Chapter 784 - 708: Singing Your Own Praises

But first, we definitely need to invite the guests to a private room to rest for a while. Once the kitchen has prepared the ingredients, we’ll arrange for them to observe in the back kitchen.

Though it’s called observation, we must remind the kitchen, at least have Zhang Zhen make some arrangements, to ensure that when the guests arrive, they pay attention to keeping some secrets during the cooking process.

The back kitchen is not like other places, you can’t just walk in whenever you like.

The chefs’ techniques during cooking, and some of the restaurant’s secret sauces, are all things that must be kept hidden and never casually shown to outsiders.

Especially the guests going into the kitchen this time, they’re all experts. A casual glance, and who knows, they might just pick up the signature dishes of the restaurant.

This has to be guarded against.

Li Xintong, being very perceptive, greeted the guests and led them to a private room for rest, while arranging for the waiters to swiftly serve tea and drinks.

Fu Yu was called over to the back kitchen by Yao Shi.

Turning the corner where no one was around in the hallway, Yao Shi paused, turned, and glared at Fu Yu: "Hey, what are you playing at?!"

If this had been half a year ago, seeing Yao Shi ask with such a stern face, Fu Yu might have felt a bit intimidated.

But now, he suddenly realized that he seemed to have toughened up a bit, and he could actually handle it quite calmly.

Fu Yu chuckled and said, "Chef Yao, don’t worry, I have a plan."

Yao Shi frowned: "What’s going on?"

Fu Yu explained: "I’ve already customized the herbal cuisine recipes, isn’t it just cooking? This is what I’m good at. And besides, I haven’t prepared any special dishes for this herbal cuisine banquet. The cooking techniques are simple, it’s just that some of the herbs used are quite special, but these would likely be trivial to Dr. Xiao, nothing at all."

Xiao Jiping is a professional in traditional Chinese medicine, specializing in herbal materials, knowing the therapeutic effects of various herbs at a glance.

In this respect, trying to conceal skills would be pointless.

As for the cooking, the difficulty in herbal cuisine lies in the precision of the treatment.

Once the ailment is accurately identified, the herbal recipes can be determined at will.

After Fu Yu finished speaking, although Yao Shi’s face was still stern, his tone noticeably softened: "Are you sure there’s no problem?"

Fu Yu nodded: "There’s no problem, I’ve arranged everything."

Yao Shi sighed: "I trust your culinary skills, I’m just worried about Liu Shaoxian having ulterior motives, I always feel... he’s here to make trouble!"

Sometimes, it’s hard to say whether this sixth sense is accurate.

Anyway, Yao Shi felt that Liu Shaoxian’s purpose was not pure.

However, thinking about the company of Yang Wenqiang and Xiao Jiping, he wondered if he was overthinking it?

No harm in being cautious regardless, it never hurts to be careful.

Fu Yu chuckled: "Yeah, then let’s make sure there’s nothing for him to pick on, that’ll stop him from causing trouble. Since he claims to be here to observe my cooking of herbal cuisine, I’ll do my best, make sure he is thoroughly convinced."

Saying this was meant to reassure Yao Shi, but Fu Yu realized, after the fact, that this could actually be an opportunity.

Liu Shaoxian isn’t just anybody; to have Yao Shi place such importance on him, and to have Liu Yunong and Xiao Jiping accompanying him.

If he could seize the chance to showcase his skills in front of Liu Shaoxian and gain his recognition, his status in the field would likely rise as well.

Even if Liu Shaoxian is an expert specializing in herbal cuisine, at worst, he could at least leverage this in his favor in the herbal cuisine circle, right?

No matter how famous the music restaurant may be, it’s still just an ordinary banquet restaurant.

Even if the herbal cuisine banquet they present has received approval from a small group of customers, it still needs some authoritative validation to truly gain fame.

Fame earned just through self-promotion feels a bit shallow.

At least with Liu Shaoxian being an expert from the National Herbal Cuisine Research Association, gaining his recognition would directly elevate the status of their herbal cuisine banquets.

To officially step into the high-end operation route, ultimately, a formal path is needed.

And right now, this is a golden opportunity!

After all, cooping up in a private restaurant like the music restaurant may be profitable, but its status within the industry and circles is limited.

Fu Yu is now treating the herbal cuisine banquet as his career.

He must seize this opportunity, to make a name for himself.

Yao Shi knows Fu Yu is talented; he’s gifted and diligent, destined to stand out sooner or later.

But, those are things for the future.

At least for now, in Yao Shi’s view, Fu Yu should still be in the stage of honing his culinary skills through hard work.

He never expected Fu Yu already harbored such ambition.

And was working towards it step by step.

So after hearing Fu Yu’s words, he was honestly a bit surprised.

He looked at Fu Yu, secretly blaming, let him find no fault? Let Liu Shaoxian be satisfied?

What a bold and confident statement to make!

Indeed, a newborn calf is not afraid of the tiger!

However, when he looked at Fu Yu’s calm demeanor, not a hint of panic, looking full of confidence, he couldn’t help but shake his head, this kid, really is...

Ah... Whatever!

Let him be!

Yao Shi couldn’t quite explain why, but hearing Fu Yu’s assurance made him feel that perhaps it was truly achievable.

The worries in his heart unknowingly dissipated a bit.

After all, if the sky falls, there are others to hold it up.

At the very least, if anything happens, Liu Yunong, as his mentor, can’t possibly let his apprentice lose face, right?

Thinking this way, Yao Shi felt assured.

Whatever happens, happens!

With this thought, Yao Shi told Fu Yu: "Alright, hurry to the kitchen, tell Zhang Zhen what ingredients to prepare, I’ll head over to the private room to entertain them."

Fu Yu nodded, turned to leave.

Yao Shi suddenly stopped him, patting him on the shoulder.

Their eyes met, and for a moment, Yao Shi didn’t quite know what to say.

After a pause, he could only advise: "Since you’ve agreed, do your best!"

Fu Yu nodded: "Mm, don’t worry!"

...

In the music restaurant’s kitchen.

Fu Yu handed his herbal cuisine menu to the assistant to prepare the ingredients.

Zhang Zhen had already contacted the pharmacy’s delivery folks to bring all needed herbs in advance.

Before cooking, Fu Yu needed to familiarize himself with the specific cooking methods for herbal cuisine.

To be cautious, he decided to first cook the two herbal dishes from the endocrine dietary adjustment menu.

The beauty and nourishment herbal recipes mainly focus on regulating endocrine functions, as long as the vital essence is enhanced, one’s vitality naturally revives.

It’s said a person’s temperament and appearance are thirty percent about looks, seventy percent about grooming.

The ultimate goal of grooming is merely to modify some facial flaws, striving to enhance one’s vitality.

Looking full of life, with expressive eyes, naturally makes one’s appearance lively.

Along with post-care makeup and attire, the beauty and nourishment effects naturally become more prominent.

Fu Yu carefully checked the assistant’s ingredient preparations and also made sure the herbs delivered from the pharmacy were all accounted for.

The kitchen had already received news that industry bigshots would be observing.

Everyone felt a bit nervous, hearing that Liu Shaoxian is an expert from the National Herbal Cuisine Research Association, the reputation alone is intimidating.

And with renowned chef Liu Yunong accompanying, it’s hard not to feel nervous.

Zhang Zhen, feeling uneasy, instructed his team to talk less and work more during cooking.

The boss specifically instructed him to adjust the cooking order, starting with dishes like hand-pulled duck, which aren’t difficult but require tedious work.

This was also to avoid revealing the kitchen’s culinary secrets.

With the boss’s reminder, Zhang Zhen couldn’t help feeling nervous.

Yet Fu Yu, maintaining his usual calm demeanor, carried on just as always.

Zhang Zhen chuckled self-deprecatingly.

Looking at himself, he couldn’t help but think he was less composed than Fu Yu!