Another genius

The cook with the face mask looked down on his notes again and noted something on it. He then started to put a different amount of flour in his bowl and mixed it with water. He combined the water slowly into the flour and slowly the water combined the flour. When he put all of the water inside he mixed it a little more and then started to form a ball of dough. It came together easily. He then floured the surface lightly with more buckwheat flour and put the dough on it. With the rolling pin, he first rolled it out in a circle and then continued to roll corners into it so that it would form a rectangle. He then folded it in. This time it came out perfectly. He then made a flour bed by putting a thick rectangle layer of flour on his cutting board and then put the folded dough on it. With a big knife, he began to cut it into even thin noodles. The flour bed made it easier for him to cut through the noodles. After he was done he placed the noodles into cooking water again. When they were ready he tasted them. This time he nodded with his head and put the noodles out and onto a plate.

He then started to make a noodle broth for the soba noodles. Vegetables were cleanly cut and also put into the broth. In about half an hour he was done.

Eira expected him to start plate but he didn´t do so. He looked at the clock and saw that he still had an hour to go. So he went to the ingredient table and picked out a different kind of flour (semolinas to be exact) some water and a little bit of sea salt. He then went back to his station started to mix those ingredients together until he was satisfied with the consistency of the dough. Then rolled out a strand of dough and started to fold it in half. He repeated that eight times again and each time the strands would double and would get thinner until they were almost like hair. He then put them on a wooden board and started to repeat all that again. He carefully laid another layer crosswise on the previous one and soon after the wooden board was covered with the thin noodle strands.

After that, he tasted his broth from the soba again and nodded satisfied.

There were still thirty minutes until the end. He took a chair and just sat down on it.

The other contestants were still busily handling their own work and didn´t give him a second glance. Eira also leaned back in her chair amused.

She waited patiently for the rest of the time to end.

When the final signal finally rang the contestants wiped of their sweat and hurriedly stepped back from their plates. Like in the previous rounds a waiter brings one dish after another and Eira and the two cooks started to rate them.

There only half of the contestants than in the beginning but Eira already felt sick after twenty of them. Especially because there were some who totally (and she really meant TOTALLY) messed up EVERYTHING that could be messed up. The ratio of flour and water was wrong... too dry, the broth was just too bland or just NOT good. Some just handed in the noodles without anything and even worse some just had some raw uncooked noodles to present. It was visible that the pressure to master the noodles had put a toll on the contestants. There were even some who just made some regular noodles. The dish was good but it didn´t fulfill the given task.

Every single one of them was immediately put out of the list. They were out, there was no arguing about it. Up till now was everything they could do.

One after one dish came and in the twenty dishes, the judges had tried there was nothing that passed the round. The temperature dropped rapidly. The ones who were still up to be rated gave a quick prayer for them to pass. Then suddenly on the thirties dish, the judges raised their brows. They inspected the noodle strands more precisely again. This one was actually good. Not perfect but it was not bad. The presentation with the broth was also good. The three nodded to each other and announced that that dish passed. A squeal could be heard.

Eira looked up and saw that it belonged to Fabiola Beaufort. She jumped happily in the air. And smiled widely at the judges. So that dish was from her.

They resumed tasting the other dishes. Again some weren´t good. But after that, some also barely passed.

There were only five dishes left. The one that was bought to them looked very simple. But before they could try it the waiter placed another bowl before them.

"He made two dishes." The waiter explained after seeing the confused look of the chefs.

The started to taste the soba noodles first. They were chewy as expected and had enough bite to them. The broth was also good too. Refreshing with the fresh greens swimming in it. The soba noodles were well made and the pure buckwheat flour could be tasted.

They presumed to try the su filendeu. It was in the same broth they assumed. But when they tasted it there was another flavor in it. The su filendeu was soft and almost melted in the mouth. It was mixing with the broth that tasted like... it´s chicken. He put some chicken stock into it to transform the vegetable stock to a chicken one. He upgraded the broth instead of making a complete new broth. The two soups complemented each other well. The chefs were very satisfied. Rating this wasn´t difficult at all. It was clear as the day. This dish... passed.

The resumed rating the rest of the dishes. The ones after that were quite good. Weren´t good as the previous one but it was acceptable.

So, in the end, eight contestants in total passed the fourth round. Eira had planned with ten but it was just roughly estimated. The lucky eight contestants cheered while the rest just let their heads hang defeated. Like the previous days, Eira let all of them stay a bit to connect and try each other's dishes. Even if they lost they´ve gained some experience and knowledge from their opponents. An opportunity to learn from each other.

Eira looked for the cook with the face mask to ask him some question but he had already left. So she just put that in the back of her head and presumed to have some conversation with the other contestants.