I've been possessed by a culinary genius, and I've turned Shaxian snacks into a rip-off!

Seeing that all the teachers were seated, Su Su smiled and introduced them to both sides, especially emphasizing Li Zhibai.

"Thank you all for taking time out of your busy schedules to attend the Chestnut Flavor tasting event. In addition to having you sample our new season's dishes, I would also like to take this opportunity to introduce someone to you."

She raised an arm and stretched it out to Li Zhibai, who was sitting next to Shen Heting, trying his best to straighten his back and dressed in a presentable manner.

"This is Mr. Li Zhibai, who is also my master."

As soon as he finished speaking, everyone in the private room turned to look at the only unfamiliar face in this circle, quite surprised.

"Master?"

"Boss Su's mentor?"

"Didn't Boss Su study cooking in France? How come his chef is so young?"

"This young man looks to be in his early twenties, Boss Su, are you kidding us?"

"..."

Everyone present is an acquaintance of Su Su. Who doesn't know that Su Su is a Black Pearl One Diamond Chef? To be her mentor, he must be a highly respected senior.

The result was a young man who looked to be only in his early twenties, with delicate features, like a recent college graduate.

Li Zhibai stood up and bowed to the assembled... no, the culinary masters.

"Hello, teachers! My name is Li Zhibai. Li is the character for 'wood,' Zhi is the character for 'knowing,' and Bai is the character for 'white with a reddish tinge.' I currently run a small shop at No. 88 Jiangdong South Road."

After introducing himself, he took out his phone, opened the WeChat QR code, and walked around the table: "Since you're new here, teachers, you can add me on WeChat first. If you ever get tired of the big meals and want to try something different, feel free to contact me anytime. I guarantee you'll eat the best food you've ever had."

Everyone: "..."

This move caught them completely off guard.

No, are you here to taste the dishes, or to poach your apprentice's customers?

Grandpa Shen Heting stroked his gray beard and looked at Li Zhibai with interest: "This young man is interesting. He's not pretentious, which is good."

With Mr. Shen speaking up to smooth things over, the others couldn't refuse, so they could only awkwardly take out their phones to scan the QR code one by one.

While adding WeChat friends, Li Zhibai kept talking, typing "GG" to himself.

"Master Zhou, right? I've heard so much about you! I've heard so much about your signature dish, Squirrel Fish. You must come to my shop sometime. I'll make you a plate of my signature fried rice and you can give me some pointers. Don't worry, the price is very reasonable."

Master Zhou: "???"

No, when did my signature dish become Squirrel Fish? How come I didn't know?

Before he could even ask, Li Zhibai had already turned to the next person.

"Teacher Chen, you write food reviews, right? That's great! My restaurant is short-staffed to write reviews. Why don't you come over and try it sometime? I'll give you a discount after you write the review! Don't ask how much, I guarantee you'll be satisfied."

"Hey blogger, you have over a million followers? Wow! Come film a video at my place sometime, it'll definitely go viral! I suggest you order everything in my shop, that way the show will be more entertaining! You're asking how much it costs? It's really not much, it's just a drop in the ocean for you, a piece of cake..."

"..."

After going through all that, Li Zhibai's WeChat contact list had grown to include eight food industry bigwigs, and he also promoted his Shaxian snacks eight times.

As for why he didn't recommend the last one, it's because the last one is Lin Qingyuan, and this woman is still on his blacklist.

Seeing his master's actions, Su Su was so frustrated she could practically dig her toes out of shape.

Master, could we tone it down a bit?

This is a tasting event, how did you turn it into a street promotion?

After Li Zhibai returned to her seat, satisfied with adding the friend, she blushed and explained, "My... my master is very enthusiastic. He spends a lot of time in the shop, so he wants to greet customers whenever he sees them. It's just a professional habit."

Shen Heting found Li Zhibai's stubbornness and determination increasingly interesting.

He's over seventy years old and has seen too many young chefs who are precocious and pretentious, all of them deliberately keeping a tight face in public, as if afraid that others will think they are not professional enough.

It's rare to see a kid like this who's so unpretentious and shameless.

"Little Li, Little Su said you're her teacher. This old man is a bit curious, which style of cuisine do you specialize in? Huaiyang? Cantonese? Or Sichuan?"

Without a second thought, Li Zhibai blurted out, "Grandpa, I'll focus on the Sha County School!"

Shen Heting: "???"

Others: "???"

The old man was taken aback for a moment, then asked, "No, what faction did you say you belong to?"

"It's the Shaxian style!"

"That's Shaxian Snacks, with tens of thousands of stores all over the world, hailed as the number one fast food chain in China!"

Everyone: "..."

If everyone was just surprised that Su Su's master was so young, their feelings now can probably be summed up in one sentence: I don't quite understand, but I'm deeply shocked.

Did the head chef of the Black Pearl Restaurant become an apprentice of a Shaxian restaurant owner?

Boss Su, what exactly did you go through to become such an unorthodox apprentice?

They were just wondering which prestigious family this young man came from, but it turns out he's just a nobody from Sha County.

Seeing the strange expressions on everyone's faces as they looked her and her master up and down, Su Su didn't know how to explain, so she quickly changed the subject.

"Dear teachers, let's begin."

"Thank you all again for taking time out of your busy schedules to attend our new dish tasting event. Today, we have prepared a seven-course tasting set menu for you, from appetizers to desserts, all of which have been carefully prepared by me and the kitchen team. Please give us your valuable feedback after tasting them."

After she finished speaking, she gestured to the waiter.

Soon, the first appetizer, "The Prologue of the Sea," was served.

Thinly sliced ​​scallop sashimi is laid on crushed ice, garnished with a few edible flower petals and caviar, and served with a small dish of yuzu vinegar sauce.

The plating is exquisite, and the color scheme is refreshing.

After observing the shape, everyone picked up their chopsticks and began to taste it.

Li Zhibai also picked up a scallop, dipped it lightly in the sauce, and put it in his mouth.

The scallops were very fresh, and the acidity of the yuzu vinegar and the refreshing aroma of the citrus were perfectly balanced, a clear improvement over the version he tasted last time he came to give guidance.

not bad.

He turned his head and glanced at Shen Heting beside him.

After carefully tasting the food, the old man put down his chopsticks, nodded slightly, and made no comment.

The next few dishes were served one after another.

【Spring Mud】This appetizer, made with broad bean paste and rye bread, has also been well-received by most people.

When they arrived at one of the main courses, "Between Mountains and Seas," Shen Heting's eyebrows twitched slightly upon seeing that it was foie gras mousse with caramelized figs.

He picked up his knife and fork, cut off a small piece, put it in his mouth, chewed for a moment, and gently shook his head.

Su Su's heart jumped when she saw Shen Heting's expression, but she didn't dare to ask directly.

Seeing this, Li Zhibai immediately asked in a low voice, "Grandpa, is there something wrong with this dish?"

Shen Heting picked up a napkin to wipe his mouth and gave his evaluation: "This dish is very skillful, and the seasoning is also very ingenious, combining the freshness of seafood and the aroma of mountain delicacies very well."

"but!"

He then changed the subject and continued, "The catering industry seems to be caught in a strange cycle. It's as if you can't call it high-end cuisine without adding some high-end ingredients like foie gras and caviar."

Then he pointed to the foie gras mousse on the plate: "Foie gras is rich and greasy. It is an ingredient that is naturally very intense on the tongue. Although the chef who made this dish tried very hard to neutralize it with caramelized figs and balsamic vinegar, its presence is too strong and a little too prominent. It disrupts the overall harmony. As the saying goes, the balance of yin and yang is the way of things. Too much of anything is as bad as too little."