“Dammit, isn’t he just a windfall tycoon?” He slammed the table again as he sat down.
Then, he grinned mockingly as though he thought of something funny.
Tang Hao might have a powerful background, but he was nonetheless someone from a village. He was not well-educated or well-versed in etiquette. No wonder that cheap woman Han Yutong was together with him.
‘President Ling must be blind to have dinner with that person.’
Ling Wei furrowed her brows when she heard the commotion from the next table.
‘Looks like the Han family siblings have a deep-seated grudge with Tang Hao!’
“I’m sorry. I didn’t expect that we would bump into them here,” she said apologetically.
She had chosen to bring him to Imperial Kitchen because she wanted to treat him to a nice dinner. She did not expect to have an unhappy encounter there.
“It’s fine. I’ll just pretend that I didn’t see them!” Tang Hao shook his head and said.
Soon, dinner was finally served. Several waitstaff brought the dishes over in a single file. There were seven waitstaff in total.
The people at the tables around them exclaimed in surprise when they saw the dishes.
“Huaiyang cuisine! That must be Master Chef Ding!” (TN: Huaiyang Cuisine is the cuisine of central-eastern China, near the river and coastal regions, and is one of the four major cuisine types of China. The taste of the dishes is generally not spicy and is more delicate than the other major cuisine types.)
“What lucky diners they are to have a taste of Master Chef Ding’s handiwork!”
The other people looked at them enviously.
Even Ling Wei also looked quite excited.
“Tang Hao, Master Chef Ding is the best chef here. He is a master of Huaiyang cuisine, and is undoubtedly the best chef in Province Z,” she explained.
“Over here, if it’s Huaiyang cuisine, then it has to be Master Chef Ding. We’re lucky because Master Chef only cooks for one table every day.” Ling Wei sounded ecstatic.
“Dammit, why is that bastard always so lucky?” Han Lei cursed softly with an indignant expression on his face.
The dishes soon arrived at the table. There were six vegetable and meat dishes and one soup.
Tang Hao briefly scanned across the dishes and gently nodded in approval.
He could see that the dishes were meticulously prepared. The presentation was pleasing to the eye, and the delicate smell piqued his appetite.
Squirrel-shaped Chinese perch, minced tofu soup, stewed pork balls with crab meat vermicelli… those were the mainstays of Huaiyang cuisine.
Especially the minced tofu soup. Each strand of tofu was as thin as a thread. That was a testament to Master Chef Ding’s extraordinary knife skills.
“Let’s eat!”
Ling Wei picked up a piece of fish with her chopsticks.
“Oh, this is so delicious! No wonder Master Chef Ding is the best chef in the province!” Ling Wei was pleasantly surprised by the taste of the fish.
Tang Hao also tried some of the fish.
Then, he furrowed his brows.
“Why?” Ling Wei asked, “Is it not delicious?”
Tang Hao shook his head. “No, it’s not bad!”
The fish was indeed delicious, but he was expecting more from the best chef in the province. There was a lot of room for improvement.
‘So this is the level of the top chef in Province Z?’ Tang Hao thought, a little disappointed.
Ling Wei was a little dejected when she saw how he reacted.
They heard someone grunt from the next table. Then, Han Lei’s voice was heard.
“Hah! How boastful can you be? It’s your luck to be able to eat Master Chef Ding’s dishes, yet you look so reluctant. Did you say that it was only ‘not bad’? I think there must be something wrong with your taste buds.”
His voice was loud and the entire restaurant heard it.
Everyone looked at Tang Hao’s table with indignation burning in their eyes.
In their eyes, Master Chef Ding could be considered the God of Cookery. All his dishes were rare delicacies, and everyone who tasted them had nothing but praise for his culinary skills.
That kid, however, only said that his dishes were ‘not bad’. That was an insult toward Master Chef Ding.
“There must be something wrong with that kid’s taste buds!”
“It’s a waste that Master Chef Ding’s food is served to that table!”
Everyone talked among themselves.
Ling Wei was feeling a little awkward. She did not expect the situation to take such a turn. She glared angrily at Han Lei.
Han Lei, however, did not stop his mockery. “That’s someone from a mountain village for you. He doesn’t know how to appreciate Huaiyang cuisine. Master Chef Ding has wasted his time and effort. You’d better get lost from this place right now.”
“That’s enough, Han Lei! It’s none of your business whether he likes it!” Ling Wei said sternly. She could not hold back her anger anymore.
“None of my business? He is insulting Master Chef Ding,” Han Lei said with a smirk.
“You…” Ling Wei glared at him.
“Why, is there something wrong?”
A low, deep voice was heard from the kitchen. Then, a tall figure came out. He was a man in his fifties dressed in a chef’s uniform. His face was thin and his skin was dark.
“Master Chef Ding!”
The restaurant immediately became noisy. Everyone stood up as a gesture of respect.
“Please sit down!” Master Chef Ding smiled and gestured at everyone.
Han Lei pointed at Tang Hao. “Master Chef Ding! This guy here is insulting you!”
Master Chef Ding was surprised.
It was his first time encountering this situation.
“How is he insulting me?” He furrowed his brows.
“He says that your food doesn’t taste good!” Han Lei said.
Master Chef Ding was surprised again.
Then, his expression sank.
Ever since he had become famous, no one had ever said that his cooking did not taste good. Everyone heaped him with praises, and he was confident of making his customers happy. There was no reason that his dishes would not taste good.
‘Don’t tell me that guy is deliberately causing a scene!’
He walked over to Tang Hao’s table and said, “Sir, can you tell me why my dish doesn’t taste good?”
“I didn’t say that it doesn’t taste good. I said that it was not bad. That guy jumped on me and said that I’m insulting you.”
Master Chef Ding’s expression softened a little. It was not an insult after all.
However, he was not quite happy that his dishes were only ‘not bad’.
Chapter 289 - Godlike Skills
“Look at his face, Master Chef, and you still think that he isn’t insulting you?
“Everyone thinks that your food is delicious, Master Chef Ding. It’s an honor to be served by you, but this guy here only says that your food is ‘not bad’. Isn’t that an insult?” Han Lei said loudly.
The people around him nodded in agreement.
Master Chef Ding’s expression sank again. He was feeling disgruntled.
“Do the dishes not suit your tastes? Should I prepare something else for you instead?” Master Chef Ding said.
He thought that perhaps the kid did not appreciate dishes that were not as heavily seasoned.
It was not something that he had not encountered before, though most people would rather keep quiet and still offered praises to avoid a confrontation. The kid’s dissatisfaction was written all over his face.
“No, I’m fine. I quite like Huaiyang cuisine,” Tang Hao said with a smile, not wanting to cause a bigger scene.
Those words were like thorns in Master Chef Ding’s ears.
If the kid liked Huaiyang cuisine, then there was no reason that the dishes did not suit his tastes. Even so, the kid had only
said that his dishes were ‘not bad’. Was the kid implying that his culinary skills were mediocre?
Master Chef Ding was proud of his culinary skills.
He thought of himself as one of the top chefs in the entire Huaxia. The kid had implied that his skills were mediocre, which had greatly angered him.
“You are quite boastful, kid. If my dishes are only ‘not bad’ to your tastes, I wonder what you would find truly delicious!” He said coldly.
“Master Chef Ding, that guy is only a windfall tycoon from a mountain village. He’s probably only trying to show off, and you don’t have to mind him,” Han Lu said mockingly.
“Your culinary skills are the best in Province Z, Master Chef Ding. Every dish that you create is exquisitely delicious. I don’t think he’s ever eaten anything that’s half as delicious as what you served him tonight!”
“That’s right! Just ignore that guy!”
Everyone said in agreement as though they understood what was going on.
Ling Wei felt more embarrassed than ever.
She did not expect what should be a usual dinner date would turn out that way.
Tang Hao’s expression also darkened. “Your dishes are only ‘not bad’. They’re very far away from what you can consider truly delicious.”
Master Chef Ding nearly burst out laughing when he heard that.
Meanwhile, Han Lei was bursting with glee.
‘That kid doesn’t know when to keep his mouth shut. The master chef must have been incensed by now!’
“Tell me what’s ‘truly delicious’ to you then!” Master Chef Ding said with a smirk.
Tang Hao put down his chopsticks. “You want to taste something truly delicious? Let me cook up something for you.”
The restaurant fell into silence when those words were spoken.
Everyone was stunned at first, then they burst out laughing as though they had heard the funniest joke in the world.
“Haha! This kid is a riot!”
“Is he insane? He’s trying to show off in front of the master chef!”
Everyone could not stop laughing.
Even Master Chef Ding was laughing. He was beginning to think that there was something wrong with that guy.
‘A kid of eighteen wants to cook something that’s even more delicious than what I made? That is an utter joke!’
Ling Wei’s mouth was slightly agape. Her eyes were round and wide as they stared at Tang Hao.
She was confused by what she had just heard. Even though she had not known Tang Hao for very long, she knew that Tang Hao was not one to boast or lie.
‘Don’t tell me… he’s a master chef too?’
Even so, his skills would not have matched Master Chef Ding’s!
“You’re a boastful one, kid! Alright, you can show me what you think is truly delicious then!” Master Chef Ding’s tone of voice was laced with anger.
The commotion in the restaurant had reached the kitchen. Many chefs came out of the kitchen to see, and they were surprised by what they heard.
“Haha! I don’t believe the kid can be that amazing! I’d like to see how he’ll be humiliated!” Han Lei was overjoyed as he sat back down on his chair.
He wanted to provoke Master Chef Ding to throw the kid out of the restaurant, but he did not expect the kid to brazenly challenge the master chef’s skills.
‘That guy is a total idiot!’ Han Lei thought.
“So what dish are you making for me, kid? I’ll get the kitchen to prepare the ingredients for you,” Master Chef Ding said coldly.
Everyone laughed condescendingly.
“This kid thinks that he can cook better than Master Chef Ding? I wonder if he’s any better than even the most inexperienced apprentice here!”
Tang Hao thought for a while and said, “Do you have any snake meat here?”
Master Chef Ding was taken aback. “What do you want to cook?”
“Snake stew!” Tang Hao said carefully.
Master Chef Ding furrowed his brows. “Snake meat is juicy and tender, but it’s extremely difficult to make a perfect pot of snake stew.
“We have a few live snakes in the kitchen. Get someone to kill one!” He looked at the group of chefs as he said.
Two of the chefs answered affirmatively and went into the kitchen.
The restaurant served dishes from the eight types of Chinese cuisine. Snake meat was a frequent ingredient in Cantonese cuisine, and it was normal for the restaurant to stock up on that.
“What else do you need? Just say it!”
“Bamboo shoots, shiitake mushrooms, Chinese ham, tofu…” Tang Hao rattled off a list of ingredients.
Master Chef Ding nodded. “No problem. They’ll be prepared for you.”
“Also, dang gui, ginseng root…” Tang Hao continued with a list of medicinal herbs.
Master Chef Ding opened his mouth in surprise.
“What do you want to do?”
“Medicinal cuisine!” Tang Hao said.
Master Chef Ding nearly burst out laughing.
The smell of the medicinal herbs would have masked the scent and taste of the food ingredients. How would that be delicious?
‘The kid said he wanted to cook something truly delicious, but now he’s saying that he’s cooking medicinal cuisine. He’s contradicting himself.’
“Alright, I’ll get someone to buy the herbs you want!” Master Chef Ding waved his hand. Someone wrote the list of herbs down in a notebook, then went out of the door.
“Are you really cooking right here and now, Tang Hao?” Ling Wei whispered to him.
“Of course!” Tang Hao said calmly. Then, he walked toward the kitchen.
Master Chef Ding grunted coldly and followed behind.
Han Lei and the others stood up and prepared to go watch the comedy unfold.
Tang Hao saw that most of the ingredients were prepared for him when he stepped into the kitchen. A complete array of cooking utensils were also available on the counter.
The snake meat and medicinal herbs had not arrived yet. Tang Hao prepared the other ingredients first.
He picked up a knife with a comfortable grip from the rack, then calmed himself down in front of the counter.
Then, he picked up a piece of bamboo shoot and weighed it in his hand.
“Ha! He looks like he knows what he’s doing!” Some of the chefs mocked.
In their eyes, the kid was lesser than the most inexperienced apprentice. He would only be humiliating himself if he tried flaunting his skills in front of all the master chefs!
Tang Hao glanced at them, then threw the piece of bamboo shoot in the air.
Everyone laughed louder when they saw that.
‘This kid is such a showoff!’
Soon after that, their smiles froze on their faces.
The kid lifted the knife into the air and casually swung it around. The bamboo shoot in mid-air was dismantled into pieces.
Swish swish swish!
The gleam of the knife’s edge was like lightning.
The knife was wielded at an unimaginably fast speed.
Even so, the kid remained calm and collected.
As the knife danced in the air, shreds of bamboo shoots landed on the chopping board. They were about an inch long and as thin as a strand of hair.
The kitchen fell into silence.
Chapter 290 - Extremely Delicious
The people in the kitchen were standing as still as rocks.
Their faces were wracked with incredulity and astonishment.
The kid’s godlike knife skills had stunned everyone.
Even Master Chef Ding had a newfound admiration for him. His eyes were opened round and wide.
His knife skills were far from that level, but that kid of eighteen could pull it off like it was nothing. He could only find it incredibly ridiculous.
Meanwhile, Han Lei and the others had O-shaped mouths and round, staring eyes.
They were there to witness the kid make a fool out o
f himself, but they did not expect that they would be blown away by the kid’s amazing skills.
“What the hell? Who’s that kid?”
After a short silence, the surroundings exploded with tumultuous uproar.
Their condescension earlier had turned into admiration. They could see that the kid had more to him than what they first expected.
Master Chef Ding’s expression turned grim.
‘This kid is better than he looks!’ He thought.
Tang Hao did not mind the onlookers’ reactions. He continued cutting the ingredients.
Swish swish swish!
The knife’s edge traced a web of lightning.
Each piece of foodstuff danced amid the flashes as they were broken down into smaller pieces, then they fell on the chopping board like rain. Each piece was immaculately cut.
Tang Hao finished cutting the ingredients soon.
Tang Hao placed the knife on the counter and slowly exhaled.
Then, he casually glanced at the people around him.
All the chefs that met his eyes blushed in embarrassment.
None of them were as proficient in knife skills as that kid.
Tang Hao waited for a while longer before someone handed him the prepared snake meat. The person tasked to obtain medicinal herbs also returned at about the same time.
“Alright, it’s time for everyone here to leave the room!” Tang Hao said impassively.
The people looked at each other but eventually did what was told.
They might linger in the kitchen if Tang Hao were a normal cook. The way the kid cut his ingredients made them think that he was an extraordinary cook and his culinary skills probably involved some trade secrets. It would not be appropriate to snoop at him.
Ling Wei hesitated for a while, then followed the others outside.
Only Tang Hao remained in the kitchen.
He took the medicinal herbs out of the bag and prepared each one of them.
The Mightiest Little Peasant c1-799 Page 130