Chapter 28: Tin Foil Clam Vermicelli Spicy Beef Noodles

Is this system too casual or what?

Chen Jianhai had his doubts.

You promised to give me tasks to complete in exchange for rewards.

But now you're mixing assigned tasks with free play.

Suddenly, I get a reward out of nowhere,

isn't this just a little surprise in life!

Chen Jianhai sat on the curb, taking a deep drag from his cigarette.

His eyes were filled with the word "satisfied."

Although Jiang Boran had sobered up, the car was still filled with the heavy smell of alcohol.

Chen Jianhai opened all the car doors, planning to wait for the smell to dissipate before driving back.

But as he waited, dawn broke.

"I've been up all night."

Chen Jianhai yawned, downed a bottle of Red Bull, and got into the car once he felt more awake.

"If I'd known I'd be back this late, I would've saved a piece of pastry for myself."

Chen Jianhai rubbed his growling stomach, "I wonder if Da Bo and the others have figured out what the signature dish will be."

Day after day,

I'm really putting my heart and soul into this hotel.

...

...

Back at the hotel,

the kitchen was already bustling with steam, with over thirty people rolling up their sleeves, frantically preparing ingredients.

Chen Jianhai walked into the kitchen, grabbed two large meat buns, opened a bottle of mineral water, and sat down to eat while watching the kitchen staff work.

As he watched, his expression grew curious.

"Could it be that the hotel's employee buffs are taking effect?"

"Da Bo's noodle-pulling technique is impressive! The dough is snapping perfectly."

"The prep work is simply divine!"

"Knife skills... wow!"

"Is the speed of dishwashing even humanly possible?!... Wait, is he just skimping on the job and not cleaning properly?"

The more Chen Jianhai watched, the more astonished he became.

Half-doubtful,

he stuffed the remaining half of the bun into his mouth,

stood up, walked over to the dishwashing station, and picked up a plate to inspect.

It was clean, white, and free of grease, with a slight squeaky sound when touched.

... It was very clean!

They're all artisans,

each one of them seems to be hiding their true skills.

If they were in a TV drama crew, they could shoot another season of "My Own Swordsman."

Thinking about this,

suddenly, a "ding" sounded in his mind as the system's voice chimed in.

"Ding!"

"The kitchen staff's focus has reached 100%, the host has received a 1% culinary reward."

Then,

a flash of inspiration crossed Chen Jianhai's mind.

Chen Jianhai's gaze lingered on Xu Bo's noodle-pulling hands for a moment,

then,

as if he had thought of something, he chuckled "hehehe" three times, a look of anticipation spreading across his face.

...

"Haizi, about the signature dish you mentioned yesterday, I have an idea."

After breakfast, Xu Bo approached Chen Jianhai.

"I'm planning to start with breakfast and develop a signature noodle-based breakfast... but I can't settle on a specific direction."

Xu Bo's eyes were heavy with dark circles, clearly indicating he hadn't slept well.

After listening to Xu Bo's thoughts on breakfast timing and sales strategies, Chen Jianhai nodded.

"The idea is good, it aligns with my thoughts."

Xu Bo was stunned, "You thought the same? To launch a signature breakfast?"

His biggest worry was that Chen Jianhai wouldn't agree.

After all, Chen Jianhai's initial request was for a signature dish, not a signature staple food.

He had prepared a whole speech to persuade him.

Unexpectedly, he received Chen Jianhai's approval.

Chen Jianhai wore a mysterious expression: "What you can think of, I can naturally think of too."

"As for the dish, I have an idea..."

He picked up a noodle from the counter,

"Your noodles are as fine as hair, incredibly smooth, and have a better texture than vermicelli."

"Why not develop a dish like Tin Foil Clam Vermicelli Spicy Beef Noodles."

Chen Jianhai said with satisfaction.

This name had just popped into his mind when the system rewarded him with a 1% culinary boost.

It definitely has a catchy appeal!

Xu Bo looked puzzled.

Chen Jianhai smiled gracefully.

Confused?

Good!

Who would have thought of combining clam vermicelli with spicy beef noodles!

The best part is,

clams are so cheap~

This name alone will surely attract attention and make people curious to try it!

"Are you serious?" Xu Bo asked hesitantly.

"Combining vermicelli and noodles?"

Even with his extensive experience, he had never seen such a wild idea.

Chen Jianhai shook his head: "No."

Having both vermicelli and noodles would be a crude mix-and-match. Of course, that wouldn't work!

If it turned into a mishmash, it wouldn't be a signature dish, it would ruin the brand.

"This dish won't have vermicelli, only your noodles."

"As I said, your noodles are delicate and smooth, with a texture that rivals vermicelli. The dish will feature your noodles."

"Um... um,"

Xu Bo looked conflicted, "But your dish is no different from Tin Foil Clam Vermicelli. It's just replacing vermicelli with noodles and adding some chili."

"If there's authentic clam vermicelli, why would anyone eat my clam spicy beef noodles?"

"Your vision is too narrow!"

Chen Jianhai sighed and shook his head.

Culinary arts are a serious craft.

The most critical aspect of noodle-pulling is the texture.

The fresh, juicy clam broth tightly envelops the smooth, elastic noodles, with a spoonful of fragrant chili oil,

the fresh, fragrant, spicy, and numbing flavors all wrapped in a small tin foil package.

Isn't that enticing?!

As for vermicelli... heh,

it's just borrowing the clam's freshness without leaving a trace.

"This..."

Xu Bo looked troubled,

He felt Chen Jianhai was talking nonsense, but didn't know how to refute it.

After thinking for a while,

Xu Bo pointed out the main issue.

"You can come up with this dish because you've tasted my noodles and know the texture."

"But others don't know that."

Chen Jianhai smiled confidently,

"So, I need to promote your noodle-pulling skills, making 'Crazy Noodle King,' 'Noodle Maniac,' and 'Master Pastry Enthusiast' famous in Nanjing!"

Chen Jianhai cleared his throat and continued:

"My idea is to set up cameras in the kitchen."

"Yes, those live-streaming cameras."

"Several cameras to livestream the daily work of you, the knife worker, the prep cook, and the dishwasher."

"The daily life of a five-star hotel kitchen will surely attract attention."

"Once your noodle-pulling skills spread online, it will draw in customers."

"What do you think?"

Xu Bo's eyes first lit up with excitement, nodding eagerly.

But then he shook his head.

"What do you mean?" Chen Jianhai didn't understand.

Is this agreement or disagreement?

"Livestreaming is fine, but what if my dad sees me through the video?"

Xu Bo's expression showed a hint of worry and concern.

"If he finds out I didn't go abroad to study and stayed here cooking, not only will I lose my legs, but your hotel's fancy swimming rings will be gone too."