Chef Hua
Chapter 137: Episode 92 Uh... A bit pretentious_2

Chapter 137: Episode 92 Uh... A bit pretentious_2

Luo Yuejiao was busy washing dishes behind the stall, and after squatting for a long time, she began to feel some back pain. So, she stood up to stretch and, while pounding on her own back, pulled Hua Xiaomai aside and whispered, "Xiaomai, I see that those rich people aren’t anything special! The female boss has a nice way of eating, but the other two, they don’t care about their appearances at all, you see."

While saying this, she even nodded towards the direction of Zhao Laoye and Ke Zhenwu.

Hua Xiaomai, who was ladling noodles, glanced over in that direction and laughed softly, "Do you think that being a bit wealthier gives them an extra eye?"

Luo Yuejiao shook her head, "No, what I mean is, seeing how much they enjoy the food, it’s clear they really like what you cook. It shows your skills are truly amazing!"

"Mm, you really have a sweet mouth," Hua Xiaomai said half-seriously as she eyed her, about to serve the noodles she had in hand, when Song Jingxi called out to her.

Turning her head, she saw Song Jingxi, who had stood up from the table at some point, smiling at her, so she quickly walked over and smiled back, "Ms. Song, is there something wrong with the dishes? I rarely use fresh flowers for cooking, and I might be a bit rusty..."

"What could possibly be wrong? Everything tastes quite good!" Song Jingxi interrupted her, waving her hand, "I especially love the tofu cooked with jasmine flowers, no added seasonings, not even salt, but the natural soy fragrance and the delicate jasmine, they blend so perfectly, sweet and refreshing, truly delicious! Ah, and I really loved the gluten stir-fried with daylily flowers as well, the sauce is rich, yet the taste is refreshing, truly delicious!"

"If you are pleased, I feel at ease." Hua Xiaomai had always been confident in her culinary skills and wasn’t surprised by the praise. She just smiled and, seeing that more customers had arrived, she was about to head back to the stall to continue working. Unexpectedly, Song Jingxi caught her by the arm.

"Miss Xiaomai, the other day at the Zhao residence, I heard how eloquently you spoke about culinary arts, I knew then that you are insightful," she said, gazing intently into Hua Xiaomai’s eyes, slowly continuing, "Today, my request for you to make these flower dishes was precisely because I’ve had an idea for a long time—I want to introduce a floral banquet at my Taoyuan House."

Hua Xiaomai’s eyebrows twitched slightly, but she said nothing, simply smiling at her.

"Being a woman, the floral dishes cooked by a woman’s hand, in the eyes of the diners, would surely seem fresh and could very well become extremely popular! You have a good grasp of culinary arts, and you made today’s flower dishes so well, I want to hear your opinion," Song Jingxi said, her eyes filled with anticipation, as if she was eager to hear her answer.

"Well..." Hua Xiaomai hesitated for a moment.

Should she tell the truth? When it came to cooking, she always took it very seriously, unwilling to appease others with lies, but often, the so-called "truth" doesn’t make people happy!

As if reading her thoughts, Song Jingxi tidied her disheveled hair and spoke with a warm smile, "It’s okay, if you have any thoughts, feel free to be frank. I’ve been running my restaurant for a long time and it’s rare to find someone I can discuss this with!"

Hua Xiaomai gave her a glance, then composed herself and nodded slightly. "Ms. Song, I’m not very versant, and not good at speaking. If I say anything offensive, please don’t hold it against me. Personally, I find this so-called floral banquet quite unnecessary."

"Oh, why do you say that?" Song Jingxi’s smile stiffened.

"Although there are many types of flowers, most are just fragrant. Using them in cooking greatly limits the methods of cooking," Hua Xiaomai continued, no longer concerned about Song Jingxi’s reaction, "It might be suitable for festivals or in the spring and summer seasons to match the scenery, but if you fill a whole banquet table with them, the taste becomes quite insipid. Think about it, diners in restaurants, despite not lacking wealthy clients, most of the time serve ordinary people. They seek tastiness and value. Who would be patient enough to chew on a mouthful of petals?"

Song Jingxi’s face couldn’t hold the embarrassment, and her voice turned cold: "Continue."

"Moreover, our cooking emphasizes a harmony of color, aroma, and taste. Dishes made from fresh flowers may look very beautiful, but after filling a whole table with them, the taste is plain and insubstantial; it’s all just a facade. I feel that it seems a bit affected. It would be better to play around with ordinary ingredients for a richer flavor and freshness," Hua Xiaomai said, then glanced at her expression.

"Are you saying my idea is affected?" Song Jingxi couldn’t hold back anymore and tapped the table neither too lightly nor too heavily.

See, you insisted I tell the truth, and now you can’t handle it... Why bother?

Hua Xiaomai secretly stuck out her tongue and apologized with a gesture: "These are just my own thoughts, not necessarily accurate. Ms. Song, you really shouldn’t take them to heart."

Meanwhile, Old Master Zhao and Ke Zhenwu saw that the situation seemed a bit dire and hurried over to smooth things over.

"Ms. Song, Xiaomai is still young and doesn’t know the weight of her words. Why bother with her?"

"Exactly, a child’s babble. You’ve run that restaurant for so long, surely you can’t truly believe her?"

Song Jingxi gave a glance to the two men, let out a breath, and her tone became calm again.

"Being criticized by a girl more than a decade younger than me, I indeed found it hard to accept at first, but I am not unreasonable. I pressed Xiaomai for her opinion, so how can I hold a grudge for her honesty? Moreover, Xiaomai is willing to share her true thoughts with me, without resorting to flattery, which is something I should appreciate."

As she spoke, she walked up to Hua Xiaomai, her smile reappearing on her lips: "Xiaomai, as you know, I started Taoyuan House from scratch and still involve myself in everything in the kitchen because I do not trust others easily. To this date, although I have hired two chefs, they only cook when I absolutely can’t. As I am not as young as you ladies, I feel exhausted with just a bit less work these last two years. So, I have been looking for a reliable head chef who can discuss and manage everything with me. Xiaomai, I see your cooking skills are not bad, and you are straightforward. Would you be willing to come with me to Provincial City and take charge of the kitchen at Taoyuan House?" (To be continued. If you like this work, please go to Qidian (qidian.com) to cast your recommendation tickets and monthly tickets. Your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users please read on m.qidian.com.)