Cooking System: Street Food Rules

This dish, "Hundred Birds Paying Homage to the Phoenix," was truly stunning.

After finishing the surrounding small birds, Zhang Ruonan tasted the fragrant chicken soup. The flavor of the chicken soup was very rich. Chicken itself is suited for making soup; many famous dishes require a stock made by simmering poached chicken. Jiang Feng added ingredients like ham, fried crab roe, and duck gizzards to the broth, along with various spices. This made the soup even more delicious. One sip sent a warm sensation spreading from her throat to her stomach, warming her entire body.

Having been a celebrity for so long, Zhang Ruonan had always eaten modestly to maintain her figure. This was understandable, as female stars in the entertainment industry face intense scrutiny over their figures; gaining even a little weight could attract significant criticism. As a result, her digestion wasn't the best; she usually had a small appetite and ate sparingly.

But today was different.

The exquisite taste of the chicken soup filled her with joy, and a sense of comfort spread throughout her body. She took several sips in a row, then let out a long and satisfied sigh.

She then tasted the "phoenix" of the "Hundred Birds Paying Homage to the Phoenix"—the chicken that had been braised until it was incredibly flavorful. The chicken meat had been stewed to the point of falling off the bone. Due to being slow-cooked in a rich broth, the meat was particularly tender and smooth, without any toughness. With each bite, she could taste the flavors of crab roe and ham. The tender chicken meat danced lightly on her tongue before melting, soft and succulent, then slid smoothly down her throat. Her throat felt wonderfully refreshed.

"It's really tasty!" Zhang Ruonan smiled with exceptional happiness. The meal she had today was truly satisfying.

Her family felt the same, enjoying the meat while endlessly praising Jiang Feng's cooking skills. He truly was a chef of internet-wide renown. His skills had indeed reached the pinnacle. They tasted the other dishes as well, which were also quite impressive. At the very least, by any standard, they definitely met restaurant quality, and were even better than the food at most large restaurants. This was to be expected. After all, the chefs were genuinely selected for their abilities and had been trained by Jiang Feng, so their skills were top-notch. Naturally, the dishes they made satisfied the customers.

The kitchen was bustling. Jiang Feng calmly stewed the chicken, shaped the small birds, and then steamed them. He was very serious about this dish; it was a true representation of his culinary art. To save time, while he carved the radishes for the first few dishes himself, another chef helped with the carvings for the subsequent ones. However, this step didn't impact the flavor at all—the taste was still that of Jiang Feng's cooking. The other cooks bustled about too, with apprentices running to and fro. Business was booming, and everyone was working at peak efficiency. A restaurant thrives on this kind of lively atmosphere.

Outside Jiangyue Terrace, many people were still queuing. After obtaining a number, one could check the queuing information through WeChat, so many opted to visit other places in the meantime. They would return for their meal when it was their turn. The number of tourists by West Lake was rapidly increasing, and the area was crowded. Many who arrived inquired about the queue at Jiangyue Terrace. However, the reception staff could only offer apologetic smiles, explaining that reservations were full until the evening and they couldn't accept any more for the day. They could only come back tomorrow.

At this time, no one outside knew what Jiang Feng's "Hundred Birds Paying Homage to the Phoenix" actually was, at least not until the first group of customers emerged. Some livestreamers, unable to get in themselves, were adept at finding trending topics. They waited at the entrance of the restaurant. When they saw customers exiting, three of them immediately approached.

"Hey handsome, did you just finish dining at Jiangyue Terrace? Could we ask how the food was, and what exactly is Boss Jiang's 'Hundred Birds Paying Homage to the Phoenix'?"

These two questions piqued many people's curiosity. The first was whether Jiangyue Terrace Zhejiang Cuisine Restaurant was any good, or if it was a letdown. The second was what Jiang Feng's "Hundred Birds Paying Homage to the Phoenix" was actually like.

The interviewees were a middle-aged couple. The man, looking into the camera of the phone, replied with a beaming smile, "Very tasty, quite nice! Boss Jiang's 'Hundred Birds Paying Homage to the Phoenix' is even more extraordinary, truly beautiful. The plate also featured a carved phoenix. I have never eaten such delicious food. Especially those small birds, they had an exceptionally good flavor, and I don't know how it's done, but the inside was filled with shrimp meat."

Hearing this, the livestreamer was a bit dumbfounded. The viewers in the livestream chat were also dumbfounded. The diners queuing nearby were also dumbfounded.

What was he talking about?

A carved phoenix? A few small birds? Filled with shrimp meat?

How can these terms even be related?

The livestreamer asked again, "What exactly was that dish like?"

Seeing everyone's confusion, the man could only say, "I don't quite know how to describe it. It just looked incredibly grand and sophisticated, very high-class. It's not something an ordinary person usually gets to eat."

Hearing his response, everyone was even more bewildered.

What on earth did he eat in there?

Some kind of bewitching potion?

Why is he spouting such nonsense?

"Oh, right, everyone can check online, there might be videos. Quite a few people have taken videos and posted them online. It's really worth seeing," the man added, as if suddenly remembering.

Upon hearing this, everyone immediately started searching on video platforms. Indeed, some people had immediately uploaded videos and photos. The opening of Jiangyue Terrace Zhejiang Cuisine Restaurant was already a trending topic. The topic had generated a lot of buzz. Consequently, related videos also quickly gained popularity.

Soon, people saw the true appearance of the "Hundred Birds Paying Homage to the Phoenix" dish from various angles. The overall presentation of the dish was stunningly beautiful; the small birds and the braised chicken on the plate were exceptionally exquisite. A sense of vibrancy and opulence clearly emanated from the dish.

"My God, is this Boss Jiang's craftsmanship?"

"Incredible, really incredible!"

"Oh my, I need to queue up to eat this!"

"Seems like this dish is limited in quantity, you need to wait, and you're not even guaranteed to get it!"

"Boss Jiang's skills are too great!"

"The chef lives up to his reputation!"

"Who is he, exactly, to have such skills at such a young age?"

The comment section was filled with praise. Everyone's admiration for Jiang Feng grew even more.

Given the immense popularity, many influential food bloggers were urged by their fans to review Boss Jiang's dish. One such blogger, known as Master Lin, was in his fifties, had once been a state banquet chef, and had worked in major restaurants for many years, boasting an impressive resume. Seeing his fans' requests to review "Hundred Birds Paying Homage to the Phoenix," Master Lin promptly released a video.

He said, "Many people have asked me to review Boss Jiang's 'Hundred Birds Paying Homage to the Phoenix,' and I've watched the video carefully. The overall plating is very beautiful. Many people's attention is on the radish-carved phoenix, but in fact, radish-carved phoenixes are not uncommon. The real difficulty lies in the little birds on the plate. They require very high craftsmanship from the chef. After all, food deforms and changes color during cooking, which is hard to control. But the small birds Boss Jiang made are exquisite. The skills are unquestionable; this dish could definitely be served at a state banquet. My assessment is: if you can eat it, you've struck gold."

Netizens were delighted by Master Lin's review.

Of course, amidst the chorus of praise, dissenting voices always emerged. Some people, perhaps naturally cynical or simply eager to cast doubt and negativity to position themselves as discerning critics, began to question it.

Someone commented online, "Did he really make this dish himself? Can a small stall owner make such a dish?"

"I think so too, could it be a publicity stunt, just to hype up his fame!"

"With his looks and charisma, if he builds up a master chef persona, he'll be a huge internet celebrity!"

"Possible, I also think someone else did the work for him."

Seeing these comments, many netizens offered explanations: "Is there still doubt about Boss Jiang's culinary skills? Haven't the many times he set up his stall and all those videos proven anything?"

"Have you forgotten? He is a master of Shandong and Sichuan cuisines, and his culinary skills have been validated."

The online detractors pressed on: "Being a good cook doesn't mean he has great craftsmanship. What if someone else helped make the dish and he just took all the credit?"

There was no shortage of people holding this view.

However, this perspective quickly disintegrated because the official account of Jiangyue Terrace released a video. The video documented the entire process of Jiang Feng making "Hundred Birds Paying Homage to the Phoenix." From preparing the ingredients to processing them, shaping the birds, simmering the chicken soup, to carving the phoenix—all done by Jiang Feng alone. The video was about twenty minutes long. Only the waiting times were edited out; no part of the preparation process was omitted.

The video title was, "'The Complete Process of Our Boss Making "Hundred Birds Paying Homage to the Phoenix" – A Long, Uninterrupted Video. Fans of This Dish Can Try Making It Themselves!'"

Netizens were amused by the title.

"We would like to try, if only we knew how!"

"Mom, I want to eat chicken, just this 'Hundred Birds Paying Homage to the Phoenix' will do!"

"Hahaha, Boss Jiang is still impressive!"

"There were little trolls saying this dish wasn't made by Boss Jiang, now let's see them getting their faces slapped!"

"After watching the video, I can only say Boss Jiang is really awesome!"

"Could you let your boss make one for me? I hope you don't fail to appreciate what's good."

"My roommate is dying; his last wish is to eat a real 'Hundred Birds Paying Homage to the Phoenix.'"

The comment section instantly exploded with activity. The video quickly went viral, and the number of likes easily surpassed 400,000, and it was still growing rapidly.

Earlier comments about the possibility of it being outsourced vanished without a trace. The detractors wanted to argue, but they genuinely couldn't find any angle for criticism.

There's just nothing to criticize about this guy.

How can we even attack him?

His culinary skills are undeniably authentic; even just watching the video, you can tell that chicken soup must be incredibly fragrant.

The small birds are crafted so exquisitely—you have to admire such skill.

And he carved the phoenix himself, piece by piece.

Sigh, there's no way to slander him. Next target.

"Hundred Birds Paying Homage to the Phoenix" truly went viral. Many people in China only learned of this dish after seeing the video. The profound depth of Chinese culinary culture, embodied in this dish, left people across the nation in awe. The dish even gained attention internationally; foreigners who saw such an exquisite culinary creation were equally amazed.

Only in the ancient and mysterious land of China could food be transformed into such art.

This time, Jiang Feng's creation of "Hundred Birds Paying Homage to the Phoenix," just as he had anticipated, made a truly massive impact!