Reborn in Japan as a Chef God-Chapter 981 - 980: Turtle and Crane Strife

Qi Qingyan handed the microphone to Huang He, who had just finished, and asked, "Mr. Huang, why did you choose the ’steamed soup’ cooking method?"

She couldn’t help but glance at the high-pressure steamer on the stove.

Huang He replied unhurriedly, raising three fingers: "There are three reasons!"

"First, time. Stewing soup usually takes three to four hours, but the standard cooking competition time is two hours. To present a well-cooked and delicious soup within this time frame, using high-pressure steaming is a good choice, taking about 40 minutes to an hour."

"Second, the steamed soup technique utilizes the boiling juice in the inner pot to heat the ingredients. While the broth doesn’t easily evaporate, the even heat and stable temperature below 100 degrees Celsius ensure that the ingredients maintain their original flavor and are not damaged."

"Third, the liquid of the steamed soup is clear and rich. The color of the soup is an essential part of a high-grade soup. This is the creation of ’color’!"

The chefs present nodded repeatedly.

It can only be said that Huang He, an established Dragon Chef, explains things slowly and methodically. With this explanation, even those unfamiliar with the culinary arts would suddenly understand the benefits of the steamed soup technique. Many in the audience also realized why high-grade soups are usually clear in color but rich in taste.

Qi Qingyan glanced at the barbecue area engulfed by flames and continued to ask, "Mr. Huang, what do you think of Chef Xia’s barbecue recipe?"

Huang He kept a straight face: "It’s simply nonsense—"

Uh!

Everyone was stunned.

"Nonsense?" The microphone in Qi Qingyan’s hand slipped slightly.

"I know his recipe; it’s a classic dish for national banquets in Arab countries, the whole roasted camel." Huang He sighed, "Inside the camel’s abdomen is stuffed a lamb, inside the lamb is stuffed a chicken, and inside the chicken is stuffed a dove."

"Just because it’s a national banquet dish doesn’t mean it automatically correlates to recipe quality. Simply using the recipe without much local adaptation or improvement in a cooking competition is not ’nonsense,’ if not what?"

Qi Qingyan was surprised: "’Wine Camel’ and ’Rock Alpaca,’ these two fantasy ingredients..."

Huang He’s tone turned cold and stern: "That’s why I say it’s nonsense!"

"Not any recipe should hastily include fantasy ingredients, calling it ’improvement’!"

Saying this, Huang He’s face slightly twitched.

This statement reflects Huang He’s recent painful experience experimenting with ’pseudo-god ingredients.’ With his vast experience as a Dragon Chef, he has tried countless cooking methods on the frog meat - frying, stir-frying, braising, stewing, etc., repeatedly, until he barely managed to summarize a recipe of insights, yet with a mastery over the ingredients that was pitifully lacking.

So Huang He’s evaluation of "nonsense" comes entirely from his own painful experience, not random critique.

However, Huang He made an error of experience here.

It’s crucial to remember that people are not equal. Huang He rigidly applied his own experience with fantasy ingredients to Xia Yu, selectively ignoring Xia Yu’s series of classic recipes from the past.

Doesn’t this indirectly reveal that Huang He is too proud to admit he’s ever been lesser in any aspect than a cheeky young lad?

Upon hearing this.

The group from IGO and the Gourmet Association exchanged wry, knowing glances with one another.

Lin Qingfeng practically had "Haha" written on her face, and she said softly to her son Chen Yang beside her with a smile, "This old fool, he’s already lost!"

Chen Yang’s heart jolted, and he looked at his mother’s expression, realizing that Lin Qingfeng wasn’t joking.

He took a deep breath!

Looking towards the blazing fire, an idea suddenly popped into Chen Yang’s mind:

Young man, Dragon Chef?

He instantly felt dry-mouthed and was startled by his own thoughts.

One hour later.

"Ding!"

The bell signaling the end resounded throughout White Cloud Pavilion.

"Help—" A steady voice came from within the still-flaming charcoal pile, "Extinguish the flames!"

Tiqie Ji and several men in black, who had been waiting, held fire extinguishers, and soon the hissing sound and white smoke spread around.

In front of the high-pressure steamer, Huang He, who had been waiting with his eyes closed, suddenly opened his eyes, a spark passing through them, and he quickly placed his hand on the lid.

At the same time.

The sound of chains!

After a thundering noise, just as the flames and smoke cleared, a massive roasted camel came into view, its surface still sizzling with boiling oils.

No matter the angle, the whole camel, now fully roasted through, appeared a golden color like an artisan’s sculpted artwork, flawless, its doneness impressive.

"Perfect!"

Yan Qi and Xia Qing exchanged glances.

"Hey, a flawless roast, even though I’ve seen it many times before, the skill to control flames so perfectly during a whole camel roast, only someone who keeps up with our ancestor Ya Kan could easily achieve this."

In the section where the Five Talents of China were gathered, Li Han sighed at his own inadequacy.

"Ding!"

The system prompt sounded, and Xia Yu’s heart leaped. Just as he was about to check this information, a cool sensation, as if forming a powerful hand, parted the hot air rushing out from his roasted camel, pushing towards his face!

"What is this..." The moisture engulfed him.

Huang He uncovered the pot.

The lid hovered in mid-air, and beneath it, steam billowed, as if an immortal realm.

Seeing it, Xia Yu couldn’t help but be astounded.

The sound of water splashing.

A giant turtle broke through the water surface on a river or lake enveloped in mist, climbing onto the shore with ripple-like circles in tow. This turtle was entirely mossy green, its shell covered in algae and weeds.

The flapping of wings.

A crane with pure white feathers and a crimson crown suddenly descended from a rocky ledge on the shore.

The vision of the turtle-crane contest made Xia Yu feel faint. He blinked several times, and when he opened his eyes again, all the visions disappeared. Xia Yu intently focused on the stew pot on the steaming rack, "The turtle-crane contest, the harmonious chirping of the turtle and crane... is this Huang He’s Longevity Soup? The Turtle and Crane Life Extending Soup?"

He took a slight breath and turned to look back at the small table in front of him.

The whole roasted camel lay there, its limbs bent, and the entire body nested within the large tray.

Will I lose?

Xia Yu felt he was surprisingly calm. His heart showed no abnormality, its rhythm perfectly normal, with no signs of adrenaline. He couldn’t help but laugh inwardly at his own thought.

On the verge of the final culinary judgment against a Dragon Chef, his mood should be nothing short of euphoric.

When the crucial moment arrived.

The fire in his heart suddenly extinguished. Xia Yu smiled and muttered to himself, "So, winning or losing, doesn’t matter anymore?"

Without even checking the system message, he already knew it was good news.

No other reason, just a gut feeling.

When every part feels exceptionally perfect, with no room to evolve further, doesn’t the recipe naturally reveal itself?

"Serve the dishes—!"

Xia Yu nodded to Qi Qingyan.

At the same time, Huang He took the bronze cauldron-styled stew pot and placed it on the table.

Qi Qingyan announced with a quivering voice:

"The cooking phase is concluded."

"Next is the judgment phase that will determine the winner—"

"I have a list of guests here; let’s invite these guests to step forward as public judges!"