687 Harmony and Balance (1)
Shen Lingqing hadn’t set some expectations towards the two chefs she was working with right now. However, she had to admit that she was impressed by how focused and serious the two were on their given task, especially Lin Xiao.
If she were to give her honest opinion on their first attempt, she was surprised that the older chef was able to make his soup as close as possible with the one she made earlier. Perhaps, it was his long experience in cooking that gave him an advantage against Liu Jinfei.
As for the newest Sous Chef of Savory Alley, Shen Lingqing knew that Liu Jinfei still hadn’t mastered the way to balance the flavors of the dish he was making. It’s not like she expected him to learn it perfectly, but she had to admit that Liu Jinfei must master how to discern the flavors—for him to be able to train his palate better.
Aside from that, Shen Lingqing had noticed one grave problem that Liu Jinfei had when it came to cooking. She had almost missed it the first time, but when she tasted the second and third dish he made while doing his challenge to join Savory Alley, the Shen princess realized then that there was something wrong with Liu Jinfei’s sense of taste.
Perhaps, it was a good thing that she asked her Grandpa He for assistance. Liu Jinfei’s palate’s sensitivity seemed better this time, and he was able to discern the first dish, albeit with a little trouble.
As she watched the two chefs move around their workstations, she wondered if she would be able to hire another chef to join their team. Shen Lingqing was specifically looking for a pâtisserie chef that could work well with them. With most of the dishes being covered already by the head chef and sous chef, it would be better if they had one that could focus solely on desserts and sweets.
In just half an hour, Liu Jinfei and Lin Xiao were able to present their second attempt at replicating the soup base Shen Lingqing made. As Shen Lingqing took a taste of their entries, her eyes never gave the two an indication of what she was thinking about at that moment.
“Way better,” she finally said once she washed away the taste on her palate by drinking a cup of water. “I have to say that Chef Lin has impressed me today. Congratulations.”
The older chef’s face lit up from receiving a compliment from Director Shen as Liu Jinfei patted his shoulder and mouthed ‘good job’ to him.
Liu Jinfei’s smile didn’t reach his eyes, but he was truly happy for Lin Xiao’s achievement. A chef that couldn’t rely on his taste buds… of course, Shen Lingqing was aware of the internal struggle he was facing for some time now. ρꪖꪕᦔꪖꪕꪫꪣꫀꪶ
Aside from their hands, chefs also relied heavily on their sense of taste whenever they cooked. It was important to them to taste their dishes as they cooked to know if they had made a mistake in the process or not.
Shen Lingqing eyed Liu Jinfei and pondered if she should tell him about her assessment of this sous chef’s performance. However, she chose to discuss it with him privately instead. There were just things that shouldn’t be discussed with other people around, and she wasn’t planning to shame Liu Jinfei in front of his fellow chef.
“This is just the first, and I assure you the next ones would be harder to discern. I hope you are ready for more challenges because we aren’t done yet.”
“Ready when you are, Director Shen,” Lin Xiao said as if being praised by his superior gave him the confidence boost he needed these days.
Meanwhile, Liu Jinfei only nodded and waited for Shen Lingqing’s next move. Whether his inability to taste properly was bothering him or not, Shen Lingqing couldn’t tell for now. However, she intended to help him, one way or another.
Anyway, she would have to wait before talking with Liu Jinfei privately later. It was only their first day of training after all, and their next days were packed with so much activity that would surely put the two chefs under stress.
“Do you know what Grace Palace’s and Blue Haven’s specialties are?” She asked the two. Since they were going to work at the two restaurants for the next three days, it’s important that they are aware of the common knowledge about the two restaurants.
“If I heard it right, the two restaurants are known for their dim sums and dumplings dishes,” Lui Jinfei answered. Both restaurants were renowned as a powerhouse pair in this area due to the popularity of the dim sums and dumplings they serve to the public.
“That’s right. Both restaurants are known because of them. So for our next activity, I want you to make potstickers with a perfect blend of flavors.” Shen Lingqing gave out the next task. “What I’m looking for would be the perfect harmony and balance of the flavors. It should be crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside, with an addictive dipping sauce. I’m giving you another hour this time to make one.” She then returned to her seat and resumed reading the documents she left on top of the table.
The two chefs didn’t need to be told what to do, and they started working in the kitchen at once. The first few minutes, Shen Lingqing could hear the chopping sounds resounding in the kitchen as they worked on their dumplings.
Potstickers were one of her family’s favorite meals when they were together. Shen Lingqing remembered her mother making different types of fillings according to the taste preferences of the Shen siblings. Growing up, she treated it as the comfort food she used to eat whenever she took a break from her stressful school activities with Qiao Lian. She expected that the two would be able to present a satisfying one later.