Chef at the University Canteen

Chapter 580 319: Kitchen Chitchat

The gold medal celebration banquet at Jiang University Sports College was lively all the way until a little past two in the afternoon.

Those teachers and students who rarely got to enjoy such an ultimate feast of flavors all left with smiles, satisfied but somewhat reluctant to part.

Although most of the dishes at this celebration banquet could be found in other restaurants, experiencing such an ultimate taste like today's was likely a once-in-a-lifetime event.

Thinking about this, they all felt a bit of a loss.

However, the disappointment didn't last long. After all, only the gold medalists could attend this banquet, and many teammates who also competed at the provincial games didn't even know what the banquet dishes tasted like.

Compared to them, those who attended the banquet certainly felt much more fortunate for this great experience!

Especially those teammates who only won silver medals and were just a tad shy of gold, they were probably green with envy!

No way, I have to hurry back and brag to them about how delicious Senior Brother Jiang's dishes were! They're absolutely heavenly and unmatched on earth!

The group gave each other knowing glances and couldn't help but let out a mischievous "hehe" laugh. Then, arm in arm, they eagerly headed back to the sports college to show off their experience to the other team members.

No one knows whether these overconfident champions might get a beating from their teammates when they boast about how tasty the celebration banquet was...

...

Seventh Dining Hall.

After seeing off the teachers and students, Jiang Yu and the others, who had been busy for most of the day, finally took a break.

This incident was purely unexpected; simultaneously opening eight private rooms was the first time since the opening of Seventh Dining Hall. Even Jiang Yu had to stay utterly focused and work tirelessly.

Du Guangning and Xiong Zhengtao, as the head chef and an assistant, were even busier from start to finish. By the time they really took a rest, they were completely exhausted, slumped in chairs like mud, not wanting to move a finger.

"Phew! Today was really exhausting. It's one thing to open eight private rooms at once, but each room was packed with guests. If we hadn't started preparing in advance from the morning, we might not have been able to keep up with demand."

Du Guangning smacked his somewhat dry lips. They'd been so busy all morning that he didn't even have a chance to drink water, leaving his lips a bit chapped by now.

However, he couldn't even be bothered to drink water at the moment, being too exhausted; he just wanted to rest first.

"Tiring indeed, mainly because there are only the three of us cooking, and the more complex dishes were left to the boss. In such a short time, having to cook eight tables' worth of banquet dishes that not only had to taste and smell just right but also be beautifully plated, the workload was definitely on the heavy side."

Although Xiong Zhengtao was only an assistant chef, he had begun to participate in cooking under Du Guangning's guidance, even if it was just some relatively simple home-cooked dishes, but still quite different from what he used to make in restaurants.

Even though he was tired, his eyes were shining with joy as he continued to say,

"But cooking so many dishes today, I feel like I learned a lot of cooking techniques, especially in controlling the heat and seasoning. It seems I understand these aspects better than before, and next time I cook, I should feel more at ease than before."

"As for culinary skills, you certainly improve by cooking regularly. It's not something you can master just by listening without practice. Learning well here with the boss, with your culinary talent, maybe it won't be long before you become a renowned chef."

Du Guangning smiled encouragingly. Although Xiong Zhengtao was only a few years younger, he had been diligently learning from him, treating him as an elder.

For this reason, Du Guangning had always looked after him favorably.

Of course, Xiong Zhengtao's outstanding culinary talent was a key factor; if he were hopelessly untalented, no matter how humble his attitude, Du Guangning wouldn't think much of him.

So, to earn others' respect, it's crucial to strengthen oneself first.

"No, no!"

Hearing that, Xiong Zhengtao blushed, looking rather awkward,

"I'm not that impressive. Becoming a renowned chef takes years and years of effort, and I'm still far off from that."

Du Guangning chuckled and didn't say more. He turned his head to glance at Jiang Yu, who was sitting not far away.

Jiang Yu was evidently tired as well, but he was in much better shape than Du Guangning and Xiong Zhengtao. While they didn't even want to lift a finger, Jiang Yu still had enough energy to sit there scrolling through his phone.

Du Guangning grinned and asked,

"Boss, it's already getting close to three o'clock. We've been working hard all day and are starving. What should we have for lunch today?"

"What to eat?"

Jiang Yu, who hadn't said much, finally looked up from his phone upon hearing Du Guangning's question. He raised his head to look at the staff sprawled all over the place, then smiled and asked,

"Everyone worked hard today, how about we make something nice to replenish ourselves?"

"That's great! I feel like I could eat a whole cow right now!"

As soon as Jiang Yu finished speaking, the kitchen apprentice Ma Wendong couldn't help but cheer, his small eyes beaming with excitement.

"What's so great about that?"

Upon hearing him speak, Du Guangning's expression suddenly darkened. He frowned and glared at him, saying irritably,

"Everyone's been busy all day and is exhausted; who has the energy to cook a big meal for you?

Oh, I almost forgot; you've gotten so used to slacking off that you're not too tired at all. How about you cook this meal? Let's see what you've learned in the kitchen all this time?"

Hearing this, Ma Wendong quickly shrank his neck, awkwardly stuck out his tongue, and quietly muttered,

"I was just casually saying; why take it so seriously, Chef Du?"

With his inherently tough and rigid nature, Du Guangning never minces words with people he disapproves of. Hence, in the kitchen, both apprentice workers are somewhat afraid of him. Being scolded like this, they instantly wilted like eggplant hit by frost.

It wasn't the first time Jiang Yu witnessed such a scene, and he paid it no mind. He turned to Du Guangning and asked,

"So, what do you suggest?"

"It's almost three in the afternoon; everyone's starving. Cooking a big meal won't be doable in time. Plus, we have four private room guests to host tonight, so we must start preparing soon."

Du Guangning glanced over everyone as if explaining,

"So, for this delayed lunch, let's just make something simple to fill our stomachs.

If you ask me, Boss, why not make fried rice or something, and cook a tangy soup to whet our appetites? Everyone's sure to love it."

"That sounds good; I've never had the boss's fried rice yet, just go simple with egg fried rice."

Xiong Zhengtao also smiled and agreed, "No one would dislike anything made by the boss."

"No objections from anyone?"

Jiang Yu looked around and saw everyone staring back with bright eyes, not saying a word, so he nodded and stood up while saying,

"Alright then, I'll make egg fried rice along with a sour and spicy fish fillet soup. We'll just make do with this meal."

After a pause, he added,

"In a couple of days, I'll be going to Tanzhou to participate in the Huaxia Youth Chef Culinary Competition, and I'll be out on a business trip for a while.

When I return, we'll find a time for a mid-year grand gathering at the Seventh Dining Hall!"