Chapter 58: A Picky and Demanding Guest
With the Two-blade Pork on hand, he also had green peppers in the Storage Pavilion.
He had all sorts of other seasonings as well.
That meant he could at least introduce Twice-cooked Pork with Green Peppers today.
He would come back tomorrow to buy some garlic shoots and napa cabbage.
For now, it was time to head back.
He picked up the meat and returned with Ye Shengge to where he had parked his motorcycle.
Ye Shengge’s car was also parked there.
Li You got on his motorcycle while Ye Shengge got in her car, and they both headed back to the restaurant.
"Boss, a small bowl of beef noodles, please," Ye Shengge said.
Li You nodded, knowing she hadn’t eaten breakfast yet.
He went into the kitchen, prepared a small bowl of beef noodles, and served it to Ye Shengge.
Then, he walked to the front of the restaurant and added a new item to the "Today’s Specials" board:
"Twice-cooked Pork with Green Peppers: 28 yuan."
He finally had a stir-fried meat dish.
...
「Heyang City.」
He Ting Hotel.
A five-star hotel.
Qu Feng worked at this very hotel.
「The kitchen.」
At this very moment, the head chef, He Xianfei, was personally preparing a dish.
Boiled Cabbage in Broth!
He had been busy for several hours, since early that morning.
The reason was simple: a very important and discerning guest was arriving at the hotel this morning, and he had specifically requested Boiled Cabbage in Broth.
He Xianfei dared not be careless and decided to handle the preparation himself.
As one of the most outstanding high-level chefs, He Xianfei’s culinary skills were exquisite.
Furthermore, he had conducted in-depth research on Boiled Cabbage in Broth.
His rendition of the dish was considered among the best in the entire country.
Therefore, He Xianfei was confident. No matter how discerning the guest’s palate, they would be unable to find any fault with his Boiled Cabbage in Broth. They would surely be very satisfied.
When the other chefs in the hotel saw He Xianfei taking charge himself, they all grew very excited.
"With Chef He cooking personally, even if this Mr. Zhao is as picky as they come, he won’t be able to find a single flaw."
"That’s a given. I wouldn’t say Chef He’s Boiled Cabbage in Broth is the absolute best in the country, but it’s definitely among the top. You could probably serve it at a state banquet with no problem. It would be a miracle if Mr. Zhao found something to complain about."
"By the way, what’s the deal with this Mr. Zhao? Why are the higher-ups making such a big deal out of him?"
"I don’t know the specifics of his background, but he’s definitely a big shot. Otherwise, why would Chef He get involved personally?"
"..."
The chefs had absolute confidence in He Xianfei’s skills.
Qu Feng included.
Since He Xianfei was cooking it himself, there was no doubt everything would be fine.
「The kitchen.」
A staff member entered and said, "Chef He, Mr. Zhao has arrived."
He Xianfei nodded. "Please ask Mr. Zhao to wait for twenty minutes. The dish will be served in twenty minutes sharp."
"Understood." The staff member turned and left.
「Fifteen minutes later.」
He Xianfei began the final step in preparing the Boiled Cabbage in Broth.
He slowly ladled the consommé over the cabbage.
Complete.
The corners of He Xianfei’s mouth lifted into a smile.
This Boiled Cabbage in Broth was a remarkable success. His performance had been virtually flawless.
This dish could be served at a state banquet without a second thought.
He Xianfei was filled with confidence.
"Serve the dish," He Xianfei commanded.
"Yes, Chef He." A nearby staff member, long since ready, stepped forward.
...
「In a private room.」
A man in his forties sat alone.
His name was Zhao Yanglin, and he was not a Heyang local.
He had come to Heyang City for business.
Zhao Yanglin was a true gourmand. To him, fine cuisine was one of life’s most important pursuits.
After arriving in Heyang City, he’d heard that the Boiled Cabbage in Broth at He Ting Hotel was a masterpiece.
It was said that their version of the dish was renowned throughout the country.
This greatly piqued Zhao Yanglin’s interest.
Boiled Cabbage in Broth was one of his absolute favorite dishes.
Thus, he had arranged with He Ting Hotel to come and sample it at this time this morning.
Now, Zhao Yanglin was waiting patiently.
He was in no hurry.
In his opinion, the anticipation of a fine meal was an enjoyment in itself.
About twenty minutes later, a knock sounded at the door.
"Come in!"
The door opened gently, and He Xianfei entered, followed by a staff member pushing a serving cart.
"Mr. Zhao, my sincerest apologies for making you wait," He Xianfei said.
Zhao Yanglin offered a slight smile. "You’re too modest, Chef He. I’m the one who is honored to have a meal prepared by you personally."
He Xianfei replied, "On the contrary, the honor is all mine to be cooking for you, Mr. Zhao."
By now, the staff member had placed the deep tureen holding the Boiled Cabbage in Broth before Zhao Yanglin.
As the lid was lifted, a rich, savory fragrance instantly filled the air.
Zhao Yanglin nodded in approval.
Based on this rich aroma alone, the dish was already living up to its reputation.
Next, he examined the consommé. It was exceptionally clear.
While not as perfectly transparent as plain boiled water, achieving such clarity was still a remarkable feat.
Then he looked at the cabbage. It resembled a blooming Snow Lotus, utterly beautiful!
In terms of both appearance and aroma, Zhao Yanglin would give it high marks.
This put him in an excellent mood.
It looked like this trip would be worthwhile after all.
"Chef He, your mastery of Boiled Cabbage in Broth is truly on another level. This trip was not made in vain," Zhao Yanglin commented.
He Xianfei was inwardly ecstatic and proud, but he maintained a humble expression. "You flatter me, Mr. Zhao. I still have much to improve upon."
"You’re being too modest, Chef He," said Zhao Yanglin.
With that, Zhao Yanglin prepared to eat.
He was very satisfied with the appearance and aroma, but in the end, the flavor was what truly mattered.
First, he took a spoonful of the broth.
After swallowing the spoonful, Zhao Yanglin savored the aftertaste for a moment before nodding.
It was, admittedly, very good. Among all the Boiled Cabbage in Broth he had ever tasted, this one would certainly rank near the top.
Next, he tried a piece of the cabbage.
After eating the piece of cabbage, Zhao Yanglin nodded once more.
Overall, it was very well done.
To have reached such a standard, this trip had not been a waste.
’Still, while the trip wasn’t a waste, there was no surprise, which is a bit of a shame.’
Of course, Zhao Yanglin hadn’t really held out any hope for a surprise.
He had eaten Boiled Cabbage in Broth prepared by a Special Chef before; to be surprised by the dish again was next to impossible.
’And yet, even knowing a surprise is impossible, I can’t help but hope for one every time I wait for this dish.’
The thought made Zhao Yanglin feel a little resigned.
He Xianfei had been carefully observing Zhao Yanglin’s expression.
Seeing the look on his face now, He Xianfei’s heart sank. ’Is something wrong? That’s impossible!’
After a moment’s hesitation, He Xianfei spoke up, "Mr. Zhao, is there perhaps an issue?"
Zhao Yanglin shook his head. "No issue at all. You worry too much, Chef He. This Boiled Cabbage in Broth is a great success. Of all the versions I have ever had, this one ranks near the top. It’s just... it’s just that it doesn’t offer any surprises. Of course, that has nothing to do with your skill. The fault lies with my own unrealistic expectations."
He Xianfei slowly let out a breath of relief. ’As long as there’s no problem, that’s what matters.’
As for a surprise, he had to admit, that was indeed asking for too much.
...