I'm a Druid at a farmhouse.

Chapter 26 Hunan Cuisine Exchange Conference

"Li Zhe, Master Wang Tong's assistant?"

A gasp rippled through the crowd, instantly causing an uproar. All eyes turned to the lean man in the gray suit, his expression serious.

"It really is him! I saw him in a food magazine last time!"

"Even Master Wang Tong's assistant is here, doesn't that mean there's going to be a big event today?"

Li Zhe ignored the surrounding discussions. He simply turned slightly to make way for the slightly overweight man, Wang Guoming, behind him, and his voice clearly echoed throughout the entire booth.

"Master Wang Tong is currently in seclusion in western Hunan, striving to reach the final hurdle of becoming a master chef, and is unable to come. Today, my senior brother Wang Guoming will represent our master to demonstrate a simple home-style dish for everyone to exchange and learn from."

Master Chef!

The moment those four words were uttered, the murmurs in the crowd rose another octave.

"My God, is Master Wang Tong about to reach the Special Grade?"

"That's the highest honor in Hunan's culinary world! Not one like that has come in decades!"

"If this works, the status of Hunan cuisine as a whole will be elevated!"

Tian Wenwu, listening from the side, was completely confused. He nudged Song You's arm and whispered, "What's a top-tier chef? Is it very impressive?"

Song You's attention was still on the fat man named Wang Guoming. Wasn't that the guy who came to his farmhouse the other day and almost licked all the condiment bottles clean?

He replied absentmindedly, "It's probably the hardest SSR to pull in the game, for a max-level player."

"That is indeed difficult."

Tian Wenwu nodded as if he understood, then turned his attention back to the stage.

Li Zhe stepped aside, handing the stage over entirely to Wang Guoming.

Today, Wang Guoming changed into a snow-white chef's uniform and wore a tall chef's hat, making him look much more professional than when he was at the farmhouse.

He first bowed slightly to the audience, then said in a loud voice, "My master often says that the way of cooking is to return to simplicity. Today I will make a fool of myself and cook a very ordinary farmhouse stir-fried pork."

As soon as he finished speaking, a burst of good-natured laughter rang out from the audience.

Besides the curious onlookers, there were also experts present who knew that the simpler the dish, the more skill it required.

Song You also became interested. He hugged the snakeskin bag and squeezed into the crowd to find a better spot.

Wang Guoming didn't say anything more. He took a deep breath, and his whole aura changed.

The easygoing and polite fat man from before has disappeared, replaced by a master who has absolute control over ingredients and the stove.

He picked up a piece of pork belly with alternating layers of fat and lean meat, and instead of using a machine, he chopped it down with his bare hands.

The ordinary cleaver in his hand was as steady as if it were welded to his hand.

The thickness of each slice is remarkably consistent, as if pressed by a machine.

Song You watched and nodded inwardly.

While this knife skill couldn't match the rhythmic quality I had after being blessed with [Divine Skill], its stability and precision were undoubtedly the result of hard work and genuine skill.

Next comes the ingredients.

Cut the green bell peppers into chunks, crush the garlic cloves, and prepare the fermented black beans.

Heat the pan, then add the meat.

"Sizzle—"

As soon as the fatty meat hits the pan, the oil is rendered out instantly, releasing a rich aroma of meat.

With a flick of his wrist, Wang Guoming made the large iron wok flip and turn in his hands, heating each piece of pork belly evenly until it curled slightly and turned golden brown.

Add fermented black beans and minced garlic, and sauté until fragrant.

Add the green peppers and stir-fry quickly over high heat.

Finally, pour in soy sauce, swirling it around the edge of the pan. The high temperature instantly brings out the rich aroma of the soy sauce.

The entire process was smooth and fluid, without any unnecessary movements.

Song You was completely absorbed in watching.

He discovered that Wang Guoming's control over the heat had reached an extremely terrifying level.

Knowing when to use high heat, when to switch to medium heat, and what ingredients to add at what oil temperature is entirely instinctive.

These are hard skills, skills that I cannot replace by relying solely on the power of nature.

If this is what a level 3 chef is like, then what is a level 1 chef like?

Just as they were engrossed in watching, Tian Wenwu, who was next to them, suddenly clutched his stomach and turned pale.

"Brother You, I can't take it anymore, it's happening again." He gasped in pain. "I'm going to the bathroom, wait for me."

Song You nodded, watching as Tian Wenwu covered his buttocks and disappeared into the crowd in a flash.

He shook his head and turned his gaze back to the stage.

Wang Guoming's dish is ready.

A plate of bright red, fragrant stir-fried pork, made in the style of a country family, is served on a white porcelain plate. The green peppers are vibrant, and the pork slices are glistening with oil. Just looking at it makes your mouth water.

"Everyone, please!"

The staff divided the dish into dozens of small paper cups and offered them free of charge to the audience.

The crowd immediately stirred, and everyone reached out to grab it.

As Song You smelled that overpowering aroma, his stomach growled involuntarily.

Without thinking, he also reached out his hand.

He's still wearing that tight yellow delivery uniform, standing out among a group of citizens and chefs dressed in various ways.

Song You moved quickly, ignoring their reactions, and took a small paper cup directly from a staff member.

He glanced down at it.

In the cup, there are two slices of meat and a piece of green pepper.

He picked up a piece of meat with a toothpick and put it in his mouth.

The sliced ​​meat is tender yet not greasy, lean yet not dry, with a savory aroma of fermented black beans and a hint of spiciness from green peppers. The flavors are distinct and explode on the tongue.

good to eat!

Song You silently praised him.

The flavor is richer than what he makes himself; the control of the heat is simply perfect.

However, he could taste that the flavor lacked a bit of vitality, the most primal life force of the ingredient itself.

However, Song You wasn't surprised, as no one else had his ability.

This is the height of ordinary people's cooking skills, but it is also the constraint on their cooking abilities.

As he was savoring his meal, Wang Guoming and Li Zhe came down from the table and greeted several familiar chefs.

The two walked past Song You, their gazes lingering on him for a moment.

Li Zhe's eyebrows twitched almost imperceptibly, as if he felt the deliveryman's figure was somewhat familiar.

Wang Guoming didn't recognize him at all, and just casually said to the person next to him, "There are so many people here today, even the delivery guy came to have a bite."

Song You heard this and was about to say hello, but the two had already walked away, so he finished the last piece of green pepper in his cup by himself.

Just then, the host on the main stage picked up the microphone and announced in a loud voice, "Thank you, Chef Wang Guoming, for your wonderful performance! Next, we will move on to the next segment—a competition of basic culinary skills!"

"This competition has no entry requirements and is open to all professions. Anyone confident in their knife skills is welcome to come up and give it a try!"

"We have three rounds of challenges. After passing all three rounds, the contestant with the highest total score will be the champion!"

"The champion will not only receive the grand prize we offer, but will also have five minutes to speak on our main stage, showcasing themselves or their restaurant to diners throughout Hunan province in front of the entire city on live television!"

You have five minutes to speak!

Song You's heart skipped a beat.

He looked up at the brightly lit main stage. Wasn't this the spot he had been dreaming of?

He threw the empty paper cup in his hand into the trash can, pushed through the crowd, and walked straight toward the registration area on the side of the stage.

A bespectacled staff member was sitting at the registration desk, head down, registering something.

"Hello, I'd like to register," Song You said.

The staff member looked up, glanced at him, then at his conspicuous yellow delivery uniform, and looked somewhat surprised.

He adjusted his glasses and asked in a formulaic manner, "Hello, may I ask which restaurant you work at?"

"Not at the restaurant."

The staff member paused for a moment, then asked, "Meizhai Restaurant, what level of chef are you? Do you have a chef's certificate?"