The Gourmet Customizer

Wang Peixing paced back and forth in the back kitchen. Sometimes he grew angry just watching, but there was nothing to be done—there were simply too many customers!

Table turnover determined revenue, so he had to be fast!

Just then, a waiter rushed in, flustered. "President Wang!"

"Who let you in here?" Wang Peixing’s brow furrowed tightly. "Don’t you know the rules?"

The waiter whispered, "This customer ordered a few dishes we don’t have. He told me to let you know he’s willing to wait."

Wang Peixing took the business card, glanced at it, and muttered to himself, "’President Shang?’"

"Alright, you may go."

When running a restaurant, it’s inevitable that you build relationships with the city’s major companies and organizations. Cuihua Building had a deep partnership with the City Construction Group, and Shang Mingke was a regular.

Since several of the dishes weren’t on the menu, the order slip the waiter brought was handwritten. Wang Peixing examined it, dish by dish.

’Kung Pao Chicken?’

His eyes narrowed just from reading the first dish.

Cuihua Building no longer served Kung Pao Chicken. The version currently on sale was called "Sautéed Diced Chicken with Walnuts."

’Stir-fried Two Crisps?’ Wang Peixing’s eyes narrowed further as his brow furrowed.

This dish was an extreme test of both knife skills and heat control. Furthermore, the ingredients were difficult to source. The time it took to prepare this one dish was enough to make three others!

Although Cuihua Building still had it on the menu, few people ordered it, and it wasn’t a recommended item. That’s because Wang Peixing had raised the price to a staggering 289 for a single plate!

Most people would rarely spend that kind of money on a dish of "Stir-fried Pork Stomach and Duck Gizzard."

He read on.

The further he read, the more tightly Wang Peixing’s brow knotted. ’What kind of person did President Shang bring for dinner? Is he here to cause trouble?’

He glossed over Braised Turtle Eggs, Hibiscus Chicken Slices, and Fish Slices in Wine Sauce—those were all current signature dishes at Cuihua Building.

’But what’s the deal with this First-Grade Official’s Bird’s Nest?’

’Forget the bird’s nest, but ordering Braised Four Treasures? You’re just trying to make things difficult, aren’t you?’

Chefs of the new generation might not know this, but there is a culinary technique called *kào*. Although "Braised Four Treasures" has the word "braised" in its name, it isn’t actually a braised dish. It’s made using the *kào* technique!

Not only are the ingredients difficult to prepare, but the process is also incredibly time-consuming!

Wang Peixing had modified this dish as well. Now, he only prepared the duck feet and left out the other "three treasures." It was just too difficult!

Seeing these last two dishes, Wang Peixing truly started to wonder. ’Is this person really here for a meal, or are they just trying to stir up trouble?’

"Master, what is it?"

Zeng Ming had just finished preparing an order of Stir-fried Prawns and, having a free moment, sidled up to Wang Peixing to ask.

Wang Peixing sighed. "Prepare the dishes on this order. And clear a stove for me."

Since the customer had ordered them, he couldn’t refuse. Not only would they be made, but Wang Peixing also decided that while his apprentices could handle the restaurant’s regular signature dishes, he would personally take charge of these special requests!

Seeing Manager Wang take to the stove himself, a few chefs with idle hands deliberately gathered around. It was a chance to watch Wang Peixing cook, and if President Wang was in a good mood, he might even explain a few things.

That would be like getting a free masterclass!

First up was the Kung Pao Chicken!

Seeing Wang Peixing preparing to personally cook such a simple dish, his apprentice, Zeng Ming, whispered, "Master, why don’t I take care of that?"

"You focus on your own tasks." Wang Peixing began to slice the chicken breast with intense focus.

As time passed, the dishes were sent to the private room one by one. After finishing the last of the Four Treasures, Wang Peixing dusted off his hands and said to Zeng Ming, "Send out an extra order of Pan-fried Meatballs with Cheese. And tell them we can’t make the First-Grade Official’s Bird’s Nest today. We’re out of the ingredients."

"Whoa! Someone actually ordered that?"

Wang Peixing waved his hand, signaling Zeng Ming to keep his comments to himself. He then walked out and found the waiter responsible for that private room.

"Keep a close eye on that table. Let me know immediately if anything happens."

This sort of situation was clearly a common occurrence at Cuihua Building. The waiter nodded with understanding and trotted over to the private room’s entrance.

Staring at the array of exquisitely prepared dishes on the table, Bai Xiaobo and the others were already salivating!

But since neither Su Chen nor Shang Mingke had picked up their chopsticks, the others felt it wasn’t right for them to start either.

"Boss Su, please, have a taste."

Shang Mingke still had a good deal of confidence in the restaurant’s food.

"Boss, is it okay if I take some pictures?" He Shuting asked, waving her phone.

"What’s there to film? Places like Cuihua Building have been reviewed to death by food bloggers. You can skip this one."

"Oh." He Shuting put her phone away.

"Well then, I’ll dig in!" Su Chen picked up his chopsticks and immediately reached for the Kung Pao Chicken.

Back on the train, he had tried making this dish himself. He’d just casually followed an old recipe, and it had earned an A Level rating. That alone was enough to prove the dish’s esteemed status within Lu Cuisine!

It was simple, yet delicious!

Uniformly diced pieces of chicken were coated in a rich, dark sauce that clung perfectly to the meat without pooling on the plate. That detail alone spoke volumes about the chef’s skill.

He picked up a piece of chicken and popped it into his mouth.

It was sweet and savory on the palate. The chicken was tender with a slight crispness, and there wasn’t the slightest hint of any unpleasant taste.

’Overall, it’s passable!’

But the one thing that bothered Su Chen was...

...the strong aftertaste of cooking wine.

An ordinary person might not have noticed it; in fact, many would probably think that taste was normal, since it’s what they’re used to from home cooking.

But for Su Chen, who regularly critiqued dishes in his Gourmet Practice Room, that tiny flaw was enough for the Practice Room to downgrade the rating from A to B!

"What is it, Boss Su? You don’t seem satisfied." Shang Mingke hadn’t started eating; he had been watching Su Chen the entire time.

He was quite curious to hear Su Chen’s assessment of this time-honored establishment, especially since it had just been awarded its first Michelin star this year.