43. Chapter 43: So Angry They Called the Police

Chapter 43: So Angry They Called the Police

The second stop, Jiang Hao and Zhen Xiaoqiu set their sights on a Japanese restaurant.

Japan's most famous establishments are sushi shops.

Boya House, also a Michelin-recommended spot.

After the Assistant Director's coordination, Boya House agreed to let the crew film inside. The restaurant was mostly wood-furnished, steeped in Japanese style, and their private room was personally attended to by Chef Sakata.

The first course was sturgeon caviar—plump red roe grains, brightened with yuzu peel. Downed in one bite, it was just an appetizer.

The second course was salmon sashimi, which the chef introduced as being made from fresh salmon.

The third course was sukiyaki, a beef hotpot. Jiang Hao and Zhen Xiaoqiu ordered the most expensive wagyu beef. Chef Sakata explained it was top-tier wagyu. The beef was lightly swished through the broth, then sent into the mouth—the meat melted on the tongue.

Finally came the full blowfish feast. Chef Sakata introduced, "The blowfish is tiger blowfish air-freighted from Japan, butchered by our restaurant's most skilled chef. The first dish is blowfish skin, the second is thick-sliced raw blowfish—this is the main course—the third is deep-fried blowfish, and the last is blowfish hotpot."

No denying it, this blowfish was truly delicious.

"Ding~~ Collected 'Taste of Gourmet Food.' Host, keep up the good work."

Reaping several task points in a row, Jiang Hao set down his chopsticks with satisfaction. Delicious as it was, he still had to dish out some criticism.

Zhen Xiaoqiu, seeing Jiang Hao's expression, knew it was time for the final stage. She spoke up at the right moment, "Zhou Sheng, what do you think of today's dishes? Give us your review."

Jiang Hao pretended to ponder for a moment, then said, "I think... I'm a bit disappointed."

Zhen Xiaoqiu wasn't surprised at all, but Chef Sakata from Boya House looked at Jiang Hao with some surprise. "May I ask why the guest says that? Our ingredients are all top-grade, very fresh, all air-freighted from Japan. Could it be that they don't suit your taste?"

Jiang Hao shook his head, pointing at the wagyu. "You just said this is top-tier wagyu beef. I have my doubts."

Chef Sakata frowned. "May I ask what you doubt?"

"If I'm not mistaken, this wagyu should be grade A2, at most reaching A3. A4 and A5 are the true top grades. So calling it the finest wagyu is inaccurate."

Chef Sakata's face shifted slightly. Being able to tell A2 from taste—what kind of tongue was this?

Jiang Hao kept up his critique:

"The salmon sashimi—why use fresh fish?" Jiang Hao asked.

"Because guests prefer it that way," Chef Sakata replied.

Jiang Hao gave a dry laugh. "Wild salmon carries a lot of parasites. It needs to be frozen to kill them—frozen below minus 20 degrees Celsius for a week, or flash-frozen below minus 35 degrees for a day. Only then is it safe to eat. That's the proper method."

Chef Sakata looked at Jiang Hao and didn't argue.

Jiang Hao didn't let the topic drop. Facing the camera, he said, "Here's a tip for everyone: salmon is a tricky fish. Even when it's about to spoil, it still looks bright orange—no discoloration, no smell. So a good-looking salmon isn't necessarily the best."

Chef Sakata was fuming inside. What did he mean by that? Badmouthing salmon at a time like this—clearly aimed at them. But since Jiang Hao hadn't pointed directly at their fish, he had to swallow it.

"As for the blowfish feast, it was well done. I personally enjoyed it a lot. But the problem is, the chef said this fish was air-freighted from Japan. I'd say this fish was farmed in China, so how could it come from Japan?" Jiang Hao said, looking at the chef.

Chef Sakata's eyelid twitched. How the hell did this bastard know that? Still, he flatly denied it. "No, it was shipped from Japan. The finest ingredients."

Jiang Hao shrugged. "Say what you will."

"My final rating: six out of ten. Barely passing. The food is refined, but the chef's claims are exaggerated. Not great value—this meal cost over ten thousand. I'd say it's overpriced," Jiang Hao said to the camera.

Chef Sakata got agitated. "How dare you rate us like this! You must retract what you just said!"

"And we're a Michelin-rated restaurant. What right do you have to rate us? Your filming is terminated. You must leave the recording tape behind before you go."

This wasn't the first time they'd faced this. Zhen Xiaoqiu immediately said, "You agreed to let us film beforehand."

"And you have no right to take anything. We paid for our meal."

Chef Sakata's face went pale with anger. He knew they'd been tricked.

These TV people were too cunning.

The Japanese called the police. The cops arrived, but what could they do? The TV station hadn't broken any rules. Plus, Jiang Hao had been clever enough to record the entire negotiation process with the sushi shop on camera. The Japanese had no choice but to swallow their pride.

The next day, the crew picked another Michelin-rated French restaurant. After getting the restaurant's consent, they got to work. Zhen Xiaoqiu and Jiang Hao ordered bouillabaisse, Saint-Jacques scallops, pan-seared foie gras, blanquette de veau, escargots, sole meunière, hachis Parmentier, boudin noir aux pommes, and soupe à l'oignon gratinée.

All classic French dishes.

French cuisine is served course by course, so the meal was drawn-out and lengthy. During the meal, Jiang Hao and Xiaoqiu sat across from each other, framed like a couple dining out—a complete shift from their earlier goofy dynamic.

As they ate, Jiang Hao casually commented on each dish, from classic cooking methods to variations, flavors, and side dishes.

Xiaoqiu listened with keen interest.

Of course, Jiang Hao was in a good mood too, because he'd absorbed more Taste of Gourmet Food task points, inching closer to completion.

After the meal, it was time for the review.

Jiang Hao looked at Zhen Xiaoqiu and said, "Food reviews mainly focus on 'color, aroma, taste, form, and vessel.' Color is about the use and pairing of hues—warm and cold, light and dark, deep and shallow. Above all, it should be pleasing to the eye."

"Aroma is the smell—it should at least whet the appetite, not make you want to gag."

"Taste is the flavor—it has to be good to eat. That's the basics. No matter how pretty it looks, if it tastes like wax, it won't do."

"Form is the appearance. Color is one thing, but form is the overall layout. It needs to be organically arranged so it doesn't put people off. On that front, French cuisine does well."

"Vessel is the dishware. That's a big deal these days. For example, a small portion in a huge bucket just doesn't look right."

After the good points, it was time to switch to critique mode.

Of course, food tasting is highly subjective. Everyone's palate is different, so forcing a judgment on whether a dish is good or bad, or what it tastes like, isn't fair.