Chapter 236 Sincerity
Cheng Peng said sarcastically, "You traveled all over the country to find a chili pepper? Ha, you are not afraid of biting your tongue when you brag! Even if you want to win favor, you should make up a more reasonable lie."

Chen Guanghe also showed contempt.

Xia Yi said eagerly: "I am not lying, I have indeed traveled all over the country. Due to climate, soil, humidity, precipitation and other factors, the varieties and tastes of peppers in different places are very different. It is precisely because of the huge differences in the varieties and tastes of peppers in different places that I have hope in my heart. China is a vast land with abundant resources, so there must be a place where I can find the peppers I dream of. It is with this hope that I keep looking."

"Finally I found it in a village in Shaanxi. It is said that a long time ago someone accidentally discovered this pepper in the wild. Because he loved its taste, he carefully nurtured the pepper plants, and this has continued to happen."

Xu Qing nodded slightly and said, "And your persistent pursuit has finally received the due reward."

"Yes."

Xia Yi responded.

Xia Yi calmed down when he saw that Xu Qing did not show any doubt on his face.

He didn't take Cheng Peng's ridicule to heart. When he was traveling around looking for chili peppers, many people ridiculed him, made fun of him, and advised him.

Xia Yi had long learned to turn a blind eye and a deaf ear to this.

But the only thing he didn't want was Xu Qing to misunderstand him, and he didn't want Xu Qing, whom he regarded as the direction for progress, to show an expression of doubt and disdain.

If that were the case, his heart would really be shaken.

Good thing...

Fortunately, Xu Qing was someone who could understand him, just as he thought.

Xu Qing could indeed understand that for those who pursue their dreams persistently, their dreams will eventually come true.

It was like this for Ku Rou in the beginning, and it is also like this for Xia Yi now.

However, not everyone is so lucky.

Or rather, there are very few people as lucky as them.

In the process of pursuing dreams, we keep falling and failing, and finally become discouraged, even desperate and give up.

This is the experience of the vast majority of people.

This is the normal world, a cruel and ruthless normal.

When Xia Yi embarked on the journey to pursue his dream, he never thought that he would succeed.

They just don't want to admit defeat, don't want to succumb to this cruel and merciless world, and keep challenging it and themselves.

In the end, it wasn't that the world became soft-hearted, but that they dug out a path with their own hands, a path to their dreams.

Xu Qing looked at the dried chilies on the table. The gentle spiciness seemed not to belong to this cruel world. If left to its own devices, perhaps it would disappear soon.

But it was discovered, carefully cultivated, and passed down from generation to generation, allowing this gentleness that does not belong to this world to continue.

This gentleness is not only a gift from nature, but also comes from the gentleness of the human heart.

The passion and persistence in pursuing dreams, and the sincerity in letting more people taste delicious food, this is what a real chef should have.

And it’s not just Xu Qing. Everyone who has tasted this spicy rice noodle can clearly feel the sincerity. This passion and honesty are conveyed through the dish.

Cheng Peng said indignantly: "Even so, even if he really traveled all over the country to find a unique variety of peppers. But my rice tofu is better than his in terms of craftsmanship, and it will not lose to him in taste. Not to mention me, even if it is Chen Guanghe, doesn't the old sauce in his hand taste good? Why didn't anyone vote for the two of us? Instead, all the votes were cast for him!"

After saying that, Cheng Peng looked at Xu Qing and said meaningfully: "Chef Xu, I know that you are from Juxialou in Sichuan, so you have a good impression of chefs from Sichuan. I can understand. Since you already have a suitable candidate in mind, why bother holding a test and wasting our time?" Cheng Peng's words were a clear accusation that Xu Qing was biased towards Xia Yi.

Seeing that there was no hope for Cheng Peng to enter Yangquan Restaurant, he just wanted to vent his anger and frustration without any care.

This feeling of frustration had been accumulating since the moment he lined up outside Yangquan Restaurant, and it finally burst out at this moment.

"What did you say?"

Cheng Peng's words instantly angered the chefs. They stood up immediately and were ready to rush over to teach Cheng Peng a lesson.

Master Luo Tian said, "Stop it! You are chefs, not hooligans. Don't always point your fists at others."

"But Master, he actually dared to..."

Everyone was very angry.

Master Luo Tian said: "Xu Qing, it seems that they don't know where they lost, just tell them."

Xu Qing nodded, "Okay. First, let's make rice tofu. Chef Cheng Peng's skills are quite exquisite. He chose a bold attempt to make exquisite and lovely rice tofu after boiling rice slurry. Rice tofu fully displays the original flavor of rice, allowing the fresh and natural aroma of rice to bloom perfectly, which fits the theme very well."

"The second dish, braised chicken with rice, has a sauce that has been carefully brewed over the years, paired with classic dishes that have been preserved over time, bringing a very mysterious and complex taste that is addictive. However, if I have to choose between rice tofu and braised chicken with rice, I would choose rice tofu."

The chefs all nodded in agreement. Between the two, rice tofu was undoubtedly the winner.

Xu Qing continued, "The sauce is the soul of the braised chicken rice, but it also makes the original flavor of the ingredients succumb to the taste of the sauce, making the taste of the dish completely revolve around the sauce. Although the rice is fully absorbed by the sauce, making the taste of the rice complex and mysterious, it ultimately fails to show the natural aroma of the rice, deviating from the theme, which is a pity."

Chen Guanghe sighed when he heard this.

The sauce can make or break a business.

His most proud and powerful weapon became the cause of his biggest defeat.

Xu Qing said: "The rice tofu is novel and interesting, and the chef's skills are superb, making simple ingredients bring out the most delicious taste, which is irresistible. The braised chicken with rice is full of flavor, and the complexity and mystery of the old sauce are deeply intoxicating. If we ignore the theme of the test, it is really hard to tell which one is better in terms of taste alone."

"But when the two are placed in front of spicy rice noodles, the winner is obvious. Because in front of the passion and sincerity of wanting to make diners who are not used to spicy taste feel the charm of chili, the rice tofu seems empty, and the braised chicken rice is a bit dull."

"The chefs either cook for the sake of winning or for the sake of cooking, but they don't have the intention of letting the diners taste the best delicacies. And even without Xia Yi's explanation, the diners can clearly feel this feeling."

"The diners can't see how much thought the chef put into the dishes, but they can taste it. Everyone has an invisible scale in their heart, with different weights and scales, and only sincerity can move them. That's why everyone chose the spicy rice noodles at the same time. Because everyone was moved by this sincerity and tenderness."

Xu Qing looked at Cheng Peng and Chen Guanghe, "Your failure is because you didn't really consider the diners and didn't spend a lot of effort to present the most delicious dishes. The difference in heart is the key to victory or defeat."

Heart?

Chen Guanghe seemed to be thinking about something.

His master always reminded him to understand the hearts of his diners.

But Chen Guanghe has always had only a vague understanding of this.

At this moment, he saw Xia Yi travel all over the country in search of chili peppers, and finally made spicy rice noodles that were not spicy, so that people who were not used to spicy food could fully experience the beauty of spiciness.

Chen Guanghe couldn't help but be moved by this persistent pursuit.

He vaguely understood what his master had said.

(End of this chapter)