The beginning is only when you become a chef

Chapter 162 I Do Not Accept Male Disciples (6K)

Xia An finished thinking about the route of the gourmet cells and turned his attention back to the information flow on the panel.

[The Kitchen God panel is in the illustrated collector mode. ]

[The reproduction and completion of the recipe of "Unifying the Seven Kingdoms Fried Noodles" has been increased to 90%]

【Do you want to receive the illustrated reward? 】

The rewards at the 90% stage will definitely be more important than those at the 80% stage.

Xia An was looking forward to it and accepted it silently.

next moment.

His pupils dilated slightly.

What about lists?
My rewards list is so big?
At this moment, in Xia An's vision, there was only one reward message floating and flashing with a faint golden light:
['Explosive Steam Body' → 'Explosive Steam Body' (Minor Success)]

"Physical talents also have proficiency levels? Levels?"

"Ah this."

"The minor achievements are plated with a pseudo-gold frame, so wouldn't the major achievements be elevated to heaven on the spot...transformed into a true golden talent?"

Think about this.

Xia An's heart rate soared.

The god-level talent [Super Touch] was waving at him affectionately from not far away?
"But obviously you can't earn gold to upgrade your physique. You can only rely on the rewards from the illustrated book."

“Then the next stage will be 100%!”

……

The next day.

Totsuki Academy, "Moon Sky Between" venue.

The second round of the autumn trials officially begins.

On the field, there were two open kitchens facing each other, and student contestants were already in their positions.

The girl with blue hair in big braids and a simple temperament is Megumi Tadokoro.

The girl from the basketball club with medium-short purple hair, heroic spirit and an impressive figure is Hojo Miyoko.

“I didn’t expect them to face each other as early as the second round.”

In the guest stands, Xia An and Nakiri Senzaemon arrived at the venue in the same car.

Mr. Senzaemon will continue to serve as the chief judge.

But Xia An’s work will not begin until the semi-finals.

Nakiri Munee and Leonora.

It was only during the semi-finals that he took the stage as a judge.

After the contestants start cooking.

Leonora noticed that Xia An looked happy and didn't seem to be worried at all about the performance of his disciples on the field.

"Boss Xia, I heard that purple-haired female student is your eldest disciple?"

"Yes."

"Then you are very confident in her cooking skills."

"No, as a master, my sharp comment is...Miyoko-chan's cooking skills can barely compete for the second to last place among the top eight students."

"Hey, who's the last one?"

Xia An shook his head and cast his gaze towards the girl with blue big braids on the field.

Seeing this, Mrs. Leonora's face showed understanding:
"Is this the girl named Tadokoro Megumi?"

Nakiri Munee suddenly interrupted:

"Boss Xia knows more about the situation in Totsuki School than my husband and I."

Xia An smiled:
"It's also because Erina and Alice usually tell me too much about school."

Behind him sat two legendary graduates, Gin Dojima and Ichiro Saiba.

"Tadokoro-san is actually at the bottom of the top 8?" Saiba Joichiro rested his chin on his hand.

"Haha, Tansho-san has just begun to shine, from being a burden to becoming a rough diamond of this generation. Isn't it normal for her to be at the bottom?"

After the residential training, Gin Dojima understands the new students of Totsuki much better than his best friend.

"She was able to make it through the preliminaries and into the quarterfinals, which far exceeded my expectations!"

Xia An watched the two female students' cooking details with great interest.

He remembered that in the original work, in this round, Tadokoro Megumi was facing Kurokiba Ryo.

A boy named Kurokiba Ryo is Alice's little follower and a servant. He is also a good cook. Together with Hayama Ryo and Yukihira Soma, they are known as the "Big Three".

So it was only natural that Megumi Tadokoro lost.

But now, Tanomo Megumi's opponent is Hojo Midori, who also changed her destiny.

The two will compete on the theme of "Ramen".

The 2 hours cooking time went by in a flash.

"Clang!"

The closing bell rang.

Both Tadokoro Megumi and Hojo Miyoko submitted their dishes at the last minute.

Of course, the dishes are served in a certain order.

Hojo Miyoko fell behind by a step, so she chose to stop the dining car and look at Tadokoro Megumi.

"Tadokoro-san, you first."

Tanosuke Hui pursed her lips. She was always timid, but at this moment she was very determined. This was the advantageous position that she should have fought for, and there was no way she would give it up.

"Dear judges, please use it!"

She served steaming hot ramen to the five judges one by one.

At the same time, the venue's cameras gave close-ups of the ramen bowls.

The soup that filled the bowl was clear in color.

Serve with half a bowl of ingredients.

It has a beautiful and elegant charm.

However, when the judges started eating, they burst into exclamations.

Xia An noticed that the judges repeatedly mentioned the word "Aizu stew".

After all, Tadokoro Megumi's dish is called "Aizu Stewed Chicken and Shoyu Ramen".

"The soup looks light and refreshing, but it has a strong and refreshing taste that is completely contrary to its appearance?"

"Based on 'Aizu stew', seasoned with white soup and soy sauce..."

Even Kyo Nina who came to watch the fun.

Also absorbing new knowledge.

How to chew "Aizu stew".

Dojima Gin said with a smile:
"Aizu is a region in Japan, and Aizu stew is a representative local dish there."

"As for the method, it's nothing more than using dried scallops, boiling the broth, and then seasoning it with soy sauce."

Saiba Joichiro added:

"It is said that in the Aizu region, dishes using 'Aizu stew' are served on people's tables at important banquets and celebrations such as the New Year or weddings."

Of course, Megumi Tadokoro's "Aizu Stewed Chicken and Shoyu Ramen" also contains unique craftsmanship.

The side dishes used include burdock, shiitake mushrooms, green beans, etc.

They are all made into "dried vegetables" and then soaked and stewed when used to bring out their flavor.

"I see."

Xia An smiled and nodded: "After being exposed to the sun and dried, the flavor of the vegetables will be concentrated and the nutritional value will be improved."

“After a brief simmer, add the soaked dried vegetables to the ramen bowl.”

“It really makes the whole bowl of noodles burst with a refreshing and strong flavor.”

Just look at the judges' faces reflected in the broadcast camera.

Face after face, unable to control the facial muscles.

Full of happiness.

Moreover, Tanomo Megumi's "ultimate moves" are more than that.

A small bowl of ingredients for the final touch.

Pour into ramen bowl.

This bowl of "Aizu Stewed Chicken Shoyu Ramen" is the complete version.

"Chicken on a chicken skeleton, seasoned with shiso, umeboshi, and shredded white onion."

"It's so compatible with 'Aizu Stew'?"

"The delicate flavor...the vegetables are even sweeter!"

The judges' performance became even more exaggerated.

Xia An only paid attention to the chief judge in the center, Mr. Senzaemon.

He found that the old man's face was full of praise, but the iconic "ripped clothes" and "exposed chest" scenes never appeared.

But even so.

Xia An also has a very high opinion of Tansho Kei, a "gem in the rough" who is gradually showing her personal talent and local cooking skills.

Megumi Tadokoro…The future direction is undoubtedly "local cuisine".

If this simple girl grows up successfully, she may even become what the Japanese call a "local cooking expert."

"Judges, please try my dishes!"

Hojo Miyoko served the dish forcefully.

The venue, which was still in chaos, suddenly became quiet.

Teachers and students all looked up and stared at the broadcast screen.

Huh?
Countless people were at a loss.

If we say that the ramen made by Megumi Tadokoro has a clear and clean soup.

So, in this bowl of noodles prepared by Miyoko Hojo, the soup is an orange-yellow color that is very visually impactful.

Look at the color of this soup.

The first thing that comes to people’s mind is “golden soup”.

At the same time, the snow-white fish meat and snow-white ramen are faintly visible in the "golden soup".

What confused the teachers and students of Totsuki the most was that the entire bowl of noodles was filled with a dark-colored "pickled vegetable".

“This is my dish—”

"Sour fish ramen!"

Nearby, Megumi Tadokoro smelled the ramen bowls in front of the five judges, and together they expressed the sour, spicy and fresh melody that wafted out.

I swallowed hard, feeling very ashamed.

Sauerkraut?

Pickled fish?
The judges took their first bite and then...

Everyone suddenly exploded.

It's like having a small electric motor on my hand.

Tornado's hands couldn't stop eating noodles and fish fillets.

Click!

Sitting in the center seat, Nakiri Senzaemon suddenly had his clothes ripped without warning.

Pull down the samurai uniform.

His still sturdy upper body was sweating profusely because he was enjoying the spicy food and was eating it while it was hot, with obvious beads of sweat appearing everywhere.

Suddenly, the Yuetian Stadium was filled with uproar.

"The victory has been decided."

This thought occurred to many guests and spectators.

"Tsk, classic Chinese food, not Chinese cuisine."

In the stands, Kuga Teruki sighed with obvious envy written on his face.

If possible, he would also like to apprentice to a super famous chef and learn authentic Chinese cuisine.

The main dish is Japanese-Chinese cuisine.

Backhand... well, authentic Chinese food.

Kuga Teruki feels that he has learned enough and may be able to take a chance on the top three spots among the top ten this year.

"Sauerkraut, that's Chinese pickled vegetables, right?"

Kobayashi Ryodan kept wiping her saliva. It seemed that she could smell the sour taste of several bowls of pickled fish ramen from a long distance away.

"Well, it should be said that pickles are 'Japanese pickled vegetables'."

Kuga Teruki corrected without words.

"Is there any difference?"

"The difference is huge. We can point out who is the source."

"Okay, have any of you ever eaten sauerkraut? What's the difference in taste between it and our 'pickled vegetables'?"

When the top ten were talking about sauerkraut.

On the stage, Hojo Miyoko's face was filled with strength and confidence, and she calmly answered questions raised by several judges.

This includes the difference between pickled vegetables and sauerkraut.

Guest seats.

Xia An almost synchronized with his disciple Hojo Miyoko and said to Mrs. Leonora, who was like a curious baby:
"Japanese pickles include Chinese cabbage, but also eggplant, cucumber, cabbage, etc."

“It’s a general term for pickled vegetables.”

"But in China, there are two major types of sauerkraut: Northeastern sauerkraut and Southern sauerkraut."

Leonora said:
"What's the difference between Northeastern pickled cabbage and Southern pickled cabbage?"

Xia An: "Northeastern pickled cabbage is made from Chinese cabbage, but southern pickled cabbage is made from mustard greens."

mustard…

Leonora was confused.

She is from Northern Europe and speaks Sakura language haltingly. When she listens to Xia An, who speaks Sakura language just as half-baked and very casually, she feels like her cerebellum has atrophy.

Mrs. Leonora really didn't know about this vegetable.

"Takana?"

"Komatsuna?"

"Setsuna?"

Xia An was also confused by his wife's words.

"I'm sorry, I really don't understand the Japanese names for these vegetables." He looked at Kyonina.

Jing Nina looked horrified and spread her hands:
"You can speak Sakura language. I just watch anime and occasionally understand a sentence or two."

cough cough.

Saiba Joichiro's explanation came from the back row.

This "Shura", who had traveled in China for several years, was considered the most reliable and knowledgeable person present.

"The 'Komatsuna' in Japan should refer to the rapeseed in the Chinese mainland."

"If you're talking about Gaocai, then you're probably referring to the pickled mustard greens from Shenzhou?"

"Snow mustard greens... well, they are very similar to takana, but they are not the same vegetable. Mustard greens have very large leaves, and it is normal for one plant to weigh 3 or 4 kilograms."

"But the leaves of snow vegetable are small, and the stems and leaves are distinct..."

Talking and talking.

Caiba Chengyilang couldn't help but show an embarrassed look on his face:

"I can't guarantee that they are all correct, because there are so many different kinds of vegetables in Shenzhou."

Between popular science.

on the stage.

Nakiri Senzaemon, shirtless, picked up a large brush as thick as a broom and wrote the name of the winner of this round in a flamboyant manner on a scroll spread out on the ground.

"Hojo Miyoko wins!"

call.

Hojo Miyoko exhaled and said to the somewhat dazed Tanosho Kei, "Tansho-san, come with me."

So, in her own kitchen, Hojo Miyoko filled a bowl of pickled fish ramen again and handed it to Tadokoro Megumi:
"Try it."

This is almost a routine in Totsuki School.

Or food battle, or an important competition.

The contestants often taste each other's dishes.

After eating the noodles, Tansho Kei's eyes widened and she felt that all her clothes melted away in an instant in the sour, spicy and refreshing taste of the bowl of noodles.

"Woo!"

“Such a strong sour and spicy flavor, such a stimulating fish flavor!”

"I feel so soft all over!"

After a while, this round of confrontation ended.

Tanomo Kei returned to the Polar Star Dormitory team in a daze.

"Hey, Xiaohui." Yoshino Yuuki patted the little girl's shoulder, "You made it to the quarterfinals of the finals, which is amazing!"

Hearing this, Tanosuke Hui raised his head, his eyes still full of strong appetite:

"But, Hojo-san's cooking skills have really changed a lot. There has been a scary improvement!"

"That bowl of strong ramen she brought out, wow... I want to eat more!"

Everyone in Polar Star Dormitory looked at each other.

Backstage of the venue.

Nakiri Senzaemon was chatting with a group of judges.

"This generation of students is full of geniuses."

"Yes."

"This round of competition is equally exciting. Hojo-san is worthy of being Boss Xia's disciple. I am willing to pay a high price for a few more bowls of the "Sour Cabbage Fish Ramen" she presented!"

the other side.

Xia An found the female disciple.

"Miyoko-chan, very good." He was generous with his praise.

The tall and busty girl who was very strong and confident on the stage was a little shy when facing Xia An's compliments:
"No, Master, I can learn something from you."

Xia An didn't say much about the rest.

Just now in the guest seats, he carefully watched the details of Miyoko's cooking and found that this female disciple had made great progress in knife skills, seasoning, and heat control.

Kill and fillet fish.

Stir-fry sauerkraut and base ingredients.

The sour, spicy and refreshing taste is truly blended into one bowl.

But he also saw a problem.

"Miyoko-chan, from now on you should learn more pastry making skills and make up for your shortcomings." Xia An reminded.

"If the ramen you make today is handmade instead of pre-made, the explosiveness will definitely be taken to a higher level."

The young disciple was surprised and very happy: "Then, can I learn your ancient unique skill... learn the White Snake Chain?"

Xia An laughed and shook his head:

"No, your foundation is too poor. Even if you study till death with this foundation, you will never be able to even touch the surface of this ancient skill."

Hojo Midori could only regretfully give up the idea of ​​learning the ancient skills, but the girl was full of fighting spirit and determined. She promised Xia An that she would improve her pastry making skills in the coming days.

So, the master and his apprentice, along with Kyounina who was just watching the show, left the venue and prepared to take a car back to the Nakiri residence.

But in the parking lot.

They were stopped by a burly boy who suddenly slid down to his knees and performed the profound ritual of bowing to the ground.

"thump--"

Sliding knees.jpg
Subaru Mimasaka completely abandoned his dignity.

They didn't seem to mind that they were in public here. There were many students waiting in the parking lot, and a group of celebrities from outside the school had not left yet.

He knelt down with his forehead touching the ground.

This burly man expressed his sincerity through courtesy and body language.

"Chef Xia An, I want to learn cooking from you!"

This statement came out.

The atmosphere in the parking lot suddenly became hot.

The eyes of many students who were stationed here lit up.

Obviously, what Subaru Misaki did just stimulated the desires buried in their hearts.

Damn it.

Who doesn't want to learn from a master?

Hojo Miyoko, who just won the elimination round of the autumn qualifiers, successfully made it into the semi-finals.

It is a real-life example of a famous teacher teaching his students.

"This Misaku Subaru is really brave!"

Not far from the parking lot, except for Isshiki Kei and Nakiri Erina, the other eight of the top ten were all present.

Witness Mimasaka Subaru kneeling in public.

Kuga Teruki felt a toothache and couldn't help but say:
"He did what I wanted to do!"

Hearing this, the ten heroes looked sideways at the eighth seat.

The looks of the ten heroes were subtle.

You little yellow-haired boy also want to become my disciple?

"Don't look at me like that."

"I am the leader of the Chinese Cuisine Research Society after all. What's wrong with wanting to learn from a super famous chef from China?"

The sixth seat, Ji Zhiguo Ningning, a girl with pigtails who looked like a literary girl, pushed up her glasses and said venomously:

"Why don't you look in the mirror? With your yellow hair and unkempt appearance, how could Mr. Xia An like you?"

Akane Kubo Momo, who was in fourth place, joined in the venomous comments:

"You, yellow-haired... hooligan!"

Convex (fuck dish)
Grass!
Kuga Teruki's defense was broken.

"You are roosters in human form!"

"What's wrong with yellow hair? If Mr. Xia An doesn't like it, I can shave my head, just to get in!"

Xia An looked at Misaku Subaru who was kneeling on the ground in silence. He had not expected that this big guy would do such a thing.

"Sorry, I don't accept male disciples."

???

The voice fell into the ears of Kuga Teruki who was not far away.

The boy in the eighth seat suddenly felt as if he had been shot in the heart, and his face flushed with indignation at being rejected from a distance:

"Why don't you accept male disciples?"

Question loudly.

Countless pairs of eyes in the parking lot looked over at him.

Xia An looked in the direction of the sound and found the ten outstanding members who formed their own group in a corner of the parking lot.

I couldn't help but exclaim in my heart.

Except Isshiki Hui and Erina.

The ten heroes and their families are now all together here.

"Then do you still accept female disciples?"

Kobayashi Ryodan, the second-ranked senior, raised her hand and asked with a smile.

Xia An couldn't deny it, and smiled slightly:

"Not all of them are accepted. It depends on talent and more importantly..."

Xiaolin Longdan is itchy:
"What else to look at?"

Xia An smiled and shook his head, without answering, he got into the Nakiri family's special car which had already started.

The Riddler?
Kobayashi Ryōdan looked at the Nakiri family's special car driving away and bit his lip somewhat unwillingly.

She looked back.

When they discovered Akane Kubo Momo among the top ten team, Ningning Ji Nokuni lowered her head, with a look of excitement clearly written on her face.

In an instant, Xiaolin Longdan felt a chill on his back and a strong sense of competition in his heart.

If this spot comes up... she will definitely get it!
……

In the car.

"You seem to have taken a fancy to that female student?" Jing Nina raised the corners of her lips.

Xia An did not hide it and nodded generously.

He remembers.

The second-ranked senior, Kobayashi Ryodan, has almost all of her talent, or cooking points, in the direction of cooking "rare ingredients".

In other words, Kobayashi Ryodan is most likely... the type of chef who is born to pursue rare and fantasy ingredients in the food world.

It just so happened that he lacked female disciples with this skill.

Miyoko Hojo is into Chinese food.

Alice is a molecular gastronomy.

As for Erina, Xia An has no intention of restricting her in any way. If she has enough energy and is willing, her talent of [God's Tongue] will make her an all-rounder.

"Assess first, don't rush."

Xia An retracted the thought.

Doodle.

At this moment, a WeChat message popped up on my phone.
-
[Meng Yulu: Are you feeling comfortable in Yuanyue? ]
-
[Xia An: I feel quite comfortable. What's wrong? ]
-
[Meng Yulu: This trip to Japan is quite rushed. I am alone, and there is no capable chef on the official scholar group, so I may need you to come.]
-
[Xia An: Is there a round where cooking skills are required to speak? ]
-
[Meng Yulu: Many groups came, including large and small food organizations or representatives of the government, but the great collector only allowed three groups to get close to and study the suspected legendary kitchenware.]
-
【Xia An: Have I ever refused? 】
-
[Meng Yulu: No, I will use official channels to have the Shenzhou Late Night Cooking Association assign you a task commission, and the reward will be generous points.]

[With these points, you can exchange them for some rare fantasy ingredients that are not available on the market at the IGO International Gourmet Association.]
-
[Xia An: Mission commission? Large amount of points? Very OK, I am ready to be summoned by the authorities at any time! ]

Xia An put down his phone, somewhat curious about whether the legendary kitchen utensil was authentic.

That great collector made such a fuss, if it was a fake or a replica, it would definitely cause a huge mess.

The next two days.

Xia An just waited quietly for news from Meng Yulu and watched the game.

The remaining two games of the autumn qualifiers to the quarterfinals have been played.

Soma Yukihira vs Hisako Niito

In this match, the protagonist of Medicine King performed strongly, defeated the girl nicknamed "Secretary", and successfully advanced to the semi-finals.

The last one.

Hayama Ryo VS Kurokiba Ryo
This match could be described as a fight between a dragon and a tiger, with two boys who were like devils among this year's freshmen engaging in a fierce collision.

In the end, Ryo Hayama, who was suspected to have the "God's Nose", was slightly better and pinned Kurokiba Ryo outside the top four.

Kurokiba Ryo was eliminated early because his opponent was too strong and his luck was too bad.

This made Xia An, who was watching the game, feel very emotional.

Having good cooking skills is not as good as having good luck in the lottery.

If Midori's opponent was Kurokiba Ryo, the female disciple's path to advancement would definitely be interrupted.

Of course, if it was a master-servant duel between Alice and Kurokiba Ryo, Xia An would be a little unsure, as it would probably all depend on the two's on-the-spot performance.

Final Four.

A new draw will be made to determine the matchups, and a new theme will also be arranged.

Therefore, the top four contestants will have one week to prepare for the new theme.

exactly.

The day after the semi-finals were decided, there was a break in the competition.

Xia An received a message from Meng Yulu. The female chef sent him an address and urged him to come to the gathering as soon as possible.

"Hey, where's the master?"

In the morning, Alice came to greet Xia An, but found that the guest courtyard where Xia An lived was empty.

The same is true for the place where Kyonina lives next door.

The two of them seemed to evaporate and disappear.

Alice hurried back to the mansion's dining room:
"Grandpa, Master disappeared without a word?"

On the breakfast table.

Hearing the voice, Senzaemon, Nakiri Souei and Leonora looked at each other.

"After we finish this breakfast, we have to go out."

Alice: ? ?
Erina Nakiri, however, had a serious look on her face.

Her sources of information are far more numerous and reliable than Alice, who has not lived in Japan for many years:
“Recently, those foreign food groups that have landed in Neon have been very active.”

"Could it be that…"

"Master and Grandpa's trips are related to this incident?"

(End of this chapter)