Food Wars, my food not only glows!

　Stir-fry bamboo shoot strips in Sichuan peppercorn oil until just cooked, then add chopped chives and stir-fry for ten seconds.

　Once the aroma is released, pour the eel shreds back in, drizzle with Sichuan peppercorn oil and sugar, stir-fry quickly and evenly, and sprinkle with Sichuan peppercorn powder before serving to enhance the numbing sensation.

　After plating, pour hot Sichuan peppercorn oil over it to release its aroma.

　"Please try our Sichuan-style stir-fried eel with chives and Sichuan peppercorns."

　As she spoke, she placed the dish in front of the judges' table. Sweat beaded on her forehead as she stared intently at the three elderly men before her.

　The old man on the left is tall, the old man on the right is short, and Zhang Zhong in the middle is neither tall nor short, appearing to be of average height.

　Although there were two people she didn't know, Erina Nakiri was confident that her cooking would win them over.

　"Stir-frying is all about speed. From the moment the food goes into the pan to the moment it comes out, there's a set time. I've been observing this the whole time, and you did a great job with that."

　Putting everything else aside, if this step is done well, the taste of this eel shreds is bound to be excellent.

　The short old man spoke slowly and deliberately. Even though the ingredients in front of him exuded an enticing aroma, he remained as composed as an old Zen master as he began to offer his evaluation.

　"The fresh numbing sensation of Sichuan peppercorns and the smoky aroma of dried chili peppers combine, while Sichuan peppercorn oil adds another layer of numbing and aromatic flavor. Shredded bamboo shoots add a crisp texture, and chives balance the richness, echoing the freshness of summer. It's not a bad solution."

　As he spoke, he picked up his chopsticks. The tall old man to Zhang Zhong's left spoke up. Although he hadn't tasted the dish, he could tell the essence of it at a glance.

　"Triple flavors".

　"Including the lingering aftertaste, there should be four flavors."

　The short, elderly man who had previously sat like a Zen master also joined in.

　He put a piece of eel into his mouth and added to what the tall old man had said.

　"The first layer is the numbing and fragrant aroma that penetrates to the bone."

　The moment Sichuan peppercorns collide with hot oil, they burst forth with a fresh, numbing aroma reminiscent of citrus, like fine needles gently pricking the tongue; the rattan pepper oil then adds a touch of cool numbing sensation, like a breeze passing through a bamboo forest, numbing but not harsh. The charred aroma of the dried chili pepper segments, like a smoldering fire, leaves a subtle, burning aftertaste in the throat.

　The tall old man nodded, then closed his eyes and began to analyze the flavors in front of everyone present. Through his words, everyone present closed their eyes and seemed to feel the taste of the dish as well.

　"The second layer: the oily and smooth texture of the eel."

　The eel shreds are coated in a thin, glossy soy sauce. The first taste is the salty umami of light soy sauce, followed by a tender, juicy burst of flavor with each bite—like biting through a thin membrane of fat, revealing springy, fresh meat inside. The earthy taste, masked by rice wine and white pepper, is accentuated by the eel's unique, wild sweetness.

　The short old man spoke of the second layer of flavor, a conventional layer, but the root of all flavors.

　"The third benefit is the crispness and sweetness of summer vegetables."

　Bamboo shoots carry the fresh scent of the mountains and fields, their fibers oozing a slightly sweet juice; stalks of chives, like small green whips, unleash a burst of spicy vitality, instantly dispelling any greasiness.

　Their crispness, combined with the glutinous texture of the eel shreds, creates a rhythmic interplay between the teeth.

　Seeing that the two old men were about to continue speaking, Zhang Zhong immediately spoke up to prove himself; he didn't want to be left out in the middle as a useless bum.

　"But the most surprising thing is..."

　"It should still be the last bit of Sichuan peppercorn oil."

　As the tall old man's voice faded, the short old man's voice rang out.

　"The final drizzle of hot Sichuan peppercorn oil sizzles as it locks the numbing aroma into the eel's flesh."

　Holding chopsticks in her hand, she described herself with an expression of enjoyment, her eyes seemingly welling up with tears, as if she were happy to be able to taste such delicious food.

　"After swallowing, there is still a slight tremor on the tip of the tongue, and the sweet aftertaste in the throat is the mellowness of rice wine and the wildness of summer leeks, making people unable to resist taking a big mouthful of rice - then the numbing sensation turns into a warm current, spreading from the stomach to the corners of the eyes."

　The short old man also secretly wiped away his tears. A few ingredients and simple seasonings, under the chef's skillful technique, became incredibly delicious. This is the meaning of their being chefs!

　"It can be said that this is a pretty good dish, with a quality of at least two-star premium."

　Zhang Zhong gave the final evaluation.

　"I recognize them! These two old men, one tall and one short, aren't they the famous Ice and Fire Twins from decades ago?!"

　They've been out of the public eye for a long time; I never expected them to settle down in Fujian.

　As the tall and short old man made his very distinctive comments, someone in the audience suddenly exclaimed and revealed the names of the two people in front of them.

　"The Twins of Ice and Fire? I think it's more like the Old Man of Ice and Fire..."

　Upon hearing the man's words, another young man looked at the old man on the stage and couldn't help but make a sarcastic remark, and afterwards he couldn't help but laugh.

　"You don't know anything. Those were their nicknames when they were young. One of them was good at cooking with fire, and the other was good at cooking with ice."

　And because they are twins, they have a special connection, and their teamwork elevates the quality of their dishes to a whole new level.

　Hearing the young man's playful complaints, the middle-aged man who had initially named the two elderly men couldn't help but curse, before formally introducing them.

　"I can understand cooking with fire, but what is chilled cooking? Do you mean making ice cream, or some kind of cold dish?"

　The young man asked, puzzled.

　He simply couldn't understand what chilled food was, even with words.

　"It mainly refers to cold dishes, but there are also some specific dishes that need to be made with ice. He is a master of original cuisine, and many of the ice-related dishes we have today were created by him back then."

　The voice of the Zhongming man was filled with admiration. He felt extremely fortunate to have met such a legendary figure today. He would definitely pay him a proper visit later!

　"Then they must be very powerful."

　"Of course! I was a top-tier five-star chef thirty years ago, and I'll only get stronger now!"

　The middle-aged man spoke proudly, as if he were the top-tier five-star chef, not the old man on the stage.

　"He's such a powerful person..."

　The young man murmured, completely unaware that five or six people in front of him, Bai Yuan's eyes were flashing with an unusual light.

　The Ice and Fire Twins were already top-tier five-star chefs thirty years ago, and they are now likely to be top-tier six-star chefs. If the two of them work together, they can take the level of their dishes to the next level.

　I really want to compete with them!

　The warlike instincts deep within his body were activated, and Bai Yuan's body trembled slightly with excitement.

　"No, at least let's wait until they've all finished their matches. Let's be patient for now."

　Just as Bai Yuan was about to get up, he saw Erina Nakiri looking spirited on the field and immediately let out a deep breath.

　Not yet. At least we have to wait until Erina and the others finish their competition before he can challenge the older generation of chefs in Fuzhou.

　His food battle recipes haven't recorded any new names for a long time.

　"The small ones are sweeping through the young chef scene in Fuzhou, while the big ones are revolutionizing the culinary world of Fuzhou."

　"Whether you're big or small, none of you are easy to deal with."

　Liya, who was sitting on Bai Yuan's lap, was the first to sense the change in his state, from the beginning to the calm.

　Seeing Bai Yuan's suppressed and restrained expression, she couldn't help but tease him.

　"Strong people need to constantly engage in battles to improve. If they always retreat to their own safe zone, even if they maintain a perfect record, they are still weak."

　Faced with Lia's teasing, Bai Yuan said seriously that this had always been his idea, and it was the core reason why he had grown to where he is today.

　"I will remember what you said."

　Hearing Bai Yuan's heartfelt words from his leg, Liya spoke with deep feeling.

　What good is it to constantly fight against the weak, even if you win every battle? It's far less valuable than any loss by the strong.

　"You should remember that only chefs with an indomitable fighting spirit can truly reach the top."

　Holding Liya tightly in his arms to calm himself, Bai Yuan stared intently at the three people on the stage, two of whom were his prey.

　After the middle-aged man explained the situation, more and more people around learned about the old man's identity and started searching for him on their phones, their faces showing admiration.

　I never expected that this year's Youth Chef Competition would actually have such a senior figure in person!

Volume 1: Transmigrating Through Food Wars, Becoming Alice Nakiri's Master: Chapter 276 Victory or Defeat, The Final Winner

　"call..."

　Looking at the spirited girl not far away who was being praised by the judges, Alice Nakiri let out a long breath, and her eyes sharpened.

　Because of the different cooking methods, her dishes cannot be prepared as quickly as Erina Nakiri's; they require time to develop before they can achieve true deliciousness.

　However, because of this, at the same level, her cooking skills have a much higher ceiling than Erina Nakiri's.

　As long as this bull charge is handled properly and no problems arise, it will be very difficult to lose the game.

　A hint of crimson flickered deep within her eyes as Alice Nakiri withdrew her attention and focused her gaze on the vacuum-sealed beef jerky in the molecular gastronomy machine.

　Blanch the beef in boiling water with ginger slices and Shaoxing wine to remove any gamey smell. After washing, cut it into 5-centimeter pieces and score the surface. Then, add it to a specially prepared braising sauce, pack it into a vacuum-sealed bag, and slow cook at a low temperature to improve the meat's texture.

　On the other side, sauté scallions, ginger, star anise, and cinnamon in a wok until fragrant. Then, simmer pork bones, beef bones, and chicken bones to make a stock, add the remaining braising seasonings, and bring to a boil.

　Once the broth, rich in the essence of many bones, is cooked, and the remaining braising seasonings are added to create a usable sauce, then...

　The beef tripe, which had been slow-cooked at low temperature in a vacuum bag, had become incredibly tender. You could easily poke it with a slight pinch, and it was full of soft, chewy gelatinous texture!

　"The timing is perfect, so let's begin the final transformation!"

　Feeling the texture of the cow-shaped tortoise in her hand, a glint of light flashed in Alice Nakiri's eyes.

　Cut open the vacuum bag, pour out the tender beef that has been slow-cooked at low temperature, and pour it into the pot, then add a richer flavor with the braising sauce.

　If the previous vacuum packaging and slow cooking at low temperature were to give the sliced ​​beef a base flavor.

　Now, with the base flavor already established, we can enrich this flavor, creating two distinct layers of taste.

　Simmer over low heat until the sauce thickens, reserving some of the sauce for later use.

　Then Alice Nakiri strode to the refrigerator, took out a small bowl of black foam, and placed it on the counter.

　Mix the decanted red wine with seaweed gum, add a small amount of mint leaves, and use a dropper to add calcium salt solution to form a ball. Rinse with water and set aside.

　Spread a layer of braising sauce on the plate, place the beef tripe on top, cover it with black garlic puffs, and then garnish with red wine balls in a regular pattern on top of the black garlic puffs. Place blanched asparagus tips next to the beef tripe to balance the flavor.

　"My dish is finished too."

　Alice Nakiri's voice rang out, and then, under the watchful eyes of everyone, she placed the dish in front of the judges and gestured for them to proceed.

　At the same time, drones began to hover above the judges' seats, taking pictures of the dishes and projecting them onto the big screen.

　Deep amber-colored braised beef brisket pieces are stacked in the center of a pure black square plate, coated with a glossy, thick sauce that gleams enticingly under the light.

　At the top of the ox-shaped topping, there was a fluffy, dark cloud-like foam, light as smoke, which contrasted sharply with the heavy ox-shaped topping below.

　A few small, glistening, dark red wine beads are scattered on the foam, like dewdrops, with a slight wine-colored sheen at the edges.

　"It really looks exquisite..."

　Zhang Zhong sighed as he watched Alice Nakiri serve up the molecular-based braised beef.

　To be honest, Alice Nakiri's cooking perfectly fulfilled all his fantasies about fine dining.

　Its appearance is exquisite, and you can clearly feel the rich and full flavor inside, with a faint salty aroma emanating from its surface.

　I can't even imagine how delicious it would be with one bite!

　"Glug, let this old man be the first to taste it."

　Tall old

　The man swallowed hard.

　This was the first time he had ever felt a longing for the dishes of the contestants, which shows how much the dishes in front of him affected him!

　"Little brother, let's try it together."

　The short old man, who had been sitting like a Zen master, also spoke up at this moment. He looked at the dishes with a slight change in expression and picked up his portion of braised beef with his chopsticks.

　The cuts on the surface of the beef tendon expand after slow cooking, forming a delicate grid pattern. The crevices absorb the braising sauce, and the gelatinous parts are translucent amber in color, making it look exceptionally tempting.

　The next moment, the two of them simultaneously put the food into their mouths, then closed their eyes and savored it.

　"I tasted star anise, cinnamon, and Shaoxing wine in it..."

　Savoring the taste on his tongue, the tall old man spoke up and explained the origin of this flavor.

　The first bite of the dish is a classic savory and slightly sweet flavor from the rich, dark sauce. The complex aroma of the braising sauce envelops the tongue, and the savory flavor is deep yet not greasy.

　"The outer layer of the beef tripe, after being slow-cooked at a low temperature, is elastic and chewy, while the inside is soft, sticky, and glutinous like tendon. The gelatinous substance melts slowly in the mouth, releasing a rich animal flavor similar to that of top-grade fish maw, which is a delightful experience."

　The short old man spoke up at this moment. He closed his eyes and focused on feeling the flavors, describing in great detail the taste of the dish.

　"The dense foam melts on the lips, instantly transforming into a fermented sweetness and a slight sourness."

　The caramelized garlic aroma of black garlic, along with a deep, sweet aftertaste reminiscent of dark chocolate, balances the richness of the braised dish.