Dishes were presented one after another.
Double Pepper Diced Beef…
Dry-fried Bitter Melon…
Silver Thread Shrimp…
Spicy River Shrimp…
Zhang Wei tasted each one, chewing slowly, savoring every flavor, yet not slowing down.
Take this Braised Perch, for instance.
It was made from a Level 29 Five-tailed Giant Perch, weighing 300 kilograms. Its vibrant red color exuded an alluring aroma.
"The seasoning technique for this Braised Perch is quite standard, but the chef must not have much experience using adult Five-tailed Giant Perch."
"Sauces like this are exquisite for smaller fish, but they seem somewhat overwhelmed by the Five-tailed Giant Perch. The sauce struggles to penetrate, and the seasoning on the skin is too strong, creating a stark contrast with the interior."
"The initial taste is heavy, and it becomes bland as you eat more – a cardinal sin for large dishes."
A gold-labeled chef was taken aback and replied, "This… but I've already modified the cuts, and the flavor has already seeped in!"
"It's just slightly lacking. You likely used internal scoring with a thin knife, making the slits very subtle to maintain the visual integrity of the fish. This naturally hinders flavor penetration. In such a situation, adjusting the sauce is key."
The gold-labeled chef, specializing in fish dishes, wanted to argue.
But he had no grounds to.
Because he knew Zhang Wei was right.
The perch he usually used was a Level 3 Golden Scale Perch. This Five-tailed Giant Perch was only his second attempt.
Dry-fried Fat Sausage…
Pickled Mustard Stem with Shredded Pork…
Five-Colored Pork Rolls…
Dry-braised Tendons…
Zhang Wei was generous with his advice.
He pointed out every obvious flaw, but remained silent about issues that were hard to articulate or correct.
After all, those belonged to a different theoretical framework.
"More dishes are here!"
After Zhang Wei had sampled half the dishes, more were brought out.
Flavorful Twice-Cooked Pork…
Fish-Flavored Scallops…
Taibai Chicken…
Chenpi Braised Pork…
Shuǐzhǔ Fish…
Each dish tasted like home!
Immersed in this atmosphere, Zhang Wei's body and mind seemed to undergo an inexplicable sublimation.
Level 63!
Level 64!
But Zhang Wei was oblivious.
Perfectly immersed in this enjoyment, how long had it been since he tasted the flavors of home, besides his own cooking…
Large jars of Sichuan liquor were presented.
"This wine… it tastes like Wuliangye!"
"And this one, it's Langjiu! And Qujiu!"
"Luzhou Baijiu!!!"
"Excellent wine!"
Gourmet cells could neutralize toxins and ward off harm, but they couldn't resist the effects of alcohol.
Even super-Gourmet Hunters of hundreds of levels could be taken down by five bottles of beer. After all, Gourmet cells didn't treat alcohol as a toxin; instead, they often embraced it.
For instance, Zhang Wei's face began to flush with a mix of red and white under the soothing influence of the wine.
And his words became more… candid!
Kung Pao Diced Rabbit!
"The rabbit meat cubes lost some of their original flavor from being blanched. Not ideal! Remember to put it in cold water next time and remove it within fifteen seconds of boiling! This rabbit meat is also affected by its large size!"
"Master Abe, the chefs in our restaurant should get more practice with high-level ingredients. They are all such excellent cooks."
If this were in the North.
A Level 7 chef was already a figure like Fengyun in the culinary world. Countless people would fight tooth and nail to supply them with ingredients around Level 50, just for a chance to speak to them.
Sweet and Sour Crispy Fish…
Mao Xue Wang…
Kung Pao Chicken Gizzards…
Oyster Sauce Scallops…
Zhang Wei licked the heat from his tongue.
As expected of Kikuka-rou, renowned for its Sichuan cuisine, the spicy dishes were far superior to others!
Following this was the highlight of Kikuka-rou, the "Magical Mapo Tofu"!
Master Abe said softly, "I cooked this dish. Please critique it."
The scribe beside him dipped his brush in ink, his expression extremely tense.
The main event had finally arrived.
Normally, during culinary competitions and skill exchanges, three scribes would be present, each responsible for recording different aspects.
Zhang Wei's suggestions were extremely valuable. Once recorded and organized, they would be an immense treasure for all of Kikuka-rou!
The legendary, six-in-one "Magical Mapo Tofu"!
The perfect combination of tofu and meat!
Externally, it was garnished with minced garlic and fermented black beans, along with dried tangerine peel and star anise.
The white of the tofu, the green of the scallions, the red of the chili peppers… perfectly complemented the aroma of the Mapo Tofu.
Aroma and color – these two aspects were already exquisitely executed.
"Spicy, hot, numbing… the level is extremely high. And this final taste… is it crispiness!"
"In a dish that is almost soup-like, there's crispiness! How can the meat, soaked in broth, achieve dryness and crispiness?"
Smooth and refreshing!
A stark contrast to the soft tofu!
A unique symphony played on the tip of the tongue…
Delicious!
Zhang Wei could find no fault with Master Abe's signature dish.
"Master Abe, the meat here… is it made from vegetarian 'rou'?"
Vegetarian 'rou'!
Soybeans are rich in fat and protein. After extracting oil from good quality soybeans, a byproduct called soy pulp remains.
This soy pulp is composed of highly concentrated protein and dietary fiber. Because it's difficult to preserve and has a mild flavor, it's always been treated as animal feed.
Its price at the farmer's market might be only a few cents per jin.
However, in reality, the nutritional content of soy pulp is very similar to that of meat. After a special pressing technique, "tofu meat" became a popular food on Blue Star.
But Master Abe's was clearly different.
Master Abe inwardly praised him, recognizing him as a super-class chef with immense skill, who had immediately discovered the secret of the Magical Mapo Tofu.
He clasped his fist and said, "That's right. This meat was made by boiling it in a highly concentrated broth and then crushing it!"
"To ensure its chewiness, texture, and to lock in the flavor, after shaping, it undergoes three frying stages to seal the taste inside!"
"By controlling the moisture in this way, the vegetarian 'rou' can possess the taste of real meat and an even better texture!"
Ingenious!
Truly excellent!
In an instant, understanding dawned.
Zhang Wei finally realized why the chefs of the initial continent, despite resource scarcity, possessed such superior culinary skills.
In the North, all chefs pursue the quest for high-level ingredients and unique flavors.
For example, in the Northern Chef Competition, Jun Qing ventured into the Ice Hell Plains to find the Tyrant Tree Ham, and Wolfgang found the Ice Castle Rock Turtle… all chefs were more superstitious about high-level ingredients.
Here, however, the ingredient levels were not vastly different, and chefs focused more on their own skills!
So that's how it is!
So that's how it is!
Zhang Wei felt an urge. If he could have the masters of Kikuka-rou help with chef training, and instill this spirit, then the affiliated academy of the Gourmet Bank would undoubtedly become the greatest academy in the Northern Continent, and even in the Human World!
And, of course, there was his own supply of perfect-grade ingredients…
One thousand two hundred exquisite dishes were served in rotation, attracting an increasing number of onlookers among the chefs.
Zhang Wei continuously enjoyed the wine, sharing his techniques, while the surrounding chefs listened as if they were novice monks or Taoist priests seeking enlightenment, utterly captivated.
The scribes were replaced three to five times, and their thick notebooks piled up to half a meter high.
A full three days!
It took three days to completely prepare the 1,200 dishes.
It made the onlookers question if Zhang Wei's stomach was a bottomless pit!
Level 66!
In just three days, Zhang Wei broke through four barriers consecutively!
Flavor compatibility…
Not the flavor of the ingredients, but these complex, home-style dishes that Zhang Wei was lost in!
At this point, all the chefs of Kikuka-rou, including Master Abe, had received extensive knowledge from Zhang Wei's guidance!
After the meal!
Zhang Wei, slightly tipsy, stood up and said, "Thank you for the hospitality. This is the most satisfying, joyful, and fulfilling meal I've had in a year!"
Master Abe finally reacted, "Is that all you have to say?"
"Oh, right, the bill. How much is it?"
Master Abe: …
Was this guy not here to challenge them?
Right!
Such helpful suggestions and detailed analyses… how could this be considered a challenge?
If he were here to challenge them, he would have just pointed out the flaws, why would he provide such detailed guidance?
Master Abe avoided the question of the bill and asked, "Ahem, ahem… May I know your name?"
"Zhang Wei, a chef from the Northern Continent."
"And what is your purpose in coming to the Initial Continent? Do you plan to open a restaurant here?"
Challenging them and establishing his reputation was the best way to gain fame.
Once he had fame, business would naturally become much easier.
Zhang Wei shook his head, "Not at all. I'm here simply to do some ingredient business."
"Ingredient business!"
Master Abe's face lit up with surprise!
The most crucial aspect of a restaurant was the supply of rare ingredients.
Normally, Kikuka-rou relied entirely on the Gourmet Merchant Association for high-quality ingredients!
Laura had once introduced them, stating that the Gourmet Merchant Association was the number one merchant association in the Human World, specializing in high-end products! No matter how rare or expensive the ingredients, they could be found there.
Sometimes, legendary items from the gourmet world even appeared.
Of course, you had to be able to afford them.
Zhang Wei often suspected that the Gourmet Merchant Association was backed by the supreme Gourmet Association of Humanity.
They completely controlled the high-level exchanges between humans and the gourmet world, and obtaining ingredients of Level 100 was not difficult for them.
Master Abe immediately asked, "May I ask, is your business in acquisition or sales?"
"Both."
"And what is the quality of the ingredients you sell? Are there any supply restrictions?"
"No restrictions. As for quality, you can see for yourself."
Saying this, Zhang Wei selected over a dozen ingredients and released them.
These were perfect versions of Level 1 ingredients.
For example, a super-high-quality potato, the size of a car, perfectly round and flawless, shimmering with a soft luster.
No one would guess it was once a lumpy, fist-sized spherical potato.
As a perfect-grade specimen, in terms of taste, flavor, and other aspects, it could easily be considered Level 10!
"Currently, they are around Level 7-18."
Master Abe was even more surprised!
It was a high-end ingredient route!
On the Initial Continent, Level 7-18 encompassed the mid-to-high range. Most of Kikuka-rou's premium dishes used ingredients of this level.
Perfect attribute compatibility!
Just then, a waiter entered the room, "Master Abe, the bill has been settled. It comes to a total of eighteen million five hundred thirty thousand Belli."
Liu Bangling glared. They were just about to discuss a supply contract, and this untimely interruption ruined the mood.
Moreover, given Zhang Wei's dedicated guidance, the potential profits for Kikuka-rou were immeasurable. It felt inappropriate to charge him before Kikuka-rou had even reciprocated.
The awkward part was that the Belli in the Treasure Hall seemed to be insufficient. Honestly, Zhang Wei hadn't replenished his cash in a long time.
Zhang Wei: …
"Um, do you guys need any ingredients…"
…………
Afterward, Zhang Wei took out samples of the seven hundred types of Level 1-6 ingredients he had recently collected. Each was a perfect-grade specimen, with at least thirty instances of collection.
Some might have been collected over a thousand times.
However, there were no others like the spherical potato that had been collected over 100,000 times.
With a casual gesture, Zhang Wei summoned again.
A massive pile of ingredients formed a small mountain.
"These ingredients are worth about fifty million Belli at market price. Let's consider this as payment for the meal."
"If Kikuka-rou, the number one establishment in this Sichuan region, also uses our merchant association's ingredients, I believe it would be beneficial for our association!"
Mutual benefit for cooperation!
Zhang Wei guaranteed that once Kikuka-rou used his perfect ingredients, they would never be able to refuse them again!
It wasn't just about taste; the processing difficulty, shelf life, size of individual pieces, and long-term quality were all advantages of perfect-grade ingredients.
Who could guarantee that all sold ingredients would be of consistently high quality?
Only Zhang Wei!
Master Abe nodded, saying joyfully, "Of course, we are willing to cooperate."
"The Gourmet Merchant Association holds a monopoly, controlling the ingredient lifeline of many establishments like ours. Many shops are actually quite troubled by this."
"However, when can we begin a stable cooperation?"
Zhang Wei replied, "Our experimental vanguard has already established a foothold in Stalingrad. It will take some time to develop in the eastern Sichuan region. However, I have spatial equipment with me, so we can temporarily open a shop."
If Kikuka-rou led the procurement of Zhang Wei's goods, the entire Sichuan region would follow suit.
With a few scattered orders, the merchant association branches here could gradually spread and develop.
Blooming in multiple locations.
Accelerating the establishment of the merchant association.
Moreover, the eastern region of the Initial Continent was the true birthplace of gourmet food. Conquering this area would mean everything!
"Then, Master Abe, could you put in a word for me, contact the local merchant association, and let's hold a food exhibition. Don't worry, our main body is the top-tier ingredient supplier in the Northern Continent, and we can perfectly supply any amount of ingredients."
"Words are not enough. We… must see the goods."
"Certainly. What would you like to see first?"
"Please, to the kitchen."
"Lead the way!"
Since it was a culinary exchange, merely talking was not enough.
And Zhang Wei's strength was the newly established merchant association's pledge of loyalty!
Taking the lead in such matters carried risks. If Zhang Wei's strength proved insufficient, and Kikuka-rou offended the Gourmet Merchant Association by helping him, their future would be precarious.
The kitchen of Kikuka-rou was also filled with Eastern charm.
Brick and stone stoves with blowers, stacks of firewood and coal.
Various seasonings were neatly arranged, clean and tidy, truly befitting a female chef's establishment.
Liu Bangling said, "Mr. Zhang, would you be able to showcase the culinary art of the Northern Continent here?"
"The culinary techniques of the North…"
Golden light emanated from Zhang Wei, as if a god had descended!
"Today!"
"I will let you witness the full extent of Northern Continent techniques!"