Food Wars, my food not only glows!

　Ma Mei reluctantly looked away from the casserole and walked over to the Chaoshan beef balls made by Amu, but her heart was still longing for the taste of stewed beef.

　It's worth noting that even though she's a two-star chef, she has only ever created one dish that reaches the "glowing" level.

　Her brother is a bit more skilled; he can consistently produce two or three dishes a month, and he always calls her over to taste them.

　And every time, she would drop everything and rush over, just to experience the taste of the glowing cuisine! And gain insights from it.

　However, neither she nor her brother could create a dish of the luminous quality that was as good as the one in front of them.

　Even among luminous dishes, there are differences in quality! The most obvious difference lies in the degree of radiation of their light.

　A dish like Bai Yuan, which can light up an entire room, would undoubtedly be considered top-tier even among glowing dishes!

　Damn it! I've had enough of this life where I'm worse off than my elders and worse off than my children!

　"The texture is chewy and firm, the meat is delicate and tender, and the juices burst in your mouth with every bite! It's absolutely amazing!"

　"I can't get up!"

　As the plump old man tasted Amu's dishes at Chaoweifang, he nodded and spoke, his voice slightly distorted because of the heat.

　"The flavor is fresh and rich, fragrant but not greasy. Because of the limited amount of spices used, the original flavor is particularly prominent. It is truly authentic Chaoshan beef balls!"

　Upon hearing the fat old man's voice, Ma Mei quickly adjusted her state and re-entered the judging mode, giving a serious evaluation.

　"So, Amu from Chaoweifang, how does your cooking embody a vow of eternal love?"

　The fat old man put down his chopsticks and looked at Iron Arm Amu with a serious expression. As long as the reason given was not too far-fetched, the dish would be approved once the taste was satisfactory!

　"My cooking method has been refined through countless processes, making the meat firmer and more springy."

　This insistence on and pursuit of quality is like the steadfastness and unyielding nature of a mountain, symbolizing the firmness and reliability of a promise, like a vow made in the mountains that will never be changed once it is made.

　The broth inside the beef balls bursts open when you bite into them, bursting with rich, delicious flavor. Every bite is an ultimate temptation for your taste buds, leaving you wanting more.

　The enduring and profound nature of this flavor is like a vow made by the sea; even as time goes by, the deep affection and promise remain fresh and new.

　Combining these two elements creates a vow of eternal love!

　This was astonishing! It was hard to imagine that the rugged-looking Amu could speak with such subtlety! Ma Mei looked at him in surprise, then nodded.

　"Boom~"

　"Amu from Chaoweifang is qualified!"

　As the gong sounded, Ma Mei loudly announced that he had passed the test, and the second spot was taken.

　Seeing this, the chefs on site all showed signs of urgency and no longer paid attention to others, silently speeding up their cooking process.

　The atmosphere became tense and oppressive once again!

　Chapter Sixty-Five: Dusk, the Millennium Arena of Flavors!

　"I'm done! Please enjoy!"

　Because the number of spots is decreasing.

　Some people, worried that the spots would be snapped up, hurriedly finished cooking and came to Ma Mei and the fat old man with eager expressions on their faces.

　Since the people before him are doing so well, he should be able to too! You know, he's quite well-known in Guangzhou!

　However, the two people in front of them only took one bite before putting down their chopsticks.

　"Not up to standard! If the taste doesn't meet the standard, it's useless no matter how closely the content fits the theme. This is a hard and fast rule."

　I hope you'll take care of yourself and not let others influence you anymore. That's the worst thing a chef can do. Go and hone your skills for another year!

　Seeing the bewildered expression on the man's face, the fat old man immediately sentenced him to death, saying that taste was more important than the theme of the dish!

　If the taste of the dish does not reach the top level, then no matter how closely it fits the theme, it will absolutely not pass the assessment!

　These are hard requirements!

　"what!"

　Upon hearing the fat old man's words, the man who had been anxiously presenting the dishes cried out in pain, then rushed out of the special-level assessment site without looking back.

　This made everyone else on the scene feel a chill, and they silently reduced their speed to normal, seeking neither merit nor demerit.

　At this moment, everyone understood that this was not a simple speed competition where whoever finished cooking the fastest would pass!

　"Welcome to taste Diana Steak, a classic French dish with a century-old heritage, a symbol of the French people's vows of eternal love."

　The French twins, having almost simultaneously finished cooking, brought their steaks to the two judges, one on each side, and spoke in slightly broken Chinese.

　"Diana steak? That's a classic, a must-order steak for French couples on a date, it's definitely associated with vows of eternal love."

　Ma Mei nodded. When she was young, she had studied in France for two years and had a boyfriend during that time.

　During their relationship, he often took her to eat Diana steak and explained in detail what Diana steak represents in France.

　She was touched for a while.

　"Then let's begin to taste it."

　The plump old man looked at the steak in front of him with a joyful expression. He was a meat lover and any kind of meat could excite him!

　"This Maillard reaction is beautiful! It's done perfectly; the aroma reaches its peak in this state, which is the best possible condition!"

　Excessive use can produce many harmful substances, and the aroma will be mixed with bitterness. Many Western chefs fail to get this right.

　Before eating, he observed the steak's appearance. Looking at the perfect Maillard reaction on the steak, the plump old man couldn't help but nod, his eyes full of appreciation.

　He had worked as a head chef abroad for 20 years, specializing in French cuisine, so he could naturally tell the quality of these two Diana steaks.

　It absolutely reaches the top-tier standard of Western cuisine!

　"The Diana steak, made from ribeye, is tender and juicy. Because of its moderate and evenly distributed fat content, it tastes both the freshness of beef and the rich flavor of fat."

　The Diana steak, cut from the upper loin, has a relatively chewy texture, especially the outer connective tissue, which adds a unique layer of texture and a strong steak flavor.

　The plump old man nodded as he compared the two cuts of meat, noting that each had its own merits, but he personally preferred the ribeye.

　Furthermore, every Michelin-starred French restaurant uses only ribeye for its Diana steak.

　Diana steak, cut from the upper loin, is often found in smaller restaurants because it's inexpensive and the meat tastes and feels quite good, so it has a market.

　"There's nothing wrong with the taste, both of them are excellent, but do you really know what it means to use different cuts of meat in Diana Steak?"

　Looking at the two obviously naive young men and women in front of her, Ma Mei opened her eyes after tasting the food, her voice tinged with a faint sadness.

　"What's the difference between using different types of meat?"

　Aiden and Leah, the French blonde twins, exchanged a glance, both seeing confusion in each other's eyes. Mame's words had indeed touched on a blind spot in their knowledge.

　"It seems you really don't know, which is why one of you brought out Diana Steak made with tenderloin."

　Looking at the two Diana steaks in front of her, Ma Mei suddenly recalled a not-so-pleasant memory, also about her boyfriend.

　"If I remember correctly, the best cut of meat for cooking Diana steak is ribeye. The sirloin is a new version derived from the scarcity of ribeye. Is there another story behind this?"

　The portly old man was also somewhat puzzled. Although he had been cooking French cuisine for over 20 years and knew the stories behind the dishes, he only had a basic understanding and was not an expert.

　"While sirloin can be used to make Diana steak, it is slightly inferior in both texture and taste, and the price is also lower."

　Therefore, in the streets and markets of France, there's a saying: "Eat ribeye with your loved one, and tenderloin with someone you don't love as much."

　Ma Mei's voice was deep and somber. This was a conversation she had with a friend when she was about to return to China, recounting her romantic experience in France. A French friend had told her this story.

　He also said that this is something every French person who has ever been in a relationship knows.

　Offering you a Diana steak with ribeye means you're truly in love; offering you a Diana steak with tenderloin means you just want to develop a blush-inducing and exciting relationship with you.

　She was struck dumb, feeling as if her sincere feelings had been cruelly trampled on. No wonder the man broke up with her without any hesitation.

　"Just because of some rumors circulating among the public?"

　Lia frowned slightly, seemingly understanding what Ma Mei wanted to say, and spoke first, saying that she didn't want her brother to be eliminated so easily.

　"It's not just a rumor. Because this matter is of great interest to me, I specifically looked up the history of Diana Steak."

　This dish was originally developed by three-star chef Ram Toth.

　His wife loved steak, but because she ate it every day, she quickly got used to all kinds of steak on the market. Since he loved his wife very much, he specially developed dozens of steak dishes for her.

　Among them, Diana steak is popular in France because of its tender meat, juicy texture, rich sauce and unique flavor.

　As a result, he became exceptionally busy, and the restaurant's revenue soared. However, just as he was enjoying success in both his family and career...

　He discovered that the paper recipe for Diana Steak was missing! A hidden camera revealed that his wife had stolen it.

　He then hired a private investigator and discovered that she was getting close to a young man in his twenties, and even took photos of the two entering the same hotel.

　Without a doubt, this is a case of being cuckolded.

　Upon learning of this, Ram Toth was heartbroken, closed his restaurant, and wallowed in despair for a long time.

　However, Ram Toth quickly rallied, gathered enough evidence to sue his wife, leaving her with nothing, and applied for a patent for Diana Steak.

　This meant that even though the secret formula was stolen, the couple couldn't use it openly.

　Finally, the young man came up with a solution: he replaced the ribeye steak with tenderloin and adjusted the proportions of the ingredients in the recipe, naming it Diana Steak.

　However, because the two dishes tasted and had similar names, later chefs passed them down, and it eventually became Diana Steak, another derivative version, causing people to forget the original story.

　Ma Mei revealed the results of her investigation: France, known for its romance, is ironically one of the countries with the highest infidelity rates.

　"So, this Diana steak made from sirloin isn't a symbol of eternal love, but rather a thief in love!"

　Ma Mei said firmly, "Since we're using the backstory of our dishes to participate in the assessment, we must be prepared to be attacked at any time!"

　"The Diana Steak, made from tenderloin, is actually a bootleg creation by a cheater?!"

　Aiden's mouth dropped open, seemingly in disbelief, but this was information that could be easily found online; the other party wouldn't lie to him.

　In other words, he made a major mistake!

　And it was this mistake that made it absolutely impossible for him to pass this top-level assessment themed around vows of eternal love!

　"Boom!"

　"French chef Lia, qualified."

　"French chef Aiden is out. Please come back next year!"

　Ma Mei personally sentenced Aiden to death: without conducting market research before preparing dishes, and relying on hearsay, such a person cannot become a master chef!

　"The story behind Diana Steak is truly astonishing! Sister, what's next?"

　"It's all up to you now."

　Aiden quickly accepted his defeat and looked at Leah with a hearty smile.

　"Don't worry, brother, I'll become a top chef in Guangzhou! I'll lend you the dragon armband then!"

　"I've been waiting for this day."

　Lia looked at Aiden earnestly and then looked at Mame not far away, bowing very politely as a way of thanking her for her evaluation and explanation.

　As a pair of otaku siblings who have been immersed in cooking since childhood and know nothing about the outside world, they naturally wouldn't bother to learn about the history of a dish.

　After all, Diana Steak doesn't have any special meaning for them; it's just a dish they've practiced a lot.

　Upon hearing the theme of this assessment, I felt it was a topic I could directly apply, so I used it.

　Little did they expect that this would plunge them into an abyss...

　The siblings' win and loss further highlighted the high value of this top-level assessment.

　The same dish can produce completely different results depending on the main ingredient!

　·

　·

　Over the next two hours, people continued to serve dishes, but no one got through smoothly until the mature woman arrived.

　"Cantonese Beef Stew".

　A beef stew made using Cantonese soup-making techniques combines the best of both Cantonese and Hunan cuisine, instantly winning over the palates of Ma Mei and the portly old man!

　After a routine inquiry, she was made the fourth qualified candidate.

　Now, only five chefs remain on site.

　Knowing she couldn't pass, Kikuchi Sonoka didn't serve the dish to the judges after finishing it. Instead, she went directly to Shirobuchi and asked him for his evaluation and advice.

　Because she bent very low when asking for advice, her ample cleavage caught Bai Yuan's eye, and he subconsciously nodded in agreement.