Chapter 96 - Welcome to the Eight-year-old cafeteria
Chapter 96: Welcome to the Eight-year-old cafeteria
Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
There was no need to stir with the metal spoon by reaching it into the pot. Instead, the bottom of the spoon was pressed against the water surface and moved in a circular motion. The centrifugal force produced by the spoon slid the tofu strands away. The process was like fireworks slowly blooming, with thousands of tofu strands spreading out.
Finally, Xu Le added the green vegetables. This step could not be done with force. Instead, it should be gentle with strength, like an ancient ink painting.
After the flame was started, the soup was bright in color. There were shredded tofu, mushrooms, and vegetables mixed together inside. They complemented each other and looked extremely good.
Xu Le heaved a sigh of relief and said, “You ordered this. Come and try it?”
Li Qing almost could not move his feet. He stared at the bowl of Wensi tofu soup in a daze as his heart churned.
After witnessing Xu Le’s cooking, he was completely convinced by his culinary skills.
Even if there was a close-up shot of the previous competition, it had not been filmed from the beginning to the end. Furthermore, Li Qing had seen it with his own eyes. He was shocked and could not calm down for a long time.
Xu Le was only eight years old! Eight years old! He himself might not even be able to master such culinary skills at the age of 28, 38, and 48!
Li Qing’s mood was complicated. His heart throbbed, he was shocked, he felt defeated, and there was also a trace of hope. He picked up the bowl and took a sip.
The moment it entered his mouth, it melted. The aroma of the chicken was extremely rich. The fragrance of the shiitake mushroom, the refreshing taste of the bamboo shoot, and all the ingredients that entered his mouth were filled with extraordinary splendor and harmony.
The tofu inside seemed to have been overshadowed, but if one carefully tasted it, they could feel the unique delicateness of the tofu.
After drinking it, the fragrance of the tofu, the freshness of the ham, and the smell of smoked meat lingered on the tip of his tongue for a long time. Li Qing couldn’t help but want to take another sip. In just a dozen mouthfuls, the entire bowl of soup was emptied.
There was no need for him to feedback, his reaction was already the most accurate evaluation.
Lu Yuxi picked up the bowl and took a small sip. She dragged her voice and hummed.
She said in surprise, “I remember you didn’t put any MSG in it. Why does it taste so fresh?”
“The chicken soup, bamboo shoots, shiitake mushrooms, Xuanwei ham, and tofu are all used to make the soup taste refreshing. Of course, the entire soup will be especially fresh and sweet.”
Xu Le explained to her, “Wensi Tofu isn’t just a dish to show-off your skills. It originated from Yangzhou, Jiangsu. It belongs to Huaiyang Cuisine and has a long history. It’s soft and mellow. After drinking it, it can also nourish the body. Bring the rest to Sun Zhi and let him drink more. Otherwise, he’ll be as skinny as a monkey.”
Li Qing, who had also memorized the cooking method of this dish, added, “In the Qing Dynasty, Yu Yue had written in the book ‘Tea Fragrance Room’: Wensi is also called Xifu, and he is skilled at making a sweet tofu porridge. Anyone who follows his method of cooking will be able to cook the Wensi tofu. There is also a book called ‘Cauldron Collection’, which also named the dish as ‘Shijin tofu pudding’.”
“Wow!”
Lu Yuxi didn’t know anything about culinary. When she heard the two of them explain the history of the dish to her, she felt that it was amazing. She said, “If you guys are not drinking it, I’ll bring it all out to Sun Zhi.”
Xu Le did not answer her. Li Qing took a step forward. His eyes were filled with sincerity and his Adam’s apple bobbed. He scratched the back of his head in embarrassment as if he had something to say.
After waiting for a long time, Li Qing’s ears turned red. He was too embarrassed to say that he wanted to learn from Xu Le.
Xu Le also put on airs and did not lower his head easily. Finally, Li Qing mumbled, “Well, I was indeed a little disrespectful to you before… That was because I didn’t know you. When I saw you cooking today, I wanted to… I wanted to ask if you are still willing to take in disciples? I don’t need a salary, I can even pay you.”
Xu Le looked at him in surprise. Li Qing was afraid that he would disagree, so he added, “I’m very rich. I make a lot of money as a gaming broadcaster. I can definitely afford the tuition fees.”
“Sure,” Xu Le agreed readily. Without waiting for Li Qing to be happy, he changed the topic and said, “But I have a condition.”
“Please say.”
“Let’s set down three rules. Firstly, you don’t have to call me Master. There aren’t so many complicated procedures, you just have to respect me. Secondly, come over and help me with the store. If there’s time, I’ll teach you something, so you have to be diligent. Otherwise, you won’t be able to join this line of work. Thirdly, I have plans to open a new restaurant. If you can learn well, I want to hire you to be the head chef in the next restaurant.”
“Really?”
He was so excited that Xu Le was taken aback and started laughing. “Don’t you hear my last condition?”
“Previously, my colleagues said that one would not be able to become a head chef without at least 30 to 50 years. Even the head chef of the Heavenly restaurant, he only became one after learning for 20 years…”
“Li Qing.”
Xu Le interrupted him seriously. “The judges outside have their own standards for food, but the Eight-year-old cafeteria has always been a restaurant that served home-cooked food. The quality of the food is determined by the customers. For example, today’s Wensi Tofu is a limited dish. It’s only served once in a while.”
“As long as you can cook it well, no one can set a rule on how many years it will take you to become the head chef.”
Li Qing’s eyes shone with excitement as he said, “Got it, Master!”
“Calm down, calm down. Why don’t you be my assistant today and I’ll make you a welcome meal tonight?”
“Alright!”
Li Qing was full of energy. Usually, he looked like a prickly and obstinate person, and his words were not nice either. However, when facing people he admired, such as Xu Le, he was very obedient.
Li Qing had a foundation in cooking, so when he was Xu Le’s assistant, whether it was cutting the vegetables, handing over knives, planning the spices, or helping to clean the dishes and the table, everything was very smooth.
Xu Le’s efficiency increased significantly and he was happy.
The crispy pork belly was a new online delicacy. After the Eight-year-old cafeteria put the dish up for sale, some customers saw it and felt uneasy. One of them said worriedly, “I bought it at another place last time and it tasted horrible. It’s oily and hard, but your store’s food has always been quite delicious…”
The customer was caught between a rock and a hard place and hesitated a lot. Lu Yuxi understood their worries. After talking to Xu Le, she took out a piece of pork belly and cut it into pieces. Then, she put it on the counter as a taster.
The customer thanked her while sticking a toothpick into a piece of crispy pork belly. He ate it in one bite. The pork skin was crispy and fragrant, and the fat wasn’t greasy at all. Instead, it wrapped around the lean meat with oil and had a different flavor when chewed. The customer immediately said, “Give me one, no, two servings! One for takeaway.”
Lu Yuxi reminded him with a smile, “You should eat crispy pork belly while it’s hot. It’s a little hard when it’s cold.”
“It’s okay. I need to bring one serving for my wife.”
“Oh, then you can go home and use the air fryer to heat it up a little.”
Lu Yuxi quickly packed it up and handed it over.
Xu Le closed for business 10 minutes before 9 pm.
They planned to have supper and welcome Li Qing to the Eight-year-old cafeteria on his first day.
However, after thinking about it, he couldn’t figure out what the other party’s taste was. Hence, he went to the supermarket to take a look.. When he saw the fresh lamb spine, he planned to make a lamb spine pot so that everyone could gather together to eat.