29 Chapter 25：Menu and Dilemma

Who said that running a restaurant could not only rely on cooking alone?

Even in the previous world, according to the Michelin inspector's rating standard, the food in the restaurant accounted for 70% of the total while the dining environment and service accounted for only 20% and 10% respectively.

Just rely on food to crush the other two. Compared with the dining environment and service, the narrow Chinese cuisine restaurant was certainly far inferior to those high-end restaurants.

The Chef God System was the source of Xia Yu's self-confidence. 

These days, under the guidance of the system, it could be said that Xia Yu was reborn. Every day when he slept, his cooking skills would have a new entry.

System: "You have a new task."

It was time for system to come out and make trouble.

Xia Yu opened the task he had just received. His face turned black.

"[Bet With the Tongue of God]."

"Tip: The host should upgrade cooking skills to LV.10 as soon as possible. Learn more recipes, master the advanced talent of 'Chef's Heart', attract more diners for the restaurant, and beat Rina in the gamble."

"Reward: 1 chance of the system's turntable draw."

Eh.

In addition to the bet with Rina, Xia Yu also saw the second task listed below.

"[The First Exposure]."

"Tip: Serve 30 ordinary diners in 7 days. Make diners satisfied and praise your dishes."

"Reward: Recipe 'Fried Spoon Cabbage' (Blue)."

New recipe?

Xia Yu's eyes brightened.

He knew about Fried Spoon Cabbage. He had tried it before. There was no exaggerated cooking light in the animation.

Back then, he also wanted to try the Fried Spoon Cabbage after mastering the recipe. Thinking of the unique fresh taste of vegetables, Xia Yu's salivary glands became active.

Various vegetable cooking techniques were also unique skills of Chinese cuisine which could not be ignored.

At the same time, Xia Yu was also full of enthusiasm for beating Rina in the gamble.

One turntable draw opportunity!

Xia Yu remembered clearly that he was gifted with the novice pack and opened the turntable draw for free.

Relying on the piece of 'Mirror Crystal' that he got, he successfully made a qualified virgin dish, completing the initial task of the system. He got the first blue recipe in his life.

He remembered several categories of turntable items. Namely, food ingredients, kitchenware, recipes, consumption and the special category.

If you were lucky, you had a chance to obtain a god-level chef talent similar to the [Tongue of God] from a special category!

It was impossible to say that Xia Yu did not envy Rina's tongue.

At the Togetsu Academy, there was also the [Nose of God] Akira Hayama. That guy was more fortunate than the protagonist, Yukihira Soma, from Food Wars. He also first entered the ranks of the 'Togetsu's Top Ten'.

If he accidentally got a god-level chef talent, no matter what it was, Xia Yu would wake up with a grin on his face.

Now was not time to compete using talent, but it was better to plan ahead. It was always right to be more skilful.

…

Watching Rina and Hisako get into the car under the rain, Xia Yu turned back to the restaurant.

"Heehee, your girlfriend looks a little capricious." Mu Xiaoyue smirked at him.

"Girlfriend? I don't have this kind of girlfriend. Who can bear her mouth every day?" Xia Yu said.

"Isn't it enough to have an angel's appearance? It's the face score, the face score. This is the true meaning. That little temperament or what else, were all killed by face score." Mu Xiaoyue tilted her head and looked at him, her eyes sparkling. He did not know what she was thinking.

Xia Yu did not want to continue this topic. He turned around and asked, "Magic Mapo Tofu, or the beef lungs with chili sauce last night. Which dish is more delicious?"

"Magic Mapo Tofu!" Mu Xiaoyue was stunned, and then answered without thinking.

"Hoo..." He took a breath quietly in his heart. Xia Yu was really afraid that his glowing dish still lost to a dish prepared by the old man.

If it was like that, it was too hurtful. If his unique skill was crushed by home-made dishes, anyone would be seriously frustrated in their confidence and doubt their lives.

After chatting for a while, the heavy rain outside showed no sign of stopping. 

Mu Xiaoyue and An Ya could not go to Tokyo in such bad weather. They just waited in the restaurant. Xia Yu turned into the kitchen and put a pile of small wooden plates with the names of the dishes on the counter and stared at them. 

When the old man was there, the restaurant served twelve different Chinese dishes every day.

These twelve dishes were selected from the eight traditional Chinese cuisines. For example, three dishes were selected from Sichuan, Lu, Cantonese and Su cuisines today. Tomorrow would be picked from Zhejiang, Fujian, Xiang and Hui cuisines. 

Xia Yu did not think there was anything before. Every day at the old man's command, he hung the sign on the wall. But now, as a store manager and a chef, he felt that each plate was heavy.

The black ink on the card surface represented a traditional cuisine.

Xia Yu had only mastered a few of them that he was able to handle.

Some of the rest, he was still dabbling in or studying. They were far from being able to make guests pay for the food.

Taking a light breath, Xia Yu's eyes flashed. A trace of perseverance appeared in his eyes. He decided to reduce the twelve dishes a day to six.

Two cuisines, three dishes per cuisine.

After reduction, the pressure on his shoulder suddenly lowered.

The old man could choose a plate to hang up as he wanted and let the guests order, but Xia Yu's cooking skills were too shallow. He could only select the dishes he was good at and arrange them on the counter.

He still had some dishes that he was thinking about mastering and getting a 60-point pass evaluation from the system.

Finally, it was the dishes for learning.

He intended to arrange the daily menu for the next week in advance.

But before arranging the menu, Xia Yu realized that he had overlooked a very important issue.

Who supplied the ingredients?

The menu was based on the abundant ingredients of the day.

"Ah…"

He could not help rubbing his hair. Xia Yu was a little irritable. The old man left too hurriedly and did not say anything.

The most important thing was, where was the money? Did he use his head to buy ingredients?

His forehead showed green veins. Xia Yu took out his mobile phone to make a call. It was still a busy tone. His expression was a bit blank... Hey, did that old guy really board or switch off his phone?

Knock, knock!

Someone suddenly knocked on the door of the restaurant. Xia Yu woke up in cold sweat. He abandoned his cranky thoughts and went from the back kitchen to the front desk.

"Mr. Shinhara?"

Xia Yu was stunned to see a smiling middle-aged man dressed in a black-grey coat, a high hat and a pair of brown leather gloves. He was dressed as a classical British detective.

"We meet again, young man."

Shinhara took off his hat and sat in front of the counter.

He conveniently placed a metal suitcase on the table. Xia Yu noticed that the surface of the suitcase was engraved with three conspicuous silver letters:

IGO!

His brain memory seemed to be stimulated by these three familiar letters. Xia Yu could not remember the meaning of the letters. He could only look at the middle-aged man with strange eyes. "Mr. Shinhara, are you here for dinner or..."

"I'm sending you something."

Before he finished speaking, he was interrupted by the wave of Shinhara.

The detective-dressed man with a thoughtful smile on his lips pointed to the metal suitcase on the counter. "This is what your grandfather asked me for. Open it up and have a look."