Picky eating primarily refers to the bad habit of showing likes and dislikes for a certain type (or layer) of food.
The reason I'm saying this isn't to teach you how to cure it.
Rather, I want to explain that everyone is a picky eater; it's just that everyone's degree of pickiness is different.
Some people like sweet, while others like savory.
Some people like greasy, while others prefer light flavors.
As a student of Totsuki Academy, you are also aware of the principle practiced there – Shokugeki.
Since it's a Shokugeki, judges are needed, and since judges are human, they definitely have their own preferences.
If you serve a dish composed entirely of meat to a judge who prefers vegetarian food,
no matter how fair and just the other party is, deep down, they have unknowingly deducted points from your dish.
Similarly, if the same ingredients are used to create a flavor that caters to the other party's preference, you will definitely gain their favor.
Don't think this approach is inferior. We chefs don't just cook ingredients; more often, we cook ingredients for people. Catering to the customer's preference is not inferior at all.
Therefore, during this upcoming period, you not only need to train your cooking skills but also your discerning eye. Take time to observe the guests who come to dine. Even if you can't immediately discern their physical condition, you should guess their dietary preferences based on their words and actions.
The same dish can have thousands of combinations. You need to choose the one most suitable for the customer in front of you. This is another long-term task I'm giving you."
"Understood, Master. Ow, ow, ow!" Tadokoro Megumi reflexively stood at attention and replied, but as soon as she spoke, a sharp pain shot through her tongue.
"Haha, should I use tape to seal your mouth so you won't accidentally speak?" Liu Ming teased.
Tadokoro Megumi's face changed, and she backed away repeatedly.
"I'm just kidding, really. You have no sense of humor. Hurry up and come over. This time I'm teaching you a new dish. This is the first time I, your master, am cooking seriously, you know.
Don't look at me like that. Cooking seriously is very mentally taxing, okay? Besides, weren't the dishes I made before also delicious?"
Tadokoro Megumi couldn't help but roll her eyes. Her master seemed a bit lazy, a bit of a slacker.
But never mind, now wasn't the time to dwell on such things. She was curious what dish her master was going to make. If the dishes he made when he was slacking were so delicious, what would they be like when he was serious?
"This time, I'm going to make Mapo Tofu, one of the traditional famous dishes of Sichuan, China. I'm calling it Mystical Mapo Tofu."
Tadokoro Megumi's expression changed. She remembered that among the current Elite Ten of Totsuki, there was one who specialized in Sichuan cuisine.
She wondered who was more formidable, her master or him.
If Liu Ming knew what she was thinking, he would definitely give her a chop to the head.
Kuga Terunori, that guy who only specialized in numbing and spicy, dared to compare himself to him?
It was simply like showing off one's axe before Lu Ban.
Liu Ming's concentration was extremely focused at this moment. This time, he intended to recreate a dish made by Liu Pleiades from Chinese Master Chef.
With his current culinary skill, as long as he knew the key points, he was confident that he could truly make them.
However, it was his first time, so he couldn't help but feel a little excited.
.....
"Teacher Akiyama Shinobu, when the food comes later, even if it's delicious, we have to say it's not good. Only then can we convince Teacher Liu to return to writing," Editor Hiiragi Suzuna plotted mischievously.
"Although I also think it's a pity that Teacher Liu isn't writing, do you have to be so persistent?" Natsuno Kirihime was a little helpless.
"You two are both genius authors, and in the future, you will be able to leave your names for eternity.
"As your editor, I have a responsibility to protect you." Editor Hiiragi Suzuna said with a serious expression.
"You two, sorry for the wait," Liu Ming and Tadokoro Megumi each carried a dish. Liu Ming's dish was covered with an opaque lid.
"This is your Shadow Lantern Pork." Liu Ming pushed the Shadow Lantern Pork in front of Hiiragi Suzuna, and also gave her a bowl of white rice.
Looking at the dazzling red and green Shadow Lantern Pork in front of her, Hiiragi Suzuna's eyes almost popped out. She wanted to look away, but her body's instincts kept refusing.
The originally bulky slices of meat, under Liu Ming's superb knife skills, had been reborn, transforming into the graceful curves of a young girl, and their pale color had become like the youthful blush of a maiden.
The aroma of garlic sprouts, released by the hot oil, permeated the air, proudly announcing its richness and succulence.
Natsuno Kirihime also swallowed, thinking, 'Isn't this dish too unfair? The aroma is too intoxicating.'
What had she been eating before? The difference was so huge.
Editor Hiiragi Suzuna couldn't help but pick up a slice of meat, wrapped with two sections of garlic sprouts, took a bite, closed her mouth, and chewed vigorously.
She let the meat juices flow freely between her lips and teeth, and the wondrous aroma course through her lungs.
After chewing just right, she took two mouthfuls of plain rice, feeling utterly content and asking for nothing more.
This is too delicious.
Tears of emotion welled up in Editor Hiiragi Suzuna's eyes.
'Is it really that exaggerated?' Natsuno Kirihime wanted to retort. But just smelling the wafting aroma, she couldn't control herself again, her throat constantly moving.
Just smelling the aroma, saliva was almost flowing out.
"Where's mine?" she swallowed, asking with a hint of nervousness.
At this moment, she somewhat regretted what she had said earlier. What if the other party deliberately made something unpalatable for her?
"Honestly, I regret offering to treat you. If you want to eat this again in the future, don't even ask unless you have 100,000." Liu Ming wasn't joking; the moment the dish was finished, he already regretted it.
If it weren't for his male chauvinism and his need to save face, he would have truly gone back on his word.
Natsuno Kirihime's expression immediately became expectant, her beautiful big eyes staring unblinkingly at the plate in front of her.
"This is my special dish—Six-Flavor Unified Mystical Mapo Tofu. Please enjoy," Liu Ming said, slowly lifting the cover.
A golden light shot straight into the sky, shaking the hearts of everyone in the hall, followed by a spicy aroma that surged out, spreading throughout the entire restaurant, and even drifting outside.
"Mystical Mapo Tofu." Natsuno Kirihime murmured, her gaze fixed on the dish in front of her.
The red and white colors seemed to hint at its danger, but the spicy aromas were tempting one to commit a crime. It seemed to say, 'I am dangerous, yet extremely delicious. Do you dare to taste me?'