Chapter 136 Fusion Cuisine Tasting!
Fang Ya sent an address: Jingtai Grand Hotel. Lu Qin explained to Fang Ya that he wasn’t a professional food critic and could only do his best. After all, he wasn’t a gourmet, he was just a chef.
Fang Ya didn’t see it that way. Back when Hu Zhijun from Zijing Restaurant made a liver paste soup, Lu Qin had only looked at a photo and, with his sharp eyes, immediately pointed out three fatal flaws. So, in Fang Ya’s eyes, Lu Qin was absolutely incredible.
The tasting was set for 1 PM. Lu Qin tidied himself up and prepared to take a taxi since his car had been taken by Shen Muyan. Unexpectedly, Shen Muyan had already arranged for someone to return his car—and it had been washed too. The one who drove the car back was Shen Muyan’s lovely young secretary, Song Xuanxuan.
Song Xuanxuan, a self-proclaimed foodie, looked at Lu Qin with eyes full of admiration—almost sparkling. Having finally gotten the chance to meet Lu Qin in private, Song Xuanxuan shamelessly asked if there was anything to eat—anything at all, even a pot lid, she joked.
Lu Qin hadn’t cooked anything fresh yet, and his fridge only had a box of ice jelly cake and a cup of mung bean smoothie.
“There’s also some osmanthus oolong tea as the base. Want milk tea?”
“Yes! I love milk tea!”
Song Xuanxuan’s eyes practically shot out laser beams—she was overjoyed! She had always wanted to try Lu Qin’s milk tea but never had the chance.
Lu Qin packed up the items and handed them to Song Xuanxuan, who insisted on paying, pushing a red bill into his hands.
“That’s too much,” Lu Qin said.
“No worries! I can get it reimbursed by President Shen.”
Song Xuanxuan got into a taxi and left. She was so ecstatic that she almost bumped her head before getting into the car. Lu Qin shook his head with a smile, opened the car door, and got into the driver’s seat.
Even though the car had been washed, a faint, elegant fragrance still lingered inside. The driver’s seat had been adjusted—clearly to Shen Muyan’s preferred position.
Lu Qin saved it as Seat Memory 2 and then pressed Seat Memory 1 to restore his own setting. In the central armrest’s cup holder, he found a purple hair tie—no doubt left behind by Shen Muyan. He placed it in the storage compartment, switched to drive mode, and stepped on the gas toward Jingtai Grand Hotel.
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Jingtai Grand Hotel was a well-known dining establishment in Jiangcheng. Its main restaurant, Rongxuanji, specialized in contemporary fusion cuisine, had already earned a two-star Michelin rating, and was aiming for a third.
Now, Lu Qin understood why Fang Ya had invited him. Rongxuanji wasn’t just some small eatery. As a food influencer with millions of followers, Fang Ya couldn’t afford to make mistakes—especially when it came to professional culinary knowledge.
After parking his car, Lu Qin entered the hotel lobby and called Fang Ya.
“Damn, it’s totally gridlocked here! Lu Qin, I’m so sorry, but I’ll be late. You go ahead and wait in… wait in Private Room 3092. I’ve arranged everything—you can order whatever you want to eat or drink, and I’ll cover the bill…”
Fang Ya’s signal was bad, crackling over the line. After hanging up, Lu Qin checked with the front desk and then headed towards Private Room 3092.
“3092, right?” Lu Qin muttered to himself.
The phone call had been unclear, but it should be 3092. He took the elevator and found the room.A young woman in professional attire stood at the door—not a hotel staff member, more like a corporate employee.
As Lu Qin approached and was about to speak, the woman glanced at the documents in her hand and asked, “Are you Mr. Lu?”
“Yes.”
“You’re the last one we were waiting for. Please, come in.”
She opened the door, and Lu Qin stepped inside. The large private dining room was filled with over a dozen men and women. The moment Lu Qin entered, all eyes turned towards him.
He was taken aback. He had assumed he would be the only one helping Fang Ya with the tasting. He hadn’t expected her to invite so many people.
Was this really such a big deal?
Not knowing what was going on, he simply took the only available seat.
In front of each person was a pen and a sheet of paper labeled ‘Feedback Form’.
Lu Qin thought to himself, Why so formal?
Meanwhile, in a luxurious office inside Jingtai Grand Hotel, the chairman, Chen Jingrong, sat in his executive chair. Standing before him was the young woman from outside Room 3092.
“Manager Zhu, has the last chef arrived?”
“Yes, Chairman. He’s here.”
“Good. Inform the kitchen to start serving the dishes. The first assessment is on taste, the second on knife skills, and the third on cooking technique. A good chef must excel in all three. I will personally review each feedback form after the assessment.”
“Yes, Chairman.”
The restaurant manager, Zhu Li, went to make the arrangements.
Five minutes later, Zhu Li returned with waiters pushing serving carts into Private Room 3092. Plates were placed on the table—each guest received the same dish. On the plate was a sauce-dressed portobello mushroom stuffed with a type of meat.
As a chef, Lu Qin’s sense of taste was more sensitive than an average person’s. Just from the aroma, he could tell the stuffing was beef. This was a fusion dish—visually appealing, with vibrant colors and elegant plating. The plate’s rim was even decorated with viola flowers.
Lu Qin had mastered a vast array of cooking techniques, with expertise spanning multiple cuisines. Even when cooking a dish outside his expertise, his flavors were still top-tier. His tasting ability was also exceptional, just shy of a master’s level.
Once the waiters finished serving, they left the room.
Zhu Li announced, “You have ten minutes. After that, the feedback forms will be collected.” Then, she exited as well.
Lu Qin found it strange—why the time limit? It felt like an evaluation. However, the other attendees remained serious and focused, showing no other emotions. So, Lu Qin suppressed his curiosity for the time being. He picked up his spoon, took a bite of the dish, and tasted the sauce.
The portobello mushroom was delicious, and the beef was tender, with the cooking temperature well-controlled. However, the basil flavor was a bit overpowering. Fusion cuisine often relied on multiple seasonings, resulting in strong and complex flavors.
By contrast, traditional Chinese cuisine emphasized bringing out the natural taste of the main ingredient. As for the sauce, it had a lot going on.
After savoring the dish for a few moments, Lu Qin had already made his judgment. Within a minute, he jotted down his feedback. In contrast, the others furrowed their brows in deep concentration, carefully tasting not just the sauce but also the mushroom and beef multiple times.
Lu Qin thought to himself, Isn’t this a bit much? Should I take another bite just to fit in?
But his palate was sharp enough to detect everything in one go, so further tasting wouldn’t change his conclusions. So, he sat back, waiting. This kind of fusion dish didn’t really excite him. While it was decently made, it still fell short of his own cooking.
Everyone else spent at least five minutes analyzing the dish before finally writing their feedback. Afterward, they occasionally stole glances at Lu Qin. This gave Lu Qin the distinct feeling of being the first student to finish a test in class.
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