The Cheat Emperor of the Culinary World

Ai Houkuan hurriedly put down the wine bottle in his hand, walked to the front of the leaders, his legs a little weak, gritted his teeth, and stood straight.

”This is their secret dish, which only appears on the menu once a year. It’s really worth a try.”

He pointed to those dishes, listing them one by one: ”Appetizer sauce-flavored cashews, caviar yellow croaker lion’s head, original supreme abalone... main course razor clam colorful noodles.”

After he finished speaking, the people at the table looked at him curiously.

To be honest, a few of these hot dishes are actually known on usual occasions.

After all, Liu Family Cuisine is quite famous, but you have to dine at the restaurant to eat it.

However, Ai Houkuan suddenly reporting the dish names so directly felt somewhat absurd.

After saying all this, Ai Houkuan looked at the astonished expressions of everyone, gritted his teeth, and said in a low voice: ”This table of dishes, I didn’t charge it to the public account. Old leader, you’re always busy with work, and I sincerely wanted to invite you for a meal to curry favor. Every time, either you’re handling things or dragging me to the canteen to grab a bite. After all these years, the times we’ve eaten together can be counted on two hands.”

”Just speaking of this meal, I originally wanted to book it at Qianlima Restaurant, but you said your friend Minister Xiao has a sensitive stomach and can’t eat seafood, so I changed it to this private kitchen.”

Ai Houkuan said these words with rare sincerity.

The twists and turns at the banquet, anyone who isn’t a fool can see clearly.

This was Xiao Peng helping him out because of Wang Qingyu.

Reciprocating kindness, that’s how it is.

He thought that he should help affirm Wang Qingyu’s achievements.

After all, some things, once you say them, others get to know, and whether the description aligns with reality or is exaggerated, no one really investigates.

Xiao Peng looked at his old friend, moved.

He raised his wine glass and clinked it with his old friend’s: ”Qingyu, we haven’t had it easy either. Back when we were taking the civil servant exam, how tough life was! I just started working, and your sister-in-law was afraid I’d be looked down upon, so she’d get up early every morning to make dumplings for me to take.”

”But as it turned out, no one in the whole unit brought lunch. My colleagues would either eat in the canteen or dine out.”

”Later, work got busy, tirelessly trying to achieve a little future, almost wearing myself out, what gastritis or anything, and it’s always been you... who remembered me.”

Wang Qingyu drank it all with Xiao Peng, not saying another word.

Ai Houkuan got up, refilled their wine glasses, sensing the gloomy atmosphere, quickly said: ”Our old leader has done so much for Bei’an, and before leaving, shouldn’t we let him taste some signature dishes! Liu Family Cuisine is good, with many dishes improved from our local specialties.”

”Like this State Banquet Dongpo Pork, I heard about it from a friend before. Their family serves this dish only once a year, and we happen to catch it now. Speaking of which, we owe it to the old leader’s favor. What a lucky, auspicious day!”

The Bei’an leader accompanying them chuckled, made a toast first, then praised Ai Houkuan: ”Didn’t realize before, Houkuan, you are quite outstanding.”

Everyone laughed heartily, and the topic miraculously shifted to traditional cuisine.

Apart from the leaders from above, there were also others from the city department accompanying, just nine people at the table.

The leader with the highest rank among them was the first to move his chopsticks, and everyone followed suit to take their piece of Dongpo Pork.

Ai Houkuan actually had never dined at Shangshi Private Kitchen before.

Mainly because the restaurant is newly opened, and its presence in Bei’an is relatively recent.

And he’s been incredibly busy recently. Since there was news about the old director’s promotion, as soon as the candidate list was announced, the entire office building’s atmosphere shifted instantly.

Anyone with eyes can clearly see that Wang Qingning obviously favors Ai Houkuan more. The other candidate in everyone’s eyes is just a runner-up.

So many people have been gradually showing goodwill towards Ai Houkuan; he is overwhelmed and doesn’t dare to readily accept various invitations, fearing that once he opens the door, it cannot be stopped.

Although he hasn’t actually dined at the restaurant, Ai Houkuan has heard a little about Shangshi Private Kitchen.

It’s said the owner is a descendant of an ancient Imperial Kitchen chef, and many of the dishes in the restaurant are passed down from the palace, and since it’s a private kitchen, the menu changes daily, so dining there is like opening a blind box.

No one is sure what dishes they’ll encounter once they walk in.

Because of this, Shangshi Private Kitchen has some genuinely secret dishes, which are said to be made only once a year and catching one is a matter of luck.

And this State Banquet Dongpo Pork is quite prestigious, and it’s said to be one of those secret dishes.

Originally ordinary Dongpo Pork, coupled with the term State Banquet, suddenly elevates the dish to another level of prestige.

Ai Houkuan, tense all day, finally, at this moment, could sit peacefully at the chair with chopsticks in hand, looking at the table full of good dishes, suddenly felt a growling stomach.

He waited until the other leaders had all taken their portions, then carefully served himself the last piece of Dongpo Pork.

The meat was cooked so soft it couldn’t be picked up with chopsticks, someone tried earlier and the whole piece split in two. Eventually, it was served into the plate in two parts using a spoon.