The Gourmet Customizer

Su Chen nodded slightly. After watching Old San drain his teacup, he turned his gaze away.

There was still one dish left on the table: Braised and Fried Pork Knuckle.

Since they had called him out intending to humiliate him to his face, Su Chen had no intention of backing down now.

It all came down to one thing.

The proof is in the tasting!

"Shi Qi, the Braised and Fried Pork Knuckle is your restaurant’s signature dish, right? Why don’t you taste it for everyone first," Liu Fu said, looking toward the other table.

He had yet to realize that while he had his head down, stuffing his face, Cui Yufen had already drawn a cross by his name in her Book of Life and Death.

"Er!" On the other side, Shi Qi was sitting next to Wang Peixing.

He wasn’t very old, just forty, yet he was already the head chef of Baihua Restaurant.

Every year, tourists heading to Mount Tai couldn’t escape this Braised and Fried Pork Knuckle of his. Some visitors would even give up their trip to Mount Tai just for a chance to eat this dish.

One could say that Shi Qi, with just himself and this one dish, single-handedly propped up all of Baihua Restaurant’s business!!!

Having learned from Old San’s cautionary tale,

Shi Qi didn’t dare to pass judgment rashly this time, but he had already decided on the angles he would use to critique the dish.

Having made this dish for so many years, Shi Qi knew its difficult points.

First was the initial preparation of the pork knuckle. It had to be stewed until soft and tender. In a restaurant, they would use generous amounts of seasoning so it could be deep-fried immediately after being cooked.

But if he were cooking at home, Shi Qi would use seasonings more lightly, letting the stewed pork knuckle soak in its broth for a few hours to not only absorb the flavor but also become more fragrant.

He could offer some minor commentary on this step.

Then there was the second point, a very important one.

The second step, the deep-frying, was all about mastering the heat!

In the Baihua Restaurant kitchen, whenever Shi Qi made this Braised and Fried Pork Knuckle, he would prepare at least three woks of oil and use three separate kitchen thermometers!

When blasting, one must first use medium heat, then low heat, followed by high heat and finally a gentle heat. Only then can it be blasted through and through until crisp, achieving that perfect golden color.

Hmm... After roughly preparing his speech, Shi Qi flattened a lotus-leaf pancake on his palm, then picked up a piece of the batter-coated pork knuckle and placed it in the center.

He then added a piece of sliced scallion dipped in sweet bean paste, rolled up the pancake, and stuffed it into his mouth.

HOLY SHIT!

Shi Qi smacked his lips a few times, the shock in his heart surging like a torrential, unending river!

What the fuck?

’This is the texture and flavor of Braised and Fried Pork Knuckle? Something is damn well wrong here!’

He couldn’t quite believe it. This time, he skipped the pancake and popped a piece of the pork knuckle directly into his mouth with his chopsticks.

The outer skin was blasted to a golden crisp; upon chewing, it instantly shattered into a fine powder. There were no issues with the batter—it was at the level expected of a top-tier chef.

But the meat of the knuckle...

It melted in his mouth!

It was a true melt-in-your-mouth texture, but that wasn’t the crucial part. Anyone could achieve that by stewing the meat long enough. The real key was something else.

As it melted in his mouth, Shi Qi could distinctly taste the rich, abundant juices of the knuckle itself. Moreover, the flavor of the juices was barely mingled with the taste of the seasonings!

Only after he swallowed did a lingering, savory flavor remain in his mouth.

’This...’ He turned his gaze to Su Chen.

The texture and flavor of this dish were completely different from the Braised and Fried Pork Knuckle he knew. If he had to give a simple critique, he could only say: "Delicious!"

But critiquing it from a professional standpoint? Shi Qi was stumped.

He couldn’t even fathom how the knuckle was prepared to make the meaty aroma so prominent while concealing the scent of the seasonings until afterward.

The layers of flavor were distinct. The first taste was an explosion of rich, meaty flavor that became slightly overwhelming after a few chews, but this sensation vanished when it was eaten wrapped in the pancake.

By the time he finished, his mouth was filled with a savory aroma and the unique scent of the meat juices.

Brilliant! Absolutely brilliant!

After a long moment of contemplation, Shi Qi sighed. "Master, I can’t critique this dish."

He truly didn’t know what to say.

This Braised and Fried Pork Knuckle was a completely different beast from the one he knew!

Beyond the texture and flavor, the control over the heat was also flawless!

Shi Qi knew that even if he were the one cooking, he might not be able to achieve such perfect heat control.

Cui Yufen let out a surprised "Oh."

Among her many disciples, Shi Qi wasn’t considered one of the gifted ones, but he compensated with extreme diligence. In his twenty-some years as a chef, he had rarely studied fancy, complex dishes. The only presentable ones in his repertoire were Braised and Fried Pork Knuckle and Horse Tooth Meat.

However, those two dishes were enough for Shi Qi to thrive in the Taian area. How could he be uncertain about his own signature dish?

"Honestly!" Before Cui Yufen could speak, an exasperated Liu Fu pointed at Shi Qi. "Master, I’ll taste it for you!"

Cui Yufen shot Liu Fu a sharp glare.

’You’re not planning to finish the whole dish by yourself, are you? Have you no shame, acting like this as the eldest disciple?’

"There’s no need." Cui Yufen turned with a playful smile to look at Lu Yongliang, who was seated beside her.

’This old man came here today, all hale and hearty, just to mooch a meal. How can I let you get away with not contributing?’

"I, for one, would love to hear Master Lu’s opinion on this dish."

Lu Yongliang: ???

’Your Lu Cuisine clique is here to pick a fight. What’s that got to do with me, a chef from E Province?’

’Trying to get a free meal has gotten me into trouble, huh?’

"In Hubei Cuisine, we rarely prepare pork knuckle. However, we have a Braised and Fried Beef dish whose preparation has some striking similarities to this Braised and Fried Pork Knuckle. This old man shall have a taste!"

With the intention of not offending either party, Lu Yongliang also took a lotus-leaf pancake, wrapped a piece of the knuckle, and took a bite, just as Shi Qi had done.

It would have been fine if he hadn’t tasted it.

But with one taste...

After swallowing a large mouthful, Lu Yongliang put on a profound expression, shaking his head for a good while. "Ah, Yufen, something’s not right with this dish!"

A flicker of joy crossed Cui Yufen’s face. ’You old fox, you know how to play the game,’ she thought. ’Help me out today, and I’ll go easier on you in the future.’

Lu Yongliang just pointed at the dish and said, "I just feel that something’s not quite right with how this dish was made."

As he spoke, his hands were already busy grabbing another lotus-leaf pancake, wrapping up more knuckle, a piece of scallion dipped in sweet bean paste along with it.

Everyone watched as Elder Lu repeated the motion.

Another piece was gone.

"Not right, not right at all. Let me taste again and see just what’s not right..."

And another piece!

"Tsk! It seems like it’s one way, but then it doesn’t... could it be..."

And yet another piece!

Cui Yufen’s expression grew darker and darker.

When Lu Yongliang’s sinful hands reached for the plate a fifth time, she finally couldn’t bear it any longer.

"ENOUGH!!!"

All twenty apprentices shuddered in unison.

"I will taste it myself!"

Everyone’s heads whipped around in unison, their gazes landing on the old master.

Even Su Chen wore a playful smirk.

’SS Level... this is no joke!’