"The aroma of carrots, small celery, cilantro, and the White Bailing mushrooms themselves has overshadowed the scent of the spices. No, 'overshadowed' isn't the right word. More accurately, they've absorbed and layered, forming an even richer, complex fragrance."
Experiencing the burst of flavor in her mouth, an extremely potent impact, Granny Clever Hands' face flushed, and she nearly lost her footing.
After being fried, braised, and pan-seared—three distinct processes—the texture and taste of the White Bailing mushrooms were now indistinguishable from real beef. Even their appearance was hard to tell apart!
If she hadn't personally watched Dylan cook, and if the cut surface of the Bailing mushrooms wasn't relatively smooth, unlike the fibrous texture of beef, Granny Clever Hands would have certainly believed she was eating genuine beef!
Beef not beef. Using White Bailing mushrooms to replace beef, while simultaneously creating a complex aroma with vegetables and spices, allowing it to permeate the inside of the Bailing mushrooms through braising, and concocting a sauce to enhance the surface flavor to satisfy different palates.
The white spirit locked in the aroma while adding an enticing layer of alcoholic fragrance to the surface of the Bailing mushrooms. This flavor was incredibly mellow, acting more like an enticement, sparking the diner's interest in the dish.
What seemed like mock beef made merely to fit the exam theme was, in reality, a top-tier delicacy with meticulous details hidden in various aspects! Such a transformation was truly stunning!
"Like a mysterious treasure chest from childhood, laden with infinite surprises. No matter when or where it's opened, new and curious toys can be found, immersing one in the pure joy of constant exploration and discovery."
Savoring the unique flavor of the wine-fragrant mock steak, Granny Clever Hands couldn't help but exclaim in admiration. It had been a long time since she had tasted a dish so full of creativity and vitality!
And this was a creation Dylan hadn't even put much interest into. If he were truly inspired, cooking with all his might, what kind of dish would he present then?
"Gulp." Granny Clever Hands swallowed. Just the thought filled her with anticipation!
"A remarkable piece of work. I see your creativity in it, crafting Bailing mushrooms into the likeness of steak, simulating the taste, texture, and appearance of beef—it's simply seamless! Furthermore, you've added your own elements: the rich wine aroma, the complex fragrance from the layering of vegetables and spices. Without a doubt, you have perfectly fulfilled this theme!"
After a long while, Granny Clever Hands recovered from the deliciousness of the dish and looked at Dylan, giving his "Wine-fragrant Mock Steak" an exceptionally high evaluation.
"You don't need to participate in the upcoming mutual evaluation. They are not qualified to critique your cuisine. The Guangdong Culinary Federation will specially grant you a Special Grade Chef spot. From today onwards, you are an officially registered Special Grade Chef in Guangzhou, China!"
Granny Clever Hands' resonant voice echoed through the venue, directly announcing Dylan's acquisition of Special Grade Chef status.
To rate a chef capable of producing a glowing dish as Special Grade was a matter of course. No one on site was surprised; in fact, the contestants even let out a quiet sigh of relief.
Because Dylan directly obtained Special Grade status, it meant he wouldn't be competing with them for the current Special Grade Chef spots, significantly increasing their chances of qualifying!
At the same time, bursts of flames suddenly shot out from the city tower, launching into the sky and blooming into incredibly brilliant fireworks.
"Time's up!" Looking at the fireworks in the sky, Granny Clever Hands shouted, then swept her sharp gaze across the contestants. If anyone hadn't stopped by now, she would immediately disqualify them.
"Phew, thankfully I finished the dish before the fireworks bloomed!" Looking at the dish in front of her, Taki Kakuzaki patted her not-so-ample chest with a relieved expression.
"China's Dragon-shaped Armband, I'm definitely getting it!" Leah said confidently in French.
"It's about to begin! The moment that decides our fate!" Lanyu Jin's eyes were complex as she looked at the dish on her cooking station, equally filled with confidence.
"I will definitely obtain the status of Special Grade Chef, betting everything I have!" Iron Arm Amu clenched his fists, a sharp glint in his eyes!
The few individuals at their cooking stations simultaneously stopped their movements, raised their heads, their eyes filled with determination.
Soon, Lanyu Jin, Amu, Leah, and Taki Kakuzaki stood side by side. Before them was a large white round table, surrounded by a circle of silvery-white candles, currently emitting a faint glow. Regardless, the atmosphere was perfectly set.
"The midnight deadline has arrived. The judging of the 'Beef Not Beef' dishes made by the four contestants will now begin!"
"The judging method will be mutual evaluation. You must taste your opponents' creations and then score each individual dish. In other words, besides being contestants, you are also qualification judges!"
Looking at the four gathered before her, Granny Clever Hands shed her earlier gentleness, adopting a stern demeanor, and announced the long-established rules and regulations.
"I see. This method is indeed the best way to select for a Special Grade Chef examination." Leah muttered to herself in French, simultaneously looking at the others, her heart filled with nervousness and excitement. She also wanted to know what kind of evaluation her dish would receive from the others.
"As a chef, one must possess the ability to correctly evaluate others' work, otherwise, they cannot be called a Special Grade Chef." Taki Kakuzaki crossed her arms, nodding in deep agreement. At Totsuki Academy, after a Shokugeki, they improved by tasting their colleagues' dishes.
"The maximum score for each person's work is ten points. You must taste them carefully and give the appropriate score. First up is Lanyu Jin. The rest, please be seated."
Granny Clever Hands said, stepping aside, while several staff members brought Lanyu Jin's dish and placed it before the other three contestants.
"I'd like a portion too." Dylan, who had been silent, suddenly raised his hand and spoke to Granny Clever Hands and the other contestants.
He also wanted to taste their dishes to see if he could learn anything new, and although the probability was low, he wouldn't give up any opportunity. The capable one is the teacher; even a third-rate chef might possess strengths he lacked, just as the Sage Confucius learned from the debate of two children about the sun.
"Alright. Although you've already passed the Special Grade examination, you are, after all, a candidate from this session. You rightly deserve a place here."
Hearing Dylan's words, Granny Clever Hands nodded, not refusing him over such a small matter, and had the staff nearby bring a chair. Seeing this, Dylan nodded slightly and sat down next to Taki Kakuzaki.
"The dish I've made is called Specialty Beef-flavored Vegetarian Skewers!" As the dish was served, Lanyu Jin stood before everyone and began her introduction.
"By grinding soybeans and using the okara to create mock beef with a texture similar to real beef, and then putting it through three processes—frying, braising, and grilling—I've created these Specialty Beef-flavored Vegetarian Skewers! For the skewer ingredients, I chose potatoes and mushrooms to enhance the overall texture of the skewers and make them more akin to beef. This skewer doesn't use a single beef-related element, yet it has the texture and taste of beef. This is the 'resembles beef but is not beef' dish I've created! Come on, try it quickly!"
Lanyu Jin extended her hand, her face filled with an eager and fervent expression. This was a dish she had poured her heart and soul into; it would definitely move people!
"It looks quite good. The mock beef made from soybeans layered with mushrooms, the potato slices are cut a bit thick, fried golden and crispy, crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, sprinkled with chili powder, salt and pepper, and cumin seasoning—the aroma hits you straight away."
Looking at the beef-flavored vegetarian skewers, Dylan couldn't stop nodding, uttering words of praise. He could give 80 points for the creativity of this dish!
Frying, braising, grilling. A dish that undergoes these three processes will have exceptionally rich layers of flavor. Soybeans and mushrooms themselves are the best ingredients for making mock beef, so it perfectly fits the theme.
Moreover, this cooking method was somewhat similar to his; his mock steak used frying, braising, pan-searing, and grilling—four processes, just one more than hers.
"The outer layer is slightly charred from grilling, with a subtly crisp but not hard shell—a texture left by careful grilling. Following that is the soft and slightly elastic 'mock beef' on the inside. It mimics the chewiness of beef yet possesses the unique fineness and denseness of soybeans, as if slowly melting in the mouth. Frying imparted aroma to the ingredients, braising filled its interior with flavor, and finally grilling it with fruitwood charcoal elevated the overall taste!"
Dylan closed his eyes, Lanyu Jin's every cooking motion replaying in his mind: from placing various ingredients into the oil to fry, then transferring them to the braising liquid after their surfaces were fried fluffy, allowing them to absorb the maximum amount of braising liquid in preparation for the subsequent grilling.
"The potato slices have a certain thickness and are fried just right—crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. They retain the natural sweetness of the potato while adding the crispness from frying, and at the same time, form a striking contrast with the slightly chewy mock beef!"
Taki Kakuzaki also picked up a skewer, her cheeks flushed as she tasted it. The flavors of the dish bloomed in her mouth, giving her an exquisitely wonderful taste experience!
"The mushrooms, with their unique texture and meatiness, are sandwiched between the soy-based mock beef, adding another dimension of richness to the overall mouthfeel. At the same time, they have absorbed the essence of the braising liquid without losing their own freshness and juiciness. One bite is simply an explosion of satisfaction."
Leah said in slightly clumsy Chinese, her face completely stunned by the delicious food. Was this the Special Grade Chef examination of Guangzhou, China? Such an amazing person wasn't even a Special Grade Chef yet?!
"Because of the fry-then-braise process, every bite allows you to taste the long-lasting aftertaste of spices like star anise and cinnamon, as well as the delicate balance of soy sauce and sugar. These flavors slowly release in the mouth, forming an indescribably rich and mellow taste."
Amu said after a moment of contemplation, offering his evaluation. Without a doubt, this was a very outstanding dish, perfectly fitting the 'Beef Not Beef' theme.
"The only slight flaw is that the mushrooms in the middle could have been processed a bit longer. You can still see the white core when you bite into it, and it adds a hint of bitterness to the aftertaste."
Seeing Lanyu Jin's slightly upturned lips, Dylan held up the skewer in his hand. Through the clear moonlight, one could distinctly see that the mushrooms on the skewer still had a small white core in the middle—proof that they weren't cooked through!
His resonant voice drew everyone's attention. They looked at the white core on the mushroom of the skewer in his hand, then looked at their own, and noticed the same thing.
"Indeed, there's a white spot in the mushroom." Amu looked at the white spot in the mushroom, a hint of lightness in his voice, because this meant Lanyu Jin's dish had a flaw, and her score would definitely be lowered.
"Such delicious mushrooms, having gone through so many cooking processes, and yet they're not cooked through?!" Taki Kakuzaki looked astonished, examining it up and down in disbelief. After confirming there was indeed a white spot on the mushroom, she sucked in a cold breath.
"How could this be? I clearly braised them for over half an hour, fried them before braising, and even grilled them at the end. Why aren't they cooked through?"
Looking at the white core on the mushroom of the skewer in Dylan's hand, Lanyu Jin's face showed a hint of disbelief. She had worked for so long; how could even the mushrooms not be cooked through!
"It takes quite some time for mushrooms to cook through, and the cooking time varies for each type of mushroom; size also affects the time. Otherwise, mushroom hot pot restaurants in the Yunnan region wouldn't specifically use alarm clocks. Undercooked mushrooms can genuinely cause hallucinations."
Dylan said this, but the appreciation on his face didn't diminish. The undercooked mushroom affected some of the texture and aftertaste, but other impacts were minor. Undeniably, this was a very outstanding dish!
He quite liked both its creativity and taste, and the seasoning sprinkled on the outside was also very fragrant. If further developed, it could definitely become a fine specialty dish.
"Continue with the tasting. Next up is French chef Leah."
Listening to Dylan's evaluation, Granny Clever Hands nodded silently and at the same time called for the next contestant to come forward.
It seemed he not only possessed superb skills but could also objectively evaluate others' dishes. This was quite rare!
Some highly skilled chefs, though strong in cooking, were immersed in their own world and couldn't fairly and objectively evaluate others' cuisine. Such chefs would find it difficult to go far!
"Go, Leah!" Seeing it was his sister's turn, Aiden clenched his fists behind her, unconsciously praying for her in his heart, asking the Lord to bless her with victory.
"This is a famous French dish I present to you all, and it's also a dish that perfectly fits the 'Beef Not Beef' theme: French Baked Snails!"
Leah stood up gracefully, bowed to everyone present, and as she watched the staff bring her dish to the table, she proactively began her introduction.
"This is an essential dish at French banquets, cooked with snails, garlic, butter, white wine, and special snail shells. The taste will absolutely exceed your imagination. Hurry up and try it!"
Leah introduced it effusively, her face flushed with excitement. As long as her dish was recognized by everyone, this competition was in the bag! And French Baked Snails happened to be one of her signature dishes!
However... the situation on site was somewhat beyond her expectations.
"Why... is no one picking up their chopsticks?"
After finishing her introduction, Leah waited aside. Yet, after hearing her introduction, everyone leaned back in their chairs, resting with their eyes closed. Not a single person was willing to pick up their chopsticks to taste her dish. The atmosphere remained silent until she spoke those words.
"You fool!"
"There's no need to even eat the dish you've made. You're already finished."
Hearing her question, Dylan opened his eyes, looked at Leah's small face that had turned somewhat pale upon hearing his words, and reprimanded her mercilessly.
"What?" Leah frowned, her voice tinged with confusion and an almost imperceptible tremor, not quite understanding why Dylan had said that.
"Although the Chinese word for 'snail', 'wōniú', contains 'niú' – which is also the character and sound for 'ox' or 'beef' – it is not beef. The two are worlds apart, without a shred of similarity. If we're talking solely about the theme, using snail meat is indeed not a problem, and it's quite a good ingredient, if you could use snail meat to express the flavor and texture of beef. But your mistake, your grave mistake, was in making French Baked Snails!"
Dylan's voice was stern. Snail as an ingredient wasn't the problem; the problem was that she made a snail dish!
"Because I made French Baked Snails?" Leah muttered to herself. Combining this with what Dylan had said at the very beginning, she seemed to suddenly understand something, and her whole body went limp as she sat down on the floor.
"You haven't grasped the meaning of the theme at all! You're just making what you know how to make, thinking that as long as you present what you're good at, you can achieve good results, while ignoring the most important thing: thinking!"
Dylan directly exposed Leah's mindset. What the other party was thinking was actually quite easy to guess. It was nothing more than being good at this dish, and since French Baked Snails seemed similar to the 'Beef Not Beef' theme, she was temporarily confused and lost her sense.
"I ignored the most important thing: thinking..." Leah quietly repeated Dylan's words, unable to stop herself from biting her lower lip, looking utterly dejected.
"That's right. Ultimately, snails are not beef. From a thematic standpoint, there's no issue. But you didn't choose to prepare the snails in the form of beef; instead, you made a dish themed around snails. That is where your problem lies! You underestimated this test far too much!"
Granny Clever Hands also spoke up at this moment, a rare seriousness in her eyes. If even something like this could pass the examination, then the value of this examination would be far too low! It would be utterly meaningless!
"A dish with no creativity, merely trying to cover it up with superb technique. You should be ashamed."
Granny Clever Hands said sternly. Throughout history, such chefs were not few. Their fundamentals were solid, but they lacked the creativity of a chef. Such chefs could become mainstays in the culinary world, and the culinary world needed such chefs, but they could absolutely never become Special Grade Chefs!
"You should go see more of the world instead of immersing yourself in the small realm of the kitchen. Such a dish truly doesn't warrant evaluation. Go back and hone your skills for another year, then come back and challenge again!"
Looking at Leah, who had collapsed to the ground, Granny Clever Hands' voice was devoid of any emotion. She had seen such things too many times; she was already used to it!
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