Cooking System: Street Food Rules

When this exquisite dish was served, people's eyes immediately converged upon it.

Birds Paying Homage to the Phoenix.

On the plate, a phoenix carved from carrots was particularly striking. The phoenix's wings were meticulously detailed, each feather clearly defined. The tail was also beautifully carved. Something had been added to its eyes as well; the pupils were black, lending the entire phoenix a more stylish appearance.

Looking at the dish again, there was a tender braised chicken, surrounded by several delicate little birds. The little birds' tails were shrimp tails, their bodies chicken wrapped around shrimp meat, their heads half a pigeon egg, and their eyes two black sesame seeds.

The presentation of the whole dish was very beautiful. It had an overall sense of luxurious elegance.

The waiter brought the dish to the guests' table. The guests, upon seeing it, were momentarily stunned. "This dish is..."

"This dish is Birds Paying Homage to the Phoenix, personally cooked and prepared by our restaurant's owner, Jiang Feng. It's mainly made of chicken and shrimp, paired with a rich broth. The phoenix is carved from fresh carrots and tastes exquisite. Please enjoy," the waiter explained with a smile.

"So this is Birds Paying Homage to the Phoenix!"

Upon hearing the waiter's explanation, the restaurant's patrons immediately became excited. Everyone had looked at the menu and been somewhat puzzled by Birds Paying Homage to the Phoenix. Only when Jiang Feng finished making and serving it did people see the dish in its full glory.

Birds Paying Homage to the Phoenix was a beautifully sculpted dish with a rich flavor, a main course served when hosting important foreign dignitaries. This dish impressively exemplified the high standards of China's culinary culture. Color, aroma, taste, and shape—every aspect achieved a high level of excellence.

Only highly skilled chefs could create such a dish. It wasn't just about the phoenix's carving, but also the placement of the little birds. Some people had nimble hands, creating arrangements that were delicate and adorable. Others simply couldn't achieve the same, no matter how they tried. For example, someone once tried to make a dragon shape out of steamed buns and ended up with something resembling a lump.

The little birds Jiang Feng personally crafted were particularly lively. The overall presentation mirrored real birds with a smooth, streamlined look. Each little bird seemed spirited, as if Jiang Feng had imbued the food with their very essence.

"This dish is so pretty, I can hardly bear to eat it."

"Oh my, it's just too beautiful!"

"This dish is practically a work of art!"

"How can it be this gorgeous!"

"Is the phoenix really carved?"

"Are you sure it's edible?"

Many guests left their seats and rushed over to the first guest's table to take pictures. As they took photos, many narrated, "This is the dish Boss Jiang made today, Birds Paying Homage to the Phoenix. It's said to be a dish for entertaining foreign dignitaries—an actual state banquet dish! I can't believe we ordinary folks get to taste such culinary art! The wait in line was so worth it!"

The people were overjoyed.

By this time, the second and third orders of Birds Paying Homage to the Phoenix had been served one after another.

「Inside the kitchen.」

The first few dishes were all completed personally by Jiang Feng. However, carving the phoenix was very time-consuming, so Jiang Feng focused on cooking while another chef with exquisite knife skills took charge of the carving. The chef industry in China is highly competitive. There are many talented chefs, and carrot carving isn't considered exceptionally difficult. Moreover, the chef assisting with the knife work for Jiang Feng, named Meng Yishan, was also quite formidable.

He had once won first place in a culinary creativity competition held in Zhejiang. It was his superb carving craft that put him on top. His knife skills were excellent, and his culinary artistry was also praiseworthy. When Jiang Feng recruited him for Jiangyue Terrace, he hired Meng Yishan immediately after reviewing his resume and tasting his creations. He was a true talent.

Precisely for this reason, Jiang Feng was willing to make Birds Paying Homage to the Phoenix and have him assist.

The components of the phoenix were carved out. Practice makes perfect. Radish carving was a common skill for chefs, and since Meng Yishan carved frequently, he was very fast.

Jiang Feng continued to cook Birds Paying Homage to the Phoenix unhurriedly. The serving staff informed guests how long the next Birds Paying Homage to the Phoenix would take to prepare. If everyone ordered this dish, subsequent orders would simply be delayed, requiring a longer wait.

Other Zhejiang dishes were also being methodically prepared. The most popular dish, unexpectedly, turned out to be West Lake Sour Fish. It was clear that many out-of-town tourists were among the patrons. Besides West Lake Sour Fish, Longjing Shrimp and Dongpo Pork were also particularly popular. Dishes with shrimp and crab were also popular.

The second wave of Birds Paying Homage to the Phoenix was prepared for the guests in the private dining rooms. These guests had also arrived early, so Birds Paying Homage to the Phoenix was quickly served to their private rooms. Those who could book a private dining room at this time were usually not short of money. Despite the opening discount, the charge for private rooms remained relatively high. This was mainly due to high demand and short supply, an unavoidable situation.

Among them were some notable figures. Some were business owners, some were particularly wealthy families, and there were also celebrities and internet influencers.

Zhang Ruonan was in Hangzhou shooting a commercial. Her family had come to accompany her, and as they happened to have a few days off, they asked someone to book a private room to specifically taste the delicacies of Jiangyue Terrace. Her whole family was there, including her agent, an older woman who took good care of her.

The four ordered several signature Zhejiang dishes: West Lake Sour Fish, Longjing Shrimp, Dongpo Pork, Sister Song's Fish Broth, Deep-Fried Bell, and Lotus Leaf Steamed Meat. And of course, there was Jiang Feng's personally crafted Birds Paying Homage to the Phoenix.

Zhang Ruonan said with delight, "I've always heard that the boss here is incredibly talented. Today I finally get to taste his cooking, and I'm really looking forward to it!"

Hearing this, her dad responded with a smile, "A while ago, the restaurant owner set up a stall in our city's Wuma Street, and the business was booming. When I passed by, I saw Wuma Street was completely jammed, crowded with people."

Her mom then curiously asked, "What exactly is Birds Paying Homage to the Phoenix? I've never heard of it before!"

Zhang Ruonan immediately replied, "It's a dish served to foreign dignitaries. I saw some analysis online claiming that such dishes are only available at very high-end banquets and generally aren't found elsewhere. It's also specifically made by Boss Jiang as a token of appreciation for the guests because of the restaurant's opening."

As they chatted, the other dishes were served course by course. However, Zhang Ruonan was still somewhat disappointed not to see the anticipated Birds Paying Homage to the Phoenix.

It wasn't until a bit later that the door to the private room was opened. Then, a beautifully crafted dish featuring a phoenix and little birds was brought in. Seeing such an exquisitely presented dish, everyone's eyes were instantly captivated. Just like the customers in the main dining area, they too were astonished upon seeing this dish.

Such a beautiful dish!

Normally, when describing a dish as good, words like 'delicious' and 'aromatic' would be used. But this dish primarily conveyed beauty. It was very upscale, embodying the awe-inspiring nature of China's great culinary culture. Ordinary countries could not produce such cuisine.

The dish was placed on the table, and the waiter carefully explained, repeating his earlier description, "This dish is Birds Paying Homage to the Phoenix, personally prepared by our restaurant owner, Jiang Feng. Its main ingredients are chicken and shrimp, paired with a rich broth. The phoenix is carved from fresh carrots and has an exquisite flavor. Please enjoy."

The few people in the private room were endlessly amazed. Zhang Ruonan was so excited that she took out her phone to take several photos and even a video from different angles, before she finally stopped.

Her mother, admiring the dish from all sides, said with a face full of praise, "Such fine craftsmanship! Truly the work of a master chef. Look how beautifully this dish is crafted. These little birds are so cute, what are they made from?"

The others were also surprised, wondering what material the small birds were made from.

Zhang Ruonan put down her phone and scrutinized Birds Paying Homage to the Phoenix, her eyes brimming with smiles as she said, "This dish is too beautiful; I almost can't bear to eat it."

Her dad, however, said, "Give it a try. Since it's made by a master chef, we must at least taste it."

Then, they all picked up their chopsticks, each grabbing a little bird. The little birds were very lifelike, almost seeming to spring to life. But it was unclear what they were made of.

Zhang Ruonan first gently bit off the front half of a little bird. Her first impression was how tender it was. The white of the pigeon egg was exceptionally smooth. The chicken had been made into a paste, mixed evenly with various seasonings, so its steamed texture was also fresh and fragrant. It was only at the end, as she chewed, that she tasted the delicious shrimp meat, its flavor bursting forth last.

"Oh my goodness, it's shrimp!"

"It's not just shrimp, but also pigeon egg!"

Zhang Ruonan savored the delightful mix of flavors, momentarily at a loss for words to describe the pleasant sensation. The sensation was incredibly pleasant. Light yet delicious. And the texture was truly unique.

"To think it's shrimp! And he turned the shrimp tail into a bird's tail—that's impressive."

"The shrimp meat must be wrapped in chicken, which was made into a paste and shaped like a little bird."

"The head is a pigeon's egg."

"So creative!"

Zhang Ruonan's mother was lavish with her praise.

Zhang Ruonan's family situation was fairly good; after all, they were from Zhejiang and she was an only child. There's a type of girl known as the 'only daughter from Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and Shanghai'. In these economically prosperous areas, families aren't short on money, and parents dote on their daughters, who are free from academic pressures. When they come of age, their parents arrange for them to go abroad or to pursue whatever they wish to do. The family atmosphere was indeed great. One could only say that being born into such a family was a matter of good fortune.

The mood among the family members was joyous and harmonious.

Next, Zhang Ruonan took an interest in the soup within the porcelain basin. She opened the lid, ready to serve herself some soup. As soon as the lid was lifted, fragrant steam billowed out. The basin held a delicious chicken broth containing duck gizzards, ham, and stir-fried crab roe with minced meat. The aroma was incredibly rich. Merely smelling the aroma made Zhang Ruonan exceedingly excited.

She ladled a small bowl for herself and gently sipped with a spoon. In an instant, the rich chicken soup bloomed in her mouth. The uniquely rich taste of chicken broth, paired with the flavor of crab roe, was an unparalleled pleasure for her, who grew up eating seafood and river fare.

"Oh my goodness! This is so delicious!"

"I've never had soup this tasty!"

Zhang Ruonan gave her genuine verdict. No wonder he's called a master chef; it's not just an empty title. A master chef's skill definitely surpasses that of an ordinary person by several levels. Looking at this dish, it was indeed the case.

She was completely amazed by Jiang Feng's skill. She felt a growing sense of admiration and fondness for Jiang Feng.