"This dish is quite mediocre," Mo Lao commented.
Zhang Wei paid him no mind, simply smiling and saying, "Don't impose your own preferences on others. What's suitable is best."
Mo Lao frowned. After a long silence, he said, "I believe that no matter who you cook for, you should do it with your heart, giving your all. You shouldn't neglect your own standards just because you're not getting paid."
"Although the ingredients in this dish are luxurious, its culinary skill... to be frank, it's only average. You haven't even utilized thirty percent of your true potential." It was evident that Mo Lao was very dissatisfied with this dish.
"No, no, no. I never cook carelessly. I've put a lot of effort into this dish. Oh, by the way, it has its own name – Xuan Hu."
Indeed, this fiber clay pot was shaped like a large kettle.
Mo Lao's frown deepened. "Was the seasoning wrong? Did you slip? Did an employee make it?"
"Neither!"
Mo Lao huffed indignantly, "To be blunt, this dish is unimaginably flawed. It's too oily, giving a greasy impression. Instead of remaking it, you've masked it with strong flavors, making it both salty and greasy. It's a complete disaster!"
Mo Lao continued, "If I'm not mistaken, after the rice was steamed, you lightly fried it in oil, didn't you?"
Zhang Wei nodded.
Mo Lao asked again, "All the side dishes were prepared in advance and seasoned normally, correct?"
Zhang Wei nodded again.
"Furthermore, the broth contains salt from the stewing liquid, which has seeped in considerably. During the fried rice process, aside from adding new oil, you also incorporated a large amount of soy sauce and sugar..."
"As expected of Mo Lao. Even without being a chef, you've described it with remarkable accuracy."
Mo Lao exclaimed angrily, "But by doing this, you've added salt at least three times and oil at least three times! The flavor is completely distorted! Moreover, the side dishes are made of fatty meats with extremely high fat content. Not to mention the seasoning, which includes chicken essence, MSG, and spices – those haven't even been accounted for! How could this possibly taste good?"
Zhang Wei didn't refute Mo Lao. Instead, he pointed to the crowd of refugees and said, "However, they are my diners. They should be the ones to decide if it tastes good."
Saying this, Zhang Wei gathered his strength and shouted, "Does the fried rice taste good?"
"It's delicious!"
"So fragrant!"
"I've never eaten such delicious food. It truly satisfies my cravings!"
"Wuwuwu... Cough, cough, cough..."
Although the responses were a chaotic jumble, the praise from hundreds of thousands of people still enlivened the atmosphere.
"What do you think, Mo Lao?"
The latter shook his head. "After all this time, I've realized I still can't see through you. Perhaps cultivating you wasn't a wise decision. These hungry refugees, what wouldn't they find delicious? It proves nothing."
"And to serve diners with imperfect cuisine is not what a chef should do. It is... arrogance! Prejudice! And unreasonableness!"
Mo Lao had never seen so furious before. It seemed he was utterly disappointed in Zhang Wei.
Zhang Wei sighed and said, "Not so. It's not arrogance or unreasonableness, but you do have a hint of prejudice... I can't call it prejudice, merely taking things for granted. Can you truly empathize with the refugees?"
"Mo Lao, how long has it been since you've experienced the feeling of starving and being on the brink of death?"
"This..."
Mo Lao was taken aback, it seemed it had been a very long time. A dissolute young master from a wealthy family, a third-rate poet with exceptional cell talent, wandering the world in search of poetry and exquisite cuisine, recording his travels with brush and pen... He seemed to have never experienced near-death hunger. Ever since becoming a guardian of the human world, with the supply from the Gourmet Association, he never had to worry about food.
Zhang Wei said, "So, do you truly understand what these refugees need the most?"
"This..."
Zhang Wei pointed to the fried rice. "Among all ingredients, only fat possesses the greatest energy. One portion of fat is equivalent to two portions of protein or carbohydrates. From a raw material perspective, nothing is more suitable for a depleted body than fat."
These refugees had to travel long distances every day, constantly facing a significant caloric deficit. What they needed most now was energy! Everything else was secondary. Only by storing enough energy could they endure the rest of their journey!
"But... isn't such heavy fat bad for the body?"
"If one loses their life, is there any point in caring about health?"
Zhang Wei pointed to the brown sugar. "When the human body ingests too much fat, it experiences a greasy sensation as a deterrent. However, when the fat intake is combined with sugar, this limitation can be overcome! It allows for maximum energy storage!"
For example, donuts and cream cakes are sweet and oily, easily leading to obesity if consumed excessively. And all the seasonings and broths Zhang Wei used were formulated to break through this limitation! The fatty meat and rice, representing fat and carbohydrates respectively, were in a perfect one-to-one ratio, allowing for maximum intake!
So that's how it is! There's such a principle!
Faced with Zhang Wei's explanation, Mo Lao was momentarily speechless. Although he knew Zhang Wei was right, Mo Lao couldn't quite swallow his pride.
"Ahem... Well... Speaking of which... Ahem... This dish is still a bit salty."
"The combination of sugar and salt creates umami. Furthermore, salt can cut through greasiness and greatly enhance flavor."
"Also, these coastal residents have a high salt intake. After so long, their bodies desperately need to replenish salt. A lack of salt can lead to severe fatigue and make one more prone to exhaustion."
Mo Lao... Can't you just say a little less! We know you're right, alright!
More and more refugees gathered, and vast quantities of green rice balls were distributed. However, with Zhang Wei's unique design, everyone had a hearty appetite and consumed far more than their usual portion of delicious food.
"How many portions did you prepare?"
The food packages were about the size of a basketball. After peeling away layers of packaging, each contained about three pounds of fried rice and a pound of meat. Normally, this amount of food would suffice for an entire day, but now, each refugee felt like a glutton. One person could easily devour two.
Zhang Wei replied, "My Xuan Hu has a capacity of three million cubic meters and contains eighteen million 'Wanzi'!" This quantity could provide relief for at least four million refugees. However, there were also many big eaters among the refugees who, risking their lives, could consume tens of pounds of food in one sitting.
Under Mo Lao's direction, the satiated crowd rested briefly before taking some 'Wanzi' and preparing to depart. Zhang Wei, at the forefront of the procession, had also set up three beverage supply stations. The cheapest bottles contained a dark green vegetable juice that looked unappetizing. But after consuming such greasy food, everyone had no choice but to endure it and take some with them.
Huh? It tasted unexpectedly delicious!