Cooking System: Street Food Rules
Chapter 68 Going to Be Locked Up!

Chapter 68: Chapter 68 Going to Be Locked Up!

Today, many regular customers came again.

Liu Bao was at the very front of the line.

Liu Bao primarily focused on exploring shops and live-streaming his eating experiences. After being captivated by Jiang Feng’s cuisine, he often came here to live-stream his meals.

He looked at the characters on the sign.

"New dish of the day: Braised Beef Noodle."

"Small bowl 25, large bowl 30."

At that moment, Liu Bao was live-streaming to over a thousand viewers.

As the live stream focused on the sign and these words, the live comments instantly exploded.

[Braised Beef Noodle? I eat that all the time.]

[My take: it’s not as good as Spicy Beef Noodle!]

[My take: it’s not as good as Old Jar Pickled Vegetable Beef Noodle!]

At this time, Liu Bao said to Jiang Feng, "Executive Chef Jiang, give me two bowls of Braised Beef Noodle, both large!"

"Okay, just a moment."

Jiang Feng responded and began preparing the noodles for Liu Bao.

Preparing the noodles was quite simple: just boil the noodles in a pot, add some salt, and add a green vegetable.

After they were cooked, he lifted them out, then ladled a big spoonful of beef over the top.

All done.

This type of noodle dish was quick to make.

The focus was really on the flavor of the beef and the broth.

The beef used was top-quality stewed beef, simmered for an hour and a half, allowing the flavors of the ingredients to fully infuse into the meat.

When Liu Bao’s cousin pointed the smartphone camera at the bowl, the viewers in the live stream were dumbfounded.

Holy shit! Is *this* supposed to be Braised Beef Noodle?

I’ve been eating Braised Beef Noodle for over a decade, and now you’re telling me *this* is Braised Beef Noodle? Then what have I been eating all these years?

In the live stream, large chunks of beef covered the entire bowl.

Each piece of beef was bigger than a thumbnail.

The beef was cubed, perfectly square, the grain of the meat clearly visible, and each piece exuded an alluring aroma.

A single green vegetable on the side served as a garnish, enhancing the presentation of the beef.

The broth was a deep, soy-sauce red, and just looking at it evoked the sensation of its savory and delicious taste.

The presentation was simply too good!

Liu Bao looked at the Braised Beef Noodle, a hint of surprise in his expression.

"My goodness, so much beef!"

"Judging by the texture, this must be cut from prime beef rib meat!" Liu Bao exclaimed in astonishment.

Jiang Feng, who was at the counter, nodded and replied, "Yes, it’s rib meat."

Upon hearing this, Liu Bao, holding his bowl of noodles, responded, "Let me go taste it first."

He returned to his table and started live-streaming his meal.

The main appeal of the Braised Beef Noodle made by Jiang Feng was the flavor of the beef; the noodles were merely an accompaniment to fill the stomach.

Liu Bao first picked up a piece of beef and put it in his mouth.

The piping hot beef, stewed until incredibly tender, yielded easily to his bite, and the rich juices flooded his mouth.

The beef broth was rich, its savory flavor directly stimulating his taste buds.

"Mmm! Pretty good! This beef is stewed until it’s so tender, and the taste is great too! This culinary skill is seriously no joke!" Liu Bao praised repeatedly.

The viewers in the live stream grew more envious as they watched.

This is what Braised Beef Noodle should be! Truly a dream bowl of noodles!

Every new dish Jiang Feng introduced always tasted exceptionally good.

Liu Bao ate with great enjoyment.

Soon, the number of diners increased, and all the tables at the food stall were filled with customers.

To cope with such a large flow of customers, the mall manager had set up an additional ten tables outside, and even that was barely enough.

Juxing Shopping Mall had never been this lively.

Because the queue at Jiang Feng’s stall was so long, many customers went to other small stalls to buy food.

The revenue of these other small stall owners also increased.

Although they were still somewhat envious of Jiang Feng’s popularity, their own improved business lessened their jealousy.

Instead, they hoped Jiang Feng would stay for a few more days to attract more customers.

Jiang Feng, however, continued to operate in his own style.

Every day, business started at 11 a.m. and continued until about 3 p.m. He would sell all the noodles and side dishes until they were gone, then clean the stove and head home.

During business hours, the food stall was bustling with customers.

The stall was so popular and had become such a hotspot that some social media bloggers came to film videos. Others came to review how delicious the food was.

Thanks to these videos, Jiang Feng’s stall became even more popular.

「The next day, the sixth day of setting up the stall.」

Jiang Feng arrived early to prepare.

At that time, a man from the City Public Security Bureau approached Jiang Feng’s stall.

"Executive Chef Jiang," the man called out.

Jiang Feng was chopping meat for filling. Hearing someone call him, he put down his cleaver and walked over.

"Hello," Jiang Feng responded.

"I’m from the Logistics Department of the City Public Security Bureau, responsible for the unit’s meals. I wanted to ask if you could come to the bureau and cook a meal for us? Just a few dishes would be fine," the man immediately explained his purpose.

The man’s name was Yang Zheng, an assistant in the Logistics Department of the City Public Security Bureau, responsible for the unit’s logistical work.

The bureau was currently expecting an inspection team from higher-ups. However, the bureau’s usual fare was not presentable enough, so they considered inviting Jiang Feng to prepare some dishes for hosting the leading officials.

In China, hosting leaders well is a fundamental skill every department must possess. The outcome of the inspection often largely depended on the quality of this hospitality. Good hosting could make major issues seem minor. Bad hosting, on the other hand, could turn minor issues into major ones. The criteria for judgment were often simply how well they were accommodated and, crucially, how good the food was. This culinary aspect was very important.

Jiang Feng found it quite curious. Someone from the City Public Security Bureau was actually asking him to cook at their headquarters? He had heard of people being taken to the bureau for "tea," but never to cook!

"I don’t really have the time," Jiang Feng tactfully declined.

"Executive Chef Jiang, please help us out. Your cooking skills are so excellent; we really need you," Yang Zheng pleaded.

"A major inspection team is coming to the bureau, and our entire year’s performance review hinges on this visit. So many people in the bureau work overtime every day, all for the sake of achieving good results this year. Regarding the food, we want to provide the best possible experience to leave a good impression on the inspection team. Please help the bureau out," Yang Zheng said with a sincere expression, his gaze pleading with Jiang Feng.

The junior official in charge of logistics was exhausted. He had no control over the catering budget, yet all the work fell on his shoulders. He couldn’t make decisions himself and had to follow the directives of his superiors, making his job very demanding.

Hearing Yang Zheng put it this way, Jiang Feng began to consider the request.

Cooking one meal wasn’t a big deal; it would just mean being busy for a morning. For him, it was a question of whether it was worth it. The people from the Public Security Bureau seemed quite decent. The young officers who had been visiting his stall recently were always full of energy. Jiang Feng had even encountered officers from the criminal investigation squad, who had expressed their gratitude to him. The bureau was facing an inspection by a very important team, and a whole year’s work evaluation depended on this. Jiang Feng would only need to cook a few dishes for the leaders’ table.

"I have to run my stall today and tomorrow; I don’t have the time," Jiang Feng’s tone softened slightly.

"The inspection team will arrive the day after tomorrow. You would just need to cook a few dishes according to the menu. We will take care of everything else," Yang Zheng quickly added.

Hearing this, Jiang Feng asked, "I heard there are standards for meals during inspections—that the food should be the same for everyone. If I prepare special dishes for the leaders, wouldn’t that be against regulations?"

Yang Zheng smiled. "Executive Chef Jiang, there are many intricacies when it comes to hosting inspections. Indeed, everyone officially eats the same dishes. However, the dishes for the leaders are specially prepared by a skilled chef, so the taste is different."

Jiang Feng nodded.

He was considering whether to agree when suddenly the system panel popped up.

[System Prompt: Random task triggered—City Public Security Bureau Inspection Meal]

[Task Description: Go to the City Public Security Bureau and fulfill the requirements for the inspection meal.]

[Task Reward: Specially Crafted Tuna Knife!]

Seeing the system’s message, Jiang Feng was somewhat astonished.

Aside from the weekly stall task, there were also random tasks. The tuna knife was a fine item. The ancient Chinese book, *The Exploitation of the Works of Nature*, mentioned it. This technique was later adopted in Japan, and the samurai sword’s design bears a resemblance to the tuna knife. This type of knife was quite long, suitable for cutting large chunks of meat, and was extremely sharp. It was also particularly hard and wouldn’t break easily. Such a chef’s tool was rare. Making a good tuna knife wasn’t something an ordinary factory could do; it had to be hand-forged by a blacksmith in a traditional forge.

Recognizing it as an opportune moment—the right time, place, and people aligning—Jiang Feng immediately agreed to cook for the Public Security Bureau.

This time, Jiang Feng was really going "inside the bureau"!