"For this selection of works, everyone will be given cards of four colors: red, yellow, blue, and green. Red cards are worth four points, yellow cards are worth three points, and so on. Please choose the four ice sculptures you deem best, and cast your red, yellow, blue, and green cards into the boxes in front of your preferred ice sculptures, respectively. One person can cast a maximum of one card for each ice sculpture. Afterwards, dedicated personnel will collect and tally the scores to record the final results. Now, please queue up to receive your cards."
Because he had long anticipated that something like this might happen, Master Baiyao had made arrangements in advance, slightly adjusting the competition's scoring criteria.
However... at that time, the person he thought would win the championship was not Dylan, but...
Looking at the magnificent Teng Snake sculpture not far away, the Uncle in Green regarded it with a wry smile. For Dylan's Ice Phoenix to appear in an ice sculpture duel was a complete dimensional takedown; he didn't have the slightest chance of winning.
Although his Ice Teng Snake was sculpted with great spirit and was his best performance yet, some gaps simply couldn't be bridged by effort alone.
How can this kid be so strong?!
Watching Dylan, who wore a relaxed expression with his hands casually tucked in his pockets, the Uncle in Green couldn't help but scratch his head. Although the ice sculpture assessment primarily showcased the strength of one's knife skills, from small details, one could infer the larger picture; knife skills alone revealed a great deal. This kid, just as he suspected, was truly extraordinary!
'I underestimated you, kid! I didn't expect that old fellow to show up too. Are the Legendary Cooking Utensils really that alluring?'
The Uncle in Green mused, then shifted his gaze to two other outstanding works: a Black Tortoise and an ice tree. The Black Tortoise was a conventional sculpture; no part of it seemed particularly novel, yet the details were impeccably rendered, indicating extremely solid fundamental skills.
The ice tree, on the other hand, possessed a chaotic beauty, showcasing the sculptor's flamboyant and unrestrained style. Even though the ice leaves were incredibly thin, there was no sign of them falling. Making a cut, much like making decisions in life, was often better done decisively than with hesitation.
The person he was mainly observing was Lei Tianci, who was leaning on a cane. Perhaps because he had been staring for too long, the other party noticed. Master Tianci suddenly turned his head and grinned at him.
"Is it finally time for voting? There's no suspense about first place, but choosing second, third, and fourth is really difficult! I feel like everyone's work is amazing!"
"Indeed, I think these few are quite similar. However, I prefer that ice tree; its chaotic, disorderly feel looks great!"
"Really? I actually think that Teng Snake is quite good. I cast my vote for second place for him."
"Great minds think alike!"
As the audience members received their ballots and queued up to vote, they discussed animatedly. What was shocking was that, regardless of the individual, after strolling around the display area, everyone would unhesitatingly cast the red card in their hand for Dylan, and then hesitate before choosing among the other ice sculptures.
This round of voting alone took half an hour, yet the ice sculptures showed no signs of melting. It was estimated they could last until evening without issue.
However, the staff naturally wouldn't let them melt. After the voting ended, they moved Dylan's and the others' ice sculptures into a cold storage room, hoping to use them for related events in the future. Especially Dylan's Ice Phoenix; it would undoubtedly ignite the atmosphere at any such event!
"Alright, time is about up. Let's start counting the votes now."
Seeing that the vast majority of the audience had finished voting, Master Baiyao had the staff bring over the ballot boxes from in front of the ice sculptures and begin the tally. Because more than ten staff members were working simultaneously, the vote counting proceeded very quickly.
Fifteen minutes later, under the watchful eyes of everyone, a newly compiled list was posted on the wall. The one with the highest number of votes was, strikingly, Dylan!
A total of 2142 votes, with over 99% being red cards. Apart from a few naturally rebellious individuals who cast votes of other colors, it didn't significantly affect the overall outcome.
Second place went to the Uncle in Green. Over 80% of the voters gave him their yellow cards, deeming him second, thus he received 1344 votes.
Third place was somewhat unexpected; it was the young chef named Li Xiao, with 702 votes. The old man—likely Lei Tianci—was very close behind him, receiving 700 votes, a mere 2-vote difference between them.
As for those further down, the one with the most votes was Brother Niu, who sculpted the giant ox, accumulating just over a hundred votes, not even reaching a fraction of Dylan's total. Such contestants were undoubtedly eliminated.
With this, the top four of the "Divine Knife Skills Showdown" were decided. Next would be the formal duels, a true clash of culinary arts!
With the announcement of the rankings, the Special Grade Chefs looked at each other, clearly unwilling to believe they had received so few points. But upon closer reflection, it seemed quite reasonable.
This was a ranking to determine superiority; once votes were cast for the top contenders, they couldn't be cast for others. Thus, by the end, with the audience having no votes left for them, their low scores seemed almost a matter of course.
However... as distinguished Special Grade Chefs, for their ice sculptures to not even receive 100 votes, this reality truly made the corners of their mouths twitch.
"The rankings have been announced. I now declare that the four who sculpted the Ice Phoenix, Teng Snake, Ice Tree, and Black Tortoise have advanced. The Divine Knife Skills Showdown officially begins!"
Master Baiyao's deep voice resounded one minute after the rankings were displayed, also to give everyone some time to react. If the previous assessments were all about selection, then this was the main event.
"It's finally starting, the real Divine Knife Skills Showdown! We get to see a contest of 'glowing dishes'! This is so exciting!"
"Although that kid's knife skills are amazing, unfortunately, the Divine Knife Skills Showdown doesn't just test knife skills; culinary artistry is also crucial!"
"Losing isn't shameful! How old is that kid anyway?! In a few decades, he'll be another Five-Star Special Chef, and maybe he can even become someone at the level of the Guangzhou Chefs' Alliance's Four Heavenly Kings!"
"I wonder what the theme for the ultimate showdown will be. The peak confrontation of four Special Grade Chefs—I'm starting to get excited!!"
Indeed, upon hearing that the Divine Knife Skills Showdown had officially begun, a huge wave of discussion erupted in the venue. Among them, some wanted to see 'glowing dishes,' some felt a touch of pity for Dylan (anticipating he might lose out due to the broader scope of culinary skill required), and some were eagerly looking forward to the final championship match. Everyone had different thoughts.
"Teacher Dylan made it to the finals! Although I don't know what Legendary Cooking Utensils are, as long as it's Teacher Dylan, I feel like nothing will be a problem!"
"I think so too! If Legendary Cooking Utensils that can choose their owner really exist in this world, then their owner can only be Teacher Dylan!"
Watching Dylan advance to the finals, a few young girls immediately started chattering excitedly, their faces filled with elation and absolute confidence in him!
Others were noncommittal about their words but didn't bother to refute or argue. It was normal for everyone to have someone they supported. Once it was all over, and they personally witnessed the person they supported being defeated, they'd quiet down.
"The four of you are outstanding to have passed the preliminaries of this Divine Knife Skills Showdown. Next is the final round. The three of us will serve as judges for the finals, evaluating and scoring the dishes of the four contestants to determine the top three."
Because everyone had different opinions, after careful consideration, Master Baiyao decided to use a scoring system. The maximum score would be ten points, given by the three of them, and the final ranking would be determined by the combined scores. This was a common scenario in multi-contestant competitions.
The audience didn't mind, and the contestants on stage also nodded, their gazes fixed fervently on Master Baiyao, awaiting his next words.
"There are actually many dishes that test knife skills, such as Wensi Tofu, 'Straw Raincoat' Cucumber, and so on. However, specifying a single dish can easily limit a contestant's performance, which is detrimental to a culinary competition. Therefore, this assessment will not have restrictions on the type of dish. Contestants are free to perform as they wish, choosing a dish that sufficiently showcases their individual knife skills. Knife skills and taste will be the scoring criteria."
Master Baiyao's voice echoed through the venue. Such a theme wouldn't restrict the contestants' abilities, allowing them to choose and perform with the dishes they were most skilled at. In competitions for Special Grade Chefs, such themes appeared infrequently, but they were not unheard of.
"Open theme? Just need to showcase knife skills and ensure good taste! Isn't that a huge advantage for those Five-Star Special Grade Chefs? After all, having lived so long, they must have some signature dishes!"
The older one gets, the more experience they accumulate. An open theme is very challenging for younger Special Grade Chefs; this represents a gap in breadth of knowledge.
"It sounds simple, but it's actually very difficult. It might have been better to set a specific theme. In this situation, if one attempts an extremely difficult dish and makes a mistake, the final evaluation might end up being lower than that for a relatively simpler dish."
Someone analyzed rationally. Such a theme might seem simple, but in reality, it not only tested a chef's culinary ability but also their decision-making skills. It was a highly comprehensive assessment!
"You're overthinking it. These are all Special Grade Chefs! Do you even know what a Special Chef is? Only one emerges from hundreds or thousands of chefs! How could they make the kind of mistakes that even low-level chefs might make? For them, there's nothing you can't imagine that they can't create! Even for dishes they don't know, they can master them with just a little learning!"
The person next to him, hearing this analysis and seeing his confident, well-reasoned demeanor, showed a speechless expression.
Brother, take a good look, okay? These are Special Grade Chefs! They are among the absolute top tier in China! How could they possibly make the kind of mistakes that even novice chefs might not commit?!
"Look, they're starting to choose ingredients!"
As a dozen or so monks carried various vegetables, meats, seafood, and mushrooms onto the competition stage, Dylan and the others immediately went forward to search. Someone in the audience shouted, and the crowd below also turned their gazes that way.
"Why did that young man take several live ducks, as well as pigeons and quails? What is he planning to make? Peking Duck? Roasting it and then slicing the skin with a knife really tests a chef's knife skills."
Someone noticed Dylan's actions and immediately voiced their guess, their face full of curiosity.
"How could it be Peking Duck? Peking Duck doesn't use pigeons or quails."
Someone nearby retorted. Although they also couldn't figure out what it was, since he had taken pigeons and quails, it didn't seem like a dish such as Peking Duck.
"Compared to that, Master Tianci only took a single piece of pork! Is he going to make a dish focused on knife skills using just this piece of pork?"
"Only one piece of pork? What is he planning to do now!? The minds of these Special Grade Chefs are truly hard to fathom!"
Someone paying attention to Master Tianci couldn't help but speak up, causing others to also look over. They then discovered that, despite so many ingredients available, he had only taken a single piece of pork before returning to his cooking station!
"The Uncle in Green is also making his move! He chose carp, and also pork... It's another dish I've never seen before. This isn't from the Guangzhou region, is it!"
"That young man in the black robe, he took..."
"Ahhh! I can't understand what they're doing at all, but it feels so exciting, as if I'm right there, participating in the culinary assessment myself!"
Laymen simply couldn't understand the actions of the chefs on stage because it touched upon their knowledge blind spots; their eyes were filled with question marks. But that didn't stop them from feeling the electrifying energy.
Especially the skilled chefs, whose movements were quick and nimble; their clean and decisive actions looked incredibly satisfying to watch!
"This is the charm of a cooking competition! It can give you an immersive feeling, as if you are competing yourself. Moreover, the superb techniques of the chefs also provide a visual feast!"
Someone nearby exclaimed in admiration, their eyes shining as they looked towards Dylan and the others. He was also a chef and had come to watch this competition to learn. And then there was the fantasy—fantasizing that one day he too could stand up there, watched by so many spectators, cheering for him!
On the competition stage.
Looking at the prepared ingredients, Dylan's expression was incredibly serious. With his hands resting on the cooking station, he took long, deep breaths, continuously adjusting his state.
This wasn't actually for the sake of winning the competition, but to gain the recognition of the Legendary Cooking Utensils. Although he didn't know the specific conditions, at a time like this, all he could do was give his absolute best and let the Legendary Cooking Utensils witness his determination!
Speaking of which, in all the time he had been in this world, he had never once performed at his full potential! After all, although there were people in this world who could pique his interest, their skills were too weak; dealing with them didn't require him to go all out.
But now...
Looking at the Legendary Cooking Utensils wrapped in red cloth not far away, Dylan's eyes seemed to burn with an endless passion! It even felt as if the surrounding temperature had risen considerably!
"This kid, he's got my blood boiling too! Then let me see what you look like when you give it your all! I hope you don't disappoint me!"
Dylan's fervent passion infected the Uncle in Green at the neighboring cooking station.
In front of him lay a live carp. As his words fell, a fish stunner also descended, and the once lively carp instantly went still. He made a horizontal cut near the tail, severing the backbone.
A long, thin, pointed knife was inserted through the cut, gently separating the flesh from the bone along the spine, keeping the fish belly intact. The backbone and internal organs were removed through the gill opening, then rinsed clean and drained for later use.
He minced the pork and placed it in a bowl. Shaoxing wine, refined salt, scallion-ginger juice, and MSG were added and mixed evenly. Finally, he used his hands to rapidly beat the pork mixture to develop its elasticity.
Once elastic, diced shiitake mushrooms, diced winter bamboo shoots, diced chicken gizzards, and shrimp were added and mixed thoroughly...
The Uncle in Green's movements were nimble, and his gaze, no longer bearing its initial laxness, became serious and solemn, like a sleeping tiger slowly awakening.
"Master Tianci has started boiling the pork! With this method... I think I know what he's making! It's that famous Sichuan dish, Lizhuang White Meat! It's known for its thin skin, tender meat, appropriate fat-to-lean ratio, fresh and refreshing taste, and being rich but not greasy. It's a dish that truly tests one's knife skills!"
An audience member recognized the dish Master Tianci was preparing, an excited expression appearing on their face, and they immediately began to broadcast it enthusiastically to those around them.
"Indeed, I've heard there's such a famous dish in Sichuan. You need to lay the 'Er Dao Rou' (second-cut pork belly) flat and then slice it horizontally with a kitchen knife. You must ensure the skin remains connected and the meat slices are continuous. Only a master with extremely exquisite knife skills can achieve this!"
On the competition stage.
Master Tianci paid no heed to the discussions of others, silently proceeding with his cooking. His movements weren't fast but were methodical and orderly.
After placing the pork in cold water and bringing it to a boil over high heat, he added scallion segments and Sichuan peppercorns to season and remove any gaminess. Then, he pierced the meat with chopsticks to ensure it cooked through during the boiling process.
As time passed, once the pork was about 90% cooked by the high heat, he extinguished the flame, covered the pot, and switched to a simmering method to finish cooking. This would improve its texture and make the meat even more tender.
Simmering to full tenderness would take about an hour. The intervening time was used to prepare the sauce. Sichuan cuisine is often spicy and numbing, typically with numbingness as the primary note.
The people of Lizhuang favor 'Ciba Haijiao' (pounded chili peppers). They boil the chili peppers in a pot for four to five minutes, then switch to simmering. After it simmers and cools, it's time to pound it.
While pounding, fragrant garlic is added. For a large quantity of chili peppers, a generous amount of garlic is incorporated. It's pounded until it becomes fibrous and releases moisture to be considered up to par; the more mashed, the better the effect!
"These chili peppers look so spicy! Can this dish really be delicious?"
Some Cantonese people frowned upon seeing Master Tianci take out so many chili peppers. Some even took two steps back, their faces as if wearing masks of agony.
"This meat is quite good. After slicing it thinly, just adding a little minced ginger and garlic would be enough to enjoy it. Isn't adding so many chili peppers ruining it!"
"What do you know! Lizhuang White Meat without chili peppers isn't Lizhuang White Meat at all!"
"But with so many chili peppers, it's impossible to eat! Just looking at them gives me goosebumps, and smelling them makes my eyebrows twitch. It's hard to imagine what a mouthful would taste like!"
Regarding the large amount of chili peppers Master Tianci was preparing, a heated debate erupted at the scene. Some believed in adhering to authenticity, while others thought that since they were in Guangdong, they should adapt to local customs and modify the seasoning.
This debate continued for over ten minutes, until Master Tianci finished processing the chili peppers and began working on the soy sauce component.
"So many spices! Simmering these spices with soy sauce—I can't even imagine how delicious it will be! I feel like just this soy sauce alone would be amazing!"
Kaempferia galanga, bay leaves, cloves, cinnamon bark, Sichuan peppercorns, tsaoko cardamom, white cardamom, and star anise were placed in a spice bag and put into a pot. Then, a large amount of soy sauce was added to simmer.
A rich aroma instantly permeated the venue, drawing most people's attention. Looking at the soy sauce, bubbling away as it fused with the numerous spices, they couldn't help but gulp.
This stuff could make a shoe sole taste delicious!
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