"Ah~"
As the dish entered her mouth, An's body involuntarily bent into a crescent shape. Shamed sounds uncontrollably escaped from her mouth, and her entire being plunged into a sea of happiness. The dual flavors of chicken wings and shrimp spiraled, intertwined, and sublimated in her mouth!
"As expected of Kobayashi, the completeness of the dish she created is so high! It's truly a meticulously crafted work."
Closing his eyes and savoring the dish's flavor, Azami Nakiri's face was filled with contentment. The chicken wings and shrimp danced in his mouth, as if performing a graceful waltz.
In this scene, he even wanted to sing a song to express his joy.
"The chicken wings you chose for this must be the famous Qingyuan Ma Chicken from China, right? It's known for its small size, well-developed subcutaneous and intramuscular fat, thin skin, and soft bones. Its texture is delicate, and the chicken meat is tender, truly a top-grade product."
Tasting the chicken wing portion, Akame opened her eyes and began to explain. The ingredients used in this dish were of very high quality, which was also key to its excellent taste.
"For the shrimp, it should be Arctic shrimp, and very fresh ones at that. The texture is soft yet resilient, and the taste is perfect. It's simply the little overlord of shrimp!"
One hand covering her face, full of happiness, An spoke with immense satisfaction. Because both the chicken and shrimp were chosen from the best ingredients, their combination directly multiplied the deliciousness index exponentially!
"And this crispy thin layer underneath, it should be made from water starch and cheese powder. Driven by high temperatures, it formed a beautiful golden-brown color. The rich milky aroma surprisingly pairs well with the dish!"
"And this sauce, it should have chicken broth, oyster sauce, soy sauce, and other seasonings added. The taste is rich and full of umami. One bite down is truly super satisfying!"
"Moreover, although chicken wings and shrimp are both present, the shrimp's flavor consistently surpasses the chicken wings, allowing one to clearly feel that this is a shrimp dish, not a chicken wing dish."
Akame said with a happy expression, then raised her hand to signal to Kuro, who was standing nearby, and gave her the remaining chicken wing wrapped shrimp, wanting her to also have a taste.
Below, in the audience seats.
"Oh no, listening to the judges' words made my stomach hungry again. Are there any more egg burgers? Where are the Small JZ company people? Can I buy them? But why are these burgers so delicious!? This is my first time eating such a delicious egg burger."
"I want one too! I can't take it anymore looking at the dishes on stage! Quickly bring me something to satisfy my craving!"
"Me too."
"+1, where are the Small JZ company people?"
Unable to eat the dishes on stage, and one egg burger not being enough to fill their stomachs, many people in the audience hadn't had dinner yet, and their stomachs were growling terribly now.
Of course, there were also some who had already eaten dinner, but such a delicious egg burger was enough to make them forget their limited feeling of fullness, so they also joined the shouts of the people around them.
"Everyone, please quiet down a bit. The competition is currently in progress. Please do not disturb the contestants' performance."
Seeing that the situation on site was getting a bit out of control, Kawashima Rei picked up the microphone and said briefly, her voice full of helplessness.
She never expected the venue to erupt into chaos because of the dinner provided by the company; this was somewhat absurd. Such a thing had never happened before.
However, everyone present was an elite from various social circles. After a brief disturbance, they quickly quieted down, though some were still muttering quietly, clearly still thinking of the egg burgers.
And the people from Small JZ company, seeing how popular their product was, immediately instructed the kitchen to continue cooking. Soon, one egg burger after another was delivered to the guests.
Of course, for brand promotion, everything was free.
Switching perspective, on the cooking station.
Hoshino Sora had already taken his dish out of the pot and plated it. As he was about to move forward, he encountered Eishi Tsukasa, who had finished his dish at the same time.
The two completed their dishes almost simultaneously and placed them on their dining carts at the same time. Everything was so coincidental.
"You first."
Looking at Hoshino Sora beside him, Eishi Tsukasa stepped aside by half a body length and made a gesture to invite him forward.
"Together, it doesn't really matter anyway."
Hoshino Sora shrugged indifferently, then placed his dish on the dining table.
Hearing him say that, Eishi Tsukasa thought for two seconds and then followed Hoshino Sora, placing his dish. Their dishes were on the left and right, allowing for a good comparison effect when tasted simultaneously.
In other words, Eishi Tsukasa decided to directly challenge Hoshino Sora!
Upon seeing this situation, the people present immediately became restless. Those in the back rows directly stood up, their fists slightly clenched, staring intently at the judging panel.
They had a premonition that the champion would be decided between these two people!
"Those in front, hurry up and sit down! You're blocking my view of the match!"
"Exactly, if you want to stand, go stand in the hallway, don't block the view here!"
The people in the front rows standing up immediately caused dissatisfaction among those further back, their visible annoyance on their faces. Hearing the verbal attacks from behind, almost everyone sat back down.
At this moment, the competition had reached a fever pitch.
As the two plates were simultaneously uncovered, a drone hovering in the air flew over, displaying the two dishes, now revealing their true appearance, on the big screen for everyone to see.
"Wow!"
"What beautiful dishes! The visual effect is perfect!"
"Damn it, I shouldn't have come here. My stomach has been growling non-stop since I arrived, it just won't stop!"
Golden-orange shrimp balls, exuding a rich fruity aroma, with lychees as garnish, evenly scattered around the shrimp balls, adding a touch of brilliance.
This was Hoshino Sora's dish, Orange Lychee Shrimp Balls!
Opposite it was a plate of whole fried shrimp, the fried shrimp piled up in layers to form a high tower, with an exquisite presentation and unique flavor, also very eye-catching.
Eishi Tsukasa, Crispy Shrimp in the Ocean.
Standing side by side, the two fragrances wafting in the air seemed to be locked in a fierce battle, neither yielding to the other, creating a temporary stalemate, until Akame was the first to pick up her chopsticks.
She picked up a crispy shrimp, brought it to her mouth, and took a gentle bite. The crispy texture spread in her mouth, and closing her eyes, she savored it, realizing the dish had a very rich, fresh shrimp flavor!
Because it was fried without peeling, the shrimp's flavor was entirely locked inside.
With one bite, all the flavors exploded in her mouth like a deep-sea bomb, a strong impact directly hitting her brain, causing a blissful dizziness.
"Sweet, rich in fruit aroma, rich in shrimp aroma, it's rare that these two can blend so well!"
"Indeed, the color is bright, the taste is full, one bite makes you feel like you've returned to that summer, and your whole body is full of youthful vitality, this feeling is great!"
"And these lychees, although stir-fried, their moisture hasn't been lost at all. With one bite, they're plump and juicy, and the fruity taste, mixed with the shrimp flavor, explodes in the mouth."
Dekola said excitedly, her face full of enjoyment.
"And this orange flavor, with a slight sourness, forms a sharp contrast with the sweetness of the lychee, but there's no conflict; instead, it elevates the flavor profile to another level."
"This taste is simply irresistible!"
Her voice trembled, clearly indicating a significant impact. This refreshing sensation was unexpectedly strong, causing her body to tremble uncontrollably, and certain areas were also covered in moisture.
Hmm, her eyes. They say a beautiful woman's eyes are like silk, and this is probably what they mean.
Although these enchanting eyes were influenced by the dish.
"As expected of Tsukasa-senpai, the shrimp skin is crispy and delicious, the shrimp meat is wonderfully springy, and besides shrimp, no other ingredients were used. It truly aligns with the theme of this competition."
Feeling the wild impact rushing through his body, Azami Nakiri's face was filled with satisfaction, his clothes had already burst open again, and he was in a state of euphoria.
The judges tasted the dishes in different orders, but all of them, without prior agreement, let out exclamations of happiness. Their joyful expressions were visible to the naked eye, and the impact they experienced was also very obvious.
Among them, the person most affected was An. At this moment, her body became extremely sensitive, her legs slightly closed, her eyes filled with a hazy look, to the point that she couldn't utter a single word.
"One is a complex flavor that perfectly blends fruit and shrimp aromas, and the other is a dish that maximizes the shrimp aroma. Their levels are very similar, making it so difficult to choose!"
Taking a bite from the left, then a bite from the right, they closed their eyes and meticulously savored the differences, advantages, and disadvantages between the dishes. However, both dishes were executed to perfection, with virtually no flaws.
As for their respective advantages, one had a unique shrimp flavor, while the other had both shrimp and fruit flavors coexisting, mutually integrated, elevating the taste to a higher level.
Besides these, whether it was Kobayashi Rindo's Chicken Wing Stuffed with Shrimp or Erina Nakiri's Golden Shrimp Parcel, both were top-tier dishes. However, upon careful reflection, they were still slightly inferior to the two dishes currently before them.
Therefore, the First Seat will be decided between these two.
However, the Third and Fourth Seats will also require a decision.
So annoying...
Kuraji clutched her hair, her face full of melancholy. This was the first time she had felt this way in all her years of work.
This was simply because the two had different advantages and no obvious flaws.
From the perspective of taste, Hoshino Sora was slightly better; from the perspective of the theme, Eishi Tsukasa was more fitting. This give and take made it even harder to determine the winner.
Although cooking is somewhat subjective, she liked the taste of both. She turned to look at the other judges, wanting to see their thoughts, but found that they were also still contemplating, clearly not finding it easy to determine the winner.
"It seems no one can quickly determine the winner. The reason is simple: their skill levels are similar, and their strengths and weaknesses differ. In such a case, even an overtime match would struggle to produce a clear victor.
Since that's the case, why not change the format? Let the contestants team up in pairs, with one person making the appetizer and dessert, and the other making the main course. Finally, they will be judged as a team."
Looking at Hoshino Sora, who had come off the stage at some point and was chatting with his beloved daughter, Azami Nakiri suddenly had an idea. That guy's skill level indeed exceeded his expectations.
Although it was just a very ordinary creative dish, the taste was truly extraordinary; even he couldn't find any fault with it. The feelings in his body wouldn't lie.
No wonder he dared to pursue Azami Nakiri's daughter!
And this stalemate couldn't continue. No matter which method was used to determine the winner, it would be unfair to the other person. So, instead of hesitating here, it would be better to have an additional match.
"I have no problem."
Hearing Azami Nakiri's words, Hoshino Sora was the first to express no problem, mainly because even if he had a problem, there was nothing he could do. After all, given the current trend, an additional match was highly probable.
"I have no problem either. Speaking of which, it's been a long time since I collaborated with Tsukasa-senpai."
Kobayashi Rindo raised her hand second, revealing a reminiscent expression as she spoke. It had indeed been a long time since she collaborated with Tsukasa-senpai, how nostalgic!
The two were a golden duo during their practical training.
"I can do it."
Looking at the imposing figure in the judges' seats, his eyes filled with a faint longing, Eishi Tsukasa also nodded.
"I have no problem."
As for Erina Nakiri, she was already the last one, so what problem could she possibly have? A joint battle, huh? That would mean teaming up with Hoshino Sora to go against Tsukasa-senpai and Kobayashi-senpai. Interesting.
Thinking this, Erina Nakiri raised her hand in agreement, thus making it a unanimous vote.
"A joint showdown, they're actually going to have a joint showdown! This is much more interesting than a solo showdown!"
"Exactly! Different chefs cooperating to create dishes, ultimately forming a perfect banquet—this is much more difficult than solo cooking!"
"I'm already getting excited! So, does the competition start now or will it be postponed?"
With a rare multi-person joint showdown about to take place, the tense atmosphere at the venue, which had been focused on determining the champion, instantly erupted.
Compared to solo cooking where each person makes one dish, a multi-person cooking competition requiring a full course meal is undoubtedly more exciting! The difficulty factor is also higher!
It can definitely be called a super cooking competition that only elite chefs can undertake!
"Since it has passed unanimously, I will now explain the new rules.
First, the competition will be held three days from now, at Tsukiten Space.
Second, the judges remain the same.
Third, the competition format will change to 'cook-and-serve-immediately,' so contestants should coordinate their cooking completion times.
Fourth, the winners of this competition will be the First and Second Seats, and the losers will be the Third and Fourth Seats. The order of the seats can be decided by the contestants themselves, or they can compete again."
Looking at the four contestants below, Azami Nakiri spoke with a resounding voice. At this moment, he also wanted to see who would ultimately win.
Hoshino Sora, or rather, Hoshino Sora's cooking, had completely conquered his taste buds. A man with such strength would definitely be worthy of his daughter.
However, this didn't mean he would give his daughter away so easily. To marry his daughter, besides formidable strength, many other things were required.
At least, he needed to see potential, potential that could satisfy Erina Nakiri's future!
Thinking of Erina Nakiri, Azami Nakiri's eyes darkened slightly. Since she opposed his reforms, he had to come up with a better solution, one that could satisfy Erina's taste buds.
A plan that would not make Erina's future tragic!
He wanted to see these things in this cooking competition.
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