Jiang Feng, along with Little Black, arrived at Happy Ranch early to inspect the place.
As soon as Little Black got out of the car, he darted off to play with the ranch’s Border Collies.
"Executive Chef Jiang, you’re finally here!" Zhang Dashan approached Jiang Feng, greeting him quite happily. He had been looking forward to his arrival for many days. For at lovers, Jiang Feng was simply a living treasure!
Jiang Feng replied, "I ca to check things out in advance. After all, I need to see the cooking area for the banquet preparation."
This ti, the cooking would take place in the ranch’s kitchen. It was indoors with plenty of stoves, so the chefs could work efficiently.
"Executive Chef Jiang, which dishes will you prepare tomorrow? Make sure to include at dishes," Zhang Dashan said, his voice full of anticipation. "Preferably the kind with big chunks of at. I’ve had enough beef and lamb; it would be best to have chicken, duck, goose, or pork—sothing satisfying."
"I plan to stew a pork knuckle and make a dish called Fairy Chicken."
Upon hearing Jiang Feng’s words, Zhang Dashan wiped his mouth. "Fairy Chicken?"
"Mmm, a kind of intangible cultural heritage dish I’ve just recently figured it out," Jiang Feng replied calmly.
The reason for making Fairy Chicken was that Jiang Feng had obtained the recipe from the system just a few days ago. This was no ordinary dish. The difficulty of cooking it was high, demanding exceptional culinary skills, and it was now facing the threat of being lost.
Jiang Feng planned to show off his abilities. With the banquet on the last day, he decided to display so of his skill. After all, it was an intangible cultural heritage dish, and he hoped to perform well.
"Intangible cultural heritage cuisine? Executive Chef Jiang, things associated with ’intangible cultural heritage’ are extraordinary, right?" Zhang Dashan was even more astonished. Cuisine can be an intangible cultural heritage? Isn’t that designation typically for elegant arts like Kesi, embroidery, porcelain, and jade carving? Being a chef is a down-to-earth job; how could it be associated with elegance?
"It’s a bit difficult, but it’s manageable. I can make it," Jiang Feng responded. "I’ll do my best when the ti cos." His cooking skills were not a concern. Making an intangible cultural heritage dish was quite easy for him.
At this ti, the resort manager, Liu Wu, heard that Jiang Feng had arrived and hurried to Happy Ranch.
"Boss Jiang!" Liu Wu greeted him joyfully. "How are you considering the offer to set up a stall in the resort? No pitch fee required."
Seeing that Liu Wu was still focused on this, Jiang Feng could only smile wryly. He was really persistent. It had been more than a month since their last eting, and he still wants to set up a stall here. Jiang Feng had other matters to handle, so naturally, he declined politely.
It was early autumn. The ranch’s grasslands were sowhat yellowed, with large empty areas perfect for setting up tables and chairs.
A few days prior, Zhang Dashan had mobilized his contacts, inviting many relatives and friends. These included so prominent business owners and large ranch holders. These people also needed to dine and socialize regularly. If they enjoyed this al, the VIP rooms at Jiangyue Terrace Restaurant would not lack custors in the future.
The next day, the chefs arrived at the grassland early and began their preparations in an orderly fashion. Jiang Feng did too.
He started by preparing the pork knuckle. This ti he was making Tiger-skin Pork Knuckle. The dish was known for being large, soft, and fragrant—calling it the "Treasure of the Banquet" was no overstatent. The pork knuckle didn’t require his full attention.
The banquet was scheduled for four in the afternoon. At that ti, the weather was coolest, making it perfect for enjoying a feast on the grassland.
The guests arrived early, amusing themselves around the ranch. There were adults and children.
Sika deer, deep in the ranch’s woods, watched from a distance as the humans reveled. Two particularly bold sika deer even ran towards the kitchen.
As Jiang Feng was cooking, a sika deer poked its head in at the door. What’s cooking? Why does it sll so good? the deer seed to wonder.
Jiang Feng found this quite curious.
Head Chef Zhang Hu was also startled by the sika deer’s appearance. "Whoa, the ingredients are delivering themselves!"
Hearing his words, another chef quickly said, "Brother Hu, sika deer are a first-class protected animal; we can’t touch them."
Zhang Hu casually replied, "Wild sika deer are first-class protected animals, but privately reared ones aren’t. There are many deer farms in the Northeast selling antlers, deer blood, and marinated at. That at is a bit tough and not very tasty."
Hearing this, the chefs all nodded in agreent.
Then, Zhang Hu added, "However, slaughtering sika deer certainly requires proper procedures. This tourist ranch probably only has the right to breed them; we can’t ss with these sika deer."
Zhang Hu knew his limits; his earlier comnt was just a casual remark.
Since the banquet was in the afternoon, there was still plenty of ti, and everyone wasn’t too busy.
At this mont, Jiang Feng started to get busy.
Seeing Jiang Feng getting ready, Zhang Hu imdiately called the other chefs over. "Stop what you’re doing and co learn so skills! Let’s learn from the boss’s craftsmanship. Fairy Chicken! I’ve only seen this dish once. It is indeed difficult."
Zhang Hu’s words piqued the interest of the chefs, and they all gathered around.
Just then, Zhang Xinya ca looking for Jiang Feng. Seeing this scene, her curiosity was aroused. What’s happening here? A gathering of talents or a chefs’ eting?
She walked over, taking out her phone to record the scene. This was a mont not to be missed.
Jiang Feng, seeing everyone gathered and noticing Zhang Xinya, said to the chefs, "The dish I’m preparing is called Fairy Chicken, and the thod is quite ticulous. This dish is an intangible cultural heritage. There’s no need for everyone to learn it, but it’s still very appropriate to know about it. The first step is to debone the whole chicken."
A whole chicken, plucked of its feathers, lay on the cutting board.
At this mont, Zhang Hu spoke up, "Boss, if I rember correctly, there’s a special procedure for this step, right? Will you use it?"
Hearing his knowledgeable remark, Jiang Feng smiled. "I can indeed do it, but I thought it was too showy, so I didn’t bring it out."
"No, don’t hold back! Show everyone and let them gain so insight. This is a legacy from the great chefs of the past; it needs to be displayed."
"Alright."
The two of them went back and forth, leaving the listening chefs confused. What were these two talking about?
Just then, Jiang Feng took a black strip of cloth from his pocket and explained, "For the authentic Fairy Chicken, the first step of deboning the whole chicken requires the chef to be blindfolded, unable to see anything. Relying solely on their intimate knowledge of the chicken and using the cleanest technique, they pick out all the bones from the at. This step tests the chef’s skills; those without a solid foundation simply cannot do it."
As he spoke, Jiang Feng wrapped the black strip around his eyes twice, then tied it securely.
Zhang Xinya held up her phone, afraid of missing a single mont. She had a premonition: this video was going to be spectacular, an absolute treasure!
At this mont, a child passed by the kitchen door and glanced inside. After just one look, he turned back and said to his father, "Dad, there’s a chef in there cosplaying Gojo Satoru."
His father replied, "Don’t talk nonsense. Gojo Satoru is gone. I shouldn’t have let you watch that ani."
At the sa ti, he also glanced into the kitchen. He too saw Jiang Feng with his eyes covered by a black strip, standing upright, surrounded by many watching chefs.
What the heck? What’s going on here? he wondered. Is this cooking or performing so ritual?
The scene was indeed unusual.
Jiang Feng had already started. His head remained still, his vision completely dark. One hand found the chicken, while the other held a pair of scissors.
First, he touched the chicken leg bone, identified the joint, and snipped the leg off in one go.
Then, Jiang Feng began to debone from the chicken’s neck, working from the inside out. The chicken skin was turned out bit by bit.
Relying on his understanding of the ingredient, he used his fingers to pick out the bones from the at. Occasionally using scissors, he snipped at the joints in the wings. Then, he continued to pick out the bones.
Jiang Feng’s head remained level throughout, but the movents of his hands were unfalteringly quick.
The surrounding chefs were astonished. What kind of skill was this? they wondered. Why hadn’t New Oriental taught us this? Is this even possible?
It wasn’t that the school didn’t teach it; perhaps the teachers there couldn’t do it either. Deboning with your eyes open is hard enough, let alone blindfolded. The spectacle was truly amazing.
Soon, Jiang Feng peeled back the chicken skin, ticulously cutting the connections, and finally pulled the entire skeleton out from the skin. The at and cartilage remained inside, intact.
It was the chefs’ first ti witnessing this thod of preparing an ingredient. It seed utterly unbelievable to them. Could chicken really be prepared this way?
Zhang Hu, watching from the side, was also stunned. Jiang Feng’s technique was so steady it was terrifying.
Once all the bones were cleanly removed, Jiang Feng untied the strip from his eyes.
"That’s how you debone a whole chicken," he said. "Verifying if it’s done well is simple. Just inject water into the chicken and see if any leaks out."
As he said this, Jiang Feng went to the faucet and directly injected tap water from above into the chicken skin. The outlet below was blocked, causing the chicken skin to bulge up like a water balloon.
Upon closer inspection, not a single drop of water seeped out from the skin.
"HOLY CRAP!" the chefs couldn’t help but exclaim in amazent.
"INCREDIBLE!"
Is this Fairy Chicken? they thought. Are you sure he’s not an actual immortal? We’re all chefs, so why is he so outstanding?
This was just the first step.
Jiang Feng continued, "After deboning the whole chicken, the second step is marinating. Add scallions, ginger, and spices into the chicken’s cavity, then soak it in the sauce I’ve prepared. This step requires marinating for three hours. Since it’s for a banquet, I need to make several portions. For the next chickens, I won’t be blindfolded; I’ll be pursuing efficiency."
Hearing his words, the chefs marveled. The chicken soaking in the dishes was completely deboned. This would make it incredibly easy to marinate and flavor thoroughly. In three hours, every bit of the at would be infused with the sauce. Whatever way it was cooked afterward, it would be delicious.
Jiang Feng started processing the other chickens. At that point, Zhang Xinya approached and said, "Executive Chef Jiang, for this Fairy Chicken of yours, could I film each step and then edit it into a video? I think everyone would love to see it."
"Sure," Jiang Feng imdiately agreed.
It wasn’t a big deal. There were already videos of Fairy Chicken online; the culinary world is full of talent, after all.
Next, Jiang Feng deboned ten more chickens, stuffed spices into their cavities, and placed them in the sauce to marinate.
The chicken at beca thoroughly saturated with flavor, fragrant from the inside out.
Calling it Fairy Chicken was indeed no exaggeration.
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