"This match... the outcome is no longer in doubt!" Looking at Dylan with sparkling eyes, Kikuchi Sonoka muttered under her breath. She then
"This match... the outcome is no longer in doubt!"
Looking at Dylan with sparkling eyes, Kikuchi Sonoka muttered under her breath. She then stepped forward to the sales point next to the cooking station and spoke to the crowd gathered before her:
"Those who wish to purchase, please line up here. First come, first served. Sales will stop when we are sold out."
The moment she finished speaking, the commotion in the crowd paused for an instant, but no one moved immediately. Instead, they stood hesitantly, looking at one another. However, this hesitation did not last long.
"It smells so good!"
When Dylan put the processed ingredients into the woks, simultaneously manipulating ten woks with his chopsticks and releasing bursts of aroma, someone immediately started to move.
"Everyone, don't rush. Let me go first to scout the enemy."
A man spoke with righteous indignation, but before he could even take a step, his collar was firmly grabbed by someone behind him and he was pulled back.
"Let me handle such an arduous task."
"No, no, let me!"
In an instant, the crowd that had been frozen in place erupted into a commotion. Some rushed forward, while others pulled those in front back, pushing their own bodies forward. They shoved and pushed each other, everyone wanting to be the first.
Kikuchi Sonoka was happy to see this but also a little troubled, so she shouted, "Everyone, please form a line! There's enough for everyone, don't push!"
However, perhaps because her voice was too gentle, or perhaps because the crowd saw her as an easy target, no one paid her any attention from beginning to end.
"Everyone, please stop squeezing..."
Looking at the scene, Kikuchi Sonoka shouted a few more times, but the people around her acted as if they hadn't heard, continuing to push and shove for themselves.
"Use the kid in the middle of the crowd as the center point. Everyone else, stand back. We will now distribute number cards. You will collect your meal according to the number called."
"These are my rules here. Those who do not comply can get lost now."
Gathering his inner energy, Dylan's voice, like a great bell, boomed towards the front.
For a moment, everyone in the surrounding crowd froze. Just as they were about to say something, they stopped after seeing the look in his eyes. Then, they all retreated, and in an instant, a long line was formed.
Of course, not everyone was willing to put up with Dylan's attitude, especially when there was another shop of a similar level right next door. Many people left in a huff and started queuing at Joichiro Yukihira's stall.
This group, combined with the die-hard fans of Restaurant Yukihira, made the number of people on both sides roughly equal.
However, because Dylan was giving out number cards for a later call, the crowd moved quickly, and soon only a few scattered customers were left in line.
This method could free up queuing time while also increasing the number of dishes sold, because one had to pay a 20% deposit to receive a number card.
This was the proof of purchase.
A streamlined sales process could often significantly boost a product's sales volume.
"Heh!"
After all the ingredients were in the woks, Dylan picked up the silver chopsticks placed by the side of the cooking station and began to operate rapidly with both hands.
In just over ten minutes, one dish after another appeared on the plate carved with the red dragon.
"What a wonderful aroma! One dish actually has four small eats. It looks really good!"
The four types of dishes were evenly arranged on the plate, each occupying a corner, not interfering with each other, ultimately forming a "Treasure Trove of Small Eats" platter.
What also emerged was an aroma so rich it was almost tangible, causing the scattered crowd to gather around once more, their eyes sparkling as they stared at the dish on the plate.
Even behind Joichiro Yukihira's stall, many of the previously rebellious customers gave up queuing and trotted over to get a number card.
The remaining ones were also eager to move, but mindful of their bond with Restaurant Yukihira, they held their noses and turned their heads away, refusing to look.
On the other side, Joichiro Yukihira had just finished processing ingredients for 50 people. Seeing this situation, he couldn't help but frown slightly.
"No, if this continues, all the customers will be snatched away. I have to start cooking!"
Thinking of this, Joichiro Yukihira reached out and lifted the white cloth covering the middle of his cooking station, revealing the iron plate underneath.
"A teppanyaki-style dish? This looks really exciting!"
Without Dylan's divine skills, to sell enough dishes within three hours required a lot of consideration.
Among them, the most important was cooking speed.
If it took more than ten minutes to make one pot of a dish, then even if many customers wanted to eat and his food was very popular, it would be impossible to win against his opponent.
Therefore, he had prepared this iron plate, which took up a good half of the cooking station and could cook five portions simultaneously, greatly increasing his cooking efficiency.
He thought victory was within his grasp, but he never expected that Dylan could use several chopsticks to simultaneously control ten woks, cooking completely different dishes at that.
"Number one can come forward now. The soup is on my right; those who need it can help themselves."
Glancing in Joichiro Yukihira's direction, Kikuchi Sonoka lifted the lid of the Seaweed and Egg Drop Soup pot next to her, revealing its full contents. The steaming soup emitted an enticing aroma. Some customers, seeing that it wasn't their turn yet, went ahead to ladle some soup first.
"Thank you."
The moment her words fell, someone immediately came forward with a number card, took the dish she handed over, and swiftly paid the remaining money.
And after number one, number two, three, four, and so on followed in order...
Without even waiting for Kikuchi Sonoka to call the numbers, those whose turn it was would immediately report their number, take their food, and then eat at the rows of tables set up on the side.
Because the competition was agreed to be in the evening, Dylan had paid to rent the usage rights of both sides of the street for a day, preparing a hundred or so seats for the customers to use.
"Delicious! This Sesame Fragrant Chicken Cutlet is absolutely delicious to the extreme! One bite, and the crisp fragrance of the bread and the tenderness of the chicken cutlet combine perfectly. The texture is top-tier!"
Customer A sat down and began to eat. The freshly made Sesame Fragrant Chicken Cutlet was at its most fragrant. With one bite, the crispy fragrance and tender texture exploded simultaneously.
"And this Jade Hairpin Prawn Ball, now I know why it has the word 'Hairpin' in its name! The tenderness of the prawn and the crispness of the three threads of green bamboo shoot, carrot, and bamboo shoot complement each other perfectly, harmonizing together to create a brand new taste!"
Customer B couldn't help but exclaim in praise. The taste of this shrimp was truly beyond his imagination; it could be said to be the most delicious prawn ball dish he had ever eaten in his life!
"Not only that, in this Jade Hairpin Prawn Ball dish, the original flavor of the shrimp is exceptionally rich. It truly leaves a lingering fragrance in your mouth, making you want to come back for more. It's incredibly satisfying for a shrimp lover like me!"
Customer C also spoke, his face full of intoxicated enjoyment. He was an extreme shrimp lover. Seeing that Dylan's prepared dishes included shrimp, and a shrimp dish he had never eaten before, he directly defected from Joichiro's support group.
"I like these Snow-Clad Small Dumplings! They contain all sorts of fillings, and the taste of each filling is different. Every bite gives you a brand new experience! Long live sweets!"
Picking up a longan-sized Snow-Clad Small Dumpling, the girl's face was filled with joy. She was the one who chose Dylan's side because of this part.
Snow-Clad Small Dumplings.
It used the same cooking method as the classic 'Xuemian Dousha,' but simply replaced the fillings inside and rolled them smaller, thus creating a brand new taste.
"Who eats dessert first! Save it for last, you idiot!"
Seeing someone already starting on the final dessert, a more particular person immediately beat their chest, a look of regret on their face. How can you eat dessert before the meal?! If you eat it, you won't be able to eat the main course!
"I can eat Joichiro's food anytime, but this chef might only be here for one day and then leave. No! I have to buy another portion later!"
Customer A spoke, then picked up the Orange Black Pepper Beef Cubes, holding them up to the light to observe.
"The quality of this beef is really good. The sweet and sour of the orange, the spiciness of the black pepper, and the soft beef that melts in your mouth after a little chewing... All sorts of flavors gather in the mouth, and with one bite, they all explode. It's truly a top-tier enjoyment!"
"And have you guys noticed? These dishes seem to be separate, with no connection to each other. But after actually tasting them, you'll find that no matter which dish you start with, the lingering taste in your mouth will make the next dish you taste even more delicious!"
"That's true! If you eat the Orange Black Pepper Beef Cubes first, and then the Jade Hairpin Prawn Balls, the prawn balls will have a faint sweet, sour, and spicy taste, elevating the flavor of the prawn balls and creating a brand new taste!"
"If you pair it with the Sesame Fragrant Chicken Cutlet, then it's a whole other flavor!"
"Exactly! Four small eats, and considering the most varied flavors of the Snow-Clad Small Dumplings, they can probably form dozens of combinations. This dish... is simply a taste treasure trove that you can continuously dig deeper into!"
A man couldn't help but exclaim in admiration.
Thanks to Dylan's extremely high cooking efficiency, more and more people got to taste his cuisine.
Because of the different tasting orders, the lingering flavors in their mouths were different, and the experiences they obtained were also completely different, like drawing cards from a deck.
But there was one unified conclusion at the scene.
Delicious!
"This feeling is like being in a quiet and peaceful little world. Wheat and red beans are planted in the fields, along with various other crops. Shrimp play in the water, and cows graze on the back mountain, basking in the sun. Everything is so beautiful!"
"No worries, no troubles, only considering what to play today. When tasting this dish, it feels as if I've returned to the happiest time of my childhood!"
Closing their eyes and carefully savoring it, the crowd felt as if they had returned to their childhood. At that time, they were carefree, not needing to worry about their future lives. It could be said to be the happiest period of their lives!
After growing up, they rushed about for a living, with no time to appreciate the beauty around them anymore. Life was only left with the daily grind of firewood, rice, oil, and salt.
Now, because of one of Dylan's dishes, they had returned to that time again, which couldn't help but bring tears to the corners of their eyes.
Some of the middle-aged men even began to cry out loud, eating the dish in front of them while crying, looking disheveled, yet no one laughed at them.
They carried the heavy burden of their families and were the group under the most pressure.
Let alone the leisure of childhood; if they couldn't earn money, they would be scolded by their wives even for just breathing at home.
And middle age was also the time when layoffs were most severe. To avoid being laid off, they could only work desperately, pulling all-nighters, the pressure was immense.
Now, there was a dish that could let them rest briefly, giving them spiritual comfort. The value of this dish had already surpassed its taste.
"This is so good! It's the first time I've ever eaten a dish like this. Boss, another portion!"
The middle-aged man wiped away his tears and shouted in Dylan's direction, but received no response. This made him realize that this was not an izakaya; the food needed to be collected by number.
"Another portion my ass! Do you think this is an izakaya? If you want more, get a new number card."
A person with foresight, feeling the deliciousness halfway through their meal, had gotten up early to get a new number card from Kikuchi Sonoka. This way, after finishing their meal, they could seamlessly continue.
"Damn it! Who ate my food while I was gone?"
However, his smugness didn't last long. When he returned to his seat, looking at the empty plate before him, he looked around angrily.
Someone had actually taken advantage of his absence to eat all the remaining food at their table?! Such incidents were not uncommon. Many people were too clever for their own good. How could anyone resist the temptation of top-tier cuisine?
"This is terrifying..."
Watching Dylan continuously produce new dishes, and the crazed-looking diners at their seats, Soma Yukihira couldn't help but swallow his saliva.
"Don't be so discouraged. It's not like we don't have a chance to turn things around. Although it's a bit difficult, if we give up, then there's really no hope."
At this moment, Joichiro Yukihira stood in front of the iron plate, holding a spatula. Hearing Soma Yukihira's words, he spoke to him with a profound look in his eyes.
Although he also knew the chances of winning were slim, at least there was still a chance. If he gave up, then there would truly be no hope at all. He was not one to give up easily. No matter how slim the chance, he would give it his all. It was like that in the past, and it was like that now.
And the dish he was preparing to cook today.
Potstickers.
Using beef and shrimp as the main ingredients, supplemented with shiitake mushrooms and bamboo shoots to season the filling.
And his innovation was in the starch water poured over the potstickers. It wasn't traditional starch water, but he had added clear chicken stock to it.
He pureed chicken breast to quickly release its flavor, allowing the chicken stock to form in the fastest way possible to be used in the dish.
Of course, this was only one part of the innovation. There was also the cheese powder sprinkled on the surface of the potstickers, and the subsequently prepared sauce.
This dish should have been the fastest. Even if Dylan's skills were better, his speed couldn't compare to his. As for the victory condition of the Shokugeki, he had already lost.
This was the optimal solution he and Soma Yukihira had decided on after trying all night.
But now, Dylan, with his superb cooking skills, had completely overturned his biggest advantage, turning him into a joke.
To be able to simultaneously cook the ingredients in ten woks with just a few silver chopsticks—such a cooking technique, he had never even heard of!
Where on earth did this guy come from? Who was his master, to be so formidable?!
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