Have you ever seen glowing food? That's why you draw a food-themed anime.

"Wait, how could I say something so heartless?"

Xu Zhou couldn't help but wonder when he would be able to start the second comic book.

Should we start with Cooking Master Boy?

Or should we open a late-night diner and become captivated by delicious food?

...

When Xu Zhou arrived at the store entrance, he felt several gazes fixed on him.

I looked up and was startled.

"What are you..."

"Boss, you've finally arrived!"

Xu Kai and his friends were already waiting at the door, completely losing their composure. Behind them were Cai Cai, who had come yesterday, and one of her roommates.

The four people standing there looked travel-worn, and their eyes held a hint of resentment as they looked at themselves.

"Uh, what time did you arrive?"

As Xu Zhou opened the shop door, he walked inside. After opening the door, he saw that the tables hadn't been cleaned yet, so he took a rag and went over: "Wait a minute, I need to wipe the tables first."

"..."

"And I also need to wash the dishes. Please make yourselves at home. It will take another half hour."

"Boss, you do all of this yourself?" Xu Kai couldn't help but ask.

"Our shop is small, so we don't have any helpers."

Xu Zhou had just picked up the rag when Xu Kai snatched it away. Xu Kai's stomach was growling with hunger, and his eyes were practically glowing green.

Just thinking about the delicious food I ate yesterday makes my mouth water.

"Boss, you go cook! We customers can do things like wiping the tables!"

“This…” Xu Zhou hesitated.

"I love wiping tables the most!"

After taking the rag, Xu Kai diligently wiped the table, his eyes shining as he stared at the chef's counter, his voice booming: "One imitation barbecue dish! And one for my friend too! Boss, hurry up and make it, I've been waiting since eight o'clock this morning."

"So early?" Xu Zhou was startled. "Have you eaten yet?"

"I haven't eaten yet. You only offer ten servings a day, how could I dare to come late? What if I can't get a turn?"

Xu Kai was so hungry he was almost dizzy. He vigorously wiped the table with a rag while glancing at the dishes over there: "What are you standing there for? Go wash the dishes for Boss Xu!"

"Ah, yes, yes!"

All four of them sprang into action, some tidying up, others cleaning.

Xu Kai and Cai Cai worked without complaint.

Ruan Mian and Cai Cai's roommate, Glasses, were dumbfounded.

Xu Kai is a true gourmand. Even in those top-tier restaurants run by families of imperial chefs, he has never been seen like this before.

Isn't this a bit too exaggerated?

Could it be because they're familiar with this boss?

...

But they soon found out the reason.

Xu Zhou tied on an apron, walked to the kitchen counter, and began to chop vegetables and prepare ingredients.

The knife skills are dazzling, even more impressive than those of top chefs in videos.

His hands moved incredibly fast; he chopped an onion into small cubes in less than three seconds.

The bacon on the table had no meaty smell at all, but instead had the aroma of fruitwood. Just by looking at it, it was crystal clear and glossy, and the red and white strips of meat looked very expensive and high-end.

Even the red wine used in the sauce, just by looking at its color and smelling its rich, three distinct aromas, reveals its extraordinary quality.

A wine with three layers of aroma is definitely a high-quality red wine!

How could such a high-quality red wine be used as a sauce?

Xu Kai couldn't help but sigh.

Steam, bake, or drizzle with sauce.

When the red wine sauce is poured over the caramelized bacon, the two liquids collide, releasing a burst of heat and aroma from the food.

"This dish..." Ruan Mian had long forgotten that she came to buy things for others. After paying, she picked up the plate and found a table to eat without hesitation.

Take one bite.

The thick gravy burst in her mouth, and the potatoes, soaked in the gravy, enveloped her tongue. The rich and layered flavor made her eyes water.

The soft, creamy mashed potatoes have soaked up the rich meat juices, coating your tongue and teeth when you bite into them.

The crispy bacon is not only crunchy and fragrant, but also has a rich, layered aroma of smoky fruit and wood.

Especially the sauce made by mixing concentrated red wine with meat juices, when you take a sip, the top-quality red wine flavor spreads on your tongue, an intoxicatingly superior taste!

Rich, mellow, and incredibly fragrant!

It tastes completely unlike any of the red wines sold in supermarkets that cost hundreds of dollars a bottle.

It's so delicious...

Before she could even catch her breath, she had already finished a plate of imitation barbecue.

"Boss, another one!"

Ruan Mian was so excited while eating that she felt like crying after tasting such exquisite food.

Xu Zhou shook his head: "Only one serving of each type of dish per meal. But if you want more, we have a new dish today: oyster congee."

"Oyster congee?"

Xu Kai, who had been munching away, looked up immediately upon hearing those words: "Is that the oyster porridge in the second episode that the female lead described as tasting like bathing with a gorilla?"

"Uh, yes." Xu Zhou himself didn't know what it tasted like.

But considering that it was made by students of Totsuki Academy, the oyster porridge couldn't possibly be that bad.

After all, Totsuki Academy is set up as a paradise for world-class chefs to study.

"Have some!"

"I want one too!"

"Me too!"

There was no fear of the oyster congee in the eyes of the four people, only trust in Xu Zhou's culinary skills.

With the owner's skills, even a random dish would be absolutely delicious!

Xu Zhou bought five portions of ingredients, intending to have one for himself as well.

The dishes from Chapter 9 of the comic actually appeared!

Xu Zhou had no idea what the effect would be if the recipe for the dish that was criticized as worthless by the female protagonist in "Food Wars!" were brought to life.

But after glancing at the quality of the ingredients on the table, and seeing the fresh and smooth oyster meat and pearly white shell of the pearl oysters, I figured it couldn't be too bad.

At a glance.

Even raw ingredients can be felt to be clean and fresh, and the translucent and extremely tender meat can whet one's appetite.

"Is it inappropriate for us to just stand by and watch?"

Seeing how quickly Xu Zhou handled the ingredients, Xu Kai hesitated, "Aren't recipes usually a secret for chefs?"

"fine."

As Xu Zhou separated the oyster shells from the oyster meat, washed the pearly white oyster meat, and fried it in a pan until it was caramelized, he smiled and said, "You guys won't be able to learn this."

After all, even with the help of the system, it still takes a long time to train in the training room to successfully replicate it.

Moreover, every single ingredient is a fantasy ingredient purchased directly from the system.

You can't buy it outside even if you have the money.

Not to mention the more exquisite knife skills, cooking time, and the secret methods for preparing sauces. The sauces are basically prepared in advance in the system training room.

They are all things that cannot be learned.

Xu Zhou began to work seriously.

The clean white oyster meat is marinated and then pan-fried in oil until fragrant. It is then seasoned with white pepper powder and salt, and a few drops of ginger juice and aged vinegar are added to remove any fishy smell and enhance the aroma.

The pearly white oyster meat, after being pan-fried, turns slightly golden brown at the edges, and the whole room seems to be filled with a fishy aroma mixed with the waves.

"This smell..."

"Could this be the legendary taste of bathing with gorillas?"

Xu Zhou was initially a little apprehensive.

However, the fishy smell was neutralized by adding a salted duck egg and stir-frying it.

The salted duck egg yolk brought out the umami flavor of the oyster meat.

The golden-brown salted duck eggs are mixed with finely chopped green garlic fried in oil. When they are stir-fried to perfection, they are poured over hot white porridge made with boiling broth. The domineering aroma seems to explode out of the pot.

A large expanse of white congee rushes towards the oysters coated in golden-brown salted duck eggs. The white and yellow broths collide, and white steam rises up, as if the congee is glowing.

The porridge started to bubble.

“It smells so good…”

I'm getting a little hungry.

While hesitating, Xu Zhoulian skillfully made four servings of oyster congee, as if she had done it a thousand times before.

It was served to the four of them, who were looking on expectantly.

"The oyster congee is ready."

"Please use."

The porridge was served in an ordinary porcelain bowl.

At first glance, all you can see is a white, viscous ocean.

You can't see the individual grains of rice clearly, but if you look closely, you can see three oysters in the bowl.

Although it doesn't look as eye-catching as a replica of barbecued meat, at first glance it looks like just a bowl of ordinary white porridge.

Yet it inexplicably gives people a sense of profound simplicity.

...

Almost without hesitation, the four of them first used their spoons to find the oysters in the porridge bowl and carefully put them into their mouths.

The oysters were a little hot.

Take a bite and the fresh, sweet flavor explodes on your taste buds, rushing straight to your brain.

"This taste!!"

"hiss--"

Xu Kai's heart skipped a beat, his brain was so captivated by this exquisite delicacy that he didn't even have time to react.

I felt as if I were surrounded by deep-sea oysters. The first taste was sweet and fresh, and upon closer tasting, I could also taste the subtle black pepper flavor in the white porridge.

The perfectly balanced flavors of green garlic and scallions add a sophisticated layer to this simple dish.

With each second and third bite, the flavor profile is different.

He felt his consciousness becoming somewhat hazy from eating; the exquisite deliciousness made him want to cry.

"good to eat!"

"This...this is so delicious!"

"This is the best porridge I've ever had in my life!"