The Cheat Emperor of the Culinary World

The two apprentice chefs, one eighteen, the other nineteen, were both young but had been working in the kitchen for a few years already.

At the moment, the two were sitting around Liu Zhangpeng’s bed, engaged in a lively discussion.

The eighteen-year-old, with a baby face, was named Yan Qingsheng.

Yan Qingsheng said with a face full of curiosity, ”Chef Fu is amazing! He’s not much older than me, but how is he so outstanding? His culinary skills are absolutely top-notch!”

The nineteen-year-old was tall and thin, named Cheng Shui.

Cheng Shui, with bright eyes, nodded, ”I used to think that if the boss took him as an apprentice, he must be quite skilled. I didn’t expect him to be so talented! Chef Liu, can you tell us? Where did the boss find Chef Fu?”

Fu Yu’s work at Qianlima was known to Liu Zhangpeng and Wang Yulong, but not many others in the store were aware.

Liu Yunong was very strict with the requirements for her employees.

Say less, do more, was one of the fundamental rules.

Normally, Liu Zhangpeng might seem chatty, but when it came to matters regarding the store, he would never casually discuss them behind anyone’s back.

As for matters concerning Fu Yu.

Liu Zhangpeng had a blank expression; not only did the two apprentices not understand, even he hadn’t completely figured Fu Yu out.

In his eyes, Fu Yu had always been somewhat enigmatic and unassuming.

He never flaunted anything, nor did he act impulsively.

But at crucial moments, it became evident that Fu Yu had a solid and proficient grasp of both the fundamentals and advanced techniques of culinary arts.

Fu Yu was particularly meticulous.

When they practiced the task of dissection together, Fu Yu often helped him out. Today as well, when issues arose, Fu Yu would step up without hesitation, doing his best to help think of solutions, never shying away or avoiding responsibility.

Coincidentally, Fu Yu could indeed resolve issues and handle unexpected situations adeptly.

Thinking about this, Liu Zhangpeng couldn’t help but become curious.

This Fu Yu... does he have any shortcomings at all?

Good-looking, with a likeable personality and excellent culinary skills.

He could even cook the soft glutinous sauce duck, which was a reserved dish from the main store!

The gourd chicken, which tests the dexterity needed to de-bone a whole chicken, he did so well, and he quickly learned the improved tied knot technique, which was Chef Liu Yunong’s specialty.

Liu Zhangpeng remembered hearing his mentor, Wang Yulong, sighing in admiration that day.

Being a chef is all about craftsmanship.

The ancestral cooking secrets and tricks of the Liu Family Cuisine ensnared both him and his mentor Wang Yulong like an obsession!

Wang Yulong was fortunate to learn from Liu Yunong’s father.

As for Liu, he could only follow Wang Yulong’s lead and catch what he could.

It wasn’t that Wang Yulong was stingy; it’s just that in the culinary world, it’s said that teaching an apprentice all your techniques might just starve you.

No matter how much a master teaches, they always keep a few techniques secret, never passing them down easily.

But with Liu Yunong seemingly prepared to impart everything to Fu Yu!

What kind of spell has Fu Yu cast on Liu Yunong?

And this kid knows and understands everything so well?

What other skills is he hiding?

Seeing Liu Zhangpeng keep silent with a dark face, Cheng Shui thought he was uncomfortable with the fact that the seemingly inexperienced Fu Yu was better than established chefs.

So he sensibly clammed up.

Yan Qingsheng, being a bit younger, lacked such insight. Seeing Liu Zhangpeng silent, couldn’t help but prod, ”Chef Liu! Do tell us? I’m really curious how Chef Fu became the boss’s apprentice!”

Liu Zhangpeng coughed.

How would he know!

At first, it seemed like a joke to become an apprentice, but it turned out seriously!

Gossiping behind your boss’s back? Only fools would join in!

The best approach now was to maintain silence, and when others grew bored, naturally the topic would die down.

...

At the same time.

At Qianlima dormitory.

Fu Yu wasn’t asleep either.

He was leaning on the bed, flipping through classic old-flavor recipes.

The events of the evening made him realize that the records about various classic old-flavor dishes in this recipe book were truly precious and important.

If he had seen the cooking method for soft glutinous sauce duck earlier and studied the details closely, he might have done even better with today’s dish.

As he flipped through the pages, his phone suddenly chimed.

It was a message from Liu Yunong.

Fu Yu was somewhat surprised, not sure what Liu Yunong wanted at this late hour.

However, after reading the message, Fu Yu’s eyes lit up instantly.

Liu Yunong had actually shared the Liu Family Cuisine’s method for cooking the soft glutinous sauce duck with him.

And Liu Yunong wrote it out in great detail.

It included not only the specific steps but also details to heed during cooking, along with a few tips that could save time and improve cooking results, all without holding anything back.

Fu Yu felt as if he had received a treasured gift.

He was different from before.

After all, he had accumulated some experience in cooking.

Just by looking at Liu Yunong’s shared cooking method, he knew this set of recipes was tremendously detailed and comprehensive.

If he had to rely solely on his own summary and exploration, it might take a lot more effort.

And there were specifics in the details that he simply hadn’t thought of.

Fu Yu carefully read through the Liu Family Cuisine’s method for cooking the soft glutinous sauce duck.

He couldn’t help but recall Liu Yunong’s previous mention that his cooking method for classic old flavors was actually very similar to Liu Family Cuisine’s.

Apart from some differences in seasonings, the only other divergence lay in the control of heat, otherwise, the steps were nearly identical.

But just those subtle differences transformed a dish into a classic old flavor and a new, innovative one, making them seemingly similar yet distinctly different.

As Fu Yu repeatedly examined Liu Yunong’s shared recipe, a previously unclear idea in his mind became clear.

Many thoughts flashed through his mind, finally connecting together, giving him an enlightened, moment of epiphany feeling.

And just as he sorted through his lines of thought, feeling like he had made a breakthrough in his culinary practice, a sudden electronic notification sound came to his ear:

[Ding! NPC Chef Yao Shi’s long-term task: Excel as a chef, and develop well in this industry. Completion status (Part Four): Absorb the strengths of many, integrate the thoughts of many, successfully completed, rewards: Task level +1, one key to the duck cooking teaching practice room, beginner’s secret stewed flavors skill]

Fu Yu was a bit surprised!

He hadn’t expected that learning a cooking method for the soft glutinous sauce duck would accidentally complete a system-imposed long-term task line.

But after thinking it over.

The long-term task’s requirement was to absorb the strengths, and integrate the thoughts, of many.

And it was precisely because of Liu Yunong’s imparting of the Liu Family Cuisine’s method for the soft glutinous sauce duck, allowing him to breakthrough in culinary skills, that met the initial goal of the task!