Upon hearing her response, a sense of heaviness settled in the hearts of the six competing chefs.
Two hours to make five dishes was not overly demanding, but the problem laid in the fact that there was one round of competition, and if you were last, you'd be directly eliminated.
So, how should one plan out these two hours?
Would you follow the traditional sequence of starter, soup, side dish, main course, and dessert, or would you prepare the time-consuming, elaborate dishes first to avoid elimination?
Or maybe save your trump card for the final battle for the crown?
This decision was not just about personal choice but also about the choices of other competitors.
If others went all out from the start, and you served only an appetizer, you'd probably be out in the first round; but if everyone served appetizers and you served a main dish, you might survive the first round but then struggle to keep up.