Everyday Life Starting with Food Wars

Everyday Life Starting with Food Wars

Author: Quietly Serene

Summary:

Just as Chen Yuxing's career was developing steadily and he was about to achieve great success, an unexpected accident caused him to be reborn in the world of "Food Wars!" and obtain a cheat code called "The Book of Gourmet Food".

With a "what's done is done" attitude, Chen Yuxing learned new recipes through the "Book of Cookery" while improving his culinary skills.

From sweet and sour pork, Wensi tofu, three-egg shumai... to super-delicious rolls, dazzling crystal fish, and century-old soup...

Let the delicacies from different worlds be recreated in this world!

Chapter 1 The Book of Cookery

Chen Yuxing looked at the spatula in his hand, then at the greasy wall in front of him, and finally figured out the cause and effect of his transmigration.

Not long ago, he was tossing food in the kitchen of his well-known restaurant when suddenly, with a loud bang, he knew nothing more.

When I woke up again, I was right here.

After standing there dumbfounded for five minutes, a sudden memory popped into his head, telling him that the original owner of this body was also named Chen Yuxing, eighteen years old this year, whose parents died in a car accident, leaving behind this Chinese restaurant that was about to go bankrupt.

"Goodness, transmigrating even comes with supporting industries, isn't this service a bit too thoughtful?" Chen Yuxing muttered, unconsciously wiping the edge of the stove with his fingers.

He walked around the kitchen. The shop wasn't big, with only six tables at most. The menus on the wall were yellowed and had a bunch of crooked Japanese writing on them.

I pushed open the back door and peeked out. There were several beer crates piled up in the alley, and across the street was the back of a small shop with sheets and blankets hanging out to dry.

"Well, what's done is done." Chen Yuxing yawned. He had a peculiar habit: except when cooking, he was usually lazy and seemed to lack the energy to do anything.

However, just as he was about to clean up the kitchen, his hand touched the knife rack, and suddenly his mind went blank.

A booklet gleaming with gold inexplicably appeared in his mind, with four large characters written on the cover: "The Book of Gourmet Food".

Turn to the first page, it says:

[Congratulations, host, for activating the Book of Gourmet Food. Completing tasks will reward you with recipes and ingredients from across the myriad worlds.]

[Currently unlocked recipes: Sweet and Sour Pork, Wensi Tofu.]

Chen Yuxing paused for three seconds, then laughed.

"Alright, we've already set up the cheat codes, let's get started."

He spent two days cleaning the shop again and went to the market to buy some basic seasonings and ingredients.

Today is the day we reopen.

At nine o'clock in the morning, Chen Yuxing pushed the roller shutter door up, and the words "Grand Opening" were pasted on the shiny glass door at the entrance.

Then he sat behind the counter, resting his chin on his hand, waiting for someone to come.

After waiting for nearly two hours, apart from an old lady asking for directions, there wasn't a soul in sight.

“That’s true. This shop was almost closed down before, so it’s no wonder no one remembers it.” Chen Yuxing wasn’t in a hurry. He got up and went into the kitchen to practice his skills first.

He rolled up his sleeves, carefully washed his hands, and then picked up the knife.

The moment his fingers touched the hilt of the knife, his entire demeanor changed.

The young man who had been leaning lazily against the wall just moments before now stood up straight, his eyes as sharp as an eagle's.

"Try Wensi Tofu first."

Chen Yuxing took out a piece of tender tofu, and with a few swift strokes of his knife, a series of delicate chopping sounds filled the air as the tofu was transformed into tens of thousands of hair-thin strands, which fell into the clear water, each strand distinct.

He nodded in satisfaction; he hadn't lost his swordsmanship from his previous life.

Then he took out a piece of pork belly, preparing to make sweet and sour pork.

Cut the meat into chunks, marinate with cooking wine and light soy sauce, then mix with batter.

He wasn't in a hurry while he was doing it, and he did each step very carefully.

I added eggs and a little baking powder to the batter so that it would be crispy after frying.

"Fuck-"

The oil sizzled, and the moment the meat chunks hit the pan, a rich aroma of meat wafted out.

Chen Yu stood by the pot, using long chopsticks to turn the pieces of meat one by one, and took them out when they were fried until they were golden brown and shiny.

Then he made the sweet and sour sauce in a separate pot: tomato sauce, white vinegar, white sugar, a little salt, and the juice from two fresh lemons he picked from the back alley.

The sauce was bubbling in the pot. Chen Yuxing poured in the fried meat pieces and quickly stir-fried them, coating each piece with the glistening sauce.

Remove from the pan and plate.

Just as he placed the plate on the table, a notification sound rang in his mind again:

[Sweet and sour pork successfully made. Current proficiency: 1%.]

[First time creating a recipe, reward ingredients: 10 packets of concentrated pork bone broth.]

Chen Yuxing was stunned for a moment, and a small bag appeared out of thin air in his hand, containing ten packets of concentrated broth.

"It's really convenient, but we need to find a place to put this thing so that no one can see it."

He packed his things away and was about to finish the dish himself when the wind chimes at the door rang.

Excuse me, are you still open for business?

The man who came in was a bald middle-aged man, wearing a suit, with a very protruding belly, and a slightly embarrassed look on his face.

"We're open for business." Chen Yuxing walked over. "What would you like to eat?"

After the middle-aged man came in, he looked around and finally his gaze fell on the handwritten menu on the wall.

"This...is a Chinese restaurant? Do you have...Mapo Tofu?"

Mapo tofu wasn't on the menu.

However, Chen Yuxing nodded: "I can do it, please wait a moment."

He turned and went into the kitchen, and the older man added from behind, "Um... I can handle spicier food!"

Chen Yuxing smiled and took out tofu and minced meat from the refrigerator.

He first boiled water to blanch the tofu to remove the beany smell, then heated oil in a wok, added finely chopped minced beef, and stir-fried it until the minced beef was crispy and fragrant.

Next, add fermented soybean paste and chili powder, turn the heat up high, and the red oil in the pot sizzles.

The aroma wafted out immediately, and the bald man sitting outside took a deep sniff.

Chen Yuxing poured the blanched tofu into the pot, added broth, soy sauce, and salt, and simmered it over low heat.

The tofu tumbles in the red broth, absorbing the essence of the soup.

Finally, reduce the sauce over high heat, then sprinkle with Sichuan peppercorn powder and green garlic.

"Your Mapo Tofu."

The moment the plate was placed on the table, the bald man had already picked up his chopsticks.

The bright red broth coats the tender white tofu, with bits of minced beef scattered among it, along with vibrant green garlic shoots and dark brown Sichuan peppercorn powder.

He picked up a piece of tofu and carefully put it in his mouth.

Then I froze.

The tofu is as tender as pudding, melting in your mouth, but its flavor is anything but simple.

First, the numbing spiciness explodes on the tip of the tongue, followed by the sweetness of the tofu, then the crispy beef, and finally the refreshing green garlic and the numbing sensation of Sichuan peppercorns.

"This...this is so delicious!"

The bald man's eyes were red, and he couldn't stop eating with his chopsticks, one bite after another. He could eat three bowls of rice with tofu.

"Young man, your skills are amazing! How did you end up opening a shop in this place?"

Chen Yuxing leaned against the kitchen door frame and said lazily, "Just make something quick and easy."

"You can make this with just a little effort?!" the uncle exclaimed incredulously. "I've eaten at that Michelin three-star Chinese restaurant in Ginza before, and their Mapo Tofu wasn't as good as yours!"

As he spoke, he pulled out a business card from his pocket: "My name is Katsunori Okamoto, and I work on food programs. I'll definitely be a regular customer of your restaurant!"

Chen Yuxing took the business card and glanced at it; it belonged to a radio producer.

Katsunori Okamoto scraped the plate clean, leaving not a single grain of meat behind, before patting his belly contentedly.

"By the way, I haven't asked you your name yet?"

"Chen Yuxing".

"Chen-san!" Katsunori Okamoto gave a thumbs up. "Your skills are being wasted in this small town. Have you thought about other options?"

Chen Yuxing was about to pour him some water when he heard this and looked up to ask, "What way out?"

"Totsuki Academy".

Katsunori Okamoto became serious, stroking his small mustache: "That's the best culinary academy in all of Japan. I occasionally go there to judge food battles. If you'd like, I can recommend you to take the transfer exam."

Chen Yuxing paused for a moment while holding the teapot.

Totsuki Academy? That name sounds familiar.

He thought for a while and suddenly realized—could this be the world of Food Wars!?

Although he was busy with work in his previous life, his favorite thing to watch in his spare time was various food-themed anime, and he watched "Food Wars!" over and over again.

"That academy isn't one that just anyone can get into, is it?" Chen Yuxing placed the tea on the table.

“It’s definitely not easy to get in, but I think with your abilities, you’ll definitely be fine!” Katsunori Okamoto patted his chest confidently. “I can recommend one person every year, and I haven’t used that recommendation yet this year.”

Chen Yuxing thought for a moment. Although he was doing quite well at the shop, he was also eager to learn about different culinary techniques. He then nodded and said, "Okay, thank you."

Katsunori Okamoto blushed with joy, as if he had found a treasure: "Then it's settled! The transfer exam is next month, and I'll send you the application form then!"

After saying that, he added, "But I have to come here often before the exam. I'll probably never forget this meal for the rest of my life."

Chen Yuxing saw him to the door, and Okamoto Katsunori took several steps and then turned back to call out, "Chen-san! You must come!"

After seeing Okamoto Katsunori off, Chen Yuxing closed the door and leaned against the doorframe, thinking for a long time.

Totsuki Academy... Erina Nakiri, the Elite Ten, Food Wars, and that guy named Soma Yukihira.

"interesting."

He stretched, tidied up the shop, then tied on his apron and continued practicing.

I made Wensi Tofu three times and Sweet and Sour Pork twice. Each time I finished making it, a notification sound would go off in my head.

[Wen Si Tofu Proficiency +1%.]

[Sweet and Sour Pork Proficiency +1%.]

By the time the restaurant closed in the evening, my proficiency in both dishes had increased to 5%.

Chen Yuxing turned off the lights in the shop, leaving only the one in the kitchen. Even then, he didn't stop, taking out paper and pen to start writing and drawing.

He was organizing recipes from his past life.

Although we have the "Book of Gourmet Food," we can't rely on it entirely; our skills from our past lives are the foundation.

I wrote until midnight, and only went upstairs to sleep when I was so sleepy I couldn't stay awake any longer.

The days went by like this: opening at nine o'clock every day and closing at eight o'clock in the evening, during which time I practiced making various dishes.

Katsunori Okamoto would come over for a meal every few days, sometimes with colleagues, sometimes with friends.

Those who came for the first time were just like him back then. They started to doubt their lives after the first bite, and then one by one they became repeat customers.

The restaurant's business gradually improved, and the surrounding neighbors all knew about this Chinese restaurant called "Star". The head chef was a young man, but his skills were ridiculously good.

Two weeks later, Chen Yuxing received the application form for Totsuki Academy.

He filled it out and sent it back. A week later, he received the exam notification.

On the morning of the exam, Chen Yuxing got up especially early.

He changed into clean clothes, packed away his usual kitchen knife, and then went out.

Totsuki Academy was much larger than he had imagined; it took more than ten minutes to walk from the main gate to the teaching area.

He looked at the students on the roadside; some were wearing school uniforms, some were wearing casual clothes, and many were carrying knife cases just like his, looking nervous.