The little boy was a teenager, timidly raising his hand. Looking closely, his raised hand was still trembling slightly, but his gaze was incredibly determined.
Upon hearing his words, Zheng Yiran and Meng Huai exchanged glances. Meng Huai nodded slightly, and then Zheng Yiran said to the little boy, "You may."
Hearing Zheng Yiran's affirmative response, the child excitedly stepped forward and joined the selection of ingredients.
Unlike the complaints of the others, the little boy simply held a basket for ingredients and was carefully selecting them.
At this action of the little boy, the other interviewees exchanged glances. Two of them even curled their lips at each other, their expressions conveying: Look at him, showing off.
The little boy was concentrating on selecting ingredients, so he didn't notice these gazes. However, if he had noticed, it would have only added to his nervousness.
But Meng Huai did notice. She added, "Anyone who wants to participate can. It's fair competition. Even if you're interviewing for a waiter position, if you perform exceptionally well, you can be a chef."
Meng Huai said this for everyone to hear, but the two who had exchanged glances lowered their heads in unison.
No one else spoke up, as not everyone possessed enough confidence. Moreover, confidence alone was not enough; without the ability to step forward, it would only be embarrassing.
Meanwhile, the other two chefs who were still complaining about the ingredients also fell silent. Watching the young boy meticulously select, they didn't see him as a threat but still took the interview seriously.
For the sake of the good salary and benefits, they all calmed down and prepared themselves.
However, as these two were still selecting ingredients, the chef who hadn't said a word and the little boy who had joined later had already begun cooking.
What the little boy selected included a small bowl of rice and several other medicinal herbs.
The other chef, on the other hand, took a piece of star beast meat, and the piece he chose was tender and fresh. He then selected a few more items. He was quite hesitant when choosing these items, as he was unsure how to handle things he had never seen before.
Seeing that both of them had started, the胖 and 瘦 chefs couldn't afford to delay much longer. They randomly picked items and began as well.
Zheng Yiran reminded them, "You only have half an hour, so please hurry."
Zheng Yiran's words undoubtedly added pressure. However, the little boy, whose hands had been trembling with nervousness earlier, completely lost that feeling once he started working. His eyes were solely focused on the small space before him, nothing more than his ingredients and the stove.
Meng Huai watched their cooking process intently. She had a clear idea of their respective skill levels. After half an hour passed, with Zheng Yiran's reminder of "Time's up," everyone stopped what they were doing.
They each brought their finished dishes to the table. Jing Yuancheng was already waiting. "Finally, it's my turn to shine! Come, come, let me taste the flavors."
Meng Huai gestured for him to taste as he wished, but still reminded him, "Just a sip of this congee is enough."
As soon as Meng Huai finished speaking, the little boy's face turned completely pale. The congee Meng Huai told Jing Yuancheng to eat sparingly was made by this little boy. Meng Huai's words felt like a death sentence to him. He was destined not to be selected as a chef!
However, he quickly adjusted his mindset and kept telling himself: It's okay. I came here to apply for a chef's assistant position anyway. It's already great that the boss gave me the opportunity to interview for a chef. After all, there aren't many chances to select ingredients and cook like this.
Hearing Meng Huai's words, Jing Yuancheng asked curiously, "Why can't I eat more of this?"
Meng Huai explained to him, "The two medicinal herbs used in this congee, Lishu and Muling, have conflicting properties. Consuming too much together can be risky."
Zheng Yiran, listening from the side, marveled, "I didn't expect such depth of knowledge in such small ingredients!"
Upon hearing Meng Huai's words, Jing Yuancheng subconsciously didn't want to taste the congee. He reached out with his chopsticks towards the plate of braised meat. As expected, he first picked up a piece of beef and put it in his mouth.
"This is delicious!"
After taking a bite, Jing Yuancheng was amazed by the flavor. He spoke indistinctly while eating.
After finishing that bite, he tasted the food made by the 胖 and 瘦 chefs. He didn't feel amazed, but it wasn't bad either.
For Jing Yuancheng, who had tasted countless delicacies, these two dishes felt rather ordinary.
So he stated directly, "It's okay, quite standard."
These words greatly embarrassed the 胖 and 瘦 chefs, but considering Jing Yuancheng's imposing presence, they didn't dare to argue with him.
Jing Yuancheng had only the little boy's creation left to taste. He hesitated, not daring to try it. However, he couldn't help but swallow his saliva, attracted by the appearance of the congee and the aroma wafting from it.
Next to the congee was a pastry. He picked up the pastry and broke off a small piece, putting it into his mouth.
He broke it off not because he was meticulous. It was because he wasn't just supposed to taste it; he thought that Meng Huai, the boss, would also taste it, right?
When he tasted the pastry, he said nothing. He just kept chewing until he finished the small bite.
Jing Yuancheng then exclaimed, "My goodness, this is the first time I've tasted something like this. It's so delicious!"
Seeing his pastry receive praise, the little boy enthusiastically introduced it to Jing Yuancheng, "This is a pastry. I've read a few articles and know how to make some pastries. But I'm not very familiar with the flavors of these ingredients, so I just made them randomly. As long as it's delicious!"
Jing Yuancheng looked at the boy's shy demeanor and felt inclined to taste the congee after all. He picked up a spoon, scooped a small mouthful, and tasted it. His expression was uncontrollable.
"It's really delicious!"
Jing Yuancheng exclaimed to Meng Huai, his finger excitedly pointing at the bowl of congee. However, if eating too much of this has risks, then he'll pass; otherwise, he would definitely finish it all! wΑp.kanshu伍.net
Seeing this, Meng Huai asked the little boy, "What other pastries can you make?"
The little boy was surprised that he was the first to be asked a question. His nervousness returned. He pinched his thigh, then stammered, "Actually, I haven't made many pastries."
"Oh?"
Before the little boy could continue, Jing Yuancheng was quite surprised. This thing was so delicious, and he hadn't made it before?
The little boy continued, "I've only watched tutorials before and haven't actually operated the process myself. I usually just help out and don't have the opportunity to do it."