“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.
Chapter 666 - How Arrogant
“Um… Master Chef Ding, are you all done?” The host asked softly.
“Almost done. We’ll just have to wait!” Master Chef Ding said with a smile.
The host had a strange look on his face.
‘Why does it seem that these people aren’t taking the competition seriously? Especially that kid, who only stuffed the duck and closed the pot lid.
‘Look at how serious Chef Thomas is! He’s constantly stirring the saucepan, tasting it from time to time, and adjusting the taste with seasoning.
‘Isn’t that how a master chef should behave, treating every dish as a work of art?
‘What’s that kid doing? What the hell! He’s browsing on his phone!
‘How amateurish!’
The host’s facial muscles twitched.
An uproar came from the audience as they saw that scene. Many people covered their faces and could not bear to watch.
“This is too embarrassing!”
Even the president of the National Culinary Association became angry. His eyes were opened wide, and the tips of his handlebar mustache stood up.
The international chefs looked at him and sneered, becoming more and more disdainful.
Soon, a fragrance spread throughout the hall. Some of the dishes from the five chefs were ready.
Every dish was greeted with cheers.
“It smells so good! That’s foie gras prepared by the world’s top chef. It must be extremely delicious. If I can taste it, I’ll have no regrets.”
“Look, that’s coq au vin, a famous Farlancian dish!”
The judges whispered to each other and nodded from time to time, showing their appreciation.
When they looked at the Huaxianese side, they frowned.
No one was doing any work there. Instead, they were either chatting or browsing their phones. Nothing was going on except for the duck roasting in the oven and the pot of soup boiling on the stove.
‘Didn’t they say they have three dishes? There’s only two, no matter how I look at it!’
Soon, the five international chefs finished their dishes and brought them to the judges’ table one by one.
“Let’s see. The first to present is Chef Daniel. There are three dishes, which are spaghetti carbonara, bistecca alla Fiorentina, and Neapolitan baked lobster.
“Look, the judges are all very satisfied! Especially Mr. Murdoch, the oil tycoon from Merrica. He’s giving a thumbs up to express his recognition of Chef Daniel’s culinary skills.
“The judges are giving their scores. The final score is 115! Congratulations, Chef Daniel!”
The audience immediately erupted into enthusiastic cheers.
One had to know that half of the judges on stage were the top international food critics, while the other half were super-rich tycoons. All of them were food connoisseurs who had tasted all kinds of delicacies before. A score of 115 was very impressive indeed.
“Next, it’s Chef Sun Shangwen. He is also presenting three dishes. They are braised veal with Béchamel sauce, coq au vin, and steak tartare!
“The judges are responding enthusiastically! So many full marks, and the total score is 117! Congratulations, Chef Sun!”
Next was Chef Matsui,
who presented each judge with a plate of sushi. He received a final score of 115.
The world’s second-best chef, Chef Thomas was next. He presented Farlancian onion soup and beef bourguignon, and received a score of 119.
Finally, it was Chef Paul, the world’s top chef. He presented two dishes, foie gras and baked escargot.
The two dishes caused a huge sensation.
They were world-renowned Farlancian dishes prepared by the hands of the number one chef. The reporters all rushed forward to take a whiff of the fragrance.
The situation was out of control.
“Full marks, absolutely full marks!”
“This is the ultimate delicacy!”
After the judges tasted the food, they seemed amazed and even obsessed.
“A perfect score! All the judges gave a perfect score! This is unbelievable! As expected of the world’s number one chef! Let us congratulate Chef Paul!”
The venue immediately erupted in cheers.
The foreigners seemed fanatical, but the Huaxianese in the audience were frowning.
If Chef Paul got a perfect score, it meant that New Magical Kitchen had to get a perfect score too.
However, when they saw the situation on the stage, they did not have much hope.
“Chef Tang, may I ask if you are done?”
The host walked over.
Tang Hao raised his head and said, “We’re almost done!”
“Do you feel any pressure? Look, Chef Paul got a perfect score!” The host said.
“Pressure? What’s that?” Tang Hao said as he browsed on his phone.
‘F*ck! How arrogant!’
The host was speechless.
‘That was the world’s number one chef!’
The audience booed again.
The five chefs all sat down and glared at him coldly.
“What magical cuisine? It’s nothing but a title!” Chef Matsui sneered.
“You can’t say that. Magical cuisine is so popular in Huaxia, so there must be something to it. However, it’s a pity that we can’t see the real magical cuisine this time. Competing with this kid has been a total waste of our time,” Chef Thomas said.
“That’s right! This competition is a joke!” Chef Daniel also said.
The audience continued to jeer. Even the Huaxianese had given up hope. They were prepared to watch the comedy unfold.
After a while, Tang Hao glanced at his watch. He stood up, walked over to the stove, and lifted the pot lid.
In an instant, a wave of fragrance wafted out.
The pot lid had remained closed, and whatever fragrance that seeped out had been masked by the fragrance of the other dishes.
Now that the lid was lifted, the fragrance soon spread throughout the hall.
“What smell is this?”
The host sniffed and froze in place.
The judges and international chefs, who were chatting and laughing, shuddered and froze as well.
The fragrance continued to spread. Whoever smelled it froze, and soon the entire hall was deathly silent.
Everyone turned their heads and looked at the stage.
That was where the fragrance came from.
They were in a daze, unable to believe what they were seeing.
The fragrance was unbelievable and even magical. A single whiff could make one light-headed.
The chefs all stood up subconsciously. Their eyes were wide open as they stared at the pot.
“This fragrance… how is it possible?”
They were all in a daze. They could not believe it at all.
Tang Hao remained calm. He stirred the pot with a ladle and the fragrance became more intense.
The people sniffed greedily. Their faces revealed an expression that was close to fanaticism.
Gulp! Gulp!
The sound of gulping could be heard everywhere in the venue.
Tang Hao tasted a sip, nodded, and muttered, “Alright, let’s take it off the stove!”
Master Chef Ding and the others came over and began to transfer the soup into bowls.
Tang Hao went to the oven again, took out the roast duck, and a rich aroma spread out.
Soon, bowls of silver soup and plates of roast duck meat were served to the judges’ table.
Chapter 667 - God of Cookery
The hall was in an uproar.
Many people stood up and rushed forward. Their faces were filled with excitement and fanaticism. The situation had gone out of control.
The foreigners had all gone crazy!
The reporters and members of the audience shoved forward with fanatical expressions on their faces.
They were obsessed with the fragrance in the air.
“Oh my god! I swear I’ve never smelled anything more wonderful than this!”
“This is really magical!”
They exclaimed enthusiastically.
Even the Huaxianese audience was getting out of control.
The people in attendance had all tasted magical cuisine, especially the signature dish Splendid Eight Treasures Soup. The soup was widely considered to be the pinnacle of magical cuisine. In their eyes, it was the ultimate delicacy.
However, now that they had taken a whiff of the fragrance, they realized that the Splendid Eight Treasures Soup was nothing!
New Magical Kitchen had developed a new dish!
Bowls and plates were lined up in a row on the judges’ table. Hot steam rose, and the fragrance assailed their nostrils.
The judges sat there, looking at the delicious food in front of them. They were in a daze.
‘This is… magical cuisine?
‘It is indeed magical! The fragrance alone was enough to drive one crazy!’
“None of you are eating? Don’t mind me if I help myself!” The oil tycoon picked up a piece of roast duck meat with a fork and put it into his mouth.
As he chewed, his eyes suddenly widened.
“Oh my god! This taste…” he mumbled.
The duck meat in his mouth was both crispy and soft. The meat was extremely delicate, but it was roasted just right. As he chewed the meat, a rich taste bloomed on the tip of his tongue.
It was an extremely fragrant taste that he had never tasted before.
He could feel his body rejuvenated in just one bite.
Following that, something even more amazing happened. After a few bites of the duck meat, he could feel a warm current surging through his body, invigorating him greatly and providing him with energy.
“This is unbelievable!”
He exclaimed in surprise, and his expression became fanatical. He cleaned up the remaining duck meat on his plate in two more mouthfuls.
Then, he scooped up a spoonful of soup and tasted it.
His entire body trembled again, and his face revealed an extremely shocked expression.
Slurp! Slurp! Slurp! He shoveled the soup into his mouth without a care for the heat.
“This is too delicious!”
As he ate, he mumbled as if he was possessed.
After cleaning up the bowl, he leaned back on his chair and narrowed his eyes. He moaned as though he was floating amid the clouds.
“I didn’t expect that such delicious food exists in this world!” He sighed.
The other judges were overcome by curiosity when they saw how he reacted. They took a careful taste of the food. Soon after, they could not hold themselves back and wolfed down the food as though they were possessed.
As food critics, they would need to slowly chew so that they could fully appreciate the taste of the food. However, at that moment, they had forgotten all their rules and principles.
Their instincts drove them to gobble down the food.
Even Tamamo did not care about her image and greedily devoured everything.
Soon, all the dishes were empty. Some of the judges even licked the bowls clean.
The other chefs were stunned by that scene.
‘Are those people really the world’s top food critic
s and rich tycoons? Why did they eat like a group of hungry savages and even lick the bowls! How immodest!’
“Full marks! Full marks!”
“Bah! Only full marks? I’ll give them as many extra points I can!”
“Yes, yes! I want to give extra points too!”
The judges banged on the table and shouted.
In an instant, the crowd erupted in cheers.
The result was obvious. Magical cuisine had completely convinced those judges!
“That’s great! We’ve won!”
The Huaxianese audience cheered excitedly.
The foreigners were not very happy about the result, but they were nonetheless convinced.
“Magical cuisine is truly godly! It’s no exaggeration at all!”
“Huaxianese cuisine is truly unbelievable!”
The food lovers praised.
The reporters were quite embarrassed and did not know how to report it. Before the competition started, they had already smugly trampled on Huaxia.
If they were to report the results, that would be a slap to their faces!
They were quite resentful. Some wrote a brief article reporting the results, while others did not write at all.
The five international chefs stood beside the judges’ table, their faces full of embarrassment.
They had thought that they would win for sure, and they had even mocked the kid. However, in the blink of an eye, the situation was reversed.
‘Is magical cuisine really that delicious?
‘Is that kid really so amazing?’
“Let me have a taste!”
Chef Paul, the top-ranked chef in the world, could not resist it.
“Give him some!” Tang Hao said to the people behind him. Immediately, a chef walked over, scooped a bowl of soup, and handed it to Paul.
Paul took the bowl. First, he carefully examined it and studied the ingredients inside. Then, he scooped up a spoonful and put it into his mouth.
He was immediately stunned.
‘How can this be? It’s full of medicinal herbs, right? Why doesn’t it taste like herbs at all? Also, where did this incredibly savory taste come from?’
His heart was full of questions.
As he ate, he soon fell silent.
After eating, he put down the bowl, his expression somewhat gloomy.
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