hollywood billionaire

Chapter 529 Las Vegas Starscape (Part 1)
"Gentlemen, it is my pleasure to introduce the next course for tonight's dinner, a classic dish of Noma restaurant—sea bass with dill, served with cucumber cream. This dish embodies the fusion of the Nordic sea and forest, and is Chef René Regedo's ultimate interpretation of natural flavors."

"Please admire the colors of this dish: tender sea bass from the Maine Sea is laid out like gold on cool stone slabs, garnished with fresh dill and hand-cut cucumber puree picked every morning from Norwich Meadow Farm, a farm in upstate New York that supplies the freshest seasonal fruits and vegetables from all over New York. And at the bottom of the plate is cold-whipped Nordic sour cream, infused with the essence of seaweed and a touch of lemon verbena juice."

"Upon first tasting, you will experience the rich sweetness of the sea bass, followed by the refreshing juice of cucumber and the herbal aroma of dill. The subtle sourness in the cream does not come from lemon, but from the naturally fermented rhubarb stem juice, which balances the richness of the sea bass. This reflects Noma's commitment to Nordic flavors: using only local, natural ingredients, without any foreign ingredients."

"In this highly industrialized food industry, we need a path back to its roots."

When introducing the dishes, Corey McIntosh deliberately used his elegant and refined Posh accent—clear, graceful, and slightly aloof—instantly lending the dinner a sophisticated and almost dramatic atmosphere. This pronunciation, originating from the British upper class, combined with his choice of rhetoric—such as "spreading like gold," "herbal aromas," and "natural fermentation"—which differed from the straightforwardness of American expressions, not only imbued the dishes with an academic authority but also created an auditory experience of "scarcity" and "exclusivity."

The above is the polite way of putting it. The less polite way is... Nordic molecular gastronomy, with its obscure and pretentious concepts, combined with Corey's affected and pretentious explanations, has a remarkable effect on leftists who always have organic, ecological, and locally sourced concepts on their lips.

On December 9, 2016, after hosting Gary Barnett, the apartment on the 79th floor of One57 welcomed three new guests: Ruben Keehun, Michael Nadler, and his father, Jerry Nadler.

They are all Democrats, located on the left side of the political spectrum.

"We suggest you gently scoop up all the layers with the shell spoon in front of you and take a bite. The freshness of the sea bass, the crisp sweetness of the cucumber, the smoothness of the cream, and the freshness of the dill will unfold layer by layer in your mouth, and finally finish with a hint of cold smoked sea salt, making you feel as if you are on the rocky shore of the Denmark Strait."

"enjoy your meal."

“This introduction alone has already made me starving.” Ruben-Kihun glanced at Han Yi beside him, then turned to Corey with a smile and a nod. “Thank you, Corey, that was wonderful.”

“Oh, Mr. Keehun, the real brilliance lies in the dishes themselves.” Corey bowed slightly, speaking humbly, “Presented to you by Mr. Han’s two outstanding chefs, Chef Sorenson and Chef Hansen.”

"How did you find these two culinary geniuses, Mr. Han?" Like his father, Michael Nadler's New York accent was unusually pronounced, or at least he was willing to make it unusually pronounced. "So far, I have only one assessment of the dishes we have eaten—extraordinary."

“It really has nothing to do with how I found them, but with how… Can I tell them your story, guys?” Han Yi turned to look at Felix Sorenson and Harold Hansen, who were cooking on the spot and preparing the next dish for them.

“Of course, Mr. Han.” Harold smiled, giving a very polite answer in front of outsiders. “Family members always tell each other’s stories.”

“Thank you, Harold… Well, these two chefs you see now are not just professional partners, but also life partners. They legally married in Denmark in 2012 and moved to the United States two years ago for a working vacation. They got tired of staying in one place for too long, so they decided to move to a different country every two to three years. So, rather than me hiring them, I'm more like the lucky guy they chose.”

Han Yi had originally intended to choose Eleven Madison Park, a Michelin three-star restaurant renowned for its vegetarianism in New York, as the catering team for tonight's dinner. However, in the end, he decided to have his own chef prepare the seven-course meal. This was partly because Eleven Madison Park does not offer private cooking services outside of its restaurant; for a customized banquet, one would have to dine at their location at 11 Madison Avenue.

On the other hand, it is because Felix and Harold's stories and characters are very suitable for Han Yi to show his "distinctive and strong" progressiveness in front of Democratic Party members and their descendants.

“That’s great.” Sure enough, Jerry Nadler, who hadn’t said much all evening and was sitting at the far right of the table, looked up at Felix and Harold. “I hope America will treat you as well as Europe does.”

“For easy work… I’d say America treats us better than Europe.” Felix said to Jerry with a smile as he flipped the pasta in the brass dish. “You probably don’t want to know what it’s like working with Rene.”

“I’m very familiar with some of the habits that Michelin chefs have,” Jerry replied with a smile. “Sometimes I think of myself as a chef, cooking on Capitol Hill, hoping my dishes will suit American palates. So, yes, I understand why Chef Reginald might be short-tempered, because a great chef always works under the watchful eyes of his country and even the whole world. He has to make sure that every dish he presents is perfect.”

“You’ve given a perfect overview of Chef Rejdeau.” Felix gestured with his arm. “Mr. Nadler, please allow me to offer you a taste of his signature dish. Please note that the original dish is made with sea urchin instead of sea bass. However, out of respect for your religious beliefs, we’ve made some adjustments.”

“That’s very thoughtful, thank you, Chef Sorenson.”

Jerry Nadler is Jewish, but not a converted Christian Jew; he is an Orthodox Jew who has practiced kosher food traditions throughout his life. Therefore, Han Yi's mansion team put a lot of thought into the dinner menu—Judaism forbids the mixing of meat and dairy products, so the most suitable ingredients for a multi-course dinner are various kinds of fresh seafood, since fish are not considered "meat" in Judaism.

Jerry Nadler gently scooped up the bottom layer of fish soaked in cream with a shell spoon, and put it into his mouth along with cucumber puree and dill leaves. He leaned back slightly, closed his eyes, and chewed, his knife and fork falling silently back to the edge of the stone plate.

You can tell the difference between traditional French cuisine and innovative Nordic molecular gastronomy just by looking at the material of the plates.

“It tastes a bit like—sorry if that offends anyone—fish soup from a deli.”

After being marinated in lemon verbena juice, the sea bass is slow-cooked at a low temperature for several hours, ultimately achieving a translucent texture similar to white fish sashimi. A touch on the tongue releases a myriad of sweet and savory flavors that flow down Jerry's throat. The seaweed essence in the sour cream creates a subtle salty mist between his teeth, reminding him of his most familiar local delicacies.

“Yes, yes.” Michael Nadler was struggling to find the right adjective. “The texture is novel, but the taste is familiar. It’s like adding fish cake jelly to meatball soup.”

“Make the North Sea taste like the East River.” Jerry Nadler’s witty remark immediately filled the table with cheerful laughter.

“Chef Rejdau would be very pleased with your improvements,” Ruben added, praising at the opportune moment. “Although I’ve never been to Noma, I think the original version’s sweet, slightly fishy sea urchin might not be able to handle such complex flavor profiles. On the contrary, the humble Maine sea bass better highlights the cook’s ingenuity… I’m not a food expert, but I can only say I’m impressed.” The eloquence of the new generation of Democratic politicians was on full display in Ruben-Kehune; even in areas he was unfamiliar with, he could articulate profound truths using familiar formulas.

“Well said.” Jerry Nadler raised the shell spoon slightly, pointing it at Ruben Keehun. “I would even say that this dish has quite a few similarities to our esteemed host tonight, Mr. Han Yi.”

“So you’re saying I look like a Maine bass, Mr. Nadler,” Han Yi joked.

"No, you look just as handsome as I did when I first met you. I mean, like this dish, you seem exotic and trendy. But when people get closer and look closely, they'll find you're just as old-fashioned as any American entrepreneur who's worked the land before."

“Old-fashioned,” Han Yi repeated with a smile. “Is that a good thing or a bad thing?”

“Let’s analyze each situation individually,” Jerry Nadler shrugged and muttered. “I’ve met a lot of young entrepreneurs, some in finance, some in Silicon Valley researching new technologies—solar panels, self-driving cars, virtual reality, augmented reality…and a few in Hollywood, but even in Hollywood, their ventures are in emerging streaming platforms or digital rights exchanges. You know, those concepts that were created just twenty-four months or twelve months ago.”

"So, perhaps... I'm just surprised to find a young person trying to inherit a business model that has been consistent for decades, while most young people in the world just want to overthrow or destroy these models."

“I am not an inventor, Mr. Nadler.”

Han Yi knew that this was Jerry Nadler's way of probing whether he had other businesses and projects under his control. As one of the leading progressives on Capitol Hill, Jerry Nadler had always hoped that his district, New York's 10th Congressional District, would have more businesses with new industries and new business models, rather than being dominated by large law firms and financial institutions. This contradicted his public image and was the most common material his political opponents used to attack him.

However, he didn't need to reveal his entire business plan to Jerry Nadler, because New York's 10th Congressional District was unlikely to be the home of his innovative projects—Musical.ly, which he was trying to acquire with Joshua Kushner, had its global headquarters in Shanghai and its US branch in Santa Monica. Meanwhile, the Wave Music Copyright Fund, in partnership with the Saudi sovereign wealth fund, would choose to locate in the City of London, where capital flows are more freely.

Telling Jerry Nadler the details of these projects at this moment would only pique his curiosity and create unnecessary trouble for myself.

"Inventors create the world, Mr. Nadler, and butlers guard it."

“I prefer to see myself as the latter—perhaps it is this ‘conservatism’ that makes me respect the time-tested models.”

At this point, Han Yi leaned slightly towards Jerry.

"Just like you are protecting the diverse values ​​that have been passed down through generations in New York State."

Upon hearing this, Jerry Nadler gave a noncommittal laugh and wiped the sauce from the corner of his mouth with a napkin.

"Truly good design is never about starting from scratch. Like this modified sea bass dish, it retains the soul of Nordic molecular gastronomy while incorporating the local flavors of New York. The most effective way forward is to sail with all of history. There is no doubt that innovation is the core of America and what makes America great. But the word 'innovation' needs to be built on the consensus that 'we have already built some great things in the past.'"

"What a truly great thing needs is not a complete reshaping, but a persistent polishing and refinement."

"Las Vegas is a truly magnificent creation, and my Las Vegas acquisition plan is about polishing and refining it."

"Las Vegas..."

Glancing at Ruben Keehun out of the corner of his eye, Jerry Nadler ultimately decided against sharing his true thoughts about Las Vegas, the city of sin, at the dinner table.

“Father, Mr. Han is not wrong.”

Sensing Jerry Nadler's emotional shift, Michael Nadler seized the opportunity to offer words of comfort.

“A few weeks ago, I went there with Mr. Bromley, and then we went to Los Angeles to meet with Mr. Han. I am convinced—because I have seen their plans with my own eyes—that Mr. Han is planning a far-reaching blueprint on the northern side of the Las Vegas Strip. A blueprint that will forever change the urban landscape and business reality of Las Vegas.”

“Really?” Jerry Nadler lifted his left eyelid to look at his son, his tone barely changing. “What kind of blueprint?”

"This ambitious project of the century is called 'Las Vegas Nexus'."

Michael Nadler glanced at Han Yi, and after receiving a look of approval from the other man, he cleared his throat and spoke slowly.

"Las Vegas Constellation".

(End of this chapter)