enhance the overall flavor and make them more compatible with the beef.

　This grilled skewer doesn't use any beef-related ingredients, but it has the texture and flavor of beef. This is the dish I make that is 'beef-like but not beef'!

　Come on, try it!

　Jin Lanyu stretched out her hand, her face filled with an eager and enthusiastic expression. This was a dish she had created by burning her life essence, and it was sure to touch people's hearts!

　"It looks pretty good. The vegetarian beef made from soybeans is layered with mushrooms, the potato slices are cut a bit thick, fried until golden and crispy, crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, sprinkled with chili powder, salt and pepper, and cumin seasoning, the aroma hits your nose."

　Looking at the beef-flavored vegetarian skewers in front of him, Bai Yuan couldn't help but nod and express his approval.

　He'd give this dish an 80 out of 100 for its creativity!

　Fried, braised, roasted.

　A dish undergoes these three processes, resulting in an exceptionally rich flavor profile. Soybeans and mushrooms are the best ingredients for making vegetarian beef, making them a perfect match for the theme.

　Moreover, this cooking method is somewhat similar to his; his vegetarian steak uses four processes: frying, braising, pan-frying, and grilling, which is one step more than hers.

　"The outer layer is a slightly charred baked layer with a crisp but not hard crust, which is the texture left after careful baking."

　Next comes the soft and slightly elastic 'vegetarian beef' inside. It mimics the chewiness of beef, yet has the unique delicacy and smoothness of soybeans, as if it slowly melts in your mouth.

　Frying infuses the ingredients with aroma, braising fills them with flavor from the inside out, and finally, grilling over fruitwood charcoal elevates the overall taste to a whole new level!

　With his eyes closed, Bai Yuan recalled all the actions Jin Lanyu took while cooking. From frying various ingredients in oil until they puffed up, to dipping them in braising liquid to allow them to absorb as much of the broth as possible, preparing them for the subsequent roasting.

　"The potato slices are of a certain thickness and fried to perfection, crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. They retain the natural sweetness of the potatoes while adding the crispiness from frying, creating a striking contrast with the slightly chewy vegetarian beef!"

　Kakuzaki Taki also picked up a skewer, her cheeks flushed as she savored it. The flavor of the dish burst in her mouth, giving her an absolutely wonderful taste experience!

　"The mushrooms, with their unique meaty texture, sandwiched between the soy-based vegetarian beef, add another dimension of richness to the overall taste."

　At the same time, it absorbs the essence of the braising liquid while retaining its own freshness and juiciness, making each bite an explosion of satisfaction.

　Lia said in slightly broken Chinese, her face full of amazement at the delicious food. "Is this the assessment for a top-level chef in Guangzhou, China?"

　Such a talented person, isn't he a top-tier chef?!

　"Because of the process of frying first and then braising, every bite can taste the lingering aftertaste of spices such as star anise and cinnamon, as well as the subtle balance of soy sauce and sugar."

　These flavors slowly unfold in the mouth, creating an indescribable richness and mellowness.

　After a moment of contemplation, Amu gave his evaluation: "Without a doubt, this is an excellent dish that perfectly fits the theme of 'beef that is not beef'."

　"The only drawback is that the mushrooms in the middle could be cooked a little longer, so you can still see the white part inside when you take a bite, which adds a bit of bitterness to the aftertaste."

　Seeing Jin Lanyu's slightly upturned lips, Bai Yuan raised the skewers in his hand high. Through the bright moonlight, he could clearly see the mushrooms on the skewers and the small white residue in the middle, which was evidence that they were not fully cooked!

　The deep voice drew everyone's attention, who looked at the white residue on the mushroom skewers in his hand, and then at themselves, noticing the same thing.

　"Indeed, there are white spots inside the mushroom."

　Amu looked at the white spots in the mushrooms, his voice becoming lighter, because this meant that Jin Lanyu's dish had a flaw, and the score would definitely be lowered.

　"These mushrooms are so delicious, and after so many cooking steps, they're still not fully cooked?!"

　Kakuzaki Taki looked on in astonishment, staring at him in disbelief, before confirming...

　There were indeed white dots on the mushroom, and I gasped in surprise.

　"How could that be? I braised it for more than half an hour, and I even fried it before braising and then grilled it again. Why wasn't it cooked through?"

　Looking at the white residue on the mushroom skewers in Bai Yuan's hand, Jin Lanyu's face showed a hint of disbelief. How could the mushrooms not be fully cooked after she had been working for so long!

　"It takes quite a while to cook mushrooms thoroughly, and the cooking time varies for each type of mushroom, as does their size."

　Otherwise, people in Yunnan wouldn't put alarm clocks in mushroom hot pot restaurants, because uncooked mushrooms really can cause hallucinations.

　Bai Yuan said this, but his praise remained. He said that the mushrooms not being fully cooked would only affect the taste and aftertaste, but not much else.

　Undeniably, this is an excellent dish! He liked both the creativity and the taste, and the seasoning sprinkled on top was also very fragrant.

　If we keep exploring, it could definitely become a great specialty dish.

　"The tasting continues, and next up is French chef Lia."

　Hearing Bai Yuan's evaluation, the skillful old woman nodded silently and then called for the next contestant to take the stage.

　It seems that he not only has superb cooking skills, but also can objectively evaluate other people's dishes, which is very rare!

　Some skilled chefs, despite their exceptional culinary abilities, are so engrossed in their own world that they cannot offer fair and objective evaluations of others' dishes. Such chefs are unlikely to go far in the long run!

　"Go for it, Leah."

　When it was his sister's turn, Aiden clenched his fists behind her, unconsciously praying for her to win.

　"This is a famous French dish that I'd like to bring to you, and it's also a dish that perfectly fits the theme of beef and non-beef: French-style baked snails!"

　Lia stood up gracefully, bowed to everyone present, and watched as the staff brought the dishes to the table, then took the initiative to introduce them.

　"This is a must-have dish at French banquets, made with snails, garlic, butter, white wine, and special snail shells. The taste will absolutely exceed your expectations, so come and try it!"

　Lia launched into a long explanation, her face flushed with excitement. As long as her cooking was well-received, the competition would be a sure thing!

　And French-style baked snails happen to be one of her signature dishes!

　but...

　The situation on the scene was somewhat unexpected.

　Why...is no one touching their chopsticks?

　After the introduction, Lia waited to the side, but after listening to her introduction, everyone leaned back in their chairs, closed their eyes to rest, and no one was willing to pick up their chopsticks to taste her dish.

　The atmosphere remained silent until she uttered those words.

　"You idiot!"

　"There's no need to eat the food you made. You're finished."

　Upon hearing the question, Bai Yuan opened his eyes and looked at Liya's pale face, which had turned slightly pale after hearing his words. He then reprimanded her mercilessly.

　"what?"

　Lia frowned, her voice filled with doubt and a barely perceptible tremor, somewhat puzzled as to why Bai Yuan said that.

　"Although snails contain the word 'cow' in their name, they are not beef. The two are completely different and have no resemblance whatsoever."

　If we're just talking about the theme, using snail meat is definitely fine, and it's actually a pretty good ingredient, if you can use snail meat to bring out the flavor and texture of beef.