Crab Stewed Chicken was indeed a dish like its name. It was like a chicken but not a chicken, like a crab but not a crab. It perfectly combined the two without being out of place, and no one would suspect it of stealing the show.
Moreover, the condiments wouldn't stand out so much that the original ingredients couldn't be revealed. Of course, it was easier said than done.
"One is never too old to learn …" Ding Yuanshan was interrupted by Song Ming before he could finish.
Song Ming said, "You are still young. Don't you know how to talk?"
"Uh … I was wrong," Ding Yuanshan said.
Song Ming nodded and said, "One is never too old to learn. Yuan really grasped it perfectly. I still have room for improvement."
Ding Yuanshan looked at his father-in-law who was also his master. Was this the legendary "I'll give you 50 cents to delete the comment and let me post it?"
His cooking skills deserved Song Ming's respect. Although Yuan Zhou was young, it was an unchanging principle that the more capable one learned, the more capable one learned.
Before he came, Song Ming had a mental judgment about Yuan Zhou's progress. Now he felt that Yuan Zhou's change was really too late to catch up.
Just as Song Ming was sighing in his heart, the last dish was served. It was the dish that took the most time and effort, Eight Treasures Nest Whole Duck.
Just from the name, one could tell it was good. Not to mention anything else, one could also tell it was good just from the smell.
What was served was a bright red duck lying on a plate. Its slightly burnt skin and rich fragrance added to the flavor of the dish.
"I've made this dish before. Why does it feel different from mine?" Ding Yuanshan pondered carefully.
As Song Ming's specialty, Ding Yuanshan wasn't too familiar with this dish. Because he was familiar with it, he could directly judge the heat control based on the heat coming out and the crispness of the skin. As far as he was concerned, this was the most perfect duck he had ever seen.
Eight Treasures Nest Whole Duck. Just from the name, one could tell that the duck couldn't be judged by its appearance. There was something special inside. Even if it was made by Song Ming, one could see a small hole in the duck's tail. He would specially stuff it with chestnuts to prevent it from escaping.
Upon seeing this dish, Ding Yuanshan's first reaction was to look for places where the color was different. He wanted to see how the chestnuts were doing, but he didn't find any. The duck was perfectly placed on the plate, without a single flaw. No wonder he was so amazed.
There was no opening, so how did the glutinous rice, shiitake mushrooms, and ham get stuffed in? Even with Ding Yuanshan's culinary skills, he was at a loss.
"Let's take a look inside first." Song Ming stared at the duck with a serious face.
Using the knife that he had prepared beside him, he directly cut open the skin of the duck. Although the surface looked brittle, when he touched the knife, he knew that it was not only brittle but also tough. After cutting through the skin, the inside was tender. With a light cut of the knife, the duck meat and the duck skin were instantly separated, revealing the contents inside.
Song Ming's knife skills were also pretty good. At least, the angle of the knife was just right. It cut open the surface and didn't hurt the contents inside. If it was a little deeper, it would have cut into the contents inside. If it was a little shallower, it wouldn't have been able to cut open.
After the duck was cut open, the fragrance became even stronger. Although it was called Eight Treasures Nest, there were actually no less than ten kinds of ingredients inside. Every one of them looked well-cooked. There were golden chestnuts, orange-red shrimp, white and soft glutinous rice, and many other ingredients. The contents were very rich.
When the duck meat was flipped open, it was obvious that the heat was just right. It was cooked just right from the inside. Everything was just right. "Looks like it's time to give the wasted stove to Head Chef Yuan. With Head Chef Yuan's culinary skills, it's not appropriate for me to keep it." Song Ming had mixed feelings in his heart.
Ding Yuanshan didn't have any more feelings. He seemed to have gotten used to the series of shocks.
Just looking at it was already shocking, let alone eating it. Be it the soft and tough duck meat, the fresh and tender shiitake mushrooms, the soft glutinous rice, or the pink lotus seeds, all of them had a very good texture.
"Head Chef Yuan's hands are different from our human hands, right? Six fingers?" Ding Yuanshan was certain. None of this was something a human could do.
"Gulp."
After drinking the last mouthful of water in the cup, Song Ming sighed in satisfaction. This meal was truly comfortable.
"Let's go wait outside. We'll talk to Head Chef Yuan after business hours," said Song Ming.
It was unknown when Song Ming started addressing Head Chef Yuan as Head Chef Yuan. When he thought of those perfect and exquisite dishes, he couldn't call him that anymore.
"Okay, master," Ding Yuanshan answered and followed his master out.
Song Ming and Ding Yuanshan were the first batch of customers to enter the restaurant. But since they came with a purpose, they tasted the dishes more carefully. By the time they came out, the third batch of customers had already entered.
Therefore, they didn't have to wait for long. About an hour later, dinnertime passed.
It was already summer in Chengdu. Therefore, even at this time, the sky was still a little white. It wasn't completely covered in darkness.
The lanterns in front of every shop on Taoxi Road were already lit. The faint red glow of the lanterns dyed the last bit of white in the sky, making it look exceptionally graceful.
After sending off the last customer, Yuan Zhou saw Song Ming and a man in his forties that he didn't recognize sitting on a chair.
He took a few steps forward and greeted politely, "Chairman Song, what brings you to Chengdu? Long time no see."
"Hahaha, it has indeed been a long time. Head Chef Yuan's culinary skills have improved tremendously. But you still have to pay attention to striking a balance between work and rest," Song Ming was very happy to see Yuan Zhou.
"Thank you. But Chairman Song, you can just call me Yuan," Yuan Zhou was a person who respected the old and cherished the young.
"When it comes to culinary skills, that's how it is. Head Chef Yuan, you don't have to be so modest," Song Ming was very concerned about this.
Seeing how stubborn the old man was, Yuan Zhou didn't continue. After all, with the four royal chefs as his foundation and the occasional presence of Ogyust and the others, he was already used to it.
"Chairman Song, you must be here for something, right? Please come in," Yuan Zhou invited the two into the restaurant.
After leading Chairman Song to a seat, Yuan Zhou poured two cups of water and placed them on the table. Only then did he ask about the purpose of Song Ming's visit.
Song Ming sat down and drank a mouthful of water to moisten his throat before planning to speak. As for introducing Ding Yuanshan, he felt that with his current culinary skills, he wasn't qualified to introduce him to Yuan Zhou. They weren't even on the same level, so why bother?
As for Ding Yuanshan, he obviously knew what he was doing. He silently stood behind Song Ming, acting like an invisible man.
"This time, I'm here to hand over the abandoned furnace to Head Chef Yuan. I'm old now. In the future, the world will belong to you youngsters. I hope Head Chef Yuan can bring Cantonese Cuisine to a higher level," Song Ming said.
When Yuan Zhou heard that, his first reaction was whether the mission was about to be completed or whether it was delivered to him on its own accord.
"Isn't there a need for a competition or assessment?" Yuan Zhou asked.
Previously, the Shandong Cuisine Silver Spoon had all participated in a competition. Even the Knife King's horizontal board had been obtained after a competition. The only one that had been voted through was the Sichuan Cuisine Old Chef Achievement Award. Now that the abandoned furnace was going to be given to him, Yuan Zhou felt it was a little unreal.
…
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