The host was at a loss for a reply. He looked at Tang Hao with a stunned expression.
The five chefs along with their teams, the judges, the reported, and the audience were equally as stunned.
Earlier, they thought that the kid had walked in front because he did not know the etiquette. They did not expect him to be the real head chef!
‘What a joke!’
That was the thought that appeared in everyone’s mind.
Their opponents were the top chefs of the world, but the Huaxia side appointed a young man in his twenties to be the head chef. Was that not a joke?
After all, the head chef was the most important person in the team, which meant that he should have the best culinary skills.
They had expected New Magical Kitchen would appoint Master Chef Ding as the head chef, but he turned out to be the young man’s helper.
Did that mean that the young man’s culinary skills were better than Master Chef Ding’s?
How could that be possible?
Acquiring culinary skills took time. They had never heard of any chef becoming famous in their twenties.
“What the hell?” The Huaxia audience was in an uproar.
Meanwhile, the foreigners burst into laughter.
“Haha! Wouldn’t you look at that? The competition hasn’t started yet, but the Huaxia side has already given up. They’ve appointed a young man as the head chef. If they lose, they can easily shift the blame to him.”
“Sigh! If they knew they were going to lose, why did they accept the challenge?”
The media reporters were very excited. They drafted articles and prepared to post them on the Internet.
In the judges’ section, the food critics and tycoons also laughed out loud.
The outcome might have been decided, but they did not expect Huaxia to give up that easily. That would make for a boring match!
“Hmph!” The chefs grunted coldly.
They were rather indignant. It was an insult to pit a kid against them!
For a long while, the cavernous hall echoed with boos and jeers.
Tang Hao remained impassive. He, Master Chef Ding, and the other chefs stood confidently on the stage.
He looked across the hall and was surprised.
Tamamo was sitting in the judges’ section. She winked mischievously at him.
The host eventually came to his senses. He laughed drily to ease the awkward atmosphere.
“Alright, now that both sides are on the stage, I shall briefly explain the rules.
“This competition isn’t one among chefs, but rather among cuisines. On one side, the five chefs represent Farlancian, Latinian, and Dongyingese cuisine.
“On the other side, the chefs represent Huaxia’s magical cuisine.
“There will be no restrictions other than the time limit. You can make as many dishes as you want within three hours.
“Now, please begin!”
After that, the chefs on the other side glanced toward Tang Hao, chuckled contemptuously, and returned to their positions.
They did not pay any heed to the young head chef.
They would be taking over the entire show today.
Six cooking stations were prepared on the stage. The five international chefs occupied the five stations on the right, while Tang Hao and his chefs occupied the most left station.
Tang Hao walked to the station. The chefs behind him used carts to carry ingredients and various cooking utensils, and they unloaded items at the station.
Then, they began to get busy.
The chefs washed and processed the ingredients in an orderly manner.
Tang Hao stood there with his hands behind his back, doing nothing.
They were still in the preparatory stage, so it was not his turn to do anything.
Seeing that, there was another wave of boos from the audience.
“What arrogance!”
“Sigh! What does New Magical Kitchen think they’re doing at such a major event? Not only will they be ruining their reputation, but Huaxia would be disgraced too!”
The Huaxianese audience shook their heads. They could not bear to look.
If Master Chef Ding were the head chef, his culinary skills along with the amazing effects of magical cuisine might earn the foreign judges’ approval and win them the competition.
However, they would definitely lose with that young chef taking the helm.
At that moment, the host started walking around the stage.
“Let’s look at Chef Daniel. Chef Daniel is one of the most treasured chefs of Latinia running a three-star Michelin restaurant. Wow, what a big lobster! Is he going to make baked lobster? And spaghetti…
“Now, let’s look at Chef Matsui. Chef Matsui is known as the God of Sushi. Of course, he’ll be making sushi this time…
“Next, let’s look at Chef Paul. This is escargot and foie gras. They’re famous dishes of Farlancian cuisine!
“…
“Finally, let’s take a look at what the Huaxia side is doing. Um… Chef Tang, how many dishes are you making?”
“Three!” Tang Hao said coldly.
He was holding a duck in his hand while stuffing various ingredients into its stomach.
“Three dishes? One of them must be duck, right? I know, it must be the famous Seven Treasures Duck of New Magical Kitchen!” The host said excitedly while slapping his thigh.
“No!” Tang Hao replied coldly.
The smile on the host’s face froze.
“Haha! What would it be if it’s not Seven Treasures Duck?” He was quite embarrassed.
Tang Hao shot a glance at him and proceeded to ignore him. He continued to stuff ingredients.
“F*ck! Why is this kid so arrogant? Who does he think he is?” The host cursed under his breath.
“Um… Chef Tang, can I ask if you’re an apprentice of New Magical Kitchen? Which branch do you work in?”
“No!”
“Huh? No?” The host was taken aback.
‘What the hell? So he’s not a chef of New Magical Kitchen?’
“Then… do you have any certifications or qualifications? Do you have any competitive experience or awards?” The host asked again.
“No!” Tang Hao replied bluntly.
The host started to become flustered.
‘What the f*ck? He doesn’t even have any certifications? That means he’s a nobody! He’s an apprentice chef at most!’
The audience was equally confused.
The foreigners laughed once more.
They were treating the Huaxia side as pure comedy.
After stuffing the duck, Tang Hao placed it in the oven and started roasting it.
Then, he took a large pot, placed it on the stove, and started making soup.
Splash!
Pots and bowls of ingredients were poured into the large pot. There were bamboo shoots, mushrooms, seafood, and, of course, many medicinal herbs.
After pouring everything into the pot at once, he added some seasoning, and everything was done.
Tang Hao put the lid on the pot and dusted his hands. He pulled a stool over and sat down.
“Alright, we’re done!”
Master Chef Ding and the other chefs breathed a sigh of relief. They found stools, sat down, and started chatting casually.
The host was dumbfounded when he looked over there, then at the five other teams that were busily working.
