NOVEL NEXT Chapter 167
Ouyang Lin remained silent. He had tasted every one of the five dishes multiple times. The flavor was beyond words!
To put it simply and bluntly—delicious!
Indescribably delicious!
Ouyang Lin had originally thought that for someone of Lu Qin's age, making such an exceptional liver paste soup was already an impressive feat.
But why did even a simple tomato and scrambled egg dish taste so unbelievably good?
For a moment, Ouyang Lin doubted whether all the tomato and scrambled egg dishes he had eaten before were even real.
And this spicy poached fish—turned out, blackfish and spicy broth were the ultimate match!
All those so-called "innovative fusion dishes", like the flashy "Surfer Marble Goby", weren't even a tenth as fragrant and flavorful as this spicy poached fish!
There was no real comparison without contrast. After tasting Lu Qin's cooking, Ouyang Lin realized that the gap between "good" and truly good was far wider than he had ever imagined.
Fusion cuisine, which attempts to combine and innovate flavors from different regional cuisines, was still lacking compared to traditional dishes. After all, mastering multiple regional cuisines is incredibly difficult for any chef.
And if a chef is only slightly familiar with each one, how could they possibly elevate fusion cuisine to its full potential?
Of course, these thoughts only crossed Ouyang Lin's mind after tasting Lu Qin's cooking.
Lu Qin's mastery of Sichuan cuisine had reached an unparalleled level—utterly flawless.
Although fusion cuisine is an emerging trend, for now, it still falls short compared to traditional dishes.
The eight meticulously crafted private dishes remained mostly untouched.bMeanwhile, the food from Lu Qin's takeout containers was completely devoured. Ouyang Lin even ate three full bowls of rice, breaking his personal record.
"Mr. Lu, I always thought your liver paste soup was your specialty, but now I realize every dish you make is top-notch!"
"Had I known your culinary skills were this incredible, I would have made more trips to Jiangcheng just to get a free meal!"
Ouyang Lin joked as he rubbed his stomach.
Lu Qin simply smiled while gently wiping Lu Xiyao's little mouth.
Hearing Ouyang Lin's praise, Shen Muyan felt a deep sense of satisfaction—she loved hearing others compliment Lu Qin.
A truly remarkable man.
"Mr. Lu, I'll be counting on you for the liver paste soup at the Old Master's birthday banquet tomorrow."
"Let me know what ingredients you need, and I'll have someone prepare them."
Lu Qin thought for a moment and replied, "Mr. Ouyang, I'd prefer to select the ingredients myself. Liver paste soup requires very precise ingredients."
"Then I'll trouble you with it. I'll send a few people to assist you."
It was the best outcome—Ouyang Lin also worried that if the ingredients weren't up to standard, the soup might not turn out right. After settling the bill, they left the private kitchen restaurant.
When the waitstaff cleared the table, they noticed that most of the dishes had barely been touched. Seeing this, they reported it to the head chef. As a seasoned chef, he often analyzed the leftover food to gather feedback.
If a dish remained mostly uneaten, it usually indicated a problem that needed improvement.
"Which dish was it?" The chef asked while walking towards the dining area.
The waiter hesitated before whispering, "Um… it seems like… all of them?"
The chef stopped in his tracks and frowned.
"All of them? What do you mean?"
"I mean… none of the dishes were eaten much. Not a single dish was even a third finished."
"That's impossible!"
The chef was shocked.
In all the years since the restaurant had opened, this had never happened.
"But they ate a lot of rice."
"Oh, and they finished half of the fruit platter too."
The chef was speechless.
When he finally reached the table, he saw it with his own eyes—nearly untouched dishes.
His eyelids twitched.
What the hell happened?
Without hesitation, he grabbed a pair of clean chopsticks and sampled each dish.
"Everything tastes fine… what's going on?"
The waiter also took a bite and looked equally confused.
"Chef, these dishes are really good…"
The chef frowned.
"Then why did this happen?"
After a moment's thought, the waiter suggested, "Maybe they just weren't very hungry? Maybe they came mainly to discuss business?"
That seemed possible—their restaurant was well-known for its secluded ambiance, perfect for private discussions.
But even during business meetings, people still eat. Especially when presented with such high-quality dishes. Then the chef's eyes landed on the empty wooden rice container.
"If they weren't hungry, why did they finish all the rice?"
At that moment, the chef noticed something. On the table were five empty takeout containers. They brought their own food. This was a first—who brings food to a fine dining restaurant?
Curious, the waiter picked up one of the containers and sniffed it. His eyes lit up.
"Smells amazing!"
Inside, a single leftover slice of twice-cooked pork clung to the container wall—a missed piece. The waiter reached out to taste it, but the chef stopped him.
"Wait, I'll try it."
The chef picked up the small piece and popped it into his mouth. The moment it hit his tongue, his taste buds exploded.
This twice-cooked pork…!!!
It was on another level!
The chef himself was very skilled at making twice-cooked pork. But compared to this—his version was a joke!
No wonder his own dishes were untouched.
He had just encountered the pinnacle of twice-cooked pork!
"Chef! There are two pieces of spicy poached fish left in this soup!"
"One for each of us!"
The chef took a bite. The waiter took the other. The moment the fish entered their mouths, their eyes widened. This was the best spicy poached fish they had ever tasted!
The tender fish, the layered spicy flavors, the way the heat lingered—it was perfection. For the first time, the chef felt humbled.
"If this dish were freshly served, it would taste even better."
The waiter nodded in agreement. Fusion cuisine was supposed to surpass traditional dishes. But now, the chef realized he had been narrow-minded. There was always a greater chef out there.
A mountain beyond a mountain, a man beyond a man.
Meanwhile, on the way back, Lu Qin noticed his system points increasing. Even though he wasn't in Jiangcheng, Xiaomi was still selling pickled vegetables and marinated chicken feet, boosting his points.
Nice.
Back at the hotel, they settled in. The TV played Pokémon. Shen Muyan and Lu Xiyao were already asleep, curled up on the bed. Lu Qin smiled. He was the one driving all morning—why were they the ones so exhausted?
Adjusting the AC to 27°C, he gently covered them with a blanket. Shen Muyan, half-asleep, peeked at him, then curled up like a lazy cat. Just then, Lu Qin's phone vibrated. It was a call from Ouyang Lin. His men had arrived.
Efficient.