Chapter 421 - 162: Su Chen’s Defeat

Chapter 421: Chapter 162: Su Chen’s Defeat

"Right now, we have a customer. His child has anorexia, and he needs us to create three exquisite dishes to cure his kid. So, my brothers and sisters, what do you say we get back to our posts?"

Su Chen’s words seemed to jolt the employees back to their senses.

That’s right!

This competition was basically the same as one of their custom orders!

Sure, they wouldn’t get paid, but they would get a trophy!

Bai Xiaobo’s eyes filled with determination. "I’m going to go do some research right now. I’ll have a culinary plan ready by nightfall at the latest!"

Liu Shengnan said, "I’ll get in touch with logistics... in case we need any ingredients from back home."

He Shuting and Zhang Li exchanged a glance. "We’re ready for your command, Boss!"

Zhang Heping and Shi Qi were new, so they had never witnessed the Delicious employees in this state. They couldn’t help but get swept up in the atmosphere.

Su Chen said, "Alright, let’s go. Time to head back and get some food."

On the way back, the employees were finally in better spirits. Ling Shuyu, however, kept glancing over at Su Chen. She had a feeling that, contrary to his outward appearance, the boss was actually in a somber mood.

It was true.

Despite appearing unfazed by the failure of his Magnolia dish, Su Chen was inwardly at a loss for words.

For the first time, he was truly confronting the cultural divide between Chinese and Western cuisine.

In fact, at this moment, Su Chen began to have some doubts.

Back when he was a food vlogger, a new genre of short videos had emerged on the internet.

It featured Chinese expats who would cook all sorts of traditional dishes from back home, which would then receive unanimous praise from foreigners.

Short videos about a son-in-law’s hot pot stunning his foreign father-in-law, a daughter-in-law’s homemade dumplings attracting the entire neighborhood, or a mother-in-law raking in a thousand euros a day making knife-shaved noodles in a park.

’Were those things... even real?’

From what Su Chen knew, the more popular Chinese restaurants abroad all modified their dishes to some degree; they didn’t serve them with the authentic flavors made according to traditional Chinese methods.

’So, is the content in those short videos actually true?’

’If it’s not, then that’s just terrible. The viral popularity of those videos gives people in China the wrong idea.’

’Our Huaxia cuisine is the best in the world!’

’I’m gonna go set up a stall on Wall Street and make a thousand bucks a day selling savory crepes!’

’Is it possible that foreigners genuinely prefer a burger loaded with butter over a savory crepe stuffed with spicy gluten snacks?’

Figuring this out was very important.

...

「Back in China, in the Capital City.」

Zhao Huilian slammed his fist on his desk several times. "They’re blind! Utterly blind! How could Boss Xiaosu’s Magnolia possibly get such a low score? What’s so great about that stupid egg? What’s so delicious about something sickeningly sweet!"

The Grand Craftsman of the Capital City, the head pastry chef of the National Restaurant, completely lost his composure after seeing the Magnolia lose to a mere egg.

"Get me in touch with Boss Su at once! For the finals, I’m going to teach him the most incredible pastry dish imaginable! I want him to stun the whole world!"

"Also, ask Boss Su what he needs! The National Restaurant will fully support him!"

Zhao Huilian’s apprentice had never seen his master this furious before. He quickly agreed and scurried out to find Su Chen’s contact information.

「E Province.」

Lu Yongliang’s face was flushed red with anger.

"I sent Boss Xiaosu there to help, not to be humiliated!"

"Quick, tell Ah Bao that the E Province Culinary Association is on standby. If he needs any local ingredients from our E Province, just say the word! I’ll have Shang Mingke fly them over!"

Shang Mingke: ???

’I don’t have a fucking plane!’

In Lu Province, Cui Yufen, who was in the middle of an inspection, took a deep breath.

"Fifth Brother went into this competition completely unprepared... Isn’t that old geezer Lu just setting him up to fail?"

"Send Boss Xiaosu the files from our competitions in previous years. When it comes to dealing with those foreign devils, I’ve got a bit of experience."

「Jingzhou.」

"So, Boss Su has stumbled, heh..."

If Wang Xiaoyi had been there, she would have been astonished. Wasn’t this the same older man who had been vying with her at the auction the other day?

"President Feng, are you sure Boss Su can meet your expectations?"

The middle-aged man, addressed as President Feng, rubbed the tip of his nose. "His Golden Garlic Egg Fried Rice really is delicious. If we brought it to Xiangjiang, it would definitely be a huge hit! But as for doing business..."

His gaze fell upon the television, where the on-screen Su Chen had just walked off the stage.

"It all depends on how Boss Su does in this competition."

Feng Yaoyang, a Hong Kong Businessman.

He had been invited by the Jingzhou City investment promotion agency to inspect a project in the Development Zone. The agency hoped Feng Yaoyang would invest in building a themed commercial street in Jingzhou.

But Feng Yaoyang, who had built such a massive business, was no fool.

Even with all the incentives they were offering, an investment of this scale was no laughing matter.

That’s why he had deliberately arrived in Jingzhou early without notifying anyone. He had already spent a month wandering the city’s streets and alleys, and had even attended the sports competition.

He was surprised to discover that a desolate place like the Development Zone was actually home to two companies!

The advertising agency wasn’t anything special—they were clearly just there for the cheap rent. The catering company, however, captured Feng Yaoyang’s interest.

A restaurant that could open in a location like this, yet still attract influencers from all over the country to visit and post about it... a restaurant whose owner could cause an entire street to jam up just by setting up a stall by himself!

Even more absurdly...

To find out what was so special about this Boss Su, Feng Yaoyang had joined some kind of "Intel Group," and had even paid fifty yuan for the privilege!

He didn’t get any intel, and the group was disbanded that same afternoon. If the group admin hadn’t refunded his money so quickly, Feng Yaoyang would have called the police right then and there.

Now, he was watching Su Chen’s competition overseas. It was a shame he hadn’t taken first place, but the competition wasn’t over yet.

Feng Yaoyang lit a cigar.

"If he manages to win the championship... the nature of our potential partnership might just have to change."

"Find a way to contact Boss Su. Just say I’m his fan, and if there’s anything he needs, we can provide some assistance."

Su Chen, far away overseas, had no idea.

This competition, while not well-known among the general public, was actually quite prestigious within culinary circles.

And his performance was now being watched by countless professionals back in China.

「In that moment.」

The entire culinary world of the Xia Country was thrown into turmoil.