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

Mr. Sun originally thought Li Zhibai was some kind of skilled chef, but when he heard that he owned a Shaxian restaurant, he immediately lost interest in him.

"Mr. Yang, let's eat first and talk while we eat."

Yang Chongwu noticed the change in President Sun's attitude and felt somewhat embarrassed. He turned his head and gave Li Zhibai an apologetic look.

Li Zhibai waved his hand, indicating that it didn't matter, since he was just a follower anyway.

This restaurant specializes in teppanyaki and molecular gastronomy. The menu is a fixed set menu, where you eat one dish at a time, and the meal ends after a dozen or so dishes.

Many high-end restaurants nowadays like to follow this route, appearing sophisticated and ceremonial. Even Su Su's restaurant has this preference, except that Su Su's restaurant has added à la carte options, so it's not as extreme.

Soon, the waiter brought out the first appetizer, which looked very exquisite.

Something that looks like an egg yolk lies in a white porcelain plate. The outer shell is made of mango puree to resemble an egg yolk, and the inside is filled with passion fruit juice. A thin layer of coconut milk mousse is spread on the bottom, as if it were a pillow for this egg yolk.

Mr. Sun picked up a spoon and gently tapped the thin eggshell with the back of the spoon. The orange-yellow sauce immediately flowed out, mixing with the white coconut milk. He then scooped a little into his mouth and slowly savored it.

"Hmm, interesting. Passion fruit and coconut milk, with a hint of spiciness that's almost imperceptible. This chili pepper must be a Mexican habanero. It's really good!"

As the second, third, and fourth dishes were served, Mr. Sun would routinely provide detailed comments on each one, explaining everything from the ingredients to the seasoning techniques. He would even throw in a few words of English to make himself seem very professional.

Yang Chongwu dutifully played the straight man, saying things like, "Mr. Sun is right," "Mr. Sun is so professional," and "Mr. Sun can even tell the difference..."

One of them, like a professional food critic, pretentiously commented on each dish, while the other kept praising it.

Surprisingly, judging from Wang Sun's expression, he seemed to be enjoying it quite a bit.

Li Zhibai couldn't help but give this guy a "tailored approach" comment.

[Customer: General Manager of a construction company]

[Personal Wealth: Gold]

[Food preferences: This person enjoys food that allows them to showcase their professional skills, food that makes them feel sophisticated, and relishes the feeling of being praised and admired at meals. However, they are also extremely picky about food. If they feel cheated, they will not hesitate to overturn the table. They are a tyrannical type of diner with extreme mood swings and are very difficult to please.]

Good grief! This guy not only likes to show off, but he also has a terrible temper!

Serving such a client is really a challenge for Yang Chongwu, who comes from a programming background.

Li Zhibai silently mourned for him in his heart, then continued to enjoy the food on his own.

It must be admitted that the head chef of this restaurant is quite something; every dish has its merits, especially the molecular gastronomy, which is definitely top-notch in Jiangcheng, with very distinctive personal style in its seasoning.

Time passed slowly, and more than a dozen dishes were served one after another, leaving only the last dessert.

Mr. Sun probably enjoyed showing off, which is why he chose to meet Yang Chongwu here. Having someone flatter him and highlight his high level of culinary expertise made him even more hungry.

"Mr. Yang, I really enjoyed this meal. The final dessert will be served soon. How about we play a little game to liven things up?"

Yang Chongwu naturally wouldn't refuse: "What does Mr. Sun want to do?"

Mr. Sun smiled confidently and said, "Let's bet on how to make this last dessert. If I can accurately describe its recipe and seasoning, Mr. Yang, you can pay for the meal. If I'm wrong, I'll pay. How about that? Fair enough?"

Yang Chongwu: "..."

Fairness my ass! Do you think I eat as much as you do?!

But he still readily agreed: "Okay, Mr. Sun, I'll take the bet."

He knew very well that he couldn't win this bet, and couldn't possibly win it.

As they were talking, the last dessert was served.

This dessert consists of several thin, crispy pieces that look like potato chips, served with a small bowl of dark brown sauce.

"Are these potato chips?" Yang Chongwu asked curiously.

"Mr. Yang, these aren't potato chips. If I'm not mistaken, these are some kind of fried fruit crisps. They need to be mixed with this special sauce on the side before eating."

Mr. Sun gave Yang Chongwu a demonstration, pouring in the sauce and stirring it with a spoon. Then he scooped a spoonful into his mouth and his eyes lit up.

"It even has a smoky smell."

"This should be a caramel sauce cold-smoked with applewood, with a subtle smoky flavor. To add complexity, a touch of sea salt was mixed in, creating a sweet and salty balance... Hmm... wait! The subtle smoky flavor has actually changed, turning into a slightly refreshing cigar flavor... Awesome!"

"This dessert was definitely the most surprising dish of all today, it was amazing!"

Li Zhibai also took a bite, and the crispy chip did indeed have a faint smoky flavor, with a caramelized aroma.

He then stirred it with a spoon, took another bite, and his expression changed.

It has actually changed its flavor.

The flavors changed dramatically before and after stirring, gradually transforming from a subtle smoky aroma to a cigar-like flavor. It seems the chef who made this dessert has reached a master level in their control of molecular gastronomy flavors.

Really great!

He learned something new today; molecular gastronomy does have its unique aspects and isn't just about fancy fancy techniques.

Li Zhibai glanced at President Sun, who was talking animatedly about how many seconds the dessert had been smoked with cigar leaves, and couldn't help but laugh. This guy was completely wrong. It wasn't smoked at all; it was a simulated flavor created by seasoning the ingredients.

Of course, the seasoning of this dessert is indeed extremely exquisite, and it's normal that most people wouldn't be able to taste it.

As expected, Yang Chongwu conceded defeat.

"Mr. Sun, you're amazing! You can even tell how it's smoked. I'm completely impressed. This meal is on me." With that, he got up to pay the bill.

Mr. Sun, looking smug, picked up his glass and took a sip. He'd thoroughly enjoyed the meal! Not only had he spent the entire evening putting on airs like a gourmet, but he'd also ended the night with a brilliant victory – perfect!

Seeing this, Li Zhibai sighed, stood up, and prepared to leave.

After experiencing it for a day, he honestly felt that following Yang Chongwu as an assistant was not as enjoyable as flipping woks in the store, and was even very tiring, a kind of mental exhaustion that he couldn't quite describe.

Take this guy in front of you, for example. Even if he's completely wrong, you still have to shamelessly praise him for being awesome. It's really annoying!

Seeing that the Shaxian restaurant owner, who hadn't said much all evening, was about to leave, Mr. Sun, remembering that the man was at least a chef, casually asked, "Mr. Li, you also tried that dessert. What did you think of it?"

Li Zhibai wasn't going to indulge him and said directly, "I think it's delicious. The chef at this restaurant is very skilled at seasoning. However, the smoky and cigar flavors aren't from smoking; they're created by seasoning the ingredients. It wouldn't be too difficult to replicate them."

After saying that, he arrogantly left Mr. Sun with a dashing departing figure.

The smile on Mr. Sun's face gradually disappeared.

He had never really taken this Shaxian restaurant owner seriously. What could someone who ran a Shaxian restaurant know about high-end molecular gastronomy? But the other man's last words were like a thorn stuck in his heart, making him very uncomfortable and annoyed.

You actually said I was wrong? Are you kidding me!

Then he called over a waiter and asked, "Excuse me, I'd like to ask if the sauce for the dessert at the end of today's set menu is smoked? Is it difficult to make?"

The waiter smiled politely and said, "Sir, I'm sorry, this dessert is our chef's secret recipe. We can't disclose the specific preparation method, but I can assure you that it is definitely not made by smoking."

Upon hearing this, Mr. Sun's face felt as if he had been slapped, instantly burning with embarrassment.

It turns out he spent all that time showing off and analyzing, but it was all wrong. He was just a complete clown!