"As long as you don't mind, Head Chef Yuan." Although Opello felt the same way, he was still pleased to be acknowledged by Yuan Zhou.
"Head Chef Opello, you can try these pastries and see if they are to your liking," said Yuan Zhou.
For this tea tasting exchange, Yuan Zhou had prepared a total of five types of pastries. Each one was placed on a separate plate, looking beautiful and tidy.
"This Red Turtle Cake looks beautiful and pure. It has a unique fragrance. It's the fragrance of top-grade safflower rice, the unique fragrance of banana leaves, and the lifelike patterns on the back. It's indeed worthy of being called a kway that symbolizes fortune, glory, and longevity," said Opello.
Red Turtle Cake was very popular in Min Province, mostly used for sacrificial ceremonies and temple offerings.
Of course, Yuan Zhou had made the authentic Singaporean flavor. After all, he had yet to get his hands on the Min cuisine.
After the Red Turtle Cake underwent a transformation in Singapore, not only did the fillings become more suitable to the Singaporeans' taste buds, but its usage was also greatly different. It shone brilliantly on big occasions such as New Year's celebrations.
In China, the turtle symbolized longevity and fortune. The Japanese, who were deeply influenced by Chinese culture, bestowed it with good wishes when they made the Red Turtle Cake.
"Indeed. The patterns on this turtle are not only vivid but also unique. It's different from what I've seen before," said Li Dehua in astonishment.
He didn't know how to make Japanese dishes, but that didn't mean he didn't have eyes. He had previously thought that Yuan Zhou had a superb grasp of Singaporean cuisine. Unexpectedly, he didn't inherit the tradition and even made his own improvements. This was simply … a beast!
He didn't mean to belittle it, but it meant he was a beast.
Tang Le and Ma Minghui also nodded. They were also very curious and amazed. But in such an occasion, they couldn't speak unless they were asked. Everyone present was a senior in cooking, and it would be rude for juniors like them to speak casually.
"It's nothing. I've seen the previous turtle molds and they all had some problems. So I carved a few myself to try. I didn't expect the effect to be so good," said Yuan Zhou lightly.
He really didn't think much of it. Even his master often checked his carpentry skills, so he had to practice from time to time. Carving a mold was simply a piece of cake.
But in the ears of Pelo and the others, it was like a clap of thunder. They looked at each other in dismay, all revealing their evil intentions!
"Head Chef Yuan sculpted it himself? You even know carpentry?" Opello licked his lips to confirm.
He wondered if he was having auditory hallucinations due to his old age and the tiring journey.
Looking at the clear scales and the lifelike turtle shell, who would believe it if they said they weren't proficient in it?
At such a young age, not only was he proficient in one skill, but he was also proficient in two unrelated skills. Luckily, Opello was someone who had seen the world.
Even so, the stimulation was great enough. Peleo felt that he couldn't bear the weight of life anymore.
Of course, this was also because Yuan Zhou didn't deliberately publicize his identity. Thus, his identity as an ice sculptor, sculptor, and wine brewer had yet to be widely known. Most of them were only known within his circle. Otherwise, Opello would probably need an iron heart.
"I've become the disciple of a carpentry master and learned some carpentry. In Chinese cuisine, utensils are also an important part of food. Many utensils for food can be replaced by wood. Therefore, I want to learn more. There's an old saying in China, 'one is never too old to learn'. I'm still young, so I can learn more," said Yuan Zhou honestly.
Opello was speechless. One was never too old to learn. When it came out of Yuan Zhou's mouth, it always gave others a sense of despair.
Of course, Opello wasn't the only one who was hurt by this indiscriminate attack. Even Li Dehua, Tang Le, and the others couldn't help but reflect on whether they had been living their lives too carelessly.
"Head Chef Yuan is right. I also feel that there's no end to the exploration of culinary skills," said Opello after a long while.
He had finally thought it through. He was born early and had received all the honor he could get. All the prestige and status he could show off were already there. No matter how powerful the waves behind him were, they could only wash away the scars left behind by the waves ahead. They would never be able to erase the scars left behind by the waves.
Thinking of this, he calmed down a little. He was indeed worthy of being a national treasure chef of Singapore. He was always calm.
Next, Yuan Zhou and Opello started an exchange of Singaporean cuisine while eating the beautiful and exquisite pastries. At the beginning, Li Dehua was still able to speak occasionally. Compared to Tang Le and Ma Minghui who could only take notes, he was much better.
As time passed, Opello didn't forget why he came to China in such a hurry. He asked about Ju Man, Li Dehua, and the others. He also mentioned that he wanted to communicate with China. Yuan Zhou wasn't sure about other things, but Yuan Zhou felt that exchanging food and culture in Singapore was a good idea.
Although many of them came from China, after the passage of time, there had been a lot of changes. Exchanging and integrating with each other was good for both sides.
However, he was not the chairman of the Chefs' Alliance, but the chairman of the China Chefs' Alliance. Therefore, he proposed to Opello to hold an exchange activity of the Asian Chefs' Alliance in the name of the chairman.
It just so happened that Opello was the vice chairman of the Asian Chefs' Alliance. He had this kind of power. Therefore, apart from exchanging cooking skills, the two of them carried out a series of discussions on this exchange activity.
Time passed very quickly when they had business to do. Soon, it was time for Yuan Zhou to prepare the ingredients for dinner.
"I'm really sorry. My restaurant has to be open soon, so I need to make some preparations. Let's talk next time. I wonder if Head Chef Opello has time." Yuan Zhou wanted to continue but stopped.
He was very interested in Opello's new understanding of some Singaporean cuisines, because Yuan Zhou felt it would be very helpful to the formation of his Yuan Family's Cuisine. Therefore, he couldn't help wanting to talk more.
"It's okay. It's us who have wasted a lot of Head Chef Yuan's time. If Head Chef Yuan doesn't mind, we would like to come again tomorrow afternoon. What do you think?" Opello was naturally reluctant to give up this great opportunity to communicate with Yuan Zhou.
Today's exchange had helped him a lot with his new dish, so he couldn't wait to have another exchange with them.
As for Tang Le and Ma Minghui, who had always been in the background, they didn't come in vain. Not only did they take a lot of notes, but they also drank up almost all the tea and pastries. They ate with great pleasure.
After sending off Opello and the others, Yuan Zhou finally had some free time.
"Little comrade system, there have been endless missions recently. Previously, I completed the Master of Masters Level 3. Surprisingly, there is still a fourth level. What's the main mission of the fourth level?" Yuan Zhou said inwardly.
Since the completion of the last main mission, he hadn't issued a main mission for a while. Therefore, he wasn't used to this sudden change.
…
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