Transmigration: The Little Chef Calls The Shots
Chapter 1216 - 125 Participants (Fourth Round)

Chapter 1216: 125 Participants (Fourth Round)

She laughed, Lin Yuan said, "Shopkeeper Xiao need not worry. I’m just giving everyone an advance notice. I’m not as easygoing as Young Master Xia. Being a business person, naturally, I hope that my restaurant’s business soars. And what’s the most important thing for a restaurant? Correct, delicious food is the most important factor in retaining customers. If the servers attract customers with their enthusiasm but there’s no tasty food to keep them there, wouldn’t that be futile?"

What Lin Yuan talked about was basic knowledge, known to anyone who truly worked in a restaurant. However, it was clear that there were some chefs slacking off.

As soon as she finished speaking, a leading chef standing at the front showed a look of disdain and pouted his lips high, as if he was mumbling something to himself.

Lin Yuan didn’t pay him any attention, but she had already taken note of this person in her heart.

Across the grand hall’s corridor, she happened to see a tree in the backyard, full of plum blossoms in full bloom, although it was already at the end of the flowering phase and the blossoms would soon fall.

Changing her train of thought, Lin Yuan pointed at the tree full of plum blossoms and said with a smile, "Just right, today let’s see what skills our master chefs have. Do you see the plum blossoms outside? I’ll use these plum blossoms as the theme, and I’d like each of the master chefs to make me a specialty dish. Don’t ask me what dish to make or how to make it, my only requirement is that it must relate to the plum blossoms. In two hours, I’ll be here waiting for all of you."

After finishing, she spread her hands, raised her eyebrows high, and made a welcoming gesture.

Dishes related to plum blossoms? The six master chefs all furrowed their brows and muttered to themselves. However, because Lin Yuan had mentioned earlier that there might be layoffs among them, none of them voiced their thoughts, as this was a matter that affected whether they could continue to stay here; this was not to be taken lightly.

Watching the master chefs deep in thought, the helpers standing at the back also started getting ideas.

A fair-faced young man tentatively raised his hand, and only after Lin Yuan nodded for him to speak did he ask, "Miss, although we helpers aren’t that skilled in cooking, we have been in the kitchen for several years. Could we, perhaps, also participate?"

No sooner had the young man finished speaking before Lin Yuan could respond than the disdainful master chef from before spoke sternly, "You all want to participate? Don’t dream about it; just because you can cook a few dishes doesn’t mean you’re master chefs. Let me tell you, do you know how much hardship one has to endure to become a master chef? You’d better just stay as helpers!"

Although the other master chefs didn’t speak, their expressions showed they agreed with those words.

The young man who had made the suggestion blushed and became embarrassed, but still looked stubbornly at Lin Yuan, hoping she would give them a chance.

Lin Yuan slightly raised an eyebrow, noticing out of the corner of her eye that Shopkeeper Xiao was giving signals to the scolding master chef, who clearly saw it but rolled his eyes as if he hadn’t.

Lin Yuan smiled to herself and shook her head inwardly, but she still said to the young man, "If you are helpers, you should know what you should and should not do."

Although it was just one sentence, the helper heard in Lin Yuan’s words that she intended not to let them participate, and couldn’t help but show a disappointed expression.

The scolding master chef, on the other hand, wrinkled his nose smugly, looking down on the young men with contempt.

Lin Yuan’s lips curved slightly as she continued, "However, a soldier who doesn’t want to be a general isn’t a good soldier. So, since you few have the ambition to test your abilities, I, as the boss, naturally cannot stop you. Here’s the deal: you’ll have the same theme, and if the dish you make wins my favor, you will be promoted to master chef out of turn. How about it?"

How is it? Naturally, it’s very good!

The young helpers were all delighted, their eyebrows dancing with joy, as they thanked me repeatedly.

The head chef, who had scolded them, however, became dull-eyed and was suddenly stunned. Hadn’t he just said they weren’t allowed to participate? How come they were permitted all of a sudden? How could the Boss be so fickle?

Not just him, the other five head chefs were also very dissatisfied.

Lin Yuan moved her fingers slightly and the smile on her face disappeared, "What, you head chefs don’t want to include these youngsters, fearing they might outdo you? Ha-ha, if any of you lacks even this amount of confidence, then I am afraid this restaurant has no place for you. Don’t bother with your fancy dishes any longer, better to pack up and leave now than later."

By saying they were afraid of being outdone by the youngsters, she had really hit a sore spot for these head chefs. Not to mention how long they had been working at Yi Ran Residence, they had also worked many years at other restaurants before. If they were afraid of a few inexperienced kids, how would they ever make it in the culinary world?

"What’s there to be afraid of? They’re just helpers. If I can’t outdo these little helpers, I might as well stop working in this trade!"

"That’s right, Boss, don’t provoke us. If we’re doing it together, then so be it, there’s nothing to hide!"

"Let’s go, let’s head to the kitchen. I refuse to believe it. The time I’ve spent wielding a frying spoon is greater than these helpers’ ages—I doubt they can knock me off my spot."

With these words, the head chefs left for the kitchen together. The one who had scolded the helpers also followed the others to the kitchen resentfully, but before leaving, he cast a meaningful glance at Shopkeeper Xiao.

Lin Yuan, with her sharp eyes, of course noticed it, and at this point, was finally sure that there was indeed a relationship between the two.

Although she said nothing, Lin Yuan’s resolution to fire Shopkeeper Xiao was even further solidified. The failing business of Yi Ran Residence was partially Xia Zhen’s fault, but as the Shopkeeper, he had shown not a single solution, proving his incompetence.

"You guys go to the kitchen as well!" While the head chefs had left, these helpers were still standing in the hall without moving, prompting Lin Yuan to urge them again.

But unexpectedly, her words left them in a difficult position.

The young man who had raised his hand earlier hesitated for a while and took a step forward, speaking, "Miss, it’s not that we don’t want to go, but truly, there is no space for us to work in the kitchen. Please, Miss, provide us with a small stove or, alternatively, let us go after the head chefs have finished cooking."

Watching these young men trembling, yet too angry to speak, Lin Yuan’s eyes narrowed slightly. No wonder those head chefs had been so arrogant—so they had long since had these young men under their thumb!

Even Xia Zheng felt surprised. He had previously thought Yi Ran Residence’s poor business was due to the name and service, but now it seemed that the issues ran much deeper!