The Unlikely Showdown: A Tale of Two Kitchens

He took a deep drag of his cigarette, allowing the nicotine to swirl around in his lungs before he felt the exhaustion in his body ease just a bit.

Being a chef seemed like a decent profession on the surface, but in reality, it was more tiring than bricklaying!

Constantly choked by fumes and smoke, he could even dream of himself turning into a shrimp that had been over-fried at night.

"At least I've made it through..." he muttered to himself, reminiscing about the "performance" in the morning.

Those three signature dishes that he kept in reserve –

"Honey-glazed BBQ Pork," "Braised Lion's Head Meatballs," and "Crispy Skin Pigeon" – when served, brightened the eyes of the two inspectors.

The BBQ pork had a glossy sheen that could reflect like a mirror, with a layer of caramelized, fragrant skin enveloping tender and juicy lean meat underneath;

The lion's head meatballs were a rich red color, with a thick sauce, and a gentle prod revealed juices seeping out;

The pigeon was even more impressive, with golden, crispy skin like autumn leaves, emitting an enticing aroma.

"The heat control..." Director Li prodded the meatball with his chopsticks, "is just perfect!"

Xiao Zhang forked a piece of BBQ pork: "The heat, the flavor... not bad at all!"

"Chef Xiao," Director Li put down his chopsticks, with a serious expression, "you are more than qualified to participate in the competition."

Xiao Yuanshan smiled without a word on the side, but inside he was delighted –

This praise was sweeter than the braised pork in his work.

Director Li put down his chopsticks after only a few bites of the dishes in front of him, saying that time was tight and he had to hurry to some "Wei Xiang Ju."

Xiao Yuanshan's smile almost slipped –

These were the treasures of Fu Man Lou, and they were dismissed after just a few bites.

This felt more frustrating than his braised pork being overcooked.

"Would you like to try some more of our..." His words were cut off by Director Li's polite interruption.

"Chef Xiao's skills are indeed top-notch," Director Li glanced at his watch,

"However, we have other establishments to inspect this afternoon, and time is really limited. Xiao Zhang, give the form to Chef Xiao."

Xiao Zhang deftly took out the form, and Xiao Yuanshan received it as if it were an imperial edict, fearing the slightest mistake.

He sat in the master chair, writing carefully, as diligently as if he were chopping meat filling, not daring to be careless even with punctuation.

Watching the retreating figures of the two inspectors, he sighed.

But thinking of the high score on the form, he felt more balanced –

After all, as long as he could enter the competition, he would have plenty of opportunities to show these people what real skills were.

Seeing them head towards Wei Xiang Ju.

Wasn't that the dilapidated shop on the street corner?

It couldn't even hang a decent sign, yet it dared to sign up for the competition?

"Humph!" He scornfully laughed, his expression more disdainful than seeing his apprentice cutting chives unevenly,

"That place, where even the range hood coughs along with the cook, thinks it can compete with me?

Isn't that like stinky tofu competing with truffles for fragrance?"

Xiao Yuanshan shook his head as if lamenting the inspectors' wasted time.

In his view, the chance of that shop making it to the semi-finals was lower than the likelihood of his braised pork learning to swim.

But what he didn't know was that.

That afternoon, the two inspectors would experience a "gastronomic shock education" in that "restaurant" (run-down shop).

If he had known, he might have chewed on the straw fan in his hand.

"Chef Xiao," Chen Zisheng ambled over with a teacup in hand, "have you heard? That guy with the small shop also signed up for the competition."

Xiao Yuanshan glanced at Chen Zisheng sideways, his eyes filled with a hint of irritation as if looking at a noisy fly.

Chen Zisheng, however, was oblivious, still shaking his head and talking nonsense.

"Don't be angry," he said with an ingratiating smile, his expression more fawning than a debt collector's,

"That kid, he only knows how to stir-fry a few street-side dishes, and can't even put up a decent sign.

His dishes wouldn't even cut a street food stall, how could they be mentioned in the same breath as yours?

Your simple braised pork could suffocate him with its flavor."

"Of course," Xiao Yuanshan exhaled a cloud of smoke, the rings twisting in the air as if mocking the overambitious shop,

"His restaurant, with walls about to collapse, dares to compete with me?

He should take a good look at himself and see what level he's at!

What, does he think that just because he can cook Twice-Cooked Pork, he can challenge me?"

"You're right," Chen Zisheng, feeling like he'd found a kindred spirit, quickly chimed in, "You are——"

"Enough!" Xiao Yuanshan waved his hand impatiently, cutting off the flattery, "Your mouth is more greasy than my garlic minced pork, stop with the nonsense. Day in and day out, all you talk about is this nutrition-less stuff."

Watching Chen Zisheng slink back with his neck (tucked in), Xiao Yuanshan thought to himself, this guy, after staying in the island country for so long, has become more and more like a lapdog.

But speaking of that presumptuous little shop, he did feel like laughing –

This competition, probably can't even reach the threshold of Fu Man Lou, right?

After closing up, Liu Yang sat in the kitchen, staring blankly at the six stoves that had been extinguished. The system in his mind hummed quietly, like a diligent nanny, but for the first time, he felt a hint of unease about this dependency.

"I can't always rely on the system..." he muttered to himself, well aware of the truth.

Although the system's enhancement allowed him to amaze everyone with a simple dish of Twice-Cooked Pork, he knew this wasn't a sustainable strategy.

The five million yuan prize was tempting, and the idea of renovating the shop to a Michelin standard was appealing, but he couldn't spend his whole life hiding in the kitchen, could he?

In his previous life, he had been a rich second-generation, and despite his idleness, he had seen the world.

Even now, reborn, he couldn't confine his vision to this small space.

The system had given him a chance to turn things around, but if he truly wanted to expand and strengthen his business, he needed to step out of the kitchen first.

"I have to get out there..." He stubbed out his cigarette, a flash of determination in his eyes.

If he was going to do this, he would do it big; he couldn't be content with being just a small shop owner.

But to achieve this goal, he needed someone who could truly inherit his skills.

As he pondered, his gaze fell on Xiao Li.

The young man, though deceived by Chen Zisheng, had developed a certain resilience.

When it came to finding a successor, this kid was a promising candidate.

"Xiao Li, come here for a moment," Liu Yang leaned against the stove, his tone more serious than ever before.

The kitchen was unusually quiet that day, even the roar of the exhaust fan seemed gentler.

Xiao Li stood at the door, a bit anxious.

It was the first time the boss had called him in with such gravity.

"You're an honest kid," Liu Yang looked at the young man who had been deceived by Chen Zisheng, his eyes filled with a touch of regret,

"And you did well in culinary school."

"Boss..." Xiao Li was at a loss, not understanding why Liu Yang suddenly brought this up.

"Starting tomorrow, after work in the evenings, if you want to learn cooking, stay behind."

Liu Yang's voice was soft, but his words were firm, "I'll teach you."

Xiao Li was stunned as if he hadn't grasped the weight of these words.

He knew his boss had exceptional skills, but he never thought he would be the one to inherit them.

"I can't keep cooking in the kitchen forever," Liu Yang continued, his tone carrying a hint of profundity,

"The shop needs to be handed over to someone reliable. You're an honest kid, and you've studied this field; sooner or later, you'll have to take charge."

Xiao Li's eyes welled up.

He never expected that the opportunity he had lost at Fu Man Lou would be found again in this small shop.

"Th-thank you, boss!"

His voice choked with emotion, "I'll study hard!"

Liu Yang smiled, thinking that although the system had given him the ability, the true art of cooking must be passed on.

Perhaps once he won the five million and expanded the shop, he should start cultivating some truly skilled artisans. Why not start now?

Every night that week, the kitchen lights stayed on until late.

The bustling "battlefield" of the day turned into a private "classroom" at night, with Liu Yang standing by the stove, patiently explaining every detail to Xiao Li.

"Look at this sweet and sour pork tenderloin," Liu Yang said as he flipped the work,

"The heat control is the most critical. The oil temperature should be around 180 degrees Celsius, and the pork tenderloin should be cut into strips 4 centimeters long and 1 centimeter wide. This way, after being coated with starch and fried, the exterior will be golden while the inside remains tender."

Xiao Li took notes diligently, his mind-boggling—this was too professional.

Even the temperature was specified to the exact degree, more detailed than what he had learned in culinary school.

"Boss, how do you know all this?" Xiao Li couldn't help but ask.

Liu Yang smiled mysteriously, "Experience! Look at this sweet and sour sauce, the ratio of sugar to vinegar is 1.2:1, and you also need to add an appropriate amount of tomato sauce for coloring. Only then can the color and taste reach their best."

Xiao Li listened in awe; the precision was more rigorous than a chemistry experiment.

His teachers in culinary school at most said "about" or "an appropriate amount," never this specific.

"Come, give it a try," Liu Yang handed the spatula to Xiao Li,

"Remember, when frying, observe the size of the bubbles. When the bubbles become small and even, it means the pork tenderloin is cooked."

While teaching the basic dishes, Liu Yang didn't forget to develop his competition entries.

At the moment, he was improving the "Wasabi Ice Cream," planning to upgrade it to "Volcano Lava Ice Cream."

"Watch closely," he said as he mixed the ingredients,

"The spiciness of wasabi is volatile, so we use liquid nitrogen to flash freeze it, locking in that intense flavor instantly.

Then we coat it with a specially made chocolate sauce. When eaten, the chocolate will flow like volcanic lava, revealing the 'lava' inside."