Reborn in Japan as a Chef God
Chapter 168: Golden Silk Fish Fin

Chapter 168: Chapter 168: Golden Silk Fish Fin

"So beautiful!"

"My God, this dish..."

The moment Lancelot’s cuisine was plated, the Food Battle Stage on the TV, which was the old shopping street, turned as silent as a scene from a silent movie.

The white ceramic plate enhanced the golden hue of the broth.

The fish fin was made of fine cartilaginous threads which, after being thoroughly cooked, were colorless, crystal-clear, and now soaked in the broth.

The visual effect was like a flawless white jade gemstone, dropping into the broth and shimmering enticingly.

Moreover, the broth soaked the dark fish fin mushrooms; beyond the ceramic plate’s white, the broth’s golden, and the fish fin’s transparent perfection... The third color that emerged was the mushrooms’ "black"!

White, black, gold.

The entire dish seemed subdued in color, yet in reality, it was filled with stunning visual impact.

Especially as the evening sun set, perfectly timed with the sun going down, the sunlight seemed to interplay with the gentle undulation of the golden broth in the plate.

After a total silence in the venue, a great deal of swallowing sounds followed.

"Exquisite! The color of the dish tells you it’s extraordinary!"

"The fish fin was steamed three times, removing the collagen’s original flavor... Wait, I think I can smell the aroma of old broth; there’s definitely a secret to this broth, otherwise, it wouldn’t be so clear and even sparkling!"

At the guest seat, Chef Shen He craned his neck, unable to resist praising repeatedly.

Hmph.

Tiqie Helinai sat nearby, inexplicably annoyed.

"It looks like Chef Lancelot has finished!" the female host Chiyoda Aichi said with a hint of excitement in her voice, like a professional yet just as eager as any ordinary audience, anticipating the judging segment.

After all, the judges’ comments were the wonderful moments that unveiled the mysteries of the cuisine.

"The timing is really tight!"

Meanwhile, many were watching the timer, as time ticked away. Fans supporting Xia Yu were secretly anxious.

"Perfect—"

Having finished plating, Lancelot snapped his fingers, apparently quite pleased with his creation made live on the Food Battle Stage, and now presented it to the judging panel.

Another tray neatly arranged with clean tableware, including chopsticks and forks, all coated in a layer of gold paint, matched the golden cuisine in the plate, exuding a sense of magnificent luxury.

"This is my dish, ’Golden Silk Fish Fin’!" Lancelot, with his handsome face full of confidence, stood firmly in front of the judging panel, composed in front of the camera.

"Golden Silk Fish Fin?"

Shinohara Shigetaro propped his chin, not rushing to comment but instead fixated on Lancelot for a while.

It must be said, as a core member of the "Gourmet Club," Lancelot daring to stand like this on the great Food Battle Stage was truly bold.

The three IGO judges knew Lancelot’s true identity, but Far Moon’s Xijian Run and Miyazaki Takuo were kept in the dark, showing unhidden admiration on their faces.

Miyazaki Takuo, accustomed to using chopsticks, picked up a pair of gold-coated long chopsticks and grabbed a cluster of fish fin threads that were soft like vermicelli.

Splash.

The threads of the fish fin broke through the golden broth, creating sparkling droplets continuously falling.

Ripples spread in circles across the plate.

The television cameras and the broadcast screens above the stage focused on this scene, instantly silencing the crowd, their faces showing fascination, like gazes upon the most delicious delicacy in the world, a hunger evident in their eyes.

The fish fin threads surfaced, sparkling with a divine radiance under the brilliant sunset.

Too beautiful!

Golden, transparent crystal vermicelli!

Breathtaking beauty!

Not to mention eating it, just the visual feast alone was enough to surpass most dishes, resembling more an artwork than food.

The hand holding the chopsticks trembled slightly, and Miyazaki Takuo was visibly agitated, "I, I kind of hesitate to eat, it’s like destroying an artwork!"

"Eat—," Lancelot smiled calmly, "The appearance is just the tip of the iceberg for ’Golden Silk Fish Fin’; the taste is the star! Give it a try! This is my, Lancelot’s, cuisine!"

Upon hearing this, Miyazaki Takuo visibly swallowed, his Adam’s apple bobbing.

He took a bite.

Whoosh. Like slurping ramen, Miyazaki Takuo steeled himself and sucked all the fish fin into his mouth, then froze in place, his serious face slowly giving way to a strange smile of enjoyment.

"I felt like I was in heaven..."

Miyazaki Takuo was indulging in the silky texture of the fish fin and the sweet taste of the broth. "Heaven is a golden ocean, and I was above that ocean. I saw a gate, I pushed it open, and an angel greeted me at the doorway..."

His expression turned solemn, transforming in an instant into that of a devout priest.

The audience thought that with a pair of wings, this professor could be a living angel.

The entire place fell silent.

Xijian Run was the second to pick up her chopsticks, carefully sucking in several strands of the thoroughly cooked fish fin, her young, doll-like face blank.

The moment she tasted the dish, it was as if her soul had left her body.

Compared to the two professors from Far Moon, the three judges from IGO, Shinohara Shigetaro, Aoki Motota, and Liangzi Lina, were all trying to restrain themselves.

Seeing this, Lancelot praised with veiled sarcasm, "Worthy of three top chefs, it seems my cooking didn’t impress you."

Liangzi Lina’s shoulders trembled slightly as she lowered her face somewhat.

"No!" she almost growled, "Your cooking is excellent, transcending a five-star performance. Both ingredients have perfectly portrayed their presence in your dish!"

"Yes!"

Aoki Motota spoke gravely, pointing to the fish fin on the plate. "This ingredient appears to be just lightly boiled, but when mixed with the broth, that taste... indescribable!"

Everybody was watching the judges’ panel, and countless eyes in front of televisions were also fixed on them, as Shinohara Shigetaro sighed internally.

Even in a private food duel, as the head of a professional culinary institution, Shinohara Shigetaro wouldn’t mark Lancelot and his cooking with a ’disgusting’ label just because of his identity.

In other words, these three judges all had their principles.

An enemy is an enemy.

And strictly speaking, cooking doesn’t have a divide of good and evil. If one must say cooking is evil, it’s because dark chefs attribute evil intentions to the cuisine.

"New dish! Freshness!" Shinohara Shigetaro commented, "Truly... almost Special Grade Cuisine!"

"Speaking of just the texture and taste of the fish fin, your ’Golden Silk Fish Fin’ has reached the pinnacle. Although using two special-grade ingredients to enhance it, below special-grade chefs, to bring out the taste of the ingredients to such an extent..."

He paused, then said sternly, "Simply put, it’s impressive, very impressive!"

"Thank you!"

Lancelot bowed politely, smiling.

When applying for the Food Battle Stage, Lancelot hadn’t chosen the ’scoring system’ but had opted for the ’voting system.’

Five judges, five votes, obtaining three of them would mean victory.

"May I have a taste?"

Chiyoda Aichi asked timidly.

"Of course—" Lancelot glanced at her.

"Mmm!"

With eager anticipation showing in her eyes, Chiyoda Aichi found a pair of chopsticks herself, picked up a little fish fin and broth into a small bowl, and tasted it for the cameras.

Who knows how many people in front of the TV drooled at that moment.

"I want to eat it!"

In the Pole Star Dormitory Kitchen, Yoshino Yuuki covered her stomach, truly feeling hungry.

"This person... is strong!" Ichise Hui was inwardly shaken.

"Should be stronger than the senior Si Yingshi, right?" the others discussed.

Xingping Chuangzhen propped his chin, eyes gleaming with excitement, feeling that the vast global culinary scene was slowly unfolding in his mind.

So many young genius chefs existed around the world!