Food Wars, my food not only glows!

　Once the pineapple scales are applied, from the outside, apart from the different color, the fruit squirrel fish in front of you is almost indistinguishable from a real squirrel fish.

　At that moment, Bai Yuan lifted the prepared sauce from the pot and poured it evenly over the fruit squirrel fish. The instant the two came into contact, the heated sauce released an incredibly enticing aroma!

　Apart from fruit and honey, the dish uses no other seasonings, yet it presents a complex and profound flavor.

　At the very moment the sauce was poured, a faint golden light rose from it and then spread in all directions, causing the other contestants to stop what they were doing.

　Even though the food in front of them was ruined, they didn't look away, and each of them had a different degree of astonishment on their face.

　"A luminous dish?!"

　The middle-aged man jumped to his feet, his eyes wide with disbelief. How could this be a luminous dish? This was something a young chef could make!?

　Keep in mind this was just a qualifying competition, and the theme was drawn at the last minute, giving the contestants no more than half an hour to prepare. How could they possibly create a dish that shines like a light?!

　unless...

　The three judges considered one possibility.

　Could this person in front of me be a five-star chef?!

　"No, this isn't a glowing dish. After the light fades, the surface of the dish doesn't return to calm; instead, it's surrounded by a continuous, flowing light. This is a genuine glowing dish!"

　The graceful mature woman suddenly exclaimed in surprise, because after the dazzling light dissipated, the fruit squirrel fish was still surrounded by a layer of flowing light, making it look exceptionally dazzling!

　"How could it be 'flowing light cuisine'? There are very few people in all of China who can make 'flowing light cuisine'. Who is this senior? Please stop playing tricks on us!"

　Looking at the steady stream of light on the fruit squirrel fish, the middle-aged man's tone became somewhat unconfident. He then cupped his hands in a gesture of respect to Bai Yuan.

　Such a scene naturally left the surrounding contestants dumbfounded, but no one thought it was unreasonable; on the contrary, they felt that the contestants were being too perfunctory.

　As chefs, they naturally understand the difference between glowing dishes and flowing light dishes, and they also know how high the status of a chef who can make flowing light dishes is.

　So he changed his previous contempt for him and looked at Bai Yuan with respect.

　"I'm not some senior. The organizers must have seen my photo and information when I registered for the competition. I'm just a young man in my early twenties."

　Bai Yuan's voice wasn't loud, but it shocked everyone present.

　This "senior" in front of me is actually just a young man in his early twenties! How is that possible?! Is he some mischievous senior who's here to cause trouble?!

　"Senior, please don't joke around. To be able to make 'Radiant Level' cuisine at just over twenty years old is not in line with the setting. It's simply a fantasy!"

　Sweat beaded on the middle-aged man's forehead. For a youth chef competition to produce dishes that could create luminous cuisine is as absurd as someone who can build nuclear weapons appearing at the college entrance exam!

　Is there any point in continuing the competition? Wasn't the first place already decided long ago...?

　"There's nothing wrong with it. To have such strength at the age of twenty is truly remarkable. It's amazing that a hero emerges from among the young, and it's incredibly admirable!"

　The only elderly judge among the three stood up. Although he was thin, his eyes were sharp. He stepped in front of Bai Yuan and, after confirming that the dish in front of him was indeed the Flowing Light Cuisine and not a trick of the eye, he looked at Bai Yuan with even more respect.

　Regardless of age, this is the unique respect that lower-star chefs show to higher-star chefs.

　"It's not as exaggerated as you say. I was just cooking normally."

　Feeling

　Seeing the gazes of those around him and the old man's humble attitude, Bai Yuan couldn't help but scratch his head.

　He suddenly realized that he had greatly underestimated the influence of a top-tier seven-star chef in the culinary world; they were absolutely an explosive force!

　This is not just a cooking level; it represents the top masters from various countries, their unspeakable absolute power, and they should not participate in this kind of price-depreciated competition.

　"No need to say more. Although it's a bit out of line with the competition rules, please allow me to take the liberty of saying that I would like to ask you to come back for the finals."

　"Come back for the finals?"

　Bai Yuan muttered to himself, understanding the old man's intentions. He probably feared that the old man was too strong, making all the subsequent matches predictable.

　"That's right. Based on your performance in the Young Chef Competition, you are fully qualified to skip all the competitions and advance directly to the final round."

　The old man continued, saying that he was now convinced that Bai Yuan was a young man, because apart from young men, no other Seven-Star Chef was as boring.

　The old man had a hunch about the identity of the boy before him.

　Looking across China, there seems to be only one chef of this age who is a top-tier seven-star chef.

　However, that guy suddenly disappeared a year ago for some reason, and then reappeared at the Youth Chef Competition. He's really an unbelievable guy!

　The old man felt the world was absurd to think that the other party had such strength at the age of over twenty.

　He was once a genius, winning third place in a youth chef competition when he was young, but now he is stuck at the Special Grade Four Star level and has not been promoted.

　"Alright, then I'll accept your offer."

　Although he wanted to continue participating in the competition and enjoy the feeling of being in the spotlight, given the other party's attitude, it wouldn't be appropriate for him to insist further.

　"Chief, you actually came here!"

　A slightly excited voice rang out beside the old man. Bai Yuan turned his head in confusion and saw a sexy and mature beautiful woman.

　"You are... Madam Xianglan. I never expected to meet you here. What brings you here as a judge?"

　When Bai Yuan saw the person who had arrived, a look of surprise appeared on his face as well.

　The visitor was named Madam Xianglan. She joined the dark cuisine world a year ago and, under his guidance, became a top-level three-star chef. Unexpectedly, she has now become a judge for the Fujian Youth Chef Competition.

　"I came here because the pay was good and I had nothing else to do."

　Mrs. Xianglan was a little embarrassed.

　She went out to earn some extra money, but unexpectedly she ran into the leader.

　This guy has no sportsmanship at all; a top-tier seventh-star participating in this kind of competition.

　While there's no issue with either age or ability, isn't this a bit too outrageous? The two are simply not in the same league!

　"Making extra money? Is the culinary world of 'dark cuisine' really that poor these days? Your salaries aren't even enough for you anymore..."

　Bai Yuan asked with some doubt, thinking that he would wait until the competition was over to see how things were going since he had been away from the dark cuisine world for a year.

　How far have those underdogs who were eliminated by Totsuki Academy grown now?!

　“My normal salary is more than enough, but I like to buy luxury goods, ranging from several thousand to tens of thousands of yuan, so I can never save any money in my account and need to take on jobs.”

　Mrs. Xianglan smiled sheepishly. As a fashionable urban woman, she spent a lot on luxury goods every month.

　If I don't accept endorsements and serve as a judge in competitions, it's simply impossible to make a living.

　"That's really unfair to you."

　After listening to her story and seeing the embarrassment on her face, Bai Yuan shook his head and said nothing.

　Everyone makes their own choices, and digging into their background is extremely disrespectful.

　"Not at all, not at all. On the contrary, I feel very fulfilled right now, and I'm really lucky to be able to eat your cooking here, Chief!"

　As they spoke, Madam Xianglan looked at the dishes that Bai Yuan had brought out. Just smelling the aroma made her body restless!

　Chapter 235 What is your purpose in coming here?!

　"A culinary masterpiece..."

　This might be the only time in my life I'll have the chance to taste cuisine of this caliber!

　Upon hearing Madam Xianglan's words, the three judges finally realized what was happening, and, sensing the fragrance wafting in the air, revealed expressions of longing.

　Because the ingredients are only fruit, the air is filled with a rich fruity aroma, along with a bright sweet and sour flavor that makes people involuntarily excited.

　"Can we try some?"

　The old man looked at the food in front of him, swallowed hard, and although he was extremely eager for it, he still raised his head and asked Bai Yuan cautiously.

　"This was originally made for you to eat, so of course you can have it."

　Bai Yuan shrugged, telling them to enjoy the sauce while it was still warm. Their attitudes had changed so drastically since they found out he was a seven-star chef!

　Is a seven-star chef really that prestigious...?

　A ripple of emotion stirred within Bai Yuan, but he maintained his composure on his face. He then pushed the dish forward, fully revealing it to the three of them.

　The other contestants were equally eager and wished they could rush forward and snatch the dish away.

　But they were top-notch chefs after all, and knowing the importance of this competition, they restrained themselves and did not rush up and make a fool of themselves, so as to avoid leaving a bad impression on the judges.

　Of course, this is mainly because the main ingredient in this dish is fruit, and its aroma is not...

　It's so rich and flavorful; with any other ingredient, it would have been overwhelmingly concentrated!

　Even in a competition, even knowing that rushing in will result in a significant loss of impression points, all are equal before a dish of brilliance.

　"But this dish is truly exquisite! If I hadn't noticed there was no fish on the counter earlier, I would never have guessed it was carved from fruit!"

　The middle-aged man couldn't help but sigh, "A good chef isn't necessarily good at carving, but a good carver is usually a good chef. You can actually see the clue in this."

　"I wonder what it will taste like..."

　Madam Xianglan was the first to reach out with her chopsticks, picking up the fruit squirrel fish and putting it directly into her mouth. At the same time, she closed her eyes and savored the taste.

　"The tartness of oranges and lemons, combined with the sweetness of honey, achieves a perfect balance through stir-frying and thickening, resulting in a refreshing taste experience that is neither too sweet nor too sour!"

　The sweet and sour taste on her tongue made Madam Xianglan murmur softly, and she began to ramble on with her evaluation, her face filled with immense satisfaction.

　"The aromas of pineapple, green apple and cantaloupe unfold in layers, combining the warmth of tropical fruits with the freshness of temperate fruits."

　The middle-aged man clasped his hands tightly over his shoulders, his fingers digging into his muscles. His face showed suppressed and restrained emotions, but the rich aroma made it hard for him to control himself!

　"The cantaloupe has a delicate and soft texture that melts in your mouth, mimicking the tender texture of fish. The pineapple has a moderate fiber content, providing a chewy texture similar to fried fish, while the sweet and sour flesh blends perfectly with the sauce. The sauce has just the right consistency, coating the fruit and bringing a warm and satisfying sensation when you eat it."

　The combined flavor is almost indistinguishable from real squirrel fish. And because it uses only fruit, it naturally has a rich, fruity aroma!

　The old man stated his conclusion, his face filled with astonishment. It was hard to imagine that this squirrel-shaped fish dish was made entirely of fruit!

　"What an amazing dish! Fruit Squirrel Fish... It uses several fruits that are theoretically impossible to make into squirrel fish, yet it has created the flavor of squirrel fish!"

　Lady Xianglan blushed deeply, whether from the delicious food or because the person in front of her was the leader, she couldn't tell; even her eyes became somewhat unfocused.

　"It's not just amazing, it's revolutionary! Before tasting it, who would have thought that this squirrel fish was made from fruit, and that it would be so delicious!"

　The only elderly judge was also somewhat dazed. After regaining his senses, he looked at the fruit squirrel fish in front of him and praised it without reservation.

　"It tastes even better when it's cold, since all the ingredients are fruit. You can also put it in the refrigerator if needed and eat it as a frozen treat."

　Seeing the group quickly devour the fruit squirrel fish while scrambling to finish it, Bai Yuan finally spoke up helplessly.

　How did it finish in less than a minute...?

　Can't you be a little more polite?

　Not all fruits are suitable to be enjoyed as hot dishes; this fruit squirrel fish is undoubtedly more suitable to be enjoyed as an iced dessert.

　However, because the people in front of him were in a hurry, they didn't even wait for Bai Yuan to say anything before clearing up the dish.

　"That's a pity, it's all already eaten..."

　Upon hearing Bai Yuan's words, the middle-aged man paused, looking at the plate in front of him with only some sauce left, a look of regret on his face.

　"Pity..."

　Lady Xianglan is the same; she's already so delicious when it's hot. If, as Bai Yuan said, she becomes an ice cream, just how delicious would she be?!

　"Please come with me, sir. I'll take you to see the president of the Fujian Chefs Association."

　Seeing that the food had been completely eaten, the old man looked at Bai Yuan in front of him, gestured for him to go see the chairman.

　"Okay, lead the way."

　Bai Yuan did not refuse. After his identity was exposed, it was no longer appropriate for him to stay in the contestant area. He might as well leave and go have tea with the president of the Chefs' Association.

　Compared to the four kings of Cantonese cuisine.

　The Fujian Chefs Association consists of one president, two vice presidents, and eight hall masters, each with their own area of ​​expertise.

　Specifically, it is divided into seafood, mountain delicacies, soups, snacks, desserts, barbecue, seasonings, and vegetarian dishes.

　Although the naming of the establishments is somewhat whimsical, each head chef is a genuine five-star chef, and the apprenticeship system is adopted.

　The two vice presidents are veteran six-star chefs, while the president is the only publicly known seven-star chef in Fujian, and has a great reputation in China.

　Only someone like him is qualified to sit down and discuss the Dao with Bai Yuan!

　·

　·

　After passing through the competition venue, the two arrived at a simple courtyard where a plump old man was sweeping the yard. He immediately squinted his eyes when he saw someone coming.

　"Xuanqing, this is that young seven-star chef? Are you sure you're not mistaken? He may be young according to the intelligence, but isn't he a bit too young?!"