Food Wars, my food not only glows!

　"Although it looks quite creative, the flaws are also obvious. The roses are treated quite cleanly, but they have lost their original vibrant color under high temperatures."

　Furthermore, the amount of rose petals used was excessive, resulting in an overly strong aroma that masked the natural saltiness and meatiness of the roast meat, leading to an unbalanced flavor.

　Bai Yuan leaned in to smell it, savoring its flavor, and then pointed out the dish's shortcomings in front of everyone.

　The innovative idea was certainly good, but the chef in charge of this dish was clearly not skilled enough to perfect it to the ideal state, resulting in a dish that was neither good nor bad.

　"The aroma of the petals is too strong, which may cause the floral fragrance to overpower the original flavor of the roast meat."

　Upon tasting, the first thing you notice is a strong rose aroma, which masks the salty and meaty flavors of the roast meat.

　It retains the flavor of traditional roasted meats.

　Erina Nakiri picked up a piece of char siu and put it in her mouth. The aroma of roses instantly exploded in her mouth, bringing an unprecedented and novel experience.

　However, as far as char siu is concerned, the aroma of roses is too strong, masking the original deliciousness of the char siu and making the dish no longer resemble char siu.

　"The taste is okay, but it definitely doesn't qualify as char siu, and it doesn't deserve the name char siu."

　Bai Yuan said in a cold tone.

　To be fair, this dish may have reached the standard of a first-class dish in terms of taste, but it has deviated from the essence of char siu.

　This explains why the shop, despite losing some old customers, can still attract new ones. Perhaps changing their sign from "Hong Kong Style Roast Meat" to "Rose Roast Pork" would be more appropriate.

　"Waiter, could you please bring me a piece of paper and a pen?"

　Bai Yuan waved to the waiter, then picked up another piece of roast duck and put it in his mouth.

　The next moment, he shook his head. He tasted a slightly burnt, bitter flavor in the roast duck, most likely from the rose petals charring during the roasting process.

　Not only was the recipe improvement less than ideal, but the chefs preparing the dishes weren't very dedicated either. No wonder its reputation among regular customers is getting worse and worse.

　"Here's some paper and a pen, guest."

　A few minutes later, the waiter came up with paper and pen and handed them to him very respectfully with both hands.

　"Okay, thank you."

　Bai Yuan nodded slightly in thanks and took the paper and pen from the waiter.

　The excellent service is the only standout feature of this restaurant. The proportion of young customers here is much higher than in other places, which is probably part of the reason.

　"That's fine..."

　Looking at the blank paper in front of him, and then at the remaining roast meat, Bai Yuan wrote two sentences clearly on the paper before stopping.

　If the restaurant owner is willing to listen to his suggestions and improve the dishes, these two sentences are enough to take the restaurant's business to the next level.

　If they are unwilling, then no matter how many suggestions he writes, it will be of no use.

　Just stop there.

　They tucked the note under the plate; the roast meat in front of them was finished. Luckily, they hadn't ordered much; this meal was just enough to fill their stomachs.

　After paying, the four of them left the shop...

　Chapter 232 Prediction Question: Crab Season

　When the waiter came to clear the plate, he was surprised to find a note under the plate.

　She hesitated for a moment, unsure of what to do, then carefully picked up the note, quickly walked to the kitchen, and handed it to the busy owner—the restaurant's head chef.

　"Boss, a customer left a note after finishing their meal."

　At the kitchen door, a waiter hurriedly pushed open the door, holding up a note in his hand.

　"A note? Read it to me." The boss looked up, turned to look at the waiter, and frowned slightly.

　He was tall, about 1.85 meters, with well-defined muscles on his arms, and was currently busy processing the ingredients in his hands.

　"A note? A restaurant review? It's not going to be another one criticizing our food for not being right, is it?"

　"That's possible. I've received two such cases this month already, both from the same old customers. I didn't expect to still have regular customers..."

　The conversation between the two caught the attention of the other chefs in the kitchen. They didn't stop what they were doing, but glanced at the note in the waiter's hand out of the corner of their eyes, waiting curiously.

　"Your roast meat has an overpowering rose fragrance, the petals turn black after roasting, and it has a bitter aftertaste. This is not what good roast meat should be like."

　I suggest you preserve the rose petals in sugar to make rose syrup, which can be used instead of sugar in roasted meats, or mix it with the marinade to allow the aroma to permeate evenly.

　Add rose petals during the final stage of baking to prevent them from burning at high temperatures, which would make the dish bitter or cause it to lose its aroma and unique flavor.

　The waiter read the contents of the note aloud, and the previously noisy scene instantly fell silent. Everyone looked at the restaurant owner with strange eyes, waiting for his answer.

　This rose-flavored roast meat is the owner's masterpiece. Regardless of whether the customers are satisfied or not, he is at least quite satisfied with it. Now, to receive such a comment and even receive a note asking him to improve, is undoubtedly a provocation!

　"These are indeed very constructive suggestions, and they are nine-tenths similar to what I thought of last week but haven't had time to put into practice yet."

　This is a rare opportunity, give it a try now!

　The boss smiled, ignoring the provocation hidden in the note, and took out sugar from under the counter, preparing to improve upon Bai Yuan's method.

　He was indeed somewhat concerned about saving face, and originally wanted to give them a piece of his mind after hearing their suggestions. However, after hearing their proposed improvement, he changed his mind and simply insisted that he had also thought of this solution before.

　Nowadays, the restaurant's business is getting worse and worse. Although it did a wave of online promotion and attracted a lot of traffic, it also attracted a lot of abuse.

　Everyone's saying that the roast meats in his restaurant don't taste right. Even if they barely reach the level of first-class cuisine, they're still substandard roast meats.

　With this in mind, the boss's eyes hardened. He took a deep breath and began to try out the new recipe step by step, following the advice on the note.

　Perhaps this note is the turning point he has been longing for.

　·

　·

　After leaving the roast meat shop, Bai Yuan went to eat seven-star fish balls and satay noodles under the guidance of Chuan Linghua.

　The shop is located at the end of a secluded alley, if not for

　With Kawanobi leading the way, Bai Yuan and the others could never find it.

　Surprisingly, despite being located in a secluded alley, the shop was quite popular with customers.

　The owner is an elderly man in his seventies who is always busy in the kitchen, where the aroma is constantly filling the air. Customers have to queue up to get their food, and each person is limited to one serving.

　I queued for about half an hour.

　Bai Yuan finally got to eat satay noodles and seven-star fish balls, and was surprised to find that the seemingly ordinary dishes actually reached the level of a special grade four star.

　After they had eaten and drunk their fill, they were about to leave when Kawanishika finally explained.

　Thirty years ago, the other party was a skilled chef in charge of provincial banquets, specializing in the dish Seven Star Fish Balls. Even though his skills have declined somewhat in his old age, his Seven Star Fish Balls are still among the top in Fuzhou.

　Such skilled chefs are recorded in the state's culinary annals, updated annually, and their knowledge is passed down only among the top chefs of large families.

　This is also to facilitate the travel of master chefs, allowing them to enjoy the highest level of cuisine wherever they go.

　"You guys go back first, I'm going to check out the seafood market next."

　As they emerged from the Three Lanes and Seven Alleys, the number of people around them dwindled. Bai Yuan suddenly stopped, and after a moment's hesitation, he spoke, facing the questioning gazes of Erina Nakiri and the others.

　"In that case, why don't we go together?"

　I heard there's a youth chef competition being held in Fujian these days. Since I have some free time, I'm thinking of participating. As a coastal city, seafood will definitely be a major focus.

　Upon hearing Bai Yuan's words, Chuan Linghua hurriedly spoke up, her eyes shining with excitement. She had originally planned to take action tomorrow, but since the other party also wanted to go to the seafood market, she could go there on the way.

　It's a good opportunity to see how a top-tier seven-star chef selects ingredients. Is her method different from hers? It's worth learning from.

　"That works too, what about you?"

　"Then let's go together."

　Upon hearing Bai Yuan's words, Nakiri Erina and Nakiri Alice exchanged glances and then spoke in unison. They were worried about Bai Yuan and Kawahira being alone together, lest they spark a romance again.

　Although they don't mind Bai Yuan's womanizing ways, and even think it's a good thing to have more sisters to help them share the burden, the number shouldn't be too much!

　If he falls in love with every girl he meets, even if Bai Yuan's love for them remains unchanged, he will be powerless to help them, which is something they absolutely cannot allow!

　Thinking of this, seeing Bai Yuan walking ahead, Nakiri Erina and Nakiri Alice quickly followed, and soon they arrived at the seafood market.

　As a coastal city, Fuzhou boasts an exceptionally abundant seafood production, which has led to the creation of many famous seafood dishes. Seven-star fish balls, dragon-bodied phoenix-tail shrimp, chicken soup with sea clams, and eight-treasure red crab rice are just a few of the most renowned.

　It's worth mentioning that although it's evening now, the market is still bustling, with residents walking back and forth, selecting their favorite seafood.

　"The fishermen in Fuzhou are very particular; they make sure the seafood is fresh even before the market closes. After all, the diners here are very discerning."

　Bai Yuan stopped in front of a stall, his gaze sweeping over the seafood in the tank, and his fingers gently stroking his chin.

　"Indeed, this yellow croaker has a very good color and elasticity, and it is suitable for steaming or pan-frying. No matter how it is cooked, it will taste good."

　Erina Nakiri bent down to examine a very lively yellow croaker in the pool. She pinched and squeezed the fish with her fingers, feeling its surging vitality, and a look of satisfaction flashed in her eyes.

　"And these swimming crabs, each one is full of roe and meat, they are at their fattest and most delicious in the season, I feel like I could make a pot of spicy crab!"

　Alice Nakiri was drawn to the blue crab beside her. She reached out and gently poked the shell, then weighed it in her hand, before saying with a hint of craving.

　"Speaking of crabs, I do know a dish that's perfect for making with crabs."

　Standing behind Alice Nakiri, Bai Yuan's mind drifted to the image of the top-grade crab dish, Golden Crab Casserole, prepared by Rein on the Loulin Ship.

　"Speaking of which, the theme of the Fujian Youth Chef Competition seems to be related to crabs. It is said that the quality of crabs this autumn is the best in ten years."

　Chuanlinghua joined them at some point, her face revealing a hint of mystery, and then started chatting with them about the theme of the Fujian Youth Chef Competition.

　"Crabs as the theme? Indeed, I also feel that the crabs this year are fatter than in previous years, not only in Fuzhou, but also in Japan."

　Holding the swimming crab in front of him, Bai Yuan's voice was tinged with emotion.

　Not only in Fuzhou, but also in Tadokoro Megumi's hometown, the crabs are plump, especially the Hanasaki crab, a specialty of Hokkaido. Her hometown also produces some of it because it borders a small area.

　Hanasaki crab has firm, sweet, and rich meat. Although it is small in size, it has a lot of meat in its legs and a unique flavor, making it very popular.

　"After all, they both used the same sea area, so the harvest is naturally the same."

　Kawanobi said matter-of-factly that Japan and Fujian are only separated by a sea. Although the distance is quite far, it does not affect the bumper harvest of sea crabs.

　Crabs need suitable water temperature and abundant food sources to grow. Autumn is the peak season for marine life activities, and food such as small fish, shrimp, shellfish, and algae is very abundant.

　Crabs feed heavily in autumn, accumulating fat and protein to store energy for winter, which is why they become incredibly plump and delicious.

　However, it's quite rare to see crabs this year that are all of similar quality to the top-quality crabs of previous years, which is a good thing.

　Nodding, Bai Yuan gently stroked the crab's abdomen with his fingers, feeling the abundant crab roe inside, and couldn't help but look up at the boss.

　I was originally just planning to take a look, but the crabs here are so good, and given the theme of the Fujian Youth Chef Competition, it would be a real shame not to buy some to take home.

　"The customer explained the growth process of the crab so thoroughly, he must be a very skilled chef. In that case, I'll sell it to you at a 20% discount."

　The shop owner, noticing the attention, started business. Remembering what he had just heard, a hearty smile appeared on his face, and he gave Bai Yuan and his group a 20% discount.

　“Then we won’t haggle. We’ll take them all. Please deliver them to room 303 of the ‘Golden Three Circles’ Hotel for us.”

　Seeing how generous the boss was, and remembering that Mito Ikumi and the others were still at the hotel, Bai Yuan decided not to be stingy and took them all back with him.

　Of course, they couldn't take all these crabs with them, so after paying the deposit, they asked the owner to deliver them to the Jin San Yuan Hotel and then left.

　After that, the four of them bought some seafood, then went to the vegetable market to buy some leftover vegetables before returning to the Jin Sanyuan Hotel.

　Since Kawahira told him that the theme was likely to be crabs, Hakubuchi would definitely have to give Nakiri Erina and the others some special training.

　Otherwise, if his apprentice is eliminated in the first round, wouldn't he become a laughing stock?

　This kind of thing must never be allowed to happen!

　·

　·

　Nine p.m.

　After eating and drinking their fill, the girls returned to the hotel one after another, while Bai Yuan rested in his room.

　"Teacher Bai Yuan, were you calling us?"

　Tadokoro Megumi hurriedly pushed open the door to the room, slightly out of breath.

　Yoshino Yuuki and Sakaki Ryoko followed behind her. The three of them jogged to his room, speculating along the way about why Hakugen had sent them.

　"You've arrived! We were just waiting for you."

　Alice Nakiri stood with her hands behind her back, smiling at the three people in front of her. At this moment, the girls each occupied a spot in the room, some chatting, some resting with their eyes closed, and some teasing the crabs.

　"Well, that tells you why I called you here."

　See those cages over there? These are swimming crabs I just bought from the seafood market. This year's crabs are growing very well, the best they've been in ten years. The selection competition theme will most likely be crabs.