Chapter 73
Chapter 73
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 73
Chapter Title: Huang Wei's Verdict
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Appetizing dishes were laid out on both sides.
To the left was Chef An's mapo tofu.
It was distinctive for using silken tofu, with red chili oil and finely chopped pork blending perfectly.
You could see how the thick, viscous mapo tofu sauce gently enveloped the tofu when you lifted a spoonful.
On the right, in contrast, was Chef Song's Chinese-style pork noodles.
The thick knife-cut noodles were blanketed in red sauce like a comforter. A stimulating, spicy aroma tickled the nose, and the familiar scent of pork stir-fry was subtly enhanced with a smoky char that whetted the appetite.
*Gulp.*
Huang Wei felt saliva pooling in his mouth involuntarily.
"Then... I'll start with this one. The noodles might get soggy."
Huang Wei extended his chopsticks toward the Chinese-style pork noodles, offering an excuse to no one in particular.
As he mixed the sauce with the noodles, gasps of admiration rose from all around. The visual alone was violently tempting.
"Eat comfortably. Oh, and if anyone doesn't have knife-cut noodles, you can use ramen noodles instead. Try making it at home sometime."
Song Woo-yeon seemed to be saying something to the camera from the side, but Huang Wei couldn't properly hear it.
It felt like only he and the Chinese-style pork noodles remained in the studio. He lifted the noodles high, gauged their length, and then...
*Slurp!*
The thick noodles slid smoothly into his mouth.
'Delicious!'
His hands didn't stop, moving busily nonstop. He was practically in a trance.
He stuffed his mouth full and chewed, and the ecstatic flavor sent waves of happiness surging through him.
"Ah, there it is—the furrowed brow of truth!"
"He's eating like it tastes amazing~!"
"The ingredients are so unusual, I can't even imagine what it tastes like. What does it taste like, exactly?!"
At Jang Sung-jun's question, Huang Wei swallowed what was in his mouth with a gulp and spoke.
"Wow, this is really delicious."
"Looks like it!"
"What does it taste like, specifically?"
"Well, even though it's just pork, it kinda has a seafood flavor too. It tastes just like something from a restaurant. The absolute best."
Huang Wei stuck up his thumb.
"It has that pork stir-fry taste, and the chili oil flavor, and..."
"And?"
"I'll eat some more to check."
*Slurp!*
"Ah, is he using the review as an excuse to eat more?!"
"It's too delicious."
With sauce smeared around his mouth, Huang Wei spoke, and the MCs chimed in exaggeratedly.
"It must be so good he's forgotten all about appearances. Yes, got it. Chef An doesn't look too happy~."
"It's a matter of pride! It's Chinese food!"
"Well, fusion Chinese, sure."
"He even struggled with the heat midway. So, what does Chef An's mapo tofu taste like?!"
"Huang Wei, put that down now—time for the mapo tofu!"
Huang Wei finally stopped his chopsticks and wiped around his mouth with a napkin.
"I lost my mind for a second there."
Huang Wei gave an awkward smile and picked up a spoon to try the mapo tofu.
"I like mapo tofu. I've made it for friends a few times, but they all said it was too spicy and couldn't finish it."
"Oh, even Koreans said it was too spicy?"
"Koreans are supposed to handle spice well."
"It was Sichuan-style mapo tofu."
"Ah-ha~. No wonder it's spicy."
Huang Wei peered closely at the mapo tofu on his spoon. Since he knew this dish better, it was worth examining in detail.
"It doesn't look too spicy—good thing. I think even my Korean friends could enjoy this. It's not that numbing heat; it's more Korean-style."
"That's what we aimed for. Right, Chef An?"
"Yes. Spot on."
An Derick nodded.
"It's a flavor anyone, young or old, man or woman, can enjoy."
"I see~! This one's got me hyped too."
"Huang Wei, time to taste it at last!"
Huang Wei put a spoonful of mapo tofu in his mouth and chewed.
"!"
"Delicious?!"
Huang Wei's face lit up in surprise, and he hurriedly shoveled in another bite.
"Ah, looks like it is!"
"Huang Wei, you're not here to eat a full meal. Tell us what it tastes like!"
"Sorry. It's just too good..."
Huang Wei wiped his mouth with the napkin again and smiled sheepishly.
"Mmm. The mapo tofu is incredibly delicious. It has a richer Chinese essence. As a Chinese chef, he captures the authentic taste while blending it perfectly for Korean palates."
"Wow. That's high praise."
"Both dishes have captured Huang Wei's taste buds!"
"Ah, this is tough. I'm dying to know which one!"
"The chef squad feels the same, right?!"
At Jeong Sung-jun's question, Bong Kang-min nodded vigorously.
"Yes. Intensely!"
Others chimed in one by one.
"I'm curious what the Chinese-style pork noodles taste like."
"I'm all about the mapo tofu. How did he transform the strong doubanjiang flavor to make it appealing to everyone? That's not easy."
"Can I have just a little taste?"
The MCs hurriedly held back the chefs.
"Yes, yes. All the chefs have been holding out too. Makes sense—they've just been smelling it without a single bite!"
"But still, eating from Huang Wei's plate?"
*Ahem.*
"Oh, come on, I don't mind. Just one bite?"
As Bong Kang-min pushed forward eagerly, the MCs waved their hands in panic.
"Hey, hey, Chef! You can't do that!"
"Everyone, calm down. I figured this might happen, so~ we set some aside separately!"
"We pulled it out during the insert shot~."
*Rustle rustle.* Tasting portions were distributed. The chefs began sampling with chopsticks and spoons.
"Ooh~."
"So that's the flavor."
"This is fun. The taste is so subtle..."
"Both use minced pork, but the textures are completely different—that's impressive."
The chefs murmured as they tasted, shooting surprised looks at Song Woo-yeon. The food's quality was far higher than expected.
'Surprising. I thought the production team was crazy for bringing in a neighborhood soup joint guy.'
Bong Kang-min slurped his portion of Chinese-style pork noodles, thinking.
'Definitely heavy on the stimulating flavors. Not a balanced taste. But the mass appeal is enormous.'
A talent specialized for the 'food business.' No wonder he was franchising at such a young age.
Tasting it made it all convincing.
"How does it taste to you, Chef Jeong?"
Bong Kang-min quietly asked Jeong Ha-neul beside him.
"I'm no expert on Chinese food."
"Hmm..."
Jeong Ha-neul sat with her usual gentle smile. She dabbed her lips elegantly with her napkin and neatly folded her hands in her lap.
"It's interesting."
"Right? Young people really have creativity. Who thinks to fuse pork stir-fry with Chinese for fusion cuisine..."
"No."
Jeong Ha-neul cut him off firmly.
"It's the opposite."
"Pardon?"
"I said it's interesting because it's not a flavor a young person could produce."
"What do you mean...?"
Jeong Ha-neul lowered her gaze to the Chinese-style pork noodles.
"This is a dish from a chef with deep understanding of Chinese cuisine. Otherwise, you couldn't compose the flavors this cleverly."
Isn't it intriguing?
How a kid so young could produce a taste like he'd spent a decade immersed in Chinese food research.
"Huh. Even you say so, Chef Jeong? Sure, it's tasty, but... he dumped ramen broth in midway."
"It was for convenience. Ultimately, you need that deep umami, right? If you told that kid to simmer bones and meat for real broth, I bet he'd nail it."
Jeong Ha-neul smiled faintly as she looked at Song Woo-yeon.
"He chose the best option available in the short time."
To her, Song Woo-yeon was no longer just 'young blood' or 'rising star.'
He even felt like a seasoned veteran.
"This is interesting..."
Jeong Ha-neul covered her mouth as she laughed.
"And something to be grateful for."
"Pardon?"
"Thanks to him, my arrogant disciple will snap out of it."
Bong Kang-min whipped his head toward An Derick. They'd gotten tastes of each other's dishes too, and An Derick was glaring at his bowl of Chinese-style pork noodles after a bite, eyes wide.
"He'll make a good stimulant. That kid's never had real competition, so his complacency was my only worry."
"Chef An's skills are renowned, after all."
"But he can't stay there forever."
That's why Jeong Ha-neul welcomed Song Woo-yeon's appearance.
An Derick stared silently into his bowl, deep in thought.
"Alright, looks like everyone's finished tasting~! Time for the decision!"
"Huang Wei, if you had to pick one?!"
At the question, Huang Wei pressed a hand to his forehead and groaned deeply.
"That's a tough question..."
"No choice! There's only one winner!"
"Ughhh."
Huang Wei even started clawing at his hair.
Chinese-style pork noodles and mapo tofu. Both were so delicious it was impossible to choose.
Huang Wei alternated glances between Song Woo-yeon and An Derick.
Song Woo-yeon smiled and gave a casual wave, while An Derick glared at him with bulging eyes.
Despite wearing the same chef uniforms, their attitudes were polar opposites. After agonizing, Huang Wei finally reached a conclusion.
"I've decided."
"Finally!"
"What will be the result of the first round?!"
The MCs drummed on the table in rhythm, adding their own sound effects.
"I choose..."
Huang Wei paused dramatically, then his eyes flashed open.
"This one."
And the winner he picked was...