Tasting both full-course meals that her brother and Huang Shenghao prepared, Lu Xinyi was conflicted to decide which course was better than the other. Huang Shenghao made spectacular dishes that not only left her speechless but was also able to stimulate her taste buds in a good way.
Meanwhile, her brother prepared Italian-inspired dishes that set the huge gap between them in terms of culinary skills and experience. Lu Xinyi admitted only to herself that with her current skills, she couldn’t hold a candle against these two. They were totally out of her league.
If she wanted to compete against her brother, she would need a lot of practice to hone her skills.
They moved on from Tian Lingyu and Ye Xieren’s counter without leaving their assessment. Ye Xieren stood next to his senior proudly. It seemed not only did they please the judges but also left a remarkable performance today!
Throughout the judges’ taste test, Ye Xieren felt like his breath had been trapped in his lungs and he would pass out at any given moment. This was the first time he tried his best to balance the dishes assigned to him by his partner.
When he saw how the judges react to their full-course meal, Ye Xieren had to pinch his own thigh in disbelief. It had been too long since he heard praises like this. Before, he was so immense in his own frustration that he’d forgotten how to enjoy the process of cooking. Seeing how Tian Lingyu cooked beside him reminded him of that.
Will the judges, especially Lu Xinyi, acknowledge his work?
“Ah, Senior Brother, do you think we have a chance to win today?” he asked Tian Lingyu excitedly. The man had been patient with him and had taught him how to properly do the Berry Tiramisu.
The corner of Tian Lingyu’s lips lifted. This cooking battle was way better than his previous one. Huang Shenghao had taken his challenge seriously and presented flawless dishes worthy to be praised.
“There’s a chance.” However, he didn’t tell Ye Xieren the probability that they might also lose. Huang Shenghao had defended his seat from several cooking battles for a reason. “I should thank your cooperation, Brother Ye. This cooking battle is important to me, and you’ve been a great help today.” Tian Lingyu had a satisfied expression on his face.
Ye Xieren scratched the back of his head and hid the blush that crept on his face from his senior’s words. He lifted his head towards his uncle and colleagues back at the restaurant and saw Chef Qin giving him a satisfied smirk. He rubbed the tip of his nose as he looked away.
The judges took their time tasting the next full course, but unlike Huang Shenghao and Tian Lingyu’s full-course meal, the three didn’t bother to give them a second taste and had written down their evaluation on their papers without a word.
Ah, Tang Liang and his partner’s Pork Chops with Raspberry Sauce was really heavenly! Lu Xinyi thought. If she could, she would take the whole plate with her and eat it in bliss. Too bad that they still have two more full-course meals they had to taste and had to move on.
Also, that seafood stew rice that Surya Rathore’s team made was enough to whet her appetite. The seafood rice looked exquisite, with the red prawn head giving it a distinct flavor. Although it looked so simple, Lu Xinyi and the other judges expected it to be flavorful.
The seafood ingredients were not overcooked and still maintained the freshness with its natural umami flavor covering each grain of the rice.
“It’s unusual to present a stew during a cooking competition, and they still chose seafood stewed rice at that,” Han Zhiling told Lu Xinyi after they tasted the dish. “Stewed rice can be considered as a family dish, and everyone can make it. However, it’s not easy to make it delicious,” she said in a low voice. ρꪖꪕᦔꪖꪕꪫꪣꫀꪶ
“Choosing the right variant of rice to allow the maximum absorption of the flavor is essential. Also, seafood can lose and ruin its natural taste when they were overcooked,” He Haotian added. “How do you think they were able to make the stewed rice flavorful?” he asked Lu Xinyi, hoping to test if her sensitive palate could discern the process.
“En, the dish tastes like the sea. It’s unpretentious and has a good balance of flavors. If my assumption is correct, they made the soup first by boiling the shrimp heads with fish bones and seaweed called wakame which is also used in making miso soup. The shrimp meat was also cooked separately.”
Overall, her assessment didn’t have much that different compared to the other judges.
When they came back to the judges’ table, Lu Xinyi patted her stomach and released a sigh. Those dishes were so good; she would surely have a hard time choosing the best among these dishes.
It was really hard to judge this kind of competition, ah. However, no matter how delicious the dishes were, there would always be something that stood out from the rest. Since this was also a cooking battle for the first seat, the center of attention would be between Huang Shenghao and Tian Lingyu.
Just before the three judges came into a decision, Huang Shenghao called their attention.
“Can our judges allow me to taste Brother Tian’s dishes? I wouldn’t mind if we also do the same to ours,” he requested.
Han Zhiling stared at his smiling face blankly before turning her head to face Tian Lingyu.
Understanding the unspoken question thrown his way, Tian Lingyu nodded.
“I don’t mind. Brother Ye and I will also take this rare chance to taste what you and Junior Brother Yan presented today.”
The two teams served another batch of their dishes on their counters. Ye Xieren followed his senior to the other kitchen counter and picked up clean silverware to use while Tian Lingyu took the initiative to taste the appetizer and the salad.
The appetizer and the salad were simple but delicious. The freshness of the baby kale was enough to whet one’s appetite for the main course, the Balsamic Glaze Lamb Chops, which was incredibly gorgeous as if it was prepared by a professional chef and not a culinary student like Huang Shenghao.
“This…” Ye Xieren was stunned upon tasting the main course. He now understood why Huang Shenghao held the top rank for such a long time. Cooking alongside Tian Lingyu and tasting Huang Shenghao’s creation, Ye Xieren suddenly felt inferior compared to these two men.
Unknowingly, he shared the same sentiments with Lu Xinyi. This was truly an eye-opener!
“I see, I wasn’t the only one who found an advantage in this cooking battle.” Tian Lingyu’s words made Ye Xieren confused. What kind of advantage was he talking about?
“What is it?” he asked, eager to know what his senior found amusing after tasting those lamb chops.
Tian Lingyu smirked which made his already-handsome face more attractive than usual.
“Just like how I utilize you on making the appetizer and desserts, Huang Shenghao took advantage of having Yan Chen on his side. You should know Yan Chen’s way by now. While Lu Xinyi relies on her palate and you on your personal experience, Yan Chen only believes in numbers. The exact time, heat, and quantity of the ingredients used on making one’s dish, as well as the proper cooking methods to use, are his greatest strengths.”
