Chapter 363: Contest Commences
Translator: Xiong_Guoqi Editor: DesTheSloth
"If it's convenient for you, please do give us your precious opinions so that we can make it better next time." Li Li said earnestly.
"It's very simple. Because the service, surroundings and dishes are all good here in your restaurant, but they are still a little distance from the best." Ling Hong was never the kind of person who would speak considerately.
Li Li was stunned for an instant, but he soon reacted and asked, "Do you mean you don't like the taste?"
"No. The taste is not bad, like he said." Ling Hong pointed to Han Shan beside him and said.
"Then?" Li Li controlled his slightly changed expression and asked calmly.
"It's no more than being not bad." Ling Hong shrugged.
"Ok. Thank you for your precious opinions." Li Li then left with a smile. But once he turned around, he couldn't control his expression anymore.
"You really comment harshly. I feel the taste is very good." Han Shan turned his head and said.
"No. It's just the truth," Ling Hong said indifferently.
"Ho Ho. Your truth is in favor of that restaurant?" Han Shan said bluntly.
"I think you know I'm not that kind of person." Ling Hong said seriously.
"Ok, got it. So the matter is finalized. We just need to sign it tomorrow." Han Shan nodded his head and changed the subject.
"Got it. Bye." Ling Hong waved his hand and then walked out of the western style restaurant first.
"Young guys nowadays..." Han Shan sighed with emotion.
When he walked to his own car, he took a look at Yuan Zhou's restaurant subconsciously.
It was also a novel and disagreeable feeling for him when he had been blacklisted first.
Therefore, Han Shan had never paid attention to Yuan Zhou's restaurant ever since then. He looked at the long line of customers at the entrance and the unchanged door and then couldn't help but say, "It's still as shabby as before."
That's right. In Han Shan's opinion, it should at least have a shop sign since it was so famous. But until now, there still wasn't any.
The two people both left smartly, unlike Li Li.
Especially since he specifically went to ask the customers that had eaten in Yuan Zhou's restaurant, he became more depressed now.
Basically, every customer didn't intend to compare the two restaurants. They were very surprised when they heard he wanted them to make a comparison.
But as long as he didn't talk about Yuan Zhou's restaurant, they responded to him well.
That made the proud man, Li Li, unable to accept the fact. Therefore, Li Li started to control everything starting from the source.
"I can make it even more perfect." Li Li said to himself affirmatively.
He intended to ensure everything was perfect in every aspect, so the kitchen wouldn't be as easygoing as previously in the recent days.
Yuan Zhou had no idea about Li Li's feelings at all, but the contest that he had agreed to take part in was about to commence.
The contest wasn't that easy as described by Yan Jia. However, Lee Yan Yi requested that he not tell everything to Yuan Zhou.
This contest was to distinguish precious ingredients and it concerned the fame and gains of the masters of different styles of cooking.
Of course, it was also a significant event to the contestants that participated.
With Lee Yan Yi's sharp tone and bad temper, he certainly had some fellow peers that could not bear the sight of him.
However, he had a really sensitive taste, like an emperor. He knew whatever he placed in his mouth, which provided him with the great fame.
Another chef who regarded Lee Yanyi as his life-long rival and was meanwhile also a gourmet, was inquiring about the person Lee Yanyi recommended this time.
At their ages, they were unlikely to participate the contest personally. They only recommended the young that they believed to be good.
Defeating the person recommended by Lee Yanyi was equal to defeating himself. At least, Xing Min thought that way.
"Did the old guy Yan recommend anyone this time?" Xing Min leafed through the new assessment information of the chefs and asked indifferently.
Lee Yanyi hadn't recommended anybody for three times, therefore Xing Min just asked that due to his obsession.
"This time, Mr. Lee recommended a chef. His name is Yuan Zhou." His assistant beside him immediately turned to Yuan Zhou's information and answered earnestly.
"Oh. Same as before." Xing Min answered habitually.
The office was suddenly lost in silence. Abruptly, Xing Min shouted vigorously, "What? That old guy recommended a person?"
"Yes, sir. It's a chef called Yuan Zhou." The assistant pushed the glasses upward calmly and said clearly.
"Why did this old guy suddenly recommend a chef silently this time? Yuan Zhou? Who is he?" Xing Min stood up and muttered while walking around.
Taking Yuan Zhou's information, the assistant stood there silently for quite a while before Xing Min calmed down and got himself seated again in his chair.
"Tell me something about this Yuan Zhou." Xing Min drank some water and said calmly.
"Yuan Zhou, male, 24. He opened a small restaurant in Taoxi Road and is said to have very good craftsmanship and booming business. However, he doesn't have any learning experiences from any famous teachers or institutions, nor does he have any certificates as a symbol of status." The assistant took the information and read carefully.
The Chef Certificates issued by National Labor and Social Security Authority had different levels from bottom to top, Beginner-Intermediate Chef, Intermediate Chef, Senior Chef, Technician and Senior Technician. Unfortunately, Yuan Zhou had none of them.
"Is that all?" Xing Min waited for a while and when he found his assistant spoke no more, he frowned and asked.
"Yes. That's all." The assistant nodded his head.
"He's really a damn foolish decrepit guy. Surprisingly recommending a person unknown to anybody. Did he intend to defeat me this way?" Xing Min stroked his short beard and laughed at Lee Yanyi.
"Sir, as far as I know, Mr. Lee often went there for meals," the assistant added timely.
"He would surely often give special favor to that young chef, wouldn't he?" Xing Min patted on the table with his big hands as if he had known something.
"Please check, sir." The assistant set Yuan Zhou's information down in front of Xing Min.
"Doesn't he have more information? Fairly interesting." Xing Min was not afraid of Lee Yanyi, but was just on the alert.
"Yes. That is all." The assistant nodded his head.
"It's surprisingly an unknown person. Does the old guy really think everybody is like the talented chef Chu Xiao?" Xing Min said with contempt.
"Give me my phone. Let me call Chu Xiao. It seems he needs to participate in the contest this time." After Xing Min's words of contempt, he instructed the assistant at the side.
"Your phone, sir." The assistant took his phone and handed it to Xing Min.
Chu Xiao, who was mentioned by Xing Min, was really like his name. It might not be proper to call him anti-hero as his name indicated, but he was absolutely an extremely talented and awesome figure.
He was extraordinarily talented in culinary skills ever since he was very young. He had entered the kitchen of a Michelin two-star hotel to study for one year when he was 11 years old.
At 13, he officially obtained the Certificate of The International Senior Technician. By now, he was 26 and had been a chef in a Michelin three-star hotel.
Of course, he was less than 20 when he got the appellation, therefore he was the youngest Michelin three-star chef.
One must acknowledge that his mum really did well in naming him.
"Kai Wen, I have told you the water used to wash rice must be from Chun Rice and only the water for the third time can be used. Only in that way, the mutton can have the taste of sweet dew after washing."
It was Chu Xiao. He kept a semi-long hairstyle and was wearing a hat. Although he appeared careless and casual, he spoke fairly solemnly.
"I'm sorry. As I didn't find Chun Rice, I replaced it with the top-quality rice." Kai Wen was a serious-looking middle-aged man. He lowered his head and said with a low voice when he heard that.
"So you replaced it with something else randomly when you can't find it?" Chu Xiao said lightly, "I have a suggestion that you take off your hat and clothes and walk out of the kitchen right now."
Other chefs in the kitchen just did their own work respectively. They didn't even dare to raise their head and take a look, let alone break in.
"Ok, Mr. Chu."
Silently, Kai Wen took off his hat and chef's uniform and then left...