The restaurant Coach Zhang had chosen was called Gardenia Garden. It stood near the Imperial Palace and had been built in an elegant, old-fashioned style.
Coach Zhang walked ahead. The moment she reached the entrance, she asked:
"Can we bring a cat?"
"You can, ma'am. But out of consideration for our other guests, if you're dining in the main hall, please try not to let your pet onto the table."
"What about a private room?"
"In a private room, you can make yourselves at home. That's what you book one for, isn't it? Still, please try not to let your pet touch the tableware meant for people. If your pet needs to eat, we can provide separate tableware."
"All right. A private room for six."
"Woof~"
The server craned his neck and counted, but saw only five people. His gaze dropped to the cat in the little girl's arms. Understanding dawned, and he drew out his reply:
"Right this way!"
Five people and one cat entered the restaurant.
There were plenty of places serving "palace cuisine" in Jade Capital. Setting aside the impostors, several were run by genuine Imperial Chefs who had come out of the palace.
Times had changed.
These days, palace chefs were contract employees. The hiring standards were a little higher, the pay a little better, and the contracts longer and more secure. Anyone who became an Imperial Chef naturally had first-rate skills, but they could no longer stand at the very pinnacle of the culinary world as they had in the Ancient Times.
This was a market economy now.
A truly top-tier chef would definitely earn more working outside the Imperial Palace. What the palace offered was stability, prestige, and a little gold plating for one's reputation.
So many chefs worked in the palace for ten