Chapter 36 – Your Taste is Highly Doubtful
Translated by Prosperousfood.com
Rehosted by Gumihou at kitchennovel.com
Edited by Gumihou
The chefs working in Wan Lai Fu restaurant’s kitchen were all on an edge. Ye Chui packed his stuff and proceeded to quietly leave the kitchen. Because everyone’s attention was focused on Elder Han’s evaluation of the chicken feast, no one noticed that he had left the restaurant.
He was just outside the door of the restaurant when he recalled that he had promised to call Lin Wei. Last night, Lin Wei asked him to keep her updated after he had finished cooking the feast for Elder Han. Therefore, he took out his mobile phone and was about to call her.
Before he could make the call, he heard the frantic shouts of someone calling his name from behind him, “Mr Ye! Mr Ye!”
Ye Chui turned around and saw Yang Yong perspiring heavily as he ran towards him. Behind him are Fang Tao and a few other chefs.
Ye Chui waited for them to catch up, and smiled as he asked, “Elder Han had already tasted the food?”
He also noticed the red rash on Yang Yong’s face and asked in curiosity, “What happened to your face?”
“Now is not the time to care about me. Elder Han wants to meet you. He loves the dishes that you cooked.” Yang Yong wiped his perspiration from his head as he explained.
As soon as they heard Yang Yong’s words, Fang Tao and the rest of the chefs immediately turned pale. They know that Ye Chui is a good cook, and just now they had relied on him to please Elder Han. But when they heard that Elder Han loves the food that Ye Chui had cooked, they were filled with jealousy.
This is especially true for Fang Tao. His heart was filled with envy, jealousy and hate. Why is it not him who captured Elder Han’s attention?
Ye Chui’s face was very calm. He looked as if he was nonchalant about it. Although many chefs desired to be praised by Elder Han, Ye Chui did not think much about Elder Han. He had his own rules.
After thinking a moment, Ye Chui suddenly grinned as he looked at Yang Yong, “Manager Yang, Elder Han had hit you? Why did he slap you?”
“This…” Yang Yong hesitated. He was embarrassed and could not tell Ye Chui about his attempt to push the credit for cooking to Tian Xiaodu so that Wan Lai Fu Restaurant will benefit.
“This is not important. Mr Ye, quickly follow me back to the restaurant.”
“Manager Yang, I have only offered to cook the dishes to entertain Elder Han. Our agreement does not include meeting Elder Han.” Ye Chui smiled. Looking at Yang Yong’s flustered face, he could guess what had happened.
Ye Chui does not care about of Elder Han critics, but he disliked Yang Yong behaviour. In particular, Yang Yong’s greed and trying to claim credit for something that he did not do disgusted Ye Chui.
“You…. you… how could you not know what is good for you? He is Elder Han. Just one word from him is enough to make you stand at the apex of the culinary world!” Yang Yong was furious.
“I am not interested in this.” Ye Chui smiled as he shrugged his shoulders.
“You… “ Yang Yong was anxious. He did not antic.i.p.ate that Ye Chui is so difficult to handle. But he is quite smart and immediately understood the hidden meaning behind Ye Chui’s words. “I will add $50,000. What do you think?”
Elder Han loves Ye Chui’s dish. This is already confirmed. If the next steps proceed accordingly to plan, then Wan Lai Fu will become famous. Yang Yong is willing to pay thousands more just to achieve this goal.
“This, I am interested in.”
Ye Chui smiled. Since Elder Han knows how to appreciate the food that he had cooked, Ye Chui is willing to meet him. To Ye Chui, the money does not matter – it is just a small punishment for Yang Yong. Ye Chui was very unhappy with Yang Yong’s earlier behaviour. “All right, let’s go and meet Elder Han.”
In the VIP room on the 2nd floor.
Elder Han was seated at the table and was enjoying the taste of the dishes. His body shook with excitement, as if he had discovered something he longed for. This is the reaction of a food critic that has finally found the dishes that he loves and meets his expectations.
Elder Han took care to savour each and every bite as if he was enjoying a feast. This is pure delight for him.
Han Yuyan stood beside him, her beautiful face was filled with astonishment. Her hands that were massaging Elder Han’s shoulders have stopped with amazement. It had been a long time since she saw the feeling of pure bliss on her grandfather’s face.
Tian Xiaodu stood at a corner. He was not anxious, but he was focused on the fine foods that were served to Elder Han. Looking at the expression of delight on Elder Han’s face, he was filled with anticipation for these dishes. He knew that he had made the right call in asking Ye Chui to help out to entertain Elder Han.
At this time, the door to the VIP room opens, and Ye Chui and Yang Yong walked in.
“Elder Han, this is the chef that cooked these dish,” Yang Yong immediately introduced, “Ye Chui, Mr Ye.”
Elder Han looked up and saw Ye Chui. He was filled with anticipation, but when he saw that the man standing in front of him is only 17-18 years of age, he frowned.
All the finest chefs need experience and time to grow. That is why most of the finest chefs in the world are at least 30 years of age. As a fine food critic himself, he understood this point.
Therefore, after looking at Ye Chui, he immediately gave the same old dreaded instructions to Yang Yong, “Come here.”
It looks like he was about to slap Yang Yong again.
“Elder Han, these dishes are really cooked by Mr Ye!” Yang Yong immediately cried out.
“These dishes are really created by you?” Elder Han looked at Ye Chui, and his voice turned cold, “If you dare to lie to me, you can forget about having a career in the culinary world!”
“These dishes are made by me, I did not lie.” Ye Chui calmly replied. The reaction of Elder Han is such a let down.
Therefore, he decided to teach Elder Han a lesson. Ye Chui immediately looked disappointed as he continued, “But Elder Han’s taste buds are such a let down!”
These words shocked and frightened everyone within the room. This is doubly so for Yang Yong – he felt as if his world had collapsed.
Tian Xiaodu looked at Ye Chui in surprised.
Han Yuyan was furious and ready to beat Ye Chui up. She had already recognised Ye Chui as the young man that was being pecked by the chicken when she first arrived at Wan Lai Fu restaurant.
Elder Han was shocked. For decades no one had ever suspected his taste buds. Right now, this young man in front of him dared to criticise his taste buds?
He was angry, but he smiled as he asked, “You said that my taste buds are a let down?”
“That’s right.” Ye Chui nodded his head.
Elder Han put down his chopsticks, and looked at Ye Chui, “Tell me, why did you say that?”
“Mr Ye, do not talk rubbish! Elder Han is very satisfied with the chicken feast that you have prepared!” Yang Yong whispered to Ye Chui.
“Of course, I can see that Elder Han was quite satisfied with the dishes I cooked. But this is very different from what I expected.” Ye Chui smiled as he explained.
To be satisfied with the dishes is different from what he had expected?
This is Elder Han. To hear the words, “Not bad”, from him is a huge compliment in the culinary world. Right now Ye Chui was not happy with the compliment that he is “very satisfied”?
“Kid, you are too arrogant!” Elder Han was furious. He stared at Ye Chui and threatened, “You better explain what you mean by when you said that my taste buds are a let down. If you do not give me a satisfactory explanation, I will not let you off easily!”
Elder Han was very angry, and he overexerted himself when he shouted. Han Yuyan helped to soothe his chests and looked at Ye Chui in a fury, “No one dares to suspect the taste buds of my grandfather! I am warning you, your answer better be satisfactory to me!”
Ye Chui looked at Han Yuyan. This elder sister is tall and not inferior to Lin Wei in terms of looks, and is attractive in an elder sister sort of way…. Ye Chui suddenly shook his head and clear his brain. What on earth is he thinking about, the stupid brain of his keeps reverting to the springtime of youth!
He calmed down and smiled as he explained.
“I cooked 4 dishes for Elder Han, Dong An Chicken, Stewed Chicken with Mushroom, Shaoxing Drunken Chicken and Hong Word Chicken with shredded cucumber. From these plates, it is obvious that Elder Han had sampled 3 plates of chicken but did not touch the Hong Word Chicken with shredded cucumber.”
Ye Chui pointed at the obviously untouched dish of Hong Word Chicken with shredded cucumber and continued to explain, “Actually, among these 4 dishes, this dish is the tastiest. To be frank, all the 3 other dishes are just to accompany this dish. But Elder Han did not even notice this dish or taste it. Therefore, I felt that Elder Han’s taste buds are such a let down!”
After saying this, Ye Chui looks at Elder Han, and his face seemed to be saying, ‘Are you satisfied? If not come and bite me!’
^_^
Translated by Prosperous Food dot Com
Rehosted by Gumihou from kitchennovel dot com.
Edited by Gumihou
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