Sweet and Sour Pork with Pineapple

After crossing a street, the two arrived at a restaurant called "Bai Ji." The place wasn't big, just thirty or forty square meters. Looking at the somewhat worn-out tables and chairs and the sign, Jiang Hao curled his lip and said, "This place? What good food could they possibly have?"

He got a White-eye from the female reporter.

"You're in no position to be picky. I'm telling you, if you stand me up, just watch how I report on you in tomorrow's news."

Jiang Hao shrugged: "The uncrowned king is so mighty. With just one photo, you can make up anything you want."

The two entered the restaurant and found a table to sit at. There were a few other tables of diners around. Say what you will, the place was small but lively, with plenty of customers—so the food here probably wasn't bad.

Helper came over with a menu, tossed it on the table, and said flatly, "What'll it be, you two?"

He held a notepad, looking at them with not a hint of a smile.

The female reporter was about to order when Jiang Hao grabbed the menu, glanced at it, and casually picked four dishes. "Alright, these four."

The female reporter's eyes went wide. "You're really not holding back, ordering four."

She'd planned to order two dishes to get by, unsure if this guy was just making up a story to score a free meal, but he didn't even pretend to be polite, going straight for four.

Jiang Hao looked at the fuming female reporter and smiled. "Still don't know your name."

"Zhen Xiaoqiu, reporter from ATV News Department." Her tone was stiff. "Hey, you said you'd give me a chance to make a name for myself. Can you tell me now?"

Jiang Hao grinned. "Patience. I'll tell you after the meal."

Zhen Xiaoqiu turned away in frustration, looking elsewhere. She really must've lost her mind, believing him and bringing him to eat. Looked like she was going to take a big loss this time.

Jiang Hao finally took a good look at the female reporter. She wasn't tall, had a decent figure, and looked a bit like that beauty Qiu, but the big black-rimmed glasses ruined her looks. Otherwise, she could barely pass as pretty.

The restaurant was small, but the food came fast. Soon, four dishes were on the table: Oyster Sauce Lettuce, Sweet and Sour Pork with Pineapple, Cantonese Boiled Shrimp, and Steamed Fish.

These were home-style dishes, found in almost every restaurant. Of course, the more common the dish, the more popular it was.

Jiang Hao ate with quick, precise movements, polishing off half of each dish in no time. The female reporter stared, dumbfounded. Was this guy reborn as a starving ghost? And he called himself the God of Cookery—turns out he ate like a beast when hungry.

While eating, Jiang Hao opened the system panel. No one else could see it. He noticed the progress bar hadn't budged—the system didn't recognize these dishes as top-tier cuisine.

With his stomach settled, Jiang Hao put down his chopsticks and said loudly, "These dishes are really not up to par. Completely off their game."

His voice carried. The restaurant was small, so everyone heard him, and heads turned.

The female reporter cringed. "Hey, what's your deal? I'm treating you, and you're still nitpicking?"

Jiang Hao gave her a look and whispered, "Don't talk. Just watch."

Zhen Xiaoqiu had no idea what he was up to, but she shut up and waited.

Jiang Hao continued, raising his voice. "A chef with this kind of skill dares to cook? You could sue him for fraud. I wonder how he even graduated."

That was pushing it. Many people frowned.

"Who's badmouthing me!"

A roar came from the back. A chubby guy stormed out of the kitchen, clutching a big ladle.

He pointed the ladle at Jiang Hao and barked, "Kid, you looking for trouble? This Bai Ji has been running for nearly twenty years, and no one's ever said my food's bad. If you're here to cause a scene, I'll smash you with this ladle, believe me?"

He swung the ladle for emphasis.

The fat chef was furious, but Jiang Hao wasn't fazed. He tapped the dishes with his chopsticks and said, "I'm not here to cause trouble. I just think these dishes aren't well-made. Can't I complain if the food's bad?"

"Fine, then tell me what's wrong. But if you can't, you're not walking out of here easy. Ask around—Old Bai's not someone to mess with." The fat chef sneered.

If Jiang Hao couldn't back it up, the chef would gladly let him taste the ladle.

Jiang Hao picked up a piece of lettuce from the Oyster Sauce Lettuce and said clearly, "Oyster Sauce Lettuce. Simple dish, but it tests your heat control. Sauté garlic until it turns slightly yellow, then toss in the lettuce on high heat. Cook just until it's done—overcook it, and it loses its crunch."

"Look at this lettuce. Clearly overcooked, like it's been boiled. No crunch at all."

"Also, for Oyster Sauce Lettuce, you should use Lee Kum Kee Premium Oyster Sauce. It balances saltiness, sweetness, and umami. That's how you get a glossy, crunchy, sweet dish."

Jiang Hao pointed at the plate. "Look at this. Does it look glossy, crunchy, or sweet?"

The fat chef was stunned. This guy could even tell the oyster sauce wasn't Lee Kum Kee. He knew Lee Kum Kee was better, but it was pricier, so he'd switched to a cheaper brand.

The other diners saw the chef speechless and knew the kid had hit the mark. They realized he wasn't just causing trouble and got more interested, settling in to watch the show.

Zhen Xiaoqiu watched curiously too. She still didn't know what Jiang Hao was up to, but it was entertaining.

Jiang Hao wasn't done. He pointed at another dish. "Now let's talk about this Sweet and Sour Pork with Pineapple."

"Sweet and Sour Pork with Pineapple—as the name says, it's pineapple stir-fried with sweet and sour pork. The key is the pork."

He picked up a piece of pork. "Choose good tenderloin, marinate for five minutes, coat with starch. Fry in oil heated to 70% until golden and crispy on the outside, tender inside. I tell you, even the neighbor's kids would cry for it."

"The oil temperature is crucial here. Your pork isn't the best tenderloin, and the oil was too hot. The frying's off. Thumbs down."

The fat chef's face darkened.

Jiang Hao pressed on. "Now this Cantonese Boiled Shrimp. Simple dish, we eat it all the time. But even so, you have to put in the effort, right?"

"Your shrimp aren't fresh. The veins aren't cleaned, the whiskers aren't trimmed, and they're overcooked. Worse, your dipping sauce is way off. Thumbs down."

"Finally, let's talk about this Steamed Fish."