After Head Chef Dai finished speaking, he looked at Jiang Hao somewhat nervously.
Jiang Hao took two bites, nodded, and wore an expression of enjoyment.
"Excellent."
"As a poem goes: 'Sea fish, jade-like skin; sliced finely with rich golden seasoning. Brought from afar to honor fine guests—why adorn a precious sword? I am poor and rarely eat; if you enjoy it, that is enough. In the end, I shall eat humble greens, yet this flavor leaves nothing wanting.' It was praising shark fin."
Hearing Jiang Hao say this, Head Chef Dai's tense expression visibly eased.
"What a pity~~"
At those two words, Head Chef Dai's newly relaxed heart clenched again. Damn it, what was this bastard going to say now?
Zhen Xiaoqiu promptly played along. "What's a pity?"
Jiang Hao set down his spoon, turned to the camera, and spoke at length.
"There are many classifications of shark fin. By origin, Sea Tiger Fin naturally ranks first. There are also group fins from galeo rays, Tianjiu Fin from cowhide sharks and basking sharks, followed by Butterfly Green Fin, Green Slice Fin, Toothpick Fin, and so on."
"By part, they are divided into tail fin, Spine Fin, and Wing Fin."
"This bowl of braised shark fin is well prepared and full of flavor. What a pity, though—the shark fin used is merely low-grade Butterfly Green Fin, and the cheapest Wing Fin at that."
"I can only say that the cooking is good, but the ingredients are not. As for the score, I can only give it a five."
After saying that, Jiang Hao shook his head helplessly, looking as though he pitied the world and its people.
"Five? That's another failing score. Isn't that a little low? I think it tastes great." Zhen Xiaoqiu chimed in at just the right moment.
Jiang Hao spread his hands. "No choice. If they had called it Braised Shark Fin in Rich Broth, I wouldn't have scored it so low. But their menu says 'Fresh Crab Meat Braised Sea Tiger Fin.' Using the Sea Tiger Shark name like that makes them seem suspiciously like they're deceiving customers."
"And look at the price. A bowl of soup costs several thousand yuan, clearly being sold as a premium dish. So I can only give it a failing score."
Those few words cut straight to the heart.
The cost of ingredients was only one aspect of gourmet food. Many dishes used the most ordinary ingredients yet could still be made into the most delicious cuisine. But if deception was involved—passing inferior goods off as superior—that was an entirely different matter.
Jiang Hao appeared to be explaining things openly, but he had secretly driven in a ruthless blade, striking right at the vital point. Head Chef Dai's face darkened further.
He was now somewhat afraid to introduce the other dishes, fearing that Jiang Hao would say something else.
The cameraman recorded all of it. Once it was edited together later, it would definitely be especially entertaining.
A flicker of amusement passed through Zhen Xiaoqiu's eyes as she looked at Head Chef Dai. "Head Chef Dai, please continue introducing the next dishes. I'm sure the viewers would be especially interested in learning how they are made."
Head Chef Dai gritted his teeth and pointed at the Official Grade Abalone. "This abalone is prepared using an ancient method, slow-cooked in a clay pot over charcoal. Pork ribs and old chicken are simmered into superior broth for seasoning, with no other seasonings added. It must be braised for more than twelve hours to be ready. We generally make it the night before and only serve it to customers the following day."
"The abalones we make are all perfectly intact, like fried eggs, with full, round, soft centers. Their original flavor and color are preserved, and they are delicious, fresh, and vibrant, leaving an endless aftertaste."
"There is a saying that one bite of abalone is worth one bite of gold. It is tender and fresh, with excellent dietary and restorative benefits. It nourishes yin and beautifies the complexion, moisturizes and replenishes without causing internal heat or dryness. It can also help prevent and treat high blood pressure and diabetes, contains no cholesterol, and benefits the liver and eyesight."
Head Chef Dai waved for the servers to plate the abalone and set it before everyone. Jiang Hao picked up his knife and fork and cut into it. It really yielded with one slice, without the slightest effort. He speared a piece and put it into his mouth. It was rich, fragrant, smooth, and tender.
Delicious!
"Ding~~ Collected one portion of 'Taste of Gourmet Food.' Collector, keep up the good work."
Not bad. Three percent already.
After finishing the abalone, everyone looked at Jiang Hao again, waiting for his performance. Head Chef Dai glared fiercely at Jiang Hao. If he were Superman, he would definitely shoot lasers from his eyes and kill this bastard.
His two sous-chefs also looked tense, wondering what Jiang Hao was going to roast next.
After wiping the corner of his mouth with a towel, Jiang Hao gave a chuckle. His laugh was crisp, but to Head Chef Dai and the others, it sounded unbearably grating. They wanted nothing more than to plug his mouth with a stick.
A stick.
"Since you dared to use the name 'Official Grade Abalone,' you naturally know that only abalone of four-head grade or above can be called Official Grade Abalone. Look at your own abalone. Is it four-head? It probably doesn't even reach five-head."
"Also, the most famous abalone in the world is Japanese Dried Abalone. What you use is Australian Abalone."
After being roasted for so long, Head Chef Dai finally could not contain his anger. "What's wrong with Australian Abalone? Australian Abalone is good abalone too!"
"How could they possibly be the same? Heh, that line might fool amateurs, but no one else." Jiang Hao looked at Head Chef Dai with a faintly disdainful gaze.
"Japanese Dried Abalone, Middle Eastern Dried Abalone, South African Dried Abalone, and Australian Dried Abalone—the quality and price of these types rank in that order. Japanese Dried Abalone is the most expensive and naturally the most delicious. Australian Abalone is the cheapest among them. Why? Because it isn't as good as the first few. I don't need to explain something that simple, do I?"
Jiang Hao left Head Chef Dai speechless. He could fool diners who knew nothing about such matters, but before someone knowledgeable, he had no way to refute it.
At that moment, murderous intent appeared in Head Chef Dai's eyes as he looked at Jiang Hao. If he could, he truly wanted to smack this guy to death with a frying pan.
"Coconut Sugar Bird's Nest. Please give it a try, everyone." Head Chef Dai was furious now and did not intend to introduce it anymore, directly telling the servers to divide the portions.
Seeing that Head Chef Dai would not speak, Jiang Hao took the initiative and began explaining it to Zhen Xiaoqiu and the camera. "Xiaoqiu, you should eat more of this dish."
"Why?"
"Because bird's nest is very nourishing for women. It nourishes yin, moistens the lungs, replenishes weakness, and strengthens the stomach. Long-term consumption can make women radiate beauty from the inside out. It is a holy product for skincare."
Zhen Xiaoqiu's eyes lit up. "Really? Then I need to eat more."
She scooped up a spoonful and put it into her mouth, then could not help crying out, "Wow, it's light and sweet, delicious and tasty. The flavor is really great!"
Jiang Hao also ate two bites. After receiving the system prompt and gaining another point of mission progress, he set down his spoon and said, "Although it's not bad, there are still many problems."
"What problems? I think it's very good." Zhen Xiaoqiu asked.
At that moment, the camera turned to Head Chef Dai again and found that anger had already appeared on his face. He was on the verge of exploding.
"This bird's nest is obviously farmed bird's nest. Heh, as for the quality, I can only say it's so-so." Jiang Hao said.
The moment Head Chef Dai heard that, he exploded. Jumping forward, he shouted, "What restaurant doesn't use farmed bird's nest nowadays? Go on, find me a few places using wild bird's nest!"
"That's why I said it's so-so. I can't exactly go against my conscience and claim this bird's nest is top-tier, can I?" Jiang Hao said with a smile as he looked at Head Chef Dai.
Jiang Hao's words were enough to infuriate someone to death without paying for the funeral.
Head Chef Dai's chest heaved violently.
Before you continue