BXBX NOVEL Chapter 117 - 117: Stunning
As Qin Lang proceeded with his cooking, the expressions of the guests in the room began to gradually glaze over.
It was not that his cooking method was particularly special.
It was just…
Qin Lang’s cooking speed was faster than they had expected.
One minute?
No, not even a minute.
So fast that the Spirit Chefs in the venue didn’t have time to ponder the details of Qin Lang’s cooking process before it was already over.
Looking at the dish brought forward by the assistant, many of the Spirit Chefs were still in a daze.
Until Qin Lang’s voice echoed through the venue.
“Eighteen-Second Beef, please enjoy.”
Eighteen-Second Beef?
This somewhat direct and peculiar dish name forced everyone in the room to recall Qin Lang’s cooking process.
From the moment the beef returned to the pan and was stir-fried with other ingredients until it was served, it was exactly eighteen seconds.
Lei Ke, with a scrutinizing gaze, carefully inspected the Eighteen-Second Beef cooked by Qin Lang.
Between the orange-peel shreds and the brown-grey beef shreds, there sparkled the fiery red Capsicum frutescens and the lush green cilantro, their mere hint of color enough to make one’s mouth water.
The vibrant and contrasting colors made the dish in front of them all the more appetizing.
Simultaneously experiencing the intense visual impact, Lei Ke also smelled the rich, aromatic fragrance wafting from the plate.
The slightly sour taste of the orange peels had already dissipated after being marinated in honey, replaced by a natural and refreshing sweetness.
This sweet aroma combined perfectly with the pure meaty smell of the beef, with the spicy flavor of the cilantro and Capsicum frutescens as the embellishment, making it enticing and unique.
Surrounded by the murmurs of admiration, he didn’t hesitate to reach out with his chopsticks.
As the intense aroma assailed his nostrils, Lei Ke swiftly placed a mouthful of beef into his mouth.
Along with the beef, he also got a pinch of finely chopped cilantro and a thin strip of orange peel.
The beef tenderloin, after undergoing Qin Lang’s unique marination and treatment, and being mixed with plenty of water using a hand-kneading technique, was full of a smooth and delicate texture. With even the slightest bite, abundant and delicious juices spurted out into his mouth, creating a soulful resonance with his taste buds.
The extremely short cooking process not only cooked the beef to perfection but also locked in its intrinsic flavor to the highest degree.
But this was not all there was to the dish.
Whether it was the cilantro, which emitted a unique aroma but lost its irritant after stir-frying, or the unique flavor created by the fusion of the sweet honey and the astringent orange peel, all were maximally stimulated during the chewing process, blending in with the taste of the beef.
It was just like a flower bud, needing green leaves to set off its beauty.
These distinct flavors formed different layers that belonged to the dish, and this layering further highlighted the umami of the beef itself.
At this moment, this umami was transferred from Qin Lang’s hands to Lei Ke’s gustatory senses.
Crafting a delectable dish that embodied their values and then delivering it to the taste buds of their food guests; this was the bond between a chef and their guests.
The first Spirit Chef who came out also used beef tenderloin and made a dish called Lotus Bag Tenderloin.
Because he had the Food Skill: Ingredient Sublimation, the beef tenderloin he cooked was unimaginably tender.
But at that moment, Lei Ke was astonished to find that without the Food Skill, Qin Lang, relying solely on his techniques, managed to achieve similar results, and even slightly exceeded it.
His cooking skills and unique culinary artistry triumphed over the enhancement provided by the Food Skill.
It appeared that his competitor was far more formidable than he had imagined.
He silently savored his food until there was no more of the small portion of Eighteen-Second Beef left on his plate, before a hint of regret appeared on his face.
“The culinary demonstration segment is over!”
Fu Hang burst out laughing and returned to the stage.
His gaze swept over every Spirit Chef who had taken the stage, lingering for a slightly longer time on Qin Lang and Lei Ke.
The performance of these Spirit Chefs also greatly benefited Fu Hang. After the end of this beef tasting banquet, he would probably need to enter closed-door training for a while to fully absorb all the culinary knowledge he had learned.
But for now…
“I’m very pleased to have seen a total of twenty-three excellent Spirit Chefs showcase their individual understanding of beef.”
“And the dishes they cooked have already found their way into your stomachs.” Fu Hang’s smile widened as he said this.
The other banquet guests also broke into smiles at this.
Qin Lang was not the last contestant to cook. After him, several other contestants also took the stage in turn.
With over twenty different dishes plus the ones Fu Hang cooked at the beginning, even though each dish was small in portion, everyone was now full.
“I believe that after tasting these dishes, everyone has their own answer to which dish is the best of the banquet.”
Fu Hang paused slightly and clapped his hands.
Soon, an assistant brought a voting box and handed out paper and pens to each guest.
“Anonymous voting, write down the name of the Spirit Chef you choose and then drop it into the box.” Fu Hang laughed, “We will count the votes after. The one with the most votes will be today’s winner, and they get to take the cow home, simple rules, right?”
Seeing the same smiles and anticipation on everyone’s faces, he clapped his hands again, “Let’s get started!”
The venue quickly quieted down, with only low murmurs of discussion and the faint sound of writing.
Looking at the blank piece of paper in his hand, Lei Ke gripped his pen tighter.
Acknowledging the strength of a rival is also part of progress and practice.
He told himself this in his heart and then without hesitation, wrote down Qin Lang’s name.
After finishing, he took a deep breath, folded the paper in half, quickly walked up to the voting box, and dropped in his choice.
On the other side, the Spirit Chef Wang Yi, who had spoken with Qin Lang before the banquet started, was now struggling with his decision.
He too had taken the stage during the culinary presentation segment, and had prepared a dish that reflected his full understanding of beef.
His dish received many compliments, and Wang Yi also believed it to be one of his best performances.
However, objectively speaking, his dish was not the standout among all the dishes presented.
Whether it was Lei Ke’s Roaring Flame Beef, Qin Lang’s Eighteen-Second Beef, or dishes made by other Spirit Chefs…
So, who should he give his vote to?
Wang Yi appeared contemplative, but after a moment, his expression turned determined.
He had made his decision.
Wang Yi wrote down his own name on the paper, folded it, and walked towards the voting box.
He was well aware that even with his vote, it would be hard for him to become the winner of the banquet.
But…
In his view, the most important thing in the journey of being a Spirit Chef was self – acknowledgment.
In his heart, his best performance today was the most excellent.
Wang Yi muttered to himself, then cast his vote into the box.
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End of chapter bonus content:
[Eighteen-Second Beef]