Chapter 303: Liyue Cooking Competition, Preliminary Round (Part )

"Welcome everyone to my game."

Everyone saw that a tall, handsome and capable-looking man appeared on the stage at some point.

His tone was gentle and his voice was not loud, but it was clearly heard by every audience member present, as if he was very close to them.

He did not overly show off his charm, but everyone's attention was firmly attracted by it.

His radiance was enough to overpower the midday sun and turn the clouds in the sky into his own foil.

“This competition is to commemorate, to prove, and to demonstrate your understanding of the concept of food.”

“I believe that all the contestants who come to this competition have what they want, more or less.”

“Wealth, honor, sustenance, training, no matter what your reasons are, please display them to your heart’s content on this field and enjoy the fun of cooking!”

After saying that, Yao Luo opened his palms upwards, and a huge golden beam of light shot straight into the sky, causing everyone to exclaim in surprise.

“What a grand occasion!”

Although it was noon, the sky above the venue suddenly dimmed, like the starry sky illuminated at night.

The golden energy differentiated into countless stars in the sky, and each star represented a different type of food.

The sky, the earth, the ocean, the wild game, everything is included.

The professional chefs participating in the competition were itching to show off their skills just by seeing the figure wrapped in the shining light.

"Wow, Ying, look! There's even slime. I declare that the taste of this organizer has obviously reached the level of a chef!"

Xiangling excitedly held the traveler's hand. Before her, few chefs used slime gel as an ingredient in cooking. But in Xiangling's opinion, cooking should be done as one pleases and should not be restricted by ingredients.

"So it's him, that's not surprising..."

Ying's attention was completely attracted by Yao Luo on the stage. Before this, she was curious about who had the ability to host such a grand competition, but if it was Yao Luo, things would make sense.

"It turns out this guy has such good taste. Paimon likes this kind of competition. I suggest you open more of them!"

Looking at the golden ingredients glittering in the sky, Paimon wiped the saliva from the corner of his mouth. As a gourmet, just by looking at the appearance of these ingredients, Paimon could already imagine how the chefs could make such wonderful food.

"Please invite all contestants to the stage!"

In the hustle and bustle, countless chefs, carrying their own tools, stepped onto this shining stage with full of enthusiasm.

Some people had a wide variety of props, even using containers to transport them all, while others just took a square kitchen knife and walked straight to the competition venue.

In the center of the competition, a wide variety of tools have been prepared for all kinds of cooking masters, including pots, pans, and everything else. Even considering the different habits of various chefs, various stoves have been prepared. Even if you want to make fire on the spot, the competition will meet your requirements.

"Wow, these ingredients are so fresh, it's as if they were just fished out from the bottom of the sea."

Xiangling looked around, and with her deft hands she touched the wide variety of meats and seafood in the food preparation area, inspiration flooded into her mind.

"Tuna, wild boar, come quickly, let me quickly take you..."

Xiangling even hummed a ballad unconsciously. To her, she didn't even regard this as a competition, but a normal "daily routine" in her cooking career since she was a child. And it was this mentality that met the standards that Yao Luo wanted.

"The first level is also the trial level that determines whether the chefs will have the opportunity to come into contact with the "special ingredients" I prepare."

Yao Luo stretched out a finger and announced the requirements of the competition to tens of thousands of contestants off the field in a slightly mysterious tone.

"The theme of this level is: the meaning of cooking."

“There is no limit on the ingredients or types, and the time limit is three hours. All materials and tools on site can be used. After the countdown is over, the competition works will be handed over to the audience on site for judging.”

"Each person must prepare at least 100 dishes, and the audience can choose freely. The first contestant to finish eating will automatically advance."

"In this competition, half of the players will be eliminated. Please use your discretion."

Yao Luo's words caused an uproar among the chefs.

"Are you kidding me? We have to make 100 copies in three hours? Are you treating us like street vendors?"

“Leave it to the audience to judge? Can they appreciate my cooking? What if they don’t know how to cook?”

Some people were concerned about the short time schedule: three hours for one hundred servings, which meant that people could not make dishes with overly complicated processes, such as dishes that required a long time of marinating and stewing, which were obviously not suitable for this preliminary round.

Another group of people are dissatisfied with such a judging mechanism. Almost all of them are chefs or masters from top restaurants. They usually turn to the masses and have long been separated from the ordinary people. They focus on making small and exquisite dishes for the upper class. They seem a little dissatisfied with the challenge of this kind of "big pot dish".

But those who oppose are ultimately a minority, and the real masters have already begun to act.

The moment Yao Luo finished speaking, a huge countdown was hung in the sky, symbolizing the start of the competition.

"There are no restrictions. That's just what I want."

Xiangling hardly hesitated. To her, the meaning of cooking was to satisfy every diner who came to Wanmin Hall, no matter where they came from or what their status was. As long as they were guests of the restaurant, she would do her best.

Fill people's stomachs and make them smile happily because of her delicious food.

This is what it means to be a chef!
"Hmm? What should I do?"

Xiangling keenly observed that the competition was held at noon, which was just the right time. Although the competition lasted for three hours, according to the competition rules, the audience present could now go down the stage to observe the progress of their competition.

That’s right, in order to watch the competition, many spectators did not even have time to eat lunch and rushed to the competition venue. Now, after watching the chefs show off their cooking skills, they were already starving.

"It has to be quick and satisfying, so isn't the answer obvious?"

Xiangling's lively braids swayed back and forth, just like her bursting inspiration.

Light the stove, heat the pan and add boiling oil, separate the prepared egg white and egg yolk, add a spoonful of overnight rice, and the dish Xiangling wants to make is ready.

This is the simplest dish, but also the most difficult one. This dish is always present in every household in Liyue. It is a token of love from a mother at night, and a childhood memory for countless people. It is…

“Egg fried rice!”

　Next month, the Strange Stories from Fox House will begin!

　　
　
(End of this chapter)