Chapter 1455: Holding back a trick

Its time. Yuan Zhou stood up and said loudly.

Alright, head chef Yuan, please have a taste. Qiu Ji was the first to speak.

Then, Cui Hang also asked to have a taste. On the other side, the Sichuan people were much calmer. They nodded and agreed to have a taste.

Then Ill start from the first person who spoke. What does Chairman Zhou think? Yuan Zhou turned his head and asked Zhou s.h.i.+jie.

Ill do as you say, little Yuan. Zhou s.h.i.+jie said.

Yuan Zhou nodded and then said to Zhong Lili,Ill have to trouble miss Zhong to serve the dishes.

Its no trouble at all. Zhong Lili shook her head and then walked down the stand.

I was the first one to speak. Qiu Ji said to Zhong Lili slowly and confidently.

The second one is me. Cui Hang said.

Then Im next. The one who said this was Wu Yue, a mansion dish that didnt allow spicy food. He said in a gentle tone.

Also, this is my boiled beef. I specially cooked it to ask head chef Yuan for advice. Li Yu was very humble and serious.

What a joke. In the face of the current leader of the Sichuan cuisine industry, how could he not be humble?

After eating the main course, it will naturally be our desserts. The two chefs of the Cantonese dim sum looked at each other and then spoke together.

Well just leave the desserts at the end. Tang Quan spoke for the two chefs of Sichuan-style dim sum.

Zhong Lili listened to them carefully and didnt speak until they finished.

Then lets start with head chef Qiu. Zhong Lili stretched out her hand and said.

Yes. Qiu Ji nodded in satisfaction, then carried his stir-fried sweet-scented ba.s.s to the stands.

Head chef Qiu, let me do it. Zhong Lili followed up immediately.

No, Ill do it myself. Qiu Ji carried the dishes and walked towards the grandstand with steady steps.

Qiu Ji had his own thoughts. His stir-fried fish was fresh and tender. It would not be nice if it was cold. Therefore, he went first.

The stand where Yuan Zhou and Zhou s.h.i.+jie were seated wasnt far from the kitchen range. In less than a minute or two, Qiu Ji arrived with his dishes.

Qiu Ji placed the plate between the two of them, then opened his mouth wide.Chairman Zhou and head chef Yuan, please have a taste.

When he said this, Qiu Jis face was full of confidence.

Yes. Yuan Zhou and Zhou s.h.i.+jie both nodded their heads. Then, the two of them picked up the chopsticks and prepared to eat.

This dish of stir-fried sweet-scented ba.s.s focused on the fresh and delicious taste of the fish, so it didnt need any other side dishes.

The stir-fried sweet-scented ba.s.s also didnt have any side dishes. The White porcelain plate was served with small bowl-shaped snow-white fish slices, which looked fresh and natural without any fancy dishes.

Yuan Zhou directly picked up a piece of fish with his chopsticks and then stuffed it into his mouth and started to chew.

The fish meat was slightly cool in his mouth, and there was a faint smoothness and tenderness to it. After chewing for a while, the freshness of the fish meat burst out. The seasoning of a little sugar brought out the freshness of the fish meat itself, and the saltiness of the soy sauce itself was just right.

As the base, the aroma of the scallion made this simple stir-fried sweet-scented ba.s.s look layered. The petal-shaped fish meat also had a little toughness, which made it more flavorful when chewed.

Oh, it tastes good. Zhou s.h.i.+jie was the first to speak.

After Zhou s.h.i.+jie said that, the smile on Qiu Jis face grew brighter.

It really does taste good. Yuan Zhou set down the chopsticks and said affirmatively after a nod.

Of course. This fish is a famous dish in our Feng city. Qiu Ji said.

It is indeed worthy of being called a famous dish. Yuan Zhou nodded his head to show his affirmation.

At the side, Zhou s.h.i.+jie looked at Yuan Zhou. Yuan Zhou just continued with an indifferent expression,Its just that the season isnt right.

What? Qiu Ji looked at Yuan Zhou.

In the South of the Yangtze River, there are common sayings: first month sea ba.s.s, second month knife, third month fish, fourth month fish, fifth month white fish, sixth month fish, seventh month eel, eighth month fish, ninth month carp, tenth month gra.s.s carp, eleventh month silver carp and twelfth month black carp. Yuan Zhou slowly and leisurely read out a rhythmic timetable for eating fish.

I know that. Qiu Ji didnt care.

Of course, youre good at cooking fish, so you naturally know. Yuan Zhou said.

So, what do you want to say, head chef Yuan? Qiu Ji asked.

Its simple. Your fish is a little interesting. Did you deliberately leave a trick up your sleeve for the exchange? Yuan Zhou said bluntly.

Yuan Zhous question startled Qiu Ji. He looked at Yuan Zhou with a surprised expression.

I saw where you cut the fish just now. This fish should be able to be cut into a third thinner, but you stopped. Also, this fish lacks a little of the original fishy smell as the final decoration. Yuan Zhou said.

You can tell? Qiu Jis heart skipped a beat, and he subconsciously used honorifics.

Qiu Ji couldnt be blamed for being surprised. He was so far away, but he could tell what he was hiding with just a bite.

Yes, when he was cutting the fish, no, when he was cooking this dish, Qiu Ji had already thought about hiding his skills, but in the end, he decided to make an issue of the thickness and fishy smell of the fish.

The thickness was very secretive, while the fishy smell was a test of Yuan Zhous understanding of Fengcheng cuisine. Speaking of which, Fengcheng cuisine focused on the original taste, and the fishy smell was actually the original taste of the fish. It all depended on how to bring it into play.

In his heart, Qiu Ji felt that this was a test for Yuan Zhou. After all, ordinary people wouldnt be able to see it, not even the students of Cla.s.s 2 and cla.s.s 3.

The fish slices served by Qiu Ji were already very thin. After stir-frying, they revealed a translucent jade color. This color and taste indicated that this dish was already at its peak.

As one of the two stars of Feng citys culinary skills, Qiu Ji could indeed make half a step further. However, he stopped and wanted to test if Yuan Zhou could taste it.

A great chef was born to be a food critic.

However, with just a bite, Qiu Jis little scheme was exposed. It couldnt be helped that Yuan Zhou was from cla.s.s five in the primary school.

Of course, Yuan Zhou looked at Qiu Ji with a slight frown and continued,I hope you can show your true skills so that I can arrange your seats during the exchange.

When Yuan Zhou said the last sentence, he especially looked at Cui Hang, another one of the two stars of culinary arts in Feng city.

This gaze made Cui Hangs heart skip a beat. He couldnt help but Mutter,Dont tell me he already knows that Im holding back even before I eat him?

Thats right. The obvious look in Yuan Zhous eyes made it hard for Cui Hang not to think about it. Moreover, Cui Hang really had a trick up his sleeve.

Even if he knows Cantonese cuisine, he cant be so familiar with it, right? Cui Hang was secretly shocked.

Only by knowing a dish like the back of ones hand could one tell the level of the chefs craftsmans.h.i.+p just by looking at it. Moreover, one could also tell the chefs level of cooking from the way he cut the dish.

It seems that Qiu Ji and I have miscalculated. This head chef Yuan is not only good at Cantonese desserts, but he is also good at Cantonese cuisine. Cui Hang regretted it.

On the other side, the Sichuan chef didnt have such a worry. After all, Yuan Zhou was good at Sichuan cuisine. He couldnt wait to use all his skills. How could he possibly hide his skills?

Therefore, these Sichuan chefs all looked calm, which made the Cantonese chef a little embarra.s.sed.