The Gourmet Customizer

"What are we going to do? There’s no way I’m cooking! You guys are on your own!" Liu Fu declared, standing in the doorway with his hands on his hips. He was in a bind; leaving felt wrong, but so did staying in the kitchen.

Shi Qi quickly piped up, "Boss Su already made braised pork knuckle, so I won’t make it again. Don’t want to be repetitive. I’ll have to trouble my senior brothers!"

Wang Peixing agreed. "Boss Su’s Kung Pao Chicken was on another level. I’m not about to embarrass myself."

The second senior brother patted his large belly. "I haven’t cooked in years. I can’t do it, I just can’t!"

The other apprentices were utterly dumbfounded.

’How did the tables turn so fast?’

’We were supposed to be the ones sitting here, tasting Boss Su’s food. But after all our bickering, Teacher Cui just whisked Boss Su away!’

’And now we’re all stuck in the kitchen. It’s not that we can’t cook, but if we do, it’s going to be a disaster!’

’Who’s out there right now?’

’Cui Yufen, our teacher.’

’Lu Yongliang, the National Banquet Master of Hubei Cuisine.’

’Then there are the Jiang Brothers, plus Boss Su, who just beat over twenty guys to a pulp.’

’With that panel of judges sitting out there, anyone who dares to cook and serve them a dish would be throwing themselves to the wolves. What’s the difference between that and being roasted over an open flame?’

’We can’t do it. We really can’t cook for them!’

"If you won’t cook, I’ll go tell our master that none of you are feeling up to it today. Let’s see which of your restaurants can afford that kind of embarrassment." At this, Liu Fu resorted to threats.

These apprentices were all head chefs from famous restaurants across the country. Losing a fight wasn’t that big a deal.

But being too scared to even cook a single dish? That would be a colossal humiliation!

If word of this got out, for someone like the apprentice who worked at Quanjude, wouldn’t his restaurant’s market value evaporate by a few hundred million?

"Fine, I’ll cook! It’s just facing the music, what’s the big deal?" Old Wu stepped forward. "I see Boss Su has sea cucumbers prepped. I’ll take a shot at making Braised Sea Cucumber with Scallions, then."

Old Wu, Zeng Bufan, was the head chef of Yantai Penglai Chun Restaurant and specialized in seafood. This Braised Sea Cucumber with Scallions was his signature dish.

With the first warrior stepping up, the other apprentices secretly clenched their fists.

"I’ll make the sweet and sour carp!"

"Leave the Boshan dish to me. I’ll make a Tofu Box!"

"Then I’ll handle the braised prawns!"

The ingredients in Su Chen’s kitchen were meticulously prepared. Everything needed for each potential dish was sorted and laid out, making it all clear at a glance.

The chefs could basically tell what dishes Su Chen had intended to make just by looking at the organized ingredients. Since they all had their own specialties, it wasn’t long before a dozen or so of the apprentices had claimed a dish to cook.

Liu Fu and Zhang Heping both sighed in relief.

’Better them than us!’

’When Master criticizes them, we can just be weathervanes and agree with her. Wouldn’t that be perfect?’

Amidst a flurry of activity in the kitchen, dish after dish rapidly appeared on the two dining tables.

Once all the dishes were on the tables, Su Chen checked the time. ’There’s still a Longevity Duck simmering on the stove,’ he thought. ’Can’t forget about that.’

The apprentices emerged from the kitchen, only to spend the next several minutes awkwardly deferring to one another about where to sit.

’Everyone wanted to sit at the other table. At least that way, their backs would be to Teacher Cui during the critique. If they sat at the same table, wouldn’t they be getting humiliated to their faces?’

"Boss Su, I never expected things to turn out like this today. Please consider this meal from my apprentices an apology. I hope you’ll taste their cooking and, by all means, point out any of their shortcomings!"

Su Chen laughed dryly.

’I didn’t expect it to turn out like this either,’ he thought. ’A perfectly fine banquet gets turned on its head, and now I’m the freaking guest! And the actual guests have become the hosts!’

’Is there some kind of magic in the kitchen here at Delicious?’

’Does everyone who walks in here feel compelled to show off their cooking skills?’

’Fine, I’ll taste it!’

Su Chen extended his chopsticks, aiming first for the Braised Sea Cucumber with Scallions. This was a dish he had practiced making over and over again in the Gourmet Practice Room.

But ultimately, he could only get it to the S Level. Even then, with his Peak of Flavor ability, he could clearly perceive the dish’s flaws.

He picked up a piece and took a small bite. ’A Level,’ Su Chen judged instantly.

’For a normal restaurant, this level is actually more than enough. It could easily be a signature dish.’

’As far as Su Chen knew, besides himself, only Lu Yongliang’s Steamed Wuchang Fish could reach the S Level.’

’Liu Ahbao could also produce a few S-Level dishes, but only by following a precise formula under Su Chen’s special instruction.’

’As for SS Level... besides Su Chen, there was no one else in the world who could achieve it!’

Therefore, while this Braised Sea Cucumber with Scallions would be considered an exquisite delicacy by any ordinary person, to Su Chen...

"Since Teacher Cui has asked for my opinion, I’ll offer a few simple thoughts."

"It’s well-made. It has the right texture and flavor, but it overlooks one crucial issue."

Hearing Boss Su begin his critique, Old Wu steeled himself and stood up. "Please, Boss Su, I am ready for your guidance!"

Su Chen said, "Sea cucumber has a potent flavor. Most Lu Cuisine chefs like to counter richness with richness—a thick sauce and a robust flavor to penetrate the core, with a dark color on the exterior. The reason I say it’s well-made is because you’ve done all that correctly."

Old Wu breathed a sigh of relief.

’Getting his approval on that front meant my fundamentals were solid.’

"But many people overlook one thing." Su Chen picked up a piece of sea cucumber. "Sea cucumber is a passive ingredient. It has a high water content and a fishy aroma. So, when you’re countering that with richness, while the braising temperature is important, what’s truly crucial is the final thickening of the sauce."

As he spoke, the sauce coating the surface of the sea cucumber dripped onto the plate.

"If you could make it so that no excess sauce is left on the plate after eating, I think the flavor of this dish would be far superior."

Su Chen placed the piece of sea cucumber back on the serving dish.

’For his Peak of Flavor, eating a dish of this level was actually an unpleasant experience.’

’No excess sauce... after eating?’

Old Wu bit his lip, his brow furrowed in thought. Suddenly, his eyes widened as if in a trance. "Master! I get it now!"

Everyone else stared at Old Wu.

’Wait... what is there to ’get’?’

’You can have an epiphany over something like that?’