The fa of the tripe hotpot had spread far and wide.
Now, whatever dish Jiang Feng made, that dish beca popular, with a staggering effect on custor traffic.
The restaurant’s business was getting better and better, and custors loved the other dishes as well. Private rooms were reserved every day. Given the population of Chengdu, Jiangyue Terrace Sichuan Restaurant simply didn’t lack business.
In the following days, the restaurant was packed every day. Jiang Feng had also prepared several rabbit feasts, earning unanimous praise from patrons.
No one knew why, but many people here had a particular fondness for rabbit. Perhaps that was just the fate of rabbits.
The restaurant’s revenue was quite impressive. A conservative estimate suggested that a monthly inco of seven or eight hundred thousand wasn’t a problem, and it could even reach a million under better circumstances. There were lines outside every day.
Jiang Feng turned into a relentless cooking machine, busily crafting delicious dishes in the kitchen every day. No wonder he was called a master chef, not only for his skilled craftsmanship but also for his strong physical endurance! Those typically called master chefs were at least thirty-five or thirty-six years old. They really couldn’t keep up with such a demanding routine without a strong back!
Jiang Feng was starting another big project today.
After the restaurant opened for the day, patrons eagerly rushed in, their first stop always the notice board.
Today’s star chef: Jiang Feng.
Main dish: Shadow Beef.
Seeing Shadow Beef, many were sowhat surprised.
"Wow, Shadow Beef! That’s not an easy dish to make!"
"Is he going all out today?"
"It has to be Boss Jiang!"
Many exclaid in admiration.
Shadow Beef was a famous Sichuan dish, one that could even grace state banquets. With Jiang Feng as the chef, this dish would undoubtedly reach state banquet level. Normally, one simply couldn’t get a taste of it!
Although it wasn’t as voluminous as hotpot or shredded pork with garlic sauce, it was superior in flavor. Shadow Beef required beef slices as thin as paper, so translucent they resembled shadow puppets.
However, translucency was only the most basic requirent. The key was achieving deep, penetrating flavor, and the texture had to be so tender it would lt in your mouth, yet delightfully crispy. The selection of ingredients was incredibly stringent. Only beef slices from the tenderloin t the standards.
The preparation process involved several steps, starting with cutting the beef into incredibly thin slices. So said the beef slices in Lanzhou Pulled Noodles t this requirent, and they weren’t wrong.
The cut beef slices were marinated and refrigerated overnight, then air-dried. In ancient tis, without ovens, the at had to be air-dried for more than three days in dry weather. But now it was simpler: baking at a low temperature of 65 degrees Celsius for three to four hours achieved a perfectly air-dried effect. Finally, it was baked at 135 degrees Celsius for three to five minutes to ensure it was fully cooked, then plated, and it was ready.
This dish tested a chef’s knife skills, the precise balance of the marinade, and their mastery of roasting the beef. So also used frying, which yielded a similar effect. It sounded easy, but actual execution was far from simple. Not many restaurants could truly master this dish.
「anwhile, outside the restaurant.」
Two middle-aged n with potbellies arrived at Jiangyue Terrace. After waiting in line for an hour, it was finally their turn. One was nad Liu Ai, the other Chu ng. Both were head chefs at a large Sichuan restaurant.
They had co here to eat today on their boss’s orders: to gather intelligence and see if they could secretly learn anything. It would be ideal if they could pick up sothing from Jiangyue Terrace’s Sichuan dishes to improve their own, or perhaps find so exploitable flaw.
High-end business wars often employed surprisingly unsophisticated thods. You might imagine business wars involved domineering CEOs strategizing from their offices, relying on spies to steal core secrets. The reality of business warfare, however, was often like this: soone might disguise themselves as an employee of a rival company, go to work there, and scald the opponent’s money tree with boiling water. Or a bike-sharing company might send its product manager to slash the seats of all its competitor’s bicycles. And then there were the even cruder internet fla wars. When one brand engaged in shaful behavior, other brands would rush in to gloat and poach custors.
Competition among Sichuan restaurants was much the sa. There were no spies involved. It was more like the boss slapping his thigh and summoning his head chefs, "Go, check out Jiangyue Terrace and see what’s so good about their Sichuan dishes. Learn whatever you can."
Liu Ai and Chu ng could only agree.
"What are we going to learn?" Liu Ai sighed. "Aren’t all the dishes prepared basically the sa way? It’s just a matter of controlling the heat and the amount of ingredients. Can we really figure anything out just by tasting it?" At tis, the boss’s ideas were utterly baffling.
Chu ng, however, was very calm. "What’s there to fear? We eat here, go back, and just spin a few lines. He doesn’t understand cooking anyway, so just bluff him!"
Hearing Chu ng’s casual dismissal made Liu Ai feel much more relaxed.
As seasoned Sichuan cuisine chefs, upon entering, they imdiately noticed Jiangyue Terrace’s chef promotion board. It had to be said, this kind of promotion was very appealing to chefs. What chef wouldn’t want their photo displayed for all to see!
The most prominent figure was Jiang Feng: the youngest, with the finest deanor, and in the most prominent position.
"That must be the impressive owner, Boss Jiang!" Liu Ai mused.
Chu ng, after seeing Jiang Feng’s photo, smacked his lips. "Wow, he’s tackling a tough one—Shadow Beef. We hardly ever make that dish in our restaurant."
"Indeed, quite impressive," Liu Ai agreed. "Let’s go have a taste."
As they walked further in, they took in Jiangyue Terrace’s ambiance. The decor here was also quite refined. Seeing all this, the two instantly felt a surge of pressure.
They found a table and ordered several dishes, including the Shadow Beef personally made by Jiang Feng.
Before long, the Shadow Beef was served. The dish was clearly designed with ticulous care. It was served on a specialized wooden plate with a small, glowing lamp in the center. Around the edges of the plate, air-dried beef slices were artfully arrayed. Upon close inspection, each slice of beef, illuminated by the lamp, seed to glow with an orange hue, evoking the imagery of shadow puppets.
This plate of beef was a true work of art, truly worthy of a state banquet. It almost felt like a sacrilege to eat it as a common dish. All the dishes here were carefully plated and looked exquisite; the presentation of the Shadow Beef was particularly effective. A young girl at the next table excitedly took photos with her phone, clapping continuously.
Liu Ai and Chu ng clicked their tongues in appreciation upon seeing the Shadow Beef. This dish clearly showcased profound skill. An ordinary person would find it difficult to make, let alone to make it so exquisitely.
Liu Ai was the first to reach for his chopsticks, ready to try a piece of beef.
"Hold on," Chu ng interrupted, raising his hand.
Liu Ai looked at him in confusion.
Chu ng took out his phone and said leisurely, "Let take a photo first."
Then, Chu ng took several photos of the Shadow Beef before he announced, "Alright, we can eat now."
Only then did Liu Ai pick up a slice of beef and put it in his mouth. The beef was initially firm to the bite, with a crispness like a potato chip. With a light chew, it began to crumble. Yet, while it felt like it was breaking into bits, it didn’t completely disintegrate; the fibers remained connected. At the sa ti, savory and spicy flavors burst forth from the beef, stimulating his palate. As he chewed, it didn’t feel tough at all. It was like jerky, but much softer and more intensely flavorful. After all, it was made to order, with all the seasonings fresh, giving it a truly unique texture and taste.
Liu Ai couldn’t help nodding. Before he even spoke, his body was already expressing his true thoughts. Delicious! The texture and flavor are unparalleled. Even the crispiness of this Shadow Beef is absolutely perfect. At first, I thought its beauty was just in the presentation. That actually has little to do with the main chef; it’s more a test of the plating assistant’s skill. But upon careful tasting, I realized the beef’s flavor is impeccably handled, creating an exceptionally pleasant sensation.
Chu ng also tried a slice, chewing thoughtfully. Crispy at first bite, it softened as he chewed. Stimulated by saliva, the spicy flavor spread from the beef throughout his mouth, making him salivate more with each chew. After swallowing the last piece, the aftertaste lingered wonderfully.
"Indeed, this really has sothing special!" Chu ng exclaid in admiration. "His preparation is ticulous. The beef is top-quality, and it’s sliced perfectly thin. The knife work is flawless, the control of heat is perfect, and the seasoning is spot on. So, naturally, the taste is impeccable."
"The owner of this restaurant is truly incredible," Liu Ai chid in, equally full of praise. "So young, yet he not only owns the restaurant but also cooks so amazingly well."
When it ca to Jiangyue Terrace’s overall package, other grand restaurants truly couldn’t compare. The owner not only possessed capital but also understood culinary arts and business operations. No wonder the business was thriving. Moreover, Jiang Feng was dedicated to his culinary craft, with a hobby of setting up street food stalls so people from all over could taste his delicacies. Such dedication and philosophy aren’t sothing an ordinary person could achieve.
"How should we report back?" Chu ng asked Liu Ai. "The boss sent us to see if there’s anything to learn, but how can we possibly learn this?"
Hearing this, Liu Ai replied, "Just tell him the taste is average. Say they just have a lot of hype and online traffic, so that’s why they have so many custors."
Liu Ai’s words were a revelation to Chu ng. "Great idea! That way, our boss will feel a bit more at ease."
Liu Ai nodded. "Exactly. We can’t very well say the chef here cooks incredibly delicious food, can we? If we did, would we even keep our jobs?"
The two made up their minds.
anwhile, one after another, exquisitely crafted Shadow Beef dishes were brought out from the kitchen. Each dish was like a work of art. Under the lamplight, the beef slices shimred with an orange glow. Light and shadow danced upon the beef. This, coupled with the classic architectural style of the restaurant, made for a captivating sight. If one were to ignore the modern attire of the diners and staff, the scene could almost transport you to an imperial banquet of ancient tis, imbued with a rich, evocative charm.
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