Cooking System: Street Food Rules-Chapter 354 - 353: The Undisputed Champion

"Time’s up!"

"The competition is over!"

"What a thrilling showdown!"

Gordon stood in front of Jiang Feng’s stove and shouted to the other chefs.

Everyone wore a look of relief on their faces.

This competition was truly exhilarating.

Originally thought to be here for a promotional shoot, who would have thought it suddenly turned into a live competition.

And with an extremely challenging "vegetarian" theme.

This show was truly unexpected.

But since it’s an all-star master competition, all the invited chefs are quite famous.

So naturally, everyone had their own way of tackling the challenge.

All five judges came to Jiang Feng’s stove, and it was evident that they were most eager to taste the vegetarian dishes Jiang Feng had prepared.

From the cooking process, it was indeed Jiang Feng’s cooking that was the most visually appealing.

For example, the Middle Eastern chef chose to make fried vegetable balls, finally plating several green vegetable balls and drizzling some white sweet sauce over them for presentation.

The Italian chef made an Italian panna cotta, of course, the rules didn’t allow the use of milk, so he chose coconut milk, which was a clever move.

Additionally, the Indian chef’s vegetarian cuisine was also very impressive, but the method might not be to everyone’s liking.

Simply put, it’s about mashing the vegetables into a paste, then mixing in various spices, and finally making vegetarian patties in a skillet.

These vegetarian patties had very diverse flavors, but you couldn’t watch the cooking process, as it would spoil your appetite.

A classic Indian approach.

In contrast, observing Jiang Feng’s cooking process was truly a delight.

Every dish was beautifully made and impeccably plated.

No wonder Gordon spent most of his time in front of Jiang Feng’s stove.

It was truly because Jiang Feng was outstanding.

This was also normal.

Because when it comes to vegetarian cuisine, Chinese cuisine is truly unbeatable.

Moreover, Jiang Feng took this competition very seriously, directly preparing the supreme Dinghu Shangsu and First-class Tofu from the Manchu Han Imperial Feast.

Chinese vegetarian dishes are already strong, and Jiang Feng chose the two most exquisite dishes.

Naturally, it stood out remarkably.

"Let me first try the dishes prepared by Jiang Feng, the Chinese chef."

"I must say, the two dishes you made both have a championship-winning appearance."

Gordon first picked up a piece of First-class Tofu to taste.

The exterior of the tofu was fried to a perfect crisp, and during the braising, seasonings like salt, chili, scallions, ginger, and garlic were added, blending together into a wonderfully fragrant aroma.

As he chewed, the tofu became incredibly silky, both soft and springy, with an indescribably good texture.

One bite made Gordon’s mouth salivate involuntarily, his eyes full of admiration.

Gordon was a very famous chef and had hosted countless similar programs, having met many genius chefs.

Jiang Feng was undoubtedly outstanding among them.

This tofu was made exceptionally well.

From presentation to flavor to texture, it was simply perfect.

"Amazing, truly amazing, this is why I love Chinese cuisine, always so unexpectedly delightful."

"Those who know me might know that I actually hate vegetarian food; I’m a meat-lover type of person, and none of the dishes I make can be without meat."

"But this dish, it truly makes me like it a lot."

"It’s delicious."

Gordon praised endlessly in front of the camera.

The other four judges also showed looks of satisfaction.

Then, Gordon went on to taste the Dinghu Shangsu.

He used chopsticks as his utensil.

As a top culinary professional, although Gordon specialized in Western cuisine, especially in cooking top-quality steak, he also learned many techniques for eating various cuisines.

For example, using chopsticks to eat Chinese food.

He looked at the plate of vegetables that resembled a work of art and was momentarily at a loss on how to start.

The dish was too beautiful.

Wrapped in silver-colored silver fungus on the outside, you could faintly see the ingredients inside.

With a rich vegetable broth steamed and baked in the steam oven, the broth’s flavor was completely absorbed by the vegetables.

Gordon hesitated for a moment, then carefully picked up the mushroom on top.

He tasted the flavor of the mushroom.

The secret of Dinghu Shangsu lies in the word "umami."

Mushrooms are inherently very umami-rich ingredients.

And Jiang Feng cooked it to perfection.

Gordon chewed carefully and, unexpectedly, found a taste he enjoyed in this dish.

He ate a piece of mushroom, couldn’t resist, and picked up a piece of bamboo shoot from inside to eat.

The more he ate, the more surprised he became. "This is impossible!"

"This is absolutely impossible!"

"I can’t believe it!"

Gordon exclaimed repeatedly.

"I tasted meat flavor in this dish!"

"It truly has the flavor of meat!"

"How is this possible?"

"Chef Jiang Feng, did you add anything against the rules?"

Gordon’s expression was mixed with shock and skepticism as he questioned Jiang Feng.

All eyes were on Jiang Feng’s face.

Jiang Feng smiled calmly:

"Dinghu Shangsu, with the flavor of vegetarian soup and various mushrooms and bamboo shoots blending together, will have a taste similar to meat."

"This is the crystallization of the wisdom of Chinese chefs."

"It’s a classic dish from the long-standing culture of Chinese cuisine."

"You all have seen my entire cooking process, and there are no ingredients related to meat on this table, right?"

Upon hearing Jiang Feng’s words, Gordon nodded.

Cheating and violations are naturally impossible.

But tasting a meaty flavor in this dish was enough to shock Gordon.

Moreover, after Jiang Feng’s cooking, the texture of the bamboo shoots and mushrooms was somewhat similar to meat.

It truly felt like eating meat.

Being able to make a pure vegetarian dish like this is simply incredible.

Gordon was immensely shocked, and the other judges also found it extraordinary.

Two other international chefs even came over to ask if they could taste this top-tier Chinese dish.

After all, to them, making a pure vegetarian dish delicious and flavorful is truly unbelievable.

With Jiang Feng’s and Gordon’s permission, the two chefs also tasted the Dinghu Shangsu made by Jiang Feng.

When they tasted the fresh mushrooms, expressions of amazement appeared on their faces.

"Unbelievable!"

"Absolutely amazing!"

The two exclaimed in English.

In this episode with the theme "Vegetarian," Jiang Feng’s performance was truly outstanding.

After some discussion, the judges scribbled on a board and gave Jiang Feng’s dish very high marks.

The advantage of this show is that it’s relatively fair.

Relative, because the decision rests in the hands of the judges, who consider rankings based purely on ability, not fame.

They score based on appearance, taste, and texture, then provide an overall evaluation of the dish and explain their rankings.

Gordon has hosted similar shows more than a dozen times, and his evaluations are relatively objective.

Gordon wanted to have another taste of Jiang Feng’s Dinghu Shangsu, but he had several other contestants’ dishes to try, so he moved on.

The chefs awaited at their stations.

Jiang Feng could join them since his dish had already been evaluated.

It’s quite obvious to the keen observer, from the time Gordon spent observing at the start to his appraisal of Jiang Feng’s dish, that the first place for this episode undoubtedly went to Jiang Feng.

He was indeed outstanding.

There’s no comparison.

While others focused more on presentation after cooking, Jiang Feng focused on flavor, which made a difference.

Next, Gordon tasted an Italian chef’s panna cotta made with coconut milk, presented beautifully, which was also a delicate dish.

Italian cuisine has quite a variety.

Gordon also gave it high praise.

Then, it was time for the Indian contestant’s flatbread, made from a puree of various vegetables, mixed with spices, shaped into a dough, and cooked on a pan.

The taste was good, but Gordon only took one bite and didn’t eat more, still providing an objective evaluation.

The five judges sampled every contestant’s dish and provided feedback, and Gordon explained their methods and thoughts in front of the camera.

Then came the most tense and exciting ranking segment.

At moments like this, it’s not about being first, as long as you’re not in the bottom two.

The bottom two will be eliminated.

First, the first place was announced, and without a doubt, Jiang Feng took the top spot. Instantly, the spotlight focused on him.

Three jib cameras zoomed in on him from afar, like three dancing snakes.

All the cameras turned to him.

Jiang Feng nodded and smiled calmly in response.

Despite being young, he was overall mature and steady, giving off an elusive vibe.

He looked quite charismatic.

The judges and chefs cheered for him, facing him, clapping and smiling.

This is the treatment in the All-Star Culinary Competition.

Every episode’s winner receives flowers and applause.

Likewise, where there’s a spotlight, there’s a shadow.

Some shine brightly under the spotlight, while others will inevitably slip away in the shadows.

Gordon announced the results for the bottom two contestants.

One of them wasn’t able to finish their dish because of time constraints, leading to failure.

The other produced a dish with poor taste, similar to a sweet sauce mixed with a veggie salad, with nothing novel and was eliminated.

This episode was highly tense and exciting.

Even though everything has ended now, thinking back, since Gordon announced the start, everyone was fully absorbed in their work.

It seemed like time flew by in the blink of an eye.

After it ended, Jiang Feng felt the speed was a bit fast.

Was that all?

Only two dishes?

Still, it was quite interesting.

Each episode with a different theme, a format Jiang Feng had never seen.

Like a top student who enjoys solving problems, encountering a perfect exam paper.

Feeling eager to answer it.

After the recording, there’s still an interview; then there’s not much else.

Every detail of this show is very well-crafted.

With just two or three days of editing, the show will quickly be aired.