Chef Hua
Chapter 205: Episode 126 Too Nervous (Third Update)_2

Chapter 205: Episode 126 Too Nervous (Third Update)_2

This kitchen at Taoyuan House is so huge!

Twenty feet square, the spacious and bright room was neatly divided into several areas. There was a specific place for chopping vegetables and another for washing them; everything was in perfect order and well-organized.

Dried cured meats and sausages hung from the beams, alongside several attractive hams that emitted the unique aroma of preserved products; in the corner were several large baskets of vegetables, likely delivered that very morning, looking very fresh with droplets of water still on the leaves; within this grand kitchen, the stoves, utensils, and dishes used were all very sophisticated, not only sturdy and practical in appearance but also quite beautiful. Hua Xiaomai tried handling a large ladle and found it very handy; she instantly fell in love with it and couldn’t help but jiggle it a couple of times.

She had to admit, after arriving at Taoyuan House, the indecision in her heart gradually leaned more and more toward "staying."

The kitchen aligned so well with the one in her dreams that calling it simply "likeable" would hardly do justice to her feelings.

For a cook, to have such a kitchen and to use such exquisite equipment must be a form of happiness, right?

Perhaps noticing her endless fiddling with the ladle, Song Jingxi turned and gave her a smile, "How do you find it? I am someone who is particular about details, not only must the cookware be practical, but it must also be pleasing to look at. Every piece of equipment here was specially made for me, you see, on the handle of that ladle, there is even a small flower! I daresay, you wouldn’t find another tool like mine in the whole of Tong’an Prefecture. If you agree to stay and help me, in the future, all these things will be yours to use."

Hua Xiaomai squinted and smiled at her but did not reply; Song Jingxi did not seem disappointed, paused for a moment, and added, "Regardless of your final decision, for these few days, you are here at Taoyuan House. Later, when I cook, why don’t you come and help me? It’ll also be a good experience for you. Don’t worry, you’re helping me, so I’ll certainly pay you, you won’t be working for nothing."

Hua Xiaomai initially wanted to decline a couple of times, but after thinking about it, she felt it was unnecessary and simply kept quiet. The two of them meticulously examined every corner of the kitchen, then returned to the inner hall, where Song Jingxi brought out a small booklet.

"Look, this is a list of all the restaurants participating in the Eight Treasures Conference. I heard that this time they’ve chosen a garden called ’Huayin Pond’ as the venue; the lotus flowers there are in full bloom. With such a large crowd of us going there, those flowers and plants will surely suffer! In previous years, Old Zhao and Old Ke would usually come to Provincial City to join the fun around this time. We should have stopped by Fuzhe County on our way back yesterday to let them know and see if they’re free to come and watch this year. I completely forgot!"

She handed the booklet to Hua Xiaomai, then remembered to ask, "Oh yes, can you read?"

"Hmm... I can recognize a few characters," Hua Xiaomai gave her a smile and took the booklet.

Truthfully speaking, she wondered how much the names of these restaurants and inns written here concerned her. After all, she didn’t recognize any!

But, could it be that Ke Zhenwu and Old Zhao might also come... Well, they are both more food-loving than the other. A once-a-year event like this, unless they are too busy, they wouldn’t easily miss it.

Song Jingxi seemed quite eager for the Eight Treasures Conference, continuing non-stop: "I still haven’t got a clue now, tell me, between Mountain Eight Treasures, Sea Eight Treasures and the like, which ingredient would be the best for making a standout dish? I’m not embarrassed to say, despite attending the Eight Treasures Conference for four or five years, I have never been the champion. Now with you as a great helper, I really do want to taste what being first is like!"

With an energetic look, Hua Xiaomai couldn’t help but laugh. Just as she was about to speak, suddenly two people walked in from outside; one of them was Qing He, and the other, also a young girl in a maid’s attire, was someone she had never seen before.

Song Jingxi glanced at the girl’s face and her smile tightened slightly, she took a sip of tea from the cup on the table. When Qing He led the maid to bow to her, she ’Hmm-ed’ and a hint of sharpness gleamed in her eyes, "How did the inquiry go?"

The girl hurriedly bowed and said respectfully in a low voice, "Yes, the chef at Cangbo Building has almost finalized the dishes; if the information is correct, for the ’Elegant Meat’ dish, he plans to make Phoenix Devours Fish Maw."

"Fish Maw, huh..." Song Jingxi curved her lips into a smile, pondered for a moment, "Hmm, stuff some Sea Scallop and straw mushrooms into it, then stew it with fresh broth; if the heat is just right, it would indeed be eye-catching. It’s no wonder Cangbo Building’s business is booming; that chef really is not an ordinary one."

Was this... purposely inquiring about the dishes being prepared by other competitors at the Eight Treasures Conference?

Hua Xiaomai felt slightly dubious internally.

She wasn’t exactly a person of exceptionally high moral standings; scoping out the competitors’ plans before a culinary competition seemed to her not such a big deal. But... was Song Jingxi taking it a bit too seriously?

Wasn’t it said that even if one topped the Eight Treasures Conference, it was merely for the glory; the most important thing was that everyone got together and had fun? If so, why was Song Jingxi so fixated?

She couldn’t afford to think too much, and turned to ask, "What is ’Elegant Meat’?"

"Oh," Song Jingxi responded with a smile, "It’s like this, this year’s Eight Treasures Conference specially set a theme: each establishment must present two meat dishes, two vegetarian dishes, two dim sum, and one soup. These dishes between meat and vegetables each have a distinction of refined and popular. One should aim to be presentable at the elegant tables, another should be popular among the common folks. Interesting, right?" (To be continued. If you like this work, you are welcome to visit qidian.com to vote for monthly tickets and recommendation tickets. Your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users, please visit m.qidian.com to read.)