Reborn in Japan as a Chef God
Chapter 470 - 469: Chance Encounter (Part 1)

Chapter 470: Chapter 469: Chance Encounter (Part 1)

Recipe modification?

Xia Yu was quite interested and looked at a large sign standing next to the stall, which bore the recipe in writing.

"Main ingredient: ’Creamy Matsutake.’"

"Other ingredients: flour, butter, onions, milk, light cream..."

She read quietly to herself.

"This is the recipe for ’French Creamy Mushroom Soup’!" Tiqie Helinai said, her beautiful eyes fixed on the sign, puzzled, "Strange, the amount of each ingredient is very odd!"

More than strange.

Anyone with a bit of culinary knowledge could see that the proportions of the ingredients were off, and even the seasoning used in the soup wasn’t specified.

It was a clear tactic to hide something. Without reaching a certain level, at best, one could only be an onlooking audience, completely unable to offer a viable modification plan.

"This old man is no simple character." Xia Yu glanced over.

The argument continued.

A young man with blond hair and blue eyes, dressed in a plaid suit, was either a contestant in the competition or, like Tiqie Helinai, had come with a group to gain experience.

The middle-aged man, with black hair and dark brown eyes, was a typical East Asian. Listening to his English accent, he was definitely not a local from Neon. Xia Yu chuckled and glanced at his aunt beside him, who was sizing up the middle-aged man with interest and suddenly said, "Yu, do you know who he is?"

"Who?"

"A member of the elders of the Guangzhou Chef Alliance, also the team leader for Yangquan Restaurant in this competition, Yu Hong," Zhu Qing said.

"A Lin Chef?" Xia Yu asked.

Zhu Qing nodded, gave him a charming look, and laughed softly, "However, Yu Hong is merely cannon fodder in the Lin Chef hierarchy. Yangquan Restaurant’s participation in this contest isn’t about a desire for legendary culinary tools. It’s just bringing a group of juniors to make an appearance and exchange ideas with chefs from other countries, so as to not let the world forget about Yangquan Restaurant."

"How many teams from the Chinese Cuisine World are here?" Xia Yu frowned.

"There are plenty, at least ten teams, each led by a Lin Chef. Yangquan Restaurant from Guangzhou, Dragon Town Restaurant from Shanghai, which is the Tang Family. It is said that this generation of the Tang family has an unprecedented genius who has been recognized by the legendary culinary tools..."

Recognized by the legendary culinary tools?

Xia Yu’s pupils constricted.

"However, what we really need to watch out for is a team organized personally by the Dragon Head, which includes 3 Lin Chefs and 8 superb chefs with ’fatal’ and ’ideal’ recipes."

At this, Zhu Qing paused and meaningfully added, "I believe those from the Dark Cuisine World will also be here. Wonder under what guise they’ve registered to compete?"

"Who is the Dragon Head..."

Zhu Qing just looked at him and did not respond.

Amid their low conversation, they overlooked Tiqie Helinai.

She stared at the recipe written on the sign and zoned out. As the confrontation between the Caucasian youth and Yu Hong from Yangquan Restaurant continued, she pursed her lips and suddenly stepped out from the crowd, drawing all gazes toward her.

Being the accustomed Far Moon Queen at large events, she treated the onlooking crowd as mere puppets. Tiqie Helinai pointed at the sign and calmly said, "Regarding this recipe, I also have a modification idea."

"Oh?"

The relaxed old man at the stall smiled and said, "I’m all ears!"

The Caucasian youth clearly recognized Tiqie Helinai and his pupils shrank as he said, "...you are the one with the highest standard of human taste, served as a famous taster from a young age, and treated as a distinguished guest by various culinary giants, the ’Divine Tongue’?"

"It is the ’Divine Tongue’!"

"Oh, Miss Tiqie Helinai is also in Sapporo!"

A commotion arose among the crowd, many local Neon people looking thrilled and pulling out their devices to take photos.

Yangquan Restaurant’s team leader, Yu Hong, also showed curiosity as he sized up the teenage girl whose "Divine Tongue" was famous even in Chinese Land, as many food publications often boasted about her "Divine Tongue."

"I am Gerard from the Orlando Team, a top-tier chef. In three days, I will represent Orlando Academy on the stage of the competition!" the Caucasian young man introduced himself.

Yet, Eriina didn’t engage with him, merely glancing at him indifferently before speaking lightly to the stall owner:

"To fully integrate ’Creamy Pine Mushroom’ into the sauce, this recipe of yours needs to be completely overturned and rebuilt."

"How to rebuild it?"

"Some of their ideas are correct, but some are wrong. It is necessary to keep the ’Creamy Pine Mushroom’ taste pure, but to say that adding milk and light cream during cooking adds impurities to the dish, I absolutely disagree!"

Eriina disdainfully said, "That’s just an excuse for the incompetent! They can’t truly meld ordinary ingredients with fantasy ingredients!"

Unaware that Yu Hong was a Lin Chef, she knew Gerard was a top-tier chef but still boldly pointed out his mistakes. That took guts.

Gerard’s face turned red with choking, and he gritted his teeth, "Let’s hear your proposal!"

Eriina walked towards the stall owner, and after a low conversation, which seemed to have reached some agreement, she penned a formula for handling ’Creamy Pine Mushroom’ and wrote a recipe on the spot. The old man was delighted, handing her a folded piece of paper before quickly packing up his stall and leaving.

The crowd did not disperse.

"Here—"

The young girl handed the paper to Xia Yu.

"What is this for?"

Xia Yu chuckled, feeling quite uneasy under the strange stares from the surrounding crowd.

"I used your formula for ’Creamy Pine Mushroom,’" Eriina pursed her lips as the crowd erupted.

"We’ll talk about this later!"

He turned and walked away with Zhu Qing and Eriina following.

Gerard stayed in the crowd, his face alternating between green and red.

"Master Yu!"

Several young men speaking Chinese gathered around Yu Hong, the leader of Yangquan Restaurant’s team, but he was gazing into the distance at Zhu Qing’s back, feeling a vague familiarity and a wary thought, "She’s here? But in what capacity is she participating in this contest?"

The recipe incident was just a brief interlude.

Soon after, the three of them sat in a street-facing café, just outside the lively festival night market.

"Not bad, it’s worth it!"

Xia Yu put down the paper, closed his eyes briefly, and upon reopening them, received a system notification:

"[Pork Belly Mushroom] has been unlocked in the ingredient store."

The exchange of fantasy ingredient handling formulas indeed paid off, unlocking a new fantasy ingredient that he could now purchase through Fame Points. Actually, it was a big win.

Speaking of which, Xia Yu’s initial encounter with ’Creamy Pine Mushroom’ was due to Main General Liangzi’s sukiyaki recipe, and over several practices, Xia Yu developed his own understanding of fantasy ingredients used in recipes, which Eriina had learned from him.

He was about to speak to Eriina, but a cold male voice suddenly came from behind:

"Eriina."

At the sound, the girl sharply lifted her head, then her face filled with fear.

"Father, f-father!" she stuttered.

"Father?"

Zhu Qing stood up and saw a middle-aged man dressed in black standing behind them. The melodious tunes of the café had disappeared, and the patrons all looked their way with fearful gazes.