Era: You're asked to cook a home-style dish, but you cook Wellington.

After resolving the Su family's issue, Su Family Island resumed operations.

For Gao Yang, he not only took over the new project but also received a substantial grant, but the most important thing was still the connection with Mr. Cai.

After several days of investigation, Mr. Cai had a pretty good idea of ​​who was behind it all. However, because of the sensitive nature of the situation, he did not tell Gao Yang the details. He left everything to Gao Yang and even invited him to visit the capital sometime.

Lin Zheng also returned to Beijing with Cai Lao. From the outside, everything seemed fine, as if it were the best possible outcome.

However, only a very few people know that real change has already begun.

However, these are things that Su Wanqing has to worry about, and have nothing to do with Gao Yang.

Gao Yang is busy making menus on the island, waiting for the second trial opening tomorrow.

"Old Zhou, this set of knives is for you."

Gao Yang went to the kitchen and placed the top-of-the-line knife set he had won on the table.

"Old Zhou, you've worked hard these past few days. Here, take this set of knives."

Old Zhou was squatting on the ground wiping the stove when he heard the sound. He looked up, paused, and looked confused.

Upon catching sight of the set of gleaming knives on the table, his eyes lit up instantly, and he quickly stood up.

He rubbed his hands on his chef's uniform a few times, waved his hand, and spoke in a hurried tone.

"Chef Gao, this won't do! This is something you won, how can I accept it?"

He remembered that this was the prize Gao Yang won in a bet with Zhou Feihu. It was handmade by a master craftsman, with a sharp blade and an excellent feel. Everyone in the kitchen saw it at the time, and he himself had been envious for a long time, but he never dared to hope for it.

This opportunity is now right in front of you.

Old Zhou's breathing became rapid, like an old general who had fought his whole life looking at a divine weapon.

He glanced at Gao Yang, then picked up the main sword, weighed it in his hand, and his admiration grew stronger.

In the end, however, he sighed and slowly put down the knife in his hand.

"Chef Gao, this set of knives is yours, I can't take it."

Gao Yang had anticipated this situation.

He smiled and pushed the knife towards him, his tone casual yet sincere.

"Why can't I take it? I can't use it all by myself. You're busy in the kitchen every day, and you need a good set of tools to chop vegetables and bones. This set will come in handy for you."

He knew that there had been constant turmoil during this period, and the kitchen was entirely supported by Lao Zhou. From inventorying ingredients to preparing dishes, and even keeping the apprentices calm, Lao Zhou had put in a lot of effort.

During the days when Su Zhenhai was causing trouble, Lao Zhou even took the initiative to stay in the kitchen and never left for a moment, for fear that someone would take the opportunity to tamper with things. Gao Yang remembered this loyalty and hard work.

Old Zhou looked at the set of knives, then at Gao Yang, his eyes welling up slightly. He rubbed his hands together, his voice choked with emotion.

The price of this set of knives is equivalent to four or five years of his salary. Countless people are eager to get their hands on it, just to catch a glimpse of it.

But now, this set of top-quality kitchen knives is right in front of me, at my disposal.

"Chef Gao, I just did what I was supposed to do. It's not worth you spending so much money."

"worth."

Gao Yang patted him on the shoulder, glanced at the busy apprentices in the kitchen, and then turned his gaze back to Old Zhou.

"Everyone, not just you, has worked hard during this time. Once the trial operation goes smoothly, I will give everyone in the kitchen a raise and host a few more tables to reward everyone."

Upon hearing this, the apprentices who were preparing vegetables nearby perked up instantly, looking up and smiling in agreement.

"Thank you, Chef Gao!"

"We'll definitely do our best!"

The somewhat somber atmosphere in the kitchen instantly became lively, as if the tension and fatigue of the past few days had been washed away by this promise and heartfelt sentiment.

Old Zhou carefully picked up the knife, gently stroking the smooth handle with his fingertips, his face full of tenderness.

"Chef Gao, don't worry, I will definitely use this set of knives to make every dish perfect, and I will never let you down!"

Gao Yang nodded.

"Alright, tomorrow is the second trial opening. I'll go and work on my menu again."

He walked to the side and took out three eggs.

The menu is almost finalized, but the final dessert still needs to be wrapped up.

"Dessert."

Gao Yang had a headache; this was the area he was least skilled at.

It's not that it tasted bad.

His desserts are always substantial, lacking the sophistication needed for high-end settings.

For this second trial opening of the island, all the guests were prominent figures in Yuncheng, so there had to be a dazzling finale dessert.

After much thought, a soufflé is the most suitable.

Soufflés were extremely rare in the 90s.

The ultimate goal is to achieve a fluffy and soft texture, requiring extremely precise control of heat, technique, and time. Even a slight deviation will cause it to collapse. Eating it is like eating a cloud, showcasing both skill and novelty.

Gao Yang first took a clean porcelain bowl and precisely separated the egg, leaving only the clear egg white without a trace of yolk.

He added two drops of white vinegar to remove the fishy smell, then added a pinch of fine sugar and whisked it at a steady speed.

His wrist strength was astonishingly steady, and his rotation speed remained uniform. The "tap tap tap" sound echoed in the bowl, forming a continuous rhythm.

The egg whites tumbled and rolled, and in no time, the originally clear egg whites transformed into a dense, snow-white meringue.

When you lift the whisk, it should form firm, upright peaks – that's just the right consistency.

He then added some milk to the egg yolks, poured in some melted butter, sifted in a small amount of cake flour, and gently folded it in with a spatula.

His movements were gentle, and he dared not rub too hard throughout the process, for fear that the gluten would affect the taste.

Continue mixing until a smooth and delicate egg yolk batter is formed. Then, add the meringue in three batches, using a cutting and folding motion to combine them gently and efficiently.

The embryos have now turned pale yellow and are quietly set aside.

Old Zhou and his apprentices stopped what they were doing and curiously gathered around to watch.

No one had ever seen a dessert made this way before, and their eyes were fixed on Gao Yang's movements.

"Do you think this tastes good?"

"I don't know, I've never seen it before, but if Chef Gao makes it, it shouldn't be bad."

Gao Yang ignored what these people were saying, arranged the baking dish, spread butter on it, and sprinkled some fine sugar on it.

He slowly poured the batter into the baking dish, stopping when it was about eight-tenths full. He then gently shook the baking dish to release any air bubbles before turning around and placing it into the preheated oven.

He stared intently at the oven, precisely controlling the time.

As the temperature rose, a rich, sweet aroma of eggs and milk gradually wafted from the kitchen, tantalizing people's noses.

A full fifteen minutes, not a second more or less.

Gao Yang opened the oven on time, and saw the batter in the bowl rise high, forming a round and full arc, with a light golden surface, and the aroma instantly swept through the entire kitchen.

He quickly took out the baking dish, sifted a thin layer of powdered sugar on it while it was still hot, and casually added a fresh strawberry. The golden and fluffy soufflé paired with the bright red strawberry instantly made it look incredibly appealing and tempting.

"Wow, it smells so good."

"This looks so sweet."

Gao Yang kept one bowl for himself and gave the rest to the others.

Old Zhou scooped up a spoonful and put it in his mouth.

Old Zhou gently put the crispy outer shell and the soft, tender inside into his mouth.

Instantly, the noise in the entire kitchen seemed to be silenced.

The tip of the tongue first touches a thin layer of crisp, sweet powdered sugar, and then with a "poof," the soufflé on the tip of the tongue melts away like a melting cloud.

The warm touch, along with the rich aroma of egg and milk, fills the mouth, without any cloying sweetness, only an ultimate softness and lightness.

He instinctively closed his eyes and chewed slowly.

That sweetness wasn't the cheap taste of industrial syrup, but rather the rich aroma of pure milk and butter, with the delicate fragrance of eggs. It melted in your mouth, as if you were swallowing a mouthful of gentle moonlight.

The warmth slid from the tip of my tongue all the way down to my stomach, soothing me and making me feel completely comfortable.

"Chef Gao, this is so delicious!"

Old Zhou suddenly opened his eyes, his face filled with disbelief, and he almost dropped the spoon in his hand.

He quickly scooped out another spoonful and put it in his mouth, as if missing even a single bite would be a desecration of this divine delicacy.

The apprentices around couldn't contain themselves any longer. They all brought their small bowls and crowded around, taking bites one after another, and instantly exclaiming in amazement.

"My goodness! Is this a soufflé? It melts in your mouth!"

"This is a hundred times better than the cream cake I had last time! How can it be so soft!"

"Chef Gao, your skills are amazing! The pastries I used to make were simply awful!"

The kitchen was instantly filled with a sweet aroma, and the tension that had been building up due to the trial operation completely dissipated with that sweet taste.

Everyone chimed in with their own opinions, expressing their admiration for Gao Yang and their amazement at the dessert.

Gao Yang sat to the side, scooped up a spoonful and slowly put it into his mouth.

The warm soufflé melted on his tongue, and he squinted his eyes slightly.

"It really won't work!"