"Time's up," Yuan Zhou stood up and said.
"Alright. Head Chef Yuan, please have a taste," Qiu Ji was the first to speak.
Next was Cui Hang. On the other side, the Sichuan chefs were much calmer. They nodded and agreed to have a taste.
"Then I'll start with the first one. What do you think, Chairman Zhou?" Yuan Zhou turned to Zhou Shijie and asked.
"I'll listen to you, Yuan," Zhou Shijie said.
Yuan Zhou nodded and said to Zhong Lili, "Miss Zhong, please serve the dishes."
"No problem," Zhong Lili shook her head and walked down the grandstand.
"I'm the first one to speak." Qiu Ji confidently and slowly said to Zhong Lili.
"I'm the second one," Cui Hang said.
"I'm the next one," Wu Yue, who couldn't eat spicy dishes, said gently.
"Also, this Boiled Beef of mine. I specially cooked it to ask Head Chef Yuan for advice," Li Yu said humbly and earnestly.
What a joke. Facing the current leader of Sichuan Cuisine, how could he not be humble?
"After the main course, it's time for our dim sum," the two chefs of Cantonese dim sum looked at each other and said together.
"Our dim sum will be the last," Tang Quan said on behalf of the two chefs of Sichuan dim sum.
Zhong Lili listened attentively. When they finished, she spoke.
"Then let's start with Head Chef Qiu," Zhong Lili extended her hand and said.
"Um," Qiu Ji nodded in satisfaction and carried his Stir-Fried Osmanthus Perch to the grandstand.
"Let me do it, Head Chef Qiu," Zhong Lili quickly followed.
"No need. I'll do it myself," Qiu Ji carried the dish and walked to the grandstand with steady steps.
Qiu Ji had his own thoughts. He wanted the Stir-Fried Fish to be fresh and tender. If it turned cold, it wouldn't taste good. Therefore, he quickly went to the grandstand first.
The grandstand where Yuan Zhou and Zhou Shijie were seated was not far from the stove. In less than two minutes, Qiu Ji arrived with his dishes.
Pa. Qiu Ji placed the plate between them and said, "Chairman Zhou and Head Chef Yuan, please have a taste."
When he said this, Qiu Ji's face was full of confidence.
"Um." Yuan Zhou nodded. Zhou Shijie also nodded. Then, the two of them picked up their chopsticks and prepared to eat.
This Stir-Fried Osmanthus Perch focused on the freshness of the fish, so it didn't need any other side dishes.
The stir-fried Osmanthus Perch was also served without any side dishes. It was served on a white porcelain plate with pieces of snow-white fish fillets that were stir-fried in small bowls. It looked fresh and natural without any fancy.
Yuan Zhou picked up a piece of fish with his chopsticks and stuffed it into his mouth.
The fish was slightly cold in his mouth and had a faint tenderness. With a little chewing, the freshness of the fish burst out. A little bit of sugar brought out the natural freshness of the fish, and the saltiness of the soy sauce was just right.
And the fragrance of scallions as the base gave this simple Stir-Fried Osmanthus Perch a layered feeling. The petal-shaped fish even had a little tenacity, giving the fish a better texture when chewing.
"Oh, the taste is not bad," Zhou Shijie said first.
When Zhou Shijie said this, the smile on Qiu Ji's face became brighter.
"The taste is indeed not bad," Yuan Zhou put down his chopsticks and nodded in affirmation.
"Of course, this fish is our Feng City's famous dish," Qiu Ji said.
"It is indeed worthy of being called a famous dish," Yuan Zhou nodded in affirmation.
Zhou Shijie looked at Yuan Zhou. Yuan Zhou said indifferently, "It's just that the season isn't right."
"Huh?" Qiu Ji looked at Yuan Zhou.
"There used to be a saying in Jiangnan: January flower bass, February knife, March mandarin fish, April mackerel, May white, June mackerel, July eel, August barb, September crucian carp, October grass carp, November silver carp, and December mackerel," Yuan Zhou recited a rhythmic schedule of eating fish.
"I know that," Qiu Ji did not mind.
"Of course, you are good at cooking fish, so of course you know that," Yuan Zhou said.
"So what are you trying to say, Head Chef Yuan?" Qiu Ji asked.
"It's very simple. You purposely left something to show during the exchange, right?" Yuan Zhou said bluntly.
Yuan Zhou's question startled Qiu Ji. Qiu Ji looked at Yuan Zhou in astonishment.
"I saw where you cut just now. This fish should be thinner by a third, but you stopped. Moreover, this fish lacks the original fishy smell as the final decoration," Yuan Zhou said.
"You saw that?" Qiu Ji's heart skipped a beat, unconsciously using honorifics.
Qiu Ji couldn't be blamed for being surprised. From such a distance, Yuan Zhou had only taken a bite, yet Yuan Zhou was able to tell what he was hiding.
That's right. When he cut the fish, no, when he cooked this dish, Qiu Ji had already decided to hide his abilities. But in the end, he decided to make a fuss about the thinness and fishy smell of the fish.
The thinness was very secretive. As for the fishy smell, it was a test of Yuan Zhou's understanding of Fengcheng Cuisine. Fengcheng Cuisine emphasized on the original taste, and the fishy smell was also the original taste of the fish. It all depended on how Yuan Zhou displayed it.
In his heart, Qiu Ji felt that this was a test for Yuan Zhou. After all, ordinary people wouldn't be able to see through it. Even those from Class 2 and Class 3 wouldn't be able to see through it.
That was because the fish slices Qiu Ji served were already very thin. After stir-frying, it had a transparent jade color. The color and taste showed that this dish was already at its peak.
As one of the Twin Stars of Fengcheng Cuisine, Qiu Ji could indeed improve by half a step. But he stopped because he wanted to see if Yuan Zhou could taste it.
A master chef was born to be a food connoisseur.
But with just one bite, Qiu Ji's intentions were exposed. It couldn't be helped. Yuan Zhou was from Class 5.
"Of course." Yuan Zhou frowned slightly and looked at Qiu Ji. He then said, "I hope you can show your true skills. That way, it'll be easier for me to arrange your positions during the exchange."
When Yuan Zhou said the last sentence, he deliberately looked at the other Twin Stars of Fengcheng Cuisine, Cui Hang.
This gaze made Cui Hang's heart skip a beat. He couldn't help but mutter, "Could it be that he knows I'm holding back even before eating?"
Yes, Yuan Zhou's obvious gaze made it hard for Cui Hang not to think too much. Moreover, Cui Hang really was holding back.
"Even if he knows Cantonese cuisine, he can't be this familiar with it, right?" Cui Hang was secretly shocked.
Only by knowing a dish like the back of one's hand would one be able to tell the level of the chef's craftsmanship. Moreover, one would be able to tell the chef's skill level from the way he cut the dish.
"Looks like Qiu Ji and I have miscalculated. This Head Chef Yuan is not only good at Cantonese dim sum, but he is also good at Cantonese cuisine," Cui Hang inwardly regretted.
On the other side, the Sichuan chefs didn't have to worry about this. After all, Yuan Zhou was good at Sichuan cuisine. He wouldn't be able to hide his skills if he tried his best.
Therefore, the Sichuan chefs all had calm expressions on their faces, making the Cantonese chefs feel awkward.
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