Cooking System: Street Food Rules

In the Alibaba Group building cafeteria, Lin Qiaoqiao and Liu Yao arrived, ready for lunch.

They looked at the various food options, unsure what to choose from the many stalls. Home-style dishes were definitely the most popular, followed by convenient foods like noodles and pancakes.

At this moment, Lin Qiaoqiao noticed a new food stall with a sign reading "Premium Kiln Chicken." The signboard looked brand new, as if freshly made.

"They've just opened a kiln chicken stall there," she said.

"I haven't really tried it before. Let's go take a look," she suggested.

"Sure, let's give it a try," Liu Yao agreed immediately.

They went to the kiln chicken stall and looked up at the menu.

It read:

Whole Kiln Chicken: 69.9 yuan

Half Kiln Chicken: 39.9 yuan

Single Set Meal: Half a kiln chicken + 1 serving of fried rice + 1 portion of salt-baked chicken hearts, 52 yuan

Double Set Meal: Whole kiln chicken + 2 servings of fried rice + 1 portion of salt-baked chicken hearts, 92 yuan

The prices were identical to the "Kiln Chicken King" brand. Flavor options were original or mildly spicy. They considered the menu.

Employees at major internet companies weren't short on cash, and the company provided generous food subsidies.

"The prices aren't cheap, but it's the same outside," they observed.

"Can we finish half a kiln chicken?" Liu Yao wondered.

"I'm starving. Let's just get the double set meal. My treat," Lin Qiaoqiao declared.

Then, she called the owner to place their order.

Sun Zhuangfei was managing the stall. Jiang Feng made all the kiln chickens, but the laborious task of selling was left to Sun Zhuangfei. This also prevented Jiang Feng from being recognized and causing any trouble.

"Alright, please wait a moment," said Sun Zhuangfei. He received the order and immediately took a foil-wrapped kiln chicken from the warming box. He then retrieved two pairs of white cloth gloves, two pairs of disposable clear gloves, and dished out two bowls of egg fried rice, handing everything to them.

"How do you use these gloves?" Lin Qiaoqiao asked curiously.

Sun Zhuangfei explained, "First, put on the white cloth gloves, then the disposable ones. This is to protect you from the heat of the kiln chicken."

Hearing this, they found it rather unusual. They'd never encountered such a way to eat chicken before.

They found a spot to sit and put on the white gloves first. Seeing each other with gloves on, they couldn't help but chuckle; they looked like workers about to do some heavy manual labor. Then, they put on the disposable clear gloves.

Next, they began to unwrap the foil packaging. The kiln chicken was wrapped in three layers of foil.

When the foil was opened, a blast of hot air erupted from within. The perfectly roasted kiln chicken, with crisp skin and tender meat, appeared before them.

As they spread the foil wider, they could see a rich pool of juices under the chicken. The juices were intensely fragrant; the mere aroma was enough to make their mouths water and their appetites surge. The chicken skin glistened with golden oil, the visible fat slowly oozing, looking incredibly tempting.

Wrapped in foil and cooked at a high temperature, the special marinade vaporized, its steam infusing every part of the chicken with flavor. The chicken was thoroughly cooked from the inside out.

"It looks so fragrant," Lin Qiaoqiao exclaimed in surprise.

"It's really good," Liu Yao nodded, then glanced toward Sun Zhuangfei before turning back.

"What's up?" Lin Qiaoqiao asked, noticing her thoughtful expression.

"I think the guy selling the kiln chicken looks familiar, like I've seen him somewhere before," Liu Yao confessed.

"Familiar? Probably just a common face. There are many people who look like that," Lin Qiaoqiao responded.

"Probably," Liu Yao concurred, and then they prepared to dig in.

They each pulled off a chicken leg first. The chicken was cooked so tender that a leg came off with the slightest pull. When the skin was pulled back, it revealed succulent meat with a slightly pinkish hue. It was clear the chicken was incredibly fresh and tender.

Juices, scalding hot, flowed down the meat. Luckily, they were wearing heat-resistant gloves. Otherwise, they wouldn't have been able to handle it with just the disposable gloves.

As they inhaled the aroma of the chicken legs, their mouths watered profusely. The scent was intoxicating.

Lin Qiaoqiao grabbed a leg and took a bite, getting both meat and skin.

The first thing she noticed was the heat. The chicken seemed as though it had just been taken from the kiln, still very hot—thanks to the insulating effect of the foil. Then, Lin Qiaoqiao tasted the delicious, savory juices that oozed from the chicken. The kiln chicken was incredibly juicy; the delicious savory sauce had thoroughly permeated both the skin and the meat!

Every bite filled their mouths with fragrance. As they chewed, they felt their senses heighten, their entire focus on the flavors in their mouths.

The chicken skin was soft and had a pleasant texture. The meat was incredibly tender, falling apart with each bite, not the slightest bit stringy. And she had no idea how they'd made the chicken so flavorful through and through; it was bursting with taste.

It was truly delicious.

"My God!"

After only one bite, Lin Qiaoqiao became excited, her eyes wide with pleasant surprise.

So tasty! This kiln chicken was unbelievably delicious.

"So good! So fragrant!" Lin Qiaoqiao exclaimed.

Liu Yao was even more impressed. She was a foodie who regularly followed many food bloggers and vloggers. She loved trying out recommended eateries. Otherwise, she wouldn't have specifically sought out Jiang Feng and queued for so long.

The cafeteria food had always been decent, but it had never quite reached the level of "delicious." Now, this new kiln chicken stall had given her a taste of true deliciousness. It was so good it could even compare to the roast duck she'd had the previous week!

The chicken was so juicy and grilled just right. It was fragrant and tender in her mouth. She simply couldn't stop.

The chicken leg was still quite hot. Liu Yao, too impatient to wait, blew on it and started to gnaw. The searing hot meat entered her mouth. She blew on it a couple of times and then chewed slowly. With every chew, more searing hot juices burst forth. It was a bit scalding, yet so incredibly tasty she couldn't stop chewing. After several more bites, as the chicken cooled, she could fully savor its deliciousness.

This kiln chicken meal was unexpectedly good.

As the two of them ate, employees from other departments arrived at the cafeteria and noticed the kiln chicken on their table. More accurately, they were drawn by the aroma of the kiln chicken. The scent was intoxicating, as if by magic, drilling straight into their nostrils.

"Look over there, a new kiln chicken stall."

"Handcrafted premium kiln chicken... It's unbranded though!"

"Let's have a taste; it looks good."

"Let's go, let's eat."

Several employees came over, choosing to try the kiln chicken. Others came alone.

In the cafeteria, new stalls were always guaranteed business on their first day. After all, many people came to the cafeteria to eat, and seeing something new, they always wanted to try it. Whether the stall could retain customers depended on the quality of its food.

The kiln chickens were already cooked, each wrapped in foil and kept warm in insulated containers. Jiang Feng and his team had brought the cooked kiln chickens over. While not quite as sublime as fresh off the grill, the forty-minute delay hadn't significantly impacted the taste.

Sun Zhuangfei manned the stall by himself, attending to customers. Jiang Feng rested in the back, occasionally coming over wearing a mask to take a look. Many branded food stalls employed staff for sales anyway; the chef's main work was completed beforehand.

After Lin Qiaoqiao and Liu Yao finished their kiln chicken, Jiang Feng's task progress showed 2/100. This meant the delicious food he made didn't necessarily have to be sold by him personally. As long as someone ate it and was satisfied, it counted as completing the task. This way, Jiang Feng could also have some leisure time.

Soon, several more people had bought kiln chicken and found a place to sit. They all ordered the single-person meal, which came with half a chicken wrapped in foil and a serving of fried rice.

The fried rice made by Jiang Feng was exceptionally beautiful. Fluffy egg curds coated the rice, giving the entire dish a golden sheen. Truly a bowl of golden egg fried rice! This wasn't a bowl of egg fried rice an average person could make. Eating such egg fried rice was a treat in itself.

After opening the foil, they started on the chicken. Beginning with the chicken leg, the taste was incredibly satisfying from the first bite. After finishing a leg, one person simply reached out, grabbed the chicken, and gently tore off a piece. Piping hot chicken, dripping with savory juices, came away. Putting the chicken in their mouths, the sensation was just as exhilarating.

No one had expected this new chicken to be so delicious; they were all completely engrossed in eating it.

"This new stall is really good!"

"Are you sure it's not a franchise?"

"With food this delicious, they could make a fortune opening their own restaurant! To think they rented a stall here in our company instead!"

"Whew! Such a satisfying kiln chicken!"

Everyone was thrilled. Originally, after a day's work, they all looked a bit weary. But after eating the kiln chicken, they were instantly revitalized, their eyes shining!

Such was the power of good food!

The more they ate, the more satisfied they felt, tossing the cleaned-off bones directly onto the foil. Soon, the foil contained only a pile of neatly gnawed bones, the chicken all gone.

Even then, they didn't feel completely full.

When they looked again at the fried rice, they were once more captivated by its appearance. Fluffy curds of egg were layered over the rice. Each grain of rice was distinct and glistening. Besides egg and rice, there were only a few chopped scallions and no other visible ingredients. The aroma of the egg wafted invitingly to their noses.

Half a kiln chicken hadn't quite sated them, but now they also had this aromatic, delicious bowl of egg fried rice.

This was the life!

With a stall like this in the cafeteria, employees felt energized even for overtime.