Who gave this heretical practitioner permission to cook?

Chapter 46: Speculation on the Purpose Behind the Variety Show, and the Variables Brought by Xia Ming.
[It's a tie? Isn't it possible to abstain from this?]

The rules don't specify whether abstention is allowed, so it's reasonable.

It's not bad, but it's not perfect either. What's wrong with abstaining if you can't choose?

[Chef Li's abstention is likely his true intention, but the Sichuan-Chongqing Ice and Fire Chef's decision is less certain; it seems like he did it on purpose.]

[This is what it means to judge people with prejudice. You two are talking at once, and you have to throw in a few critical remarks about *The Chef and the Sword*. Do you guys have some kind of serious illness?]

[I'm neutral on this, they were definitely saying it together.]

With Xia Ming and Li Zhian forfeiting, a bizarre 4-4 draw occurred on the field.

To be honest, the production team had considered the possibility of this happening, but they never expected that a tie would occur even earlier than a pass, given that none of the previous ones had passed.

Xia Yuxingye in Hell's Kitchen was also stunned. This feeling of being suspended was even more unbearable than direct failure.

While this might allow them to hold on temporarily and hope that there aren't enough spots to fill, it does put a strain on their mental fortitude.

Inside the banquet hall

The host also interviewed Xia Ming and Li Zhian separately.

Both of them openly agreed that the dish was creative, but had too many minor problems.

In reality, both of them only told part of what they were saying.

Xia Ming could tell that Grandpa Li Zhian was not satisfied with the dish.

However, he shared the same thoughts as Shuai Xiaojian: he felt he could offer some encouragement, but he couldn't agree that it tasted good, so he wanted to abstain and leave the choice to him.

Xia Ming himself didn't care much about the evaluation of this dish. According to the competition rules, this dish was just around the passing mark, and there was a reason for it to pass or fail.

But after realizing what Lai Chi-On was thinking, he also chose to abstain.

"Therefore, this competition has a minimum standard. If you can't even beat this 'Three Delicacies Rice Ball Sandwich,' then defeat is understandable."

"If it's stronger than it, advancing is normal, so using it as the goalkeeper is the most suitable option."

Of course, there is an even more crucial point: a draw makes for better entertainment value.

Xia Ming is still on the show, not because he's obsessed with becoming the "Famous Chef King," but simply because he wants to stay a little longer and get more resources.

With the live broadcast over and the full episode of the variety show airing, a group of people online are now calling him "Prince Yifan," implying that the production team manipulated the situation to protect him.

If he were truly the eldest prince, Xia Ming would be at ease and could rest easy. The problem is, he really isn't. He has no contract with the production team and hasn't signed with "Kangaroo."
However, this reminded Xia Ming that there might really be princes and princesses in this variety show. He is currently able to maintain his momentum simply because of his strength, but once it comes to a really important competition, he might become the one who is being manipulated behind the scenes.

Actually, he had initially suspected the "bald cook" because, in his opinion, this guy was far inferior to the other "West Level 3" chefs. It was strange that he was the head chef and kept coming back to life.

But after the graduate student explained it to him, he realized that the Western cuisine assessment and the Chinese cuisine assessment were very different.

Although both involve theory and practice, Western cuisine uses a "pass-and-pass" system, while Chinese cuisine uses a "promotion" system.

In other words, if you meet the theoretical requirements for Western cuisine, all of you may advance. However, there is a pass rate for Chinese cuisine. If you are unlucky, even if you are capable, you may be eliminated because you are too strong in that round.

Furthermore, Western cuisine assessments place a large emphasis on "creativity" and "plating," while Chinese cuisine assessments consider "color," "aroma," and "taste" comprehensively. In addition, the "theoretical exam" for Chinese cuisine is very difficult, with questions covering a wide range of topics, causing many candidates to fail at this stage.

The theoretical exams for Western cuisine are relatively simple, mainly testing the temperature and pairing of ingredients. As long as you are willing to memorize the recipes and proportions, you can easily pass. It is not uncommon for Western cuisine chefs like Bald Cook to only be familiar with the dishes in their comfort zone, so there is also a saying in the industry that they are "level one and a half".

Western chefs are inherently considered inferior to Chinese chefs (due to the rating system), and under equal circumstances, Chinese chefs are generally considered slightly better than Western chefs.

This can be considered a semi-internationally accepted theory, meaning that, in reality, the "West Level 3" bald cook is not as good as the "China Level 2" fish fairy.

There are also differences between the different levels. For example, although the banquet postgraduate is at "Chinese Level 3", she is actually very close to "Chinese Level 4". She encountered the most terrifying cohort in eight years in the last promotion exam and was only two places away from advancing, which was a real pity.

There's also "Xiao Hua," who is officially a "West Level 4" but is actually a "Hua Level 2." The Culinary Association doesn't restrict candidates from holding dual certificates; as long as you're capable, you can pass the exams for two culinary master certifications without any problem.

This also makes it easier for chefs to find employment. Some restaurant founders are from overseas and they do not personally recognize Chinese cuisine standards. "Xiao Hua" specifically took the "Western Level 4" exam in order to work at "Xiu Hong Hua French Cuisine".

As for the bald cook, that's the head chef...
Of course, it's because his dad owns the restaurant!
After hearing this, Xia Ming was speechless. It turned out that the cook was actually a second-generation rich kid.

However, the cook is not entirely useless. His seasoning is more precise than the average person's, and his creativity is also very imaginative. It's just that he lacks experience and often makes basic mistakes.

Shifting his gaze from the bald cook, Xia Ming began to consider the other resurrected contestants, eventually focusing on "Little Flower," "A Dark Horse," "Chemistry Fantasy Chef," and "Lolo Hum Hum."

He felt that if there really was a pre-arranged decision, it would most likely involve these four individuals.

Moreover, he now has some idea as to why this variety show has received such a large investment.

"Endorsed by a master chef, a fiercely competitive audition, a panel of 100 judges including ordinary people, and a showdown of supermarket raw materials."

"So, is all of this for the sake of new types of pre-cooked meals?"

"Control Room"

The director stood respectfully to the side, while Tan Zhifeng and a woman whose face was obscured sat in front of the live broadcast screen.

"Mr. Tan, do you think the 'Five-Ingredient Mixed Soup' from the Sichuan-Chongqing Ice and Fire Chef restaurant could be replicated using soup packets?"

Tan Zhifeng pondered for a moment.

"It must be difficult, since there's probably no fixed ratio for that."

"Mr. Tan is joking. As long as it's a flavor, there's always a perfect ratio. It's just a matter of whether it's worth it or not."

Tan Zhifeng shook his head slightly. Although he was now considered a businessman, he did not agree with this point.

The woman remained silent upon seeing this, then looked at the Sichuan-Chongqing Ice and Fire Chef on the screen.

"He's got a really good-looking face, almost as handsome as Nicholas Tse, but his temperament is completely different, and he comes from a humble background."

"Mr. Tan, I remember that 'Chef Nic's' sales were quite good."

Tan Zhifeng remained silent for a moment, without offering any rebuttal.

The woman looked at Tan Zhifeng and smiled slightly.

"I was just joking. Of course I understand that the final winner of this variety show was predetermined from the start."

Tan Zhifeng frowned slightly as he looked at the image of the Sichuan-Chongqing Ice and Fire Chef on the screen. He had a feeling that this dark horse, who seemed to have appeared out of nowhere, would bring unexpected changes to this live variety show.
(End of this chapter)