Although he was careful, he lacked experience in such matters and could not guarantee there would be no oversights.
"This... I'm just an assistant cook, it might not be appropriate," Zhang Wei said tentatively.
Tang Zhihun let out a hearty laugh. "This kitchen is my domain. If you find anything wrong, feel free to speak your mind!"
This kitchen is my domain...
Is he hinting at me?
I didn't expect Tang Zhihun to have such intuition.
Since that's the case, Zhang Wei didn't hold back.
He took a new set of cutlery, tied on an apron, and cut a piece of the roast, putting it into his mouth to savor it carefully.
"Crispy on the outside, tender on the inside, with a rich broth. It should have been seared first to lock in the moisture, then roasted over high heat."
"The crust has the taste of egg white. The seasoning uses strong fragrant herbs and gan guo powder, likely to remove the fishy odor."
"But this flavor is still a bit... lacking."
"Is the secret in this cup of wine? Using the strong impact of the fishy smell to create a secondary flavor change..."
Zhang Wei spoke eloquently, dissecting the creation of this dish completely.
It had to be said, Tang Zhihun's foundation was solid. This dish was made competently, without any real flaws.
Tang Zhihun beside him gaped in astonishment.
He never dreamed that a mere assistant cook would have such insight!
There were parts of this dish that even he hadn't considered!
This world was too crazy!
Tang Zhihun was too shocked to speak.
He then asked, "Then, do you think this dish can be improved?"
"What are you talking about, Chef? I'm just a small assistant cook, how would I know about cooking? This is all just nonsense I'm spouting. You should ask a skilled senior chef these questions."
Zhang Wei's implication was simple: even if you discover something, don't expose me. I prefer my current status as an assistant cook.
However... Tang Zhihun was indeed a promising talent. Teaching him a few things wouldn't hurt.
"Heh heh, it was my mistake to be so presumptuous."
From Tang Zhihun's perspective, asking an assistant cook such a question was almost an insult.
But Zhang Wei's words also made Tang Zhihun feel that he possessed extraordinary talent and could be supported in the future.
The two exchanged glances in secret, filled with the approval of a promising protégé.
Tang Zhihun thought for a moment and took out an order from his pocket.
"Zhang Wei, I hope you will become my official assistant. This is your appointment letter."
"This... I don't want to leave the outer area's ingredient processing room yet."
"It's alright. We can continue as we are now. It won't affect your normal working hours."
Tang Zhihun continued, "Most importantly, with this title, you'll have free access to the upper levels, and you can enter the kitchen freely and use all the ingredients within."
This item was indeed convenient. In the future, I wouldn't have to sneak around when I lacked ingredients or seasonings.
Zhang Wei nodded and accepted the order.
Tang Zhihun smiled, "Don't slack off in the future. You still need to study culinary arts more."
Zhang Wei, posing as a riddle-solver.
"Let's make progress together. You should keep working hard too, Chef!"
...
Bruce was unaware that his creation had received a decent evaluation from Zhang Wei.
He sneaked into an unoccupied passageway and casually carved out a small room in the ice wall, tens of meters thick.
The solid ice, which would be difficult for ordinary people to break with iron tools, was like tofu in Bruce's hands.
"This place is sheltered from wind and cold, perfect for resting."
He took out a warm earthenware pot from his pocket and flipped open the lid.
Bruce took a deep whiff.
The rich aroma was broken down by his olfactory cells, and images of various animals, as well as vegetables and seasonings, flashed in his mind.
Identifying ingredients by smell was a common technique for chefs.
Master chefs could even discern information about heat control, ingredient quality, and seasoning ratios.
However, Bruce couldn't identify what this ingredient was, nor could he guess the processing method used.
"The smell of beef... but it's definitely not tenderloin, rib, or leg meat. It's not even flank or brisket."
"Is it a stew rather than a soup? I can't discern the processing method!"
"But the ingredients seem to be all low-grade. What does this mean? Are they looking down on me?"
Bruce had initially expected some surprise hidden within the rustic earthenware pot, but he hadn't expected such casual use of ingredients.
The Century Exhibition Association held countless treasures. Even if they didn't use top-tier ingredients like Rainbow Fruits or Lingxi Five Beasts, they still had many rare ingredients with a capture level of ten or higher.
Tang Zhihun was so casual.
However, despite the ordinary ingredients, Bruce had never seen such a strange processing method.
Curiously, he picked out a piece from the pot. It was a transparent cylinder, like a severed thick noodle.
"Beef tendon from the leg?"
"This part should be kitchen waste, shouldn't it?"
Bruce was shocked and immediately rummaged through the pot.
"Is this... intestines?"
"And this... stomach?"
"Liver... lungs..."
Bruce was both amused and exasperated. The human world had countless delicacies and vast ingredients.
Being able to identify the most precious part of an ingredient at a glance and process it into delicious food was a basic skill for a chef.
If one chose low-grade ingredients, how could the taste of the food be guaranteed?
A chef must be responsible for their creations!
"Tang Zhihun... are you insulting yourself by using such low-grade ingredients?"
Take, for example, the Four-Armed Golden Vajra, with a capture level of nine. With a clean weight of 1.5 tons, its body was full of muscular, sinewy flesh, all of which were unpalatable parts.
But its two-kilogram monkey brain was one of the top delicacies in the fresh food world.
Out of 1.5 tons of ingredients, only two kilograms were used – this was the correct selection method!
Only with such high-grade ingredients could exquisite delicacies be made and served to the upper class.
Thinking of this, Bruce even lost the desire to taste it.
Just as he was about to discard the rustic earthenware pot, the aroma emanating from the food awakened Bruce's appetite.
Grumble grumble~~
"Hmm?"
His stomach rumbled, a craving for delicious food.
"I must have used too much energy crossing the Ice Hell Plain. Why would I crave such a dish?"
"It seems I haven't eaten in two days. It's good to replenish some energy."
"I hope you can satisfy my picky stomach, and don't make me throw up."
Ingredients with capture levels contained massive amounts of nutrition within their flesh, but for gourmet cells, only taste was the strongest driving force.
He picked up a piece of tendon, and the tomato-colored broth dripped, its color lustrous.
"Strange... this stew has an indescribable difference."
Suppressing his doubts, Bruce put the tendon into his mouth.
The soft, tender tendon, after precise stewing, was both soft and springy when bitten.
With every chew, the slightly spicy and sweet broth splashed throughout his mouth.
"Such a rich flavor!"
"How is this possible? Tendons are usually resistant to oil and salt, how can the broth penetrate!"
"And this perfectly balanced texture, it feels like the food is jumping in my mouth!"
"These mere low-grade ingredients... are so audacious!"
The broth tasted exceptionally good, with a hint of unnamed medicinal herbs.
The broth was infused with the freshness of the meat, the meat enhanced the richness of the broth, and combined with the fresh herbal notes, eating the meat and drinking the soup made it more and more delicious!
Irresistible!
But this was not the entirety of Zhang Wei's culinary creation.