Food Wars, My Dishes Don't Just Shine

Upon hearing Bai Yuan's voice, Yukihira Joichiro gasped, clearly not expecting him to say such a thing.

Without hesitation, he took out the potstickers he had prepared in advance and placed them in front of Bai Yuan.

"Then I would be disrespectful."

Bai Yuan nodded and did not refuse.

Even if the other party doesn't ask, he will still ask for a serving to try. This is something he must do every time he participates in a food battle, using cooking to absorb the opponent's strengths.

"Give."

After receiving the dish from Yukihira Joichiro, Shiro picked up his chopsticks, took a potsticker, and instead of tasting it, examined it in front of him.

The potstickers were pinched together in the middle and left open on both sides, allowing him to clearly see the filling inside, which was sizzling with oil and emitting a tempting aroma!

Open your mouth and take a bite.

The flavors of fresh shrimp and beef explode in your mouth.

The rich flavor of beef and the delicate sweetness of shrimp intertwine, making every bite an ultimate tantalizing experience for the taste buds.

The addition of shiitake mushrooms and bamboo shoots not only enhances the fresh aroma of the potstickers but also cleverly balances the greasiness of the meat, making the overall taste more refreshing and pleasant.

The innovation of this dish lies in the use of clear chicken broth and cornstarch water.

The bottom of the potstickers has a unique texture, with a golden and crispy bottom and a rich, juicy filling.

This crispy crust, quickly solidified from clear chicken broth, combines the crispiness of traditional potstickers with the rich flavor of chicken broth, adding extra flavor to the dish.

The cheese powder lightly sprinkled on the surface of the potstickers adds a subtle milky aroma, complementing the freshness of the beef and shrimp.

Although it's a fast-paced dish, these potstickers are of a very high standard, at least at the premium four-star level.

The only downside is that the chicken soup isn't rich enough because only chicken breast was used, so the flavor wasn't fully developed!

"I'm gonna start now."

the other side.

With his hands clasped together and looking at the dish in front of him, Soma Yukihira sincerely called out a name, then picked up a piece of beef, put it in his mouth, closed his eyes, and savored it carefully.

On the other side, Joichiro Yukihira also put the food into his mouth, but unlike Soma Yukihira who ate the orange and black pepper beef cubes first, he tasted the shrimp.

Only by experiencing the original flavor of the Jade Hairpin Shrimp Balls can one know how its enhanced flavor is. He was very curious because he had heard many guests praise it!

Judging from the appearance of the Jade Hairpin Shrimp Balls, they shouldn't be too difficult to make. I'll see if I can replicate this dish and use it in the restaurant's signboard.

"The shrimp's freshness is locked inside every part of the shrimp, while the three shredded ingredients provide a crisp texture, giving the shrimp balls a rich taste experience!"

Savoring the continuous flavor in his mouth, Yukihira Joichiro commented, and then tried a piece of orange and black pepper beef cubes.

The sweet and sour orange, the spiciness of the black pepper, and the tenderness of the beef—each flavor is handled perfectly, which requires an extremely strong ability to control the heat!

Yukihira Joichiro picked up another shrimp ball, savoring the lingering flavor in his mouth, then took a bite of the spicy chicken cutlet, followed by the snow-white glutinous rice balls.

Before long, all the food was finished.

As the food was swallowed, a gentle warmth emanated from within the body.

He blinked and was surprised to find himself in a dream world woven by the cooking, an expression of disbelief appearing on his face.

"A skilled chef can express their inner thoughts through their cooking, but those involved in the process are mostly restricted in their freedom of movement. But now..."

With a wave of his hand and a wiggle of his foot, Yukihira Joichiro began to run wildly in the illusion.

Everything before his eyes felt so real, as if he had truly returned to his childhood. He lowered his head, and even his body resembled that of a child.

Without hesitation, he took off his shoes and frolicked in the fields, playing with shrimp in the river. When he got tired, he ran up the mountain, enjoying the cool autumn breeze, watching the cows grazing leisurely, and the golden wheat fields with a few chickens walking on the path.

With such a sight, it's no wonder that people would order dish after dish from Baiyuan's stall, unwilling to leave even when they were full.

For adults under immense pressure, life offers little respite, and a place to rest is something they will inevitably yearn for.

"what!"

Suddenly, as if he had thought of something, Yukihira Joichiro shouted at the sky. Then the illusion collapsed, and his consciousness returned to reality.

"Is this what makes the 'Radiant Cuisine' so special? Breaking conventions and creating a world that shouldn't exist—it's truly fantastical..."

It felt like a long time had passed, or like a fleeting moment. Looking at Yukihira Soma, who was also surprised, Yukihira Joichiro couldn't help but sigh.

"How on earth did they do that? With such a rough cooking method, how can they produce such delicately flavored dishes?!"

Soma Yukihira looked at Bai Yuan, his eyes filled with confusion.

He couldn't understand why Bai Yuan's casual cooking could have such an effect; his dish was dazzling and had clearly reached the seven-star level!

If it weren't for Shiroichiro explaining the chef rankings and requirements for reaching those ranks to him yesterday, he wouldn't even have realized how strong Bai Yuan was.

This is due to the difference in experience gained from living in ordinary restaurants for a long time!

"Skilled techniques and a serious attitude."

When asked by Yukihira Soma, Hakugen gave a simple ten-word answer.

"Skilled? Diligent? I've been helping out at the restaurant every day after school for twelve years now. Isn't that skilled and diligent enough...?"

Soma Yukihira frowned, thinking that Hakugen was unwilling to tell him, so he gave a casual answer.

"Not enough! You're barely there! How dare you claim to be skilled in cooking! You haven't even mastered the basics, so don't even think about cooking!"

Bai Yuan glanced at Yukihira Soma and couldn't help but chuckle. He then placed the carrots from the basket on the cutting board and cut them in half.

"Take knife skills as an example, you have to reach at least this level to be considered proficient."

Reach out and lightly tap the carrot; the next moment, a carrot slice less than one-tenth of a millimeter in size flies up and floats into the air.

If Soma Yukihira hadn't focused his attention on the carrot after hearing what Shiroyuki said, he probably wouldn't have noticed the thin slice.

Because it's so thin!

So thin that moonlight could pass through it without obstruction, and no shadow could be seen on the ground. With a gentle breeze, it would drift away into the distance.

What's even more terrifying is its condition: a perfectly intact piece without the slightest damage, even though it's sliced ​​thinner than a cicada's wing!

"How is this possible? How can carrots be sliced ​​so thinly? And without a single tear..."

Soma Yukihira stood there with his mouth agape, cold sweat beading on his forehead. He could slice carrots into thin slices about 1 millimeter thick, but it became increasingly difficult as he went down.

One-tenth of a millimeter.

This is no longer a realm that humans can access.

Is this merely proficiency?

Looking at Bai Yuan, whose expression remained unchanged, Yukihira Soma couldn't tell for a moment whether the other party was making fun of him or really thought so.

If it's the latter, wouldn't that be terrifying?!

"Let me try."

Seeing Yukihira Soma's hesitation, Yukihira Joichiro's voice rang out. He then took the kitchen knife from Shirobuchi's hand and looked at the carrots on the table.

With his fingers resting on the carrot, Joichiro Yukihira closed his eyes to get a feel for it. Then, everyone heard a series of "tap tap tap" sounds as the carrot was transformed into evenly sized thin slices at an astonishing speed.

Compared to Bai Yuan's, although this slice is also very thin, it clearly obstructs the passage of moonlight by about half a millimeter.

"Turns out I haven't reached proficiency after all. I used to pride myself on being a pioneer in the wilderness, but now it seems I can only look back at those who came before me..."

Looking at the thin slices on the cutting board, Joichiro Yukihira gave a wry smile.

Before meeting Bai Yuan, he always thought his knife skills were very strong, and that was indeed the case; he rarely saw anyone who could rival him.

but...

Seeing Bai Yuan's swordsmanship just now.

He realized he had been somewhat narrow-minded.

It turns out that there are even stronger geniuses ahead, opening up even deeper wilderness for them.

However, with such knife skills, it's no wonder that Bai Yuan could use such techniques to toss ingredients into the air and handle them properly with just a silver chopstick and a knife.

"I lost this match."

Looking at the booklet handed to him by Bai Yuan, Yukihira Joichiro took out a black pen from his pocket and, referring to the examples of those who had done it before, wrote his own name on it.

Page twelve contains his defeats.

He finally became a top-tier five-star chef, but instead of shining brightly, he was used as a stepping stone for others.

It's truly heartbreaking.

However, the object of his affections was Bai Yuan.

He felt no resentment whatsoever, especially after witnessing that incredible skill; he felt at peace.

When the gap between two people reaches a certain level, it's really hard to muster any desire to catch up, especially when you're in his position.

Genius is merely the threshold to seeing him.

but.

Unlike Joichiro Yukihira, Soma Yukihira's eyes did not show any discouragement; instead, they burned with a raging fire and a surging fighting spirit.

"You've already competed with my dad, how about a cooking showdown with me?"

The boy said this, looking intently at Bai Yuan.

"We'll talk about it when you can beat her, but we're leaving tomorrow."

The boy's passion was undeniable, and a smile suddenly appeared on Bai Yuan's face.

This is the real protagonist! A newborn calf is not afraid of a tiger. No matter how strong the opponent is, he can confidently swing his kitchen knife at them.

"Defeat her? There's still time, and there's still some food left."

Let's continue the competition! Using the remaining ingredients, create entirely new dishes and see who comes out on top!

Upon hearing Bai Yuan's words, Yukihira Soma looked at Kikuchi Sonoka and spoke.

"Are you challenging me? Sure, but you can't cry if you lose."

Turning her head to look at Bai Yuan, and seeing him nod slightly, Mujichi Sonoka smiled and looked at the little brother in front of her, speaking in a tone that coaxed a child.

"I can't lose!"

Seeing through Kikuchi Sonoka's disdain, Yukihira Soma's words were firm and resolute.