Night!
It was very, very quiet!
Everything was shrouded in darkness.
Whether it was a meteor streaking across the sky or the shimmering surface of a lake, these beautiful night scenes always made people linger.
At this time, Erina, who hadn't come to the Izakaya, hid alone in the kitchen and began to try making a shrimp dumpling dish!
She tightly wrapped the filling and the essence from the shrimp brains with two layers of different dumpling wrappers, then placed them in a steamer to steam over low heat!
When the time was ripe, she quickly turned off the stove.
Then.
She reached out and uncovered the steamer!
The moment the steamer was uncovered, the internal steam burst forth like fireworks, instantly enveloping the entire kitchen.
As a rich aroma erupted, Erina grew increasingly expectant, but unfortunately, there was no dazzling light, nor any miracle.
That dark red "dragon" lay motionless in the steamer, lifeless.
It certainly wouldn't be able to soar through the clouds and mist, or "fly" into the air, like the Rising Dragon Dumplings made by Sosuke!
"Sigh!"
"It's not working?"
Seeing this, Erina's expression turned a little disappointed.
...
Unexpectedly.
As soon as she finished speaking, the shrimp's tail—no, the dragon's tail—actually wiggled slightly.
This subtle change naturally didn't escape Erina's sharp eyes, and she couldn't help but exclaim with joy: "Yay, it's finally moving!"
"Eh?"
"Why did the tail droop again?"
In her frustration, Erina, gritting her teeth, could only use her chopsticks, intending to "eliminate" this failed creation.
Although there were two layers of different dumpling wrappers, they were both faintly visible, making them quite beautiful.
Coupled with exquisite pleats, plump shape, and fresh, smooth filling, this Rising Dragon Dumplings dish was exquisitely made in Erina's hands, with every detail a re-creation!
Take a bite.
Inside was sweet and fresh juice.
Wrapped around the shrimp meat, it was an indescribable pleasure!
Even her late-night appetite was completely stimulated by this bite of shrimp dumpling, leaving an endless aftertaste!
How to make two limited wrappers enclose as much filling as possible, while also achieving extreme thinness and transparency, is the greatest difficulty in making Rising Dragon Dumplings.
And the experienced Sosuke would choose high-quality wheat starch and all-purpose flour, combined with exquisite cooking techniques for the wrappers.
Allowing the shrimp dumpling wrappers to slowly awaken in the steamer, stretching their bodies as much as possible, ultimately presenting the shocking scene of a soaring dragon amidst clouds and mist!
"Sigh!"
"It's always like this."
"Even though I use the same ingredients and follow the same method, I just can't perfectly replicate his dish!"
After eating, Erina put down her chopsticks and sighed deeply.
She felt a bit disheartened; it seemed no matter how hard she tried now, she couldn't catch up to Sosuke's pace.
Thinking back on these years, relying on her God Tongue ability, she held a significant position in the entire culinary world.
And as the young lady of the Nakiri, she was also exceptionally talented in cooking, even ranking highly within Totsuki Academy!
However, Sosuke's appearance...
Often made her thoughts very complicated.
On one hand, she liked him... his cooking, and on the other hand, she was very afraid of him, afraid that he would shake the beliefs she had stubbornly held onto for all these years!
...
Different people.
Have different views on different cuisines from different countries and regions!
Therefore, there is also a hierarchy in the culinary world.
Take ingredients, for example. Some ingredients are considered more premium than others, for example:
Imported meats and seafood are often considered more premium than local ingredients, and things like black truffles, caviar, and foie gras are even more precious.
Furthermore, organic vegetables and pesticide-free fruits are also considered healthier and more advanced!
Secondly.
From the perspective of cuisine.
Some cuisines are also considered tastier than others.
For example, French cuisine is considered better than English cuisine in many people's minds!
And personally, a First Executive Officer like Anne would certainly disdain the cheap dishes from roadside food stalls.
Of course, when Erina first appeared, she wildly disdained commoner cuisine, which was a classic example.
In fact, even a Chef like Sosuke occasionally slightly disdains other Chefs due to his superior culinary skills.
In short, to be precise, while the hierarchy certainly exists, this simple Wensi Tofu truly conquered Anne!
"Shopkeeper!"
"Perhaps you already know my identity."
"But I still want to tell you that I am the current First Executive Officer of the WGO Gourmet Organization, and also the secretary to Nagiri Mana, Anne!"
"The Wensi Tofu you made, although not within my review scope, is the best dish I have ever tasted in my life!"
Then, wiping away her tears, Anne slowly calmed down, then looked up and said to Sosuke.
"Whether you are an Executive Officer or not, it doesn't matter!"
"Anyone who comes to my Izakaya is a diner in my eyes, nothing more!"
Sosuke replied to Anne with a smile.
"Shopkeeper, to be honest with you."
"Disregarding other factors, just judging from the quality of this Wensi Tofu, you definitely possess the strength of a three-star restaurant Chef!"
"No, the dishes made by the Chefs of those 72 three-star restaurants are completely inferior to yours."
"I think, if it were a real evaluation, awarding you the sole title of a four-star restaurant Chef would not be an exaggeration at all."
"After all, in my understanding, no one's cooking in this world can surpass yours!"
"Huh?"
"Four... four-star restaurant Chef?"
Beside them, Sonoka, who had begun to play the role of a passerby, was once again shocked!
...
You should know.
There is a big difference between a three-star restaurant Chef and a three-star restaurant Chef.
After all, a three-star restaurant certainly cannot have only one Chef inside, but there must be differences in skill among Chefs, so these are two different concepts!
And a Chef, naturally, is definitely the strongest one!
At the same time.
WGO Gourmet Organization.
Every year, all the results of the Executive Officers' restaurant evaluations are updated in the culinary review book, "THE BOOK," which Anne holds.
Among them, to date, there are only 72 three-star restaurants recorded in "THE BOOK," 1028 two-star restaurants, and 4421 one-star restaurants!
So it's understandable that restaurants recognized by the WGO Gourmet Organization represent the highest standards of restaurant operation and quality worldwide!
However, restaurants that receive star ratings do not necessarily continue to thrive in the catering industry.
There are also star-rated restaurants that have closed due to poor management and declining reputation.
But!
No matter what.
Even just receiving the lowest one-star rating.
For many Chefs, it is the greatest honor in their lives!
But what was the result?
With one move, Sosuke directly conquered Anne.
And in her evaluation, she even believed that Sosuke possessed the ability to surpass all three-star restaurant Chefs!
This left Sonoka deeply shocked, unable to calm down for a long time.
At this moment, she realized that some things others could effortlessly achieve, while she herself would have to struggle a lifetime to obtain!
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