Reborn in Japan as a Chef God
Chapter 160: The Stray Cat at Home

Chapter 160: Chapter 160: The Stray Cat at Home

After seeing off Erina Tiqie, Xia Yu opened the door and walked into the shop. He headed straight to the kitchen to prepare for work.

But just as he reached the kitchen door, a fleeting black shadow startled him.

His breath nearly stopped.

"Meow~"

Immediately after, a frantic cat’s meow echoed from the courtyard. Xia Yu chased it out and saw a somewhat familiar Hua Mao sprinting down the corridor with something in its mouth. It finally stopped atop the courtyard wall, staring at him warily with amber eyes.

"Oh right, last night’s failed dish hasn’t been dealt with yet!"

Seeing the food clenched in the cat’s mouth, Xia Yu slapped his forehead.

The street was full of stray cats, and his grandfather had repeatedly warned him to secure the trash properly. Cats sneaking in to steal food happened more than once, and each time Xia Yu got a scolding.

Moreover, judging by how familiar the cat looked, it was probably a regular visitor to the shop.

"But the kitchen was closed!" Xia Yu turned to look at the open kitchen, which had been remodeled by the system. After getting up this morning, he had reheated last night’s prepared meal and headed out to Far Moon.

He had long gotten into the habit of closing the kitchen door.

The Hua Mao on the wall let out another low meow, one of satisfaction. It sprawled out, licking its paws, with the fish fin sausage already devoured. Xia Yu shook his head, entered the kitchen, and saw that there were still some fish fin sausages on the plate piled with last night’s failed dishes. So he placed the plate in the corridor and went upstairs to change.

It was just a stray cat. Throwing the food away would be wasteful; he couldn’t eat it all.

Wasting food was shameful, which was why Xia Yu liked practicing his cooking in the Chef God Space. In the real world, if he got too immersed in practicing, the whole kitchen would be filled with his failed dishes.

A Five-Star Chef?

In front of the changing mirror, as he adjusted his clothes, Xia Yu couldn’t help but recall Chef Shen He’s dishes from some time ago.

Seasoned.

Proficient.

That’s how Xia Yu rated Shen He’s dishes in his heart.

Coincidentally, he had spent the entire day tasting students’ dishes, and the difference became even more evident. It wasn’t just the basic skills, the combination, and fusion in that Nine Fresh Soup made Xia Yu feel inadequate.

Earlier, he specifically asked, and the Nine Fresh Soup was a quasi-special-grade dish, the new signature dish of Danfei Building, priced at 300,000 yen.

"Create new dishes!" Xia Yu murmured.

Create.

These two words were easier said than done. Setting aside culinary basics, it was about ingredients. In creating a new dish, a chef had to find suitable combinations from thousands of ingredients worldwide, which tested the chef’s knowledge of ingredients.

A third-rate chef might specialize in one field without concern for others.

But to become an outstanding first-rate chef, there could be no blind spots in their knowledge of ingredients.

Because ingredients are the pieces and materials a chef uses to weave the world of gastronomy, and a chef lacking materials couldn’t create diverse and colorful dishes. Xia Yu knew he, as a self-taught bit player, lacked this knowledge and required proper lessons and accumulation in the Chef God Space.

The next day, at eight o’clock in the morning, a black car duly stopped in front of Xia’s shop.

"Meow~"

Coming downstairs with a thud, Xia Yu heard the meow again. The ill-colored Hua Mao from last night huddled on the outer corridor, its amber eyes swirling around him.

In a hurry to go out, he had no time to entertain this cat. Xia Yu took the lunch he had left in the fridge the previous night, used chopsticks to pick out a piece of fried steak, placed it on the plate he hadn’t cleared away, and waved a hand to the Hua Mao before going out.

At nine o’clock sharp, he arrived at Kazasaki Tatsuki’s Spanish-style restaurant.

As Xia Yu and Erina Tiqie took their seats in the restaurant, the owner and head chef Kazasaki Tatsuki appeared upon hearing of their arrival.

This Far Moon graduate, with a high ponytail and fierce gaze, had a personality as fierce as her appearance, frequently irate and ready to strike people.

The Spanish restaurant’s décor perfectly matched the manager’s style, filled with wildness, and even the music had a cowboy melody.

"Yo—"

Kazasaki Tatsuki greeted Erina Tiqie, holding a plate of peculiar-looking dishes with a bright red color.

"Please taste it and see where there’s room for improvement. The price will be transferred to you as previously discussed, and the deposit has been paid." Kazasaki Tatsuki showed no friendly face even to her junior Erina, speaking in a hard tone.

Erina Tiqie evidently understood the senior’s character, not taking it to heart.

"You try it first. Share your tasting impressions." Erina turned to Xia Yu.

"Alright!"

Xia Yu eagerly tried it.

Kazasaki Tatsuki, however, frowned unhappily, looking him over. "Who are you?! Not just anyone is qualified to taste my new dish!"

"Me?" Xia Yu calmly replied, "I’m a visiting lecturer hired by Far Moon. In other words, I’m also Miss Tiqie’s teacher..."

"Ha, lecturer?"

Kazasaki Tatsuki stared at Xia Yu with fierce eyes, sizing him up. "How old are you anyway? Far Moon hired you?"

It seemed the news of his special class and duel with Si Yingshi had not yet spread among the alumni. Others didn’t know him. Xia Yu helplessly, just about to introduce himself, when Erina coldly stated, "Senior Kazasaki Tatsuki, if you wish for me to continue as a taster for your restaurant, then do as I say!"

Her timely emanation of a queenly aura left Kazasaki Tatsuki speechless, glaring hard at Xia Yu before reluctantly setting down the plate and saying, "Then give it a try."

Inside the plate were halves of bright red peppers.

Each half-circle-shaped red pepper was stuffed with different fillings.

Holding a knife and fork, Xia Yu didn’t rush to enjoy but observed the dish and sniffed the aroma.

"Pork, beef, lamb..."

"Fresh shrimp, crab roe, huh, and goat cheese!"

He opened his eyes wide in amazement.

Each pepper half contained different fillings. Xia Yu pursed his lips and gently pierced a roasted red pepper with his fork, taking a small bite. "Pork filling! And the pork was roasted with parsley, olive oil, and other spices. Delicious!"

Even the outer layer of red pepper carried the taste of sauce and spices!

A sensory delight!

Just this small piece of the dish was enough to shake Xia Yu, causing him to mentally compare it to the Nine Fresh Soup from yesterday evening.

"Spanish Stuffed Red Pepper!"

Erina Tiqie immediately pinpointed the dish’s name. Her culinary knowledge far exceeded Xia Yu’s. She noted, "In Spain, red pepper is more often served as a Tapas snack. This traditional Tapas snack usually involves filling peppers with different stuffings. This ’stuffed’ method is quite similar to Chinese cuisine..."

"Tapas?" Xia Yu scratched his cheek. "A type of appetizer?"

"Yes, more precisely, a small plate!" Erina Tiqie glanced at him. "Small plates are a national culinary heritage in Spain. From high-end restaurants to small diners frequented by the public, you can find these small plates everywhere."

With that said, she picked up a red pepper with her fork and tasted a small bite.

"Senior Kazasaki Tatsuki can bring out the next dish..."

"What about the tasting evaluation?"

"The fillings are fine. Pay close attention to the timing of roasting and seasoning the red peppers. The peppers were overcooked by about three seconds, making them a bit tough."

Kazasaki Tatsuki immediately looked frustrated.

"Ah, I just knew I’d have issues with the timing!"