Cooking System: Street Food Rules
Chapter 90: I Just Like Seeking People Out, It’s So Thrilling!

Chapter 90: Chapter 90: I Just Like Seeking People Out, It’s So Thrilling!

Liu Bao parked the car and hurried to Jiang Feng’s food stand.

His cousin had already devoured three bowls of snacks.

They were not live streaming at that time, just planning to come here for a meal first.

Liu Bao looked at Executive Chef Jiang’s new food truck. The food truck still had a cartoon bus appearance, but the wheels were a bit larger, and it looked more stable. The kitchen equipment on the truck was clearly more professional, with several beautifully designed metal storage cabinets. There was a lightbox on the food truck with "Today’s Special Delicacies" written in illuminated letters: Stinky Tofu, Teppanyaki Squid, and Griddle-Cooked Potatoes.

"How come you’re making snacks now?" Liu Bao was somewhat surprised.

His cousin called him over. Three portions of snacks were ready, placed on the food truck.

Liu Bao stood by the food truck and first picked up two skewers of teppanyaki squid, eating eagerly. The squid was very fresh, very springy, and the flavor was intense. Eating it felt like the meat was bouncing around in his mouth, an indescribably satisfying sensation.

"AHHH, so satisfying!" Liu Bao exclaimed after a few bites, his mouth full of the sauce’s aroma.

Snacks are all about the flavor of the sauce; these rich flavors could stimulate the taste buds to the fullest. With Executive Chef Jiang’s top-tier ingredients and recipes, the snacks were even more delicious.

"Boss Jiang, are you setting up your stall here this time?" Liu Bao asked. "So many people in the livestream have been asking where you went."

Liu Bao chatted with Jiang Feng. Jiang Feng remembered Liu Bao; he was a local outdoor live streamer who had been active for many years and had a decent following. Every time Liu Bao discovered his location, regular customers would quickly find their way there.

"Yes, I’m here this week." Since his location was discovered, Jiang Feng readily admitted it.

After setting up his stall for two days, he found that operating during the hospital’s lunch break wouldn’t cause congestion or delay patients seeking medical attention. Selling for two hours and then leaving wouldn’t significantly impact traffic.

"Boss Jiang, I’ve had such a hard time trying to find you! Everyone in my livestream has been asking where you were," Liu Bao said, eating his second skewer of squid. "I’ve been to several places. I’m so glad I finally found you." He looked as if he’d been wronged.

"Why not create a group chat?" Liu Bao suggested again. "You can announce where you’re going."

Jiang Feng laughed and replied, "Mainly because I don’t really like to chat during my downtime, and I don’t know how to manage customer groups. Besides, if I created a group and everyone joined it, wouldn’t your livestream be less lively? Isn’t it good the way it is now?"

Hearing Jiang Feng’s words, Liu Bao instantly realized. Right! Things were good as they were; Jiang Feng’s regulars found him through his livestream. If there really were a group, his livestream’s popularity would dip.He’d been so focused on the delicious food that he’d forgotten about that.

"Indeed, it’s good as it is now," Liu Bao said. "I actually like searching for you; it’s more exciting this way."

Liu Bao then picked up a bowl of stinky tofu, speared a piece, and put it in his mouth.

Initially, the tofu was crispy, followed by the bursting flavor of the garlic and chili sauce. The tofu puffed up slightly. When broken open with chopsticks, the exquisite blend of seasonings permeated the inside, rapidly spreading to every corner. When chewed, the broth oozed out, and its flavor was also intense. This was thanks to Jiang Feng’s carefully concocted original broth. This texture was achieved by breaking open the tofu and letting it soak in the broth.

Although the dish is about eating tofu, the tofu itself is merely a vessel; the real rich flavors come from a variety of ingredients, like cilantro, scallions, rich broth, and garlic chili sauce. Anything soaked in this mixture would be delicious.

Liu Bao quickly finished the stinky tofu, shaking his head in amazement. It was so incredibly satisfying. Although called stinky tofu, his mouth was filled with fragrance after eating. This ultimate taste was simply perfect.

Last was a bowl of Crispy Potatoes. Each golden-fried potato ball, nestled among chili peppers, cilantro, and scallions, glistened enticingly. At first glance, they didn’t look like potatoes but rather like fried chunks of chicken. The potatoes were also crunchy, breaking open to reveal a soft and glutinous interior. The flavors were rich; a single bite offered a symphony of tastes: savory, spicy, salty, with a subtle hint of vinegar. While eating, the seasoning clung to every part of his mouth.

This seasoning was a careful blend created by Jiang Feng, including chili powder, cumin powder, toasted sesame seeds, chicken powder, MSG, Sichuan pepper powder, and salt. All these seasonings were mixed together and stirred evenly by hand, allowing them to fully blend.

To prepare the dish, the seasonings were placed in a wok, a spoonful of piping hot oil was poured over them to release their flavors, then the fried potatoes were added and tossed a few times. The surface of the potatoes would be perfectly coated with the seasoning. While eating, the seasoning spread throughout the mouth. After finishing the potatoes, licking the remaining seasoning from inside the mouth was a uniquely satisfying sensation.

"Boss Jiang, please give me two more of each," Liu Bao said after finishing his meal, still wanting more.

"Alright, please wait a moment."

By this time, quite a few people had gathered around Jiang Feng’s stall. People from the hospital were coming and going continuously. Several patients in hospital gowns even came out to buy snacks.

Liu Bao observed the gathering crowd. Nurses and patients alike were queuing up for stinky tofu. The scene was quite incredible.

Soon, the snacks Liu Bao ordered were ready. He grabbed them and quickly left with his cousin.

「Soon after」

He posted a new video: #ExecutiveChefJiangFound #DeliciousSnackStall.

Once the video was released, his fans swarmed to it.

"Have you found him? Where is he? What’s he selling this week?"

"Finally found him! Last week he was at the University of Science and Technology, and I couldn’t even get in!"

"Let me see what new tricks Executive Chef Jiang has up his sleeve!"

"Executive Chef Jiang, you’ve successfully piqued my interest!"

People clicked on Liu Bao’s video to watch his review of Jiang Feng’s food. He had tried the teppanyaki squid, stinky tofu, and Crispy Potatoes, providing excited commentary with every bite.

"This teppanyaki squid is definitely the tenderest squid I’ve ever eaten, so springy it’s like it was just scooped from the sea. Squid usually doesn’t absorb flavors well, but Executive Chef Jiang has prepared it so perfectly, I didn’t detect even a hint of blandness."

"My review for the stinky tofu can be summed up in two words: Absolutely awesome. So delicious, just dig in without a second thought. And this bowl of scallion and cilantro broth is the most satisfying I’ve had in days."

"Then there are the Crispy Potatoes, exceptionally crunchy. Why are they this crunchy? How can they be this crunchy? The explosion of various flavors in the mouth—AH, what a joy!"

Liu Bao’s expressions were incredibly genuine. His ecstatic expressions while eating made the netizens drool.

"He’s selling snacks this week, and snacks are my favorite! I’m definitely going!"

"It’s by the hospital, right? Just a subway ride away, so convenient!"

"This is making me so hungry!"

At the end of the video, Liu Bao added, "Executive Chef Jiang sets up his stall from 11:40 AM to 1:50 PM. He doesn’t operate outside these hours. Everyone, pay attention to the timing."

Upon hearing this, the netizens checked the time and deflated instantly.

"Damn, why didn’t you post the video earlier? It’s already 2:30 in the afternoon!"

"We can only wait for tomorrow now!"

"It’s been forever since I last tasted something made by Executive Chef Jiang."

"I’m just waiting for him to open a shop someday. Whether he sells breakfast or lunch, that taste, once experienced, is truly unforgettable."

Many people have vivid memories of the most satisfying meals they’ve ever eaten. It might be from a small eatery in a certain city or a special dish from a specific region. Once tasted, it’s unforgettable. The appeal of truly delicious food is incredibly strong. Jiang Feng’s food was exactly like that. Many who had tasted his food retained a deep impression of it, and his creations were always delicious. This week he was making snacks again, and people wondered how they would taste.

Soon after, Liu Bao started a livestream to chat with everyone. The number of viewers in the livestream held steady at over 4,000.

Someone asked, "Why does Executive Chef Jiang close up shop so early? Can’t he stay open a bit longer?"

Hearing this, Liu Bao earnestly replied, "Executive Chef Jiang must be going home early to experiment with new dishes. It’s no easy task coming up with new creations every day; he must be diligently practicing at home. He might also be seriously learning from a master. He must work very hard, spending every day in the kitchen, to attain such culinary skills."

Liu Bao’s words led to a moment of enlightenment for everyone. So that’s the reason. Who would have thought Executive Chef Jiang was so dedicated? The netizens grew even more admiring of Jiang Feng.

「Meanwhile」

Jiang Feng was leisurely playing games at home, occasionally teasing Little Black. A bottle of milk tea and a fruit platter sat on the table. As for staying late to do research, that wasn’t his style.

The reward for the day had also been revealed: it was the recipe for [New Xinjiang-Style Baked Buns].

Since the system hadn’t awarded any squid ingredients, he decided not to make squid the next day. He would add the baked buns instead. The customers should enjoy them.