Chapter 89 Matcha Salt Koji Grilled Lamb Chops

Chapter 89: Matcha Koji Roasted Lamb Chops

The production team continued introducing the contestants: heirs to culinary legacies, proprietors of buzzy restaurants, and winners of the Federal Star Chef Award.

One dazzling title after another flashed by, making it feel like the thirty advancement spots couldn't possibly accommodate all these talents.

Moreover, the show's selection criteria were based on popularity—they invited a hundred of the most popular food streamers from various platforms. This resulted in a mix of contestants: some were highly skilled professionals, while others, though less outstanding in culinary ability, had gained attention through other factors, such as good looks or strong social media savvy and entertaining flair.

The camera panned to several attractive contestants and some quirky ones, greatly enhancing the show's entertainment value.

With a hundred people cooking simultaneously in the studio—flames leaping here, smoke rising there, the constant clatter of chopping, and the sizzle of food hitting the pan—the air was filled with a complex, enticing aroma.

"A hundred people cooking at once... I can't even imagine how incredible it must smell there."

"Does the production team need public judges? I'd volunteer for free—no, I'd pay for a spot!"

The three judges moved among the stations, observing the details of the contestants' cooking. This was a significant challenge for the competitors, especially with Chef Luo Lan. Wherever she went, the contestants stiffened with tension, afraid of being called out by this tyrannical chef.

Chef Luo Lan paid no mind to whether she was affecting the contestants. She stopped at stations, watching their every move, shaking her head from time to time, her frown never easing.

Under her gaze, many contestants grew so nervous they made mistakes: some discarded egg whites and yolks into the trash while keeping the shells; others added ingredients to the pan before the oil was hot, forcing them to start over.

The live chat erupted in laughter.

"Chef Luo Lan truly lives up to her devil reputation—whoever she stares at turns to stone."

"Reminds me of my high school principal. I wouldn't dare breathe in front of her."

It wasn't until she reached Song Yu that the stern judge's demeanor softened slightly.

Song Yu looked up mid-task and said with delight, "Chef Luo Lan, it's so good to see you again."

The year Song Yu won the MCF Gold Award, Chef Luo Lan had been one of the judges, and they had known each other since then.

Chef Luo Lan nodded slightly and extended her hand, indicating for Song Yu to let her taste the sauce.

Song Yu quickly took a spoon, scooped some sauce, and dabbed it on Chef Luo Lan's hand. She watched nervously as Chef Luo Lan tasted it, and finally, the latter broke into a smile. "Not bad. Your skills haven't slipped."

"Thank you, Chef Luo Lan!" Song Yu happily bowed to her.

"Song Yu actually won praise from Chef Luo Lan? She must be something special."

"The year she won the MCF Gold, Chef Luo Lan was the head judge and said she admired her even then."

On the other side, Felix Grant approached Lucas and warmly embraced him.

"Chef Lucas, long time no see," he said, patting Lucas on the shoulder. "I never expected you to leave the restaurant and come here to compete."

"Just looking for new challenges," Lucas replied with a smile. "I've been in the kitchen too long—it's good to get out and see something new."

"Sounds like you're planning some big changes," Felix said meaningfully.

"Lucas is so familiar with Mr. Grant—they must be old friends. To be in the circle of a Silver Shell head judge, he must be an incredible chef."

"That's the weight a Silver Shell three-star carries."

"He must be the shoo-in, right? He's so calm, not nervous at all."

"Is this what composure looks like? (leaning back)"

As the countdown ticked down, the contestants neared the end of their cooking. Those who finished rang the bell in front of their station, signaling for the nearest judge to come taste their dish and assign a score.

Bells rang throughout the vast venue. Finished contestants stepped back, adding pressure to those still working. Expressions grew tense, lips pressed thin, movements hurried.

The show's score grew more intense, and the audience held their breath.

"Ding!" Song Yu rang her bell. As a top contender, the live camera immediately zoomed in on her.

The nearest judge, Felix Grant, walked over.

"I've made Matcha Koji Roasted Lamb Chops," she announced.

Song Yu had used an ancient technique with the lamb—koji, a traditional Japanese fermented seasoning made from rice koji mold, salt, and water. It enhances umami, adds sweetness, and tenderizes meat. The lamb, marinated in koji, was exceptionally tender with a natural savory flavor.

She innovatively paired it with matcha salt as a dip—the tea's slight bitterness and fragrance perfectly balanced the lamb's richness.

For the sauce, she incorporated wasabi into whipped cream, creating a unique blend that was both sharp yet smooth, paired excellently with the lamb chops.

Mr. Grant took a small piece of lamb, chewed it thoughtfully, and soon broke into a genuine smile.

"Nice! Contestant Song Yu, you've executed this beautifully. The flavors are in perfect harmony, and I admire your creativity."

He logged his score into the show's terminal and smiled as he hugged her. "Congratulations. I'm sure we'll meet again."

"Song Yu must have advanced—I've never seen Mr. Grant this happy."

"She's an MCF Gold winner; it'd be a huge upset if she didn't advance."

Elsewhere, Lu Qian and Lucas also rang their bells.

Lu Qian presented "Wensi Perch," applying the technique of Wensi tofu to perch. He sliced the perch, ham, and shiitake mushrooms into hair-thin strands, blanched them briefly for two seconds, and then poured a clear broth made from old duck, scallops, hen, ginger, and scallions over them. The broth was rich and flavorful, the perch strands tender and smooth, the soup clear as water, with all the finely shredded ingredients distinct and suspended like a dynamic ink painting.

Lucas created a highly challenging molecular gastronomy dish. His technical skill and creativity were impeccable, and his dish excelled in difficulty, innovation, and taste.

Many other contestants also delivered impressive dishes.

"Incredible, this is real cooking. I've learned so much today."

"They must all advance, right?"

"Everyone's so talented—how can thirty slots be enough?"

"The competition's almost over, and I still haven't seen him. Where's that big streamer? Did the production team hide him?"

"Starting to wonder if he's even here... Maybe the show used him for hype, and he's not actually competing."

Time ticked away, nearing the deadline. The venue grew emptier as fewer contestants remained. A young chef finally finished her dish and frantically rang the bell.

She nervously tidied her station, completely unaware of who had approached.

When she looked up and saw Chef Luo Lan standing before her, the poor girl almost passed out from fear. Trembling, she said, "Chef Luo Lan, please... please taste my dish—Black Truffle Wagyu Salad."

She was on the verge of tears. Her culinary training was relatively short, and she had the strictest judge. What luck!

Her salad was vibrant and colorful, with excellent presentation.

Chef Luo Lan remained stern. She forked a bite, tasted it carefully, and her brow stayed furrowed throughout.

Seeing the girl's anxious expression, she spoke up: "You're quite pretty."

The girl: "...Thank you?"

She was indeed good-looking, which was why her livestream had steady viewership. Many viewers followed her for her appearance—after all, there’s a saying that beauty is a feast for the eyes. Who wouldn’t love watching a beautiful woman cook delicious food?

Before the girl could feel flattered, Ms. Luo Lan bluntly delivered her verdict.

"Leaving aside your dish for now, your attitude—I can only give you a failing mark."

The words stung. The girl froze completely, not expecting this. She could accept criticism about her dish, but what did "failing attitude" mean?

She livestreamed cooking every day, constantly experimenting with new dishes, and believed she was working hard to improve her skills. Why, of all things, was her attitude being questioned?

She couldn’t accept this evaluation and pushed back: "Ms. Luo Lan, I admit my dish isn’t perfect, but I don’t think my attitude is failing. I devote myself to studying cooking every day…"

"Studying cooking, or studying livestreaming?" Ms. Luo Lan interrupted calmly. The girl was taken aback as she continued, "I’ve been watching you closely. Your sauce is decent, showing some basic skills. How did you cook the beef?"

"Medium rare…"

"But your beef," Luo Lan cut into the beef and showed it to the girl, "See? The beef is overcooked."

Perfect medium-rare beef should be pink inside, but the piece in Luo Lan’s hand had just a hint of pink, almost fully cooked.

"Do you know why? I do. Because while your beef was in the pan, you were completely focused on how to slice the tomato more perfectly and make the plating more attractive."

"And the kale in your salad—you used fresh kale for the final presentation, right? But fresh kale has untreated oxalic acid, which makes it taste bitter and astringent. A quick three-second blanching would have solved that."

The girl was speechless, her slightly flushed face now turned bright red.

She couldn't argue with any of Ms. Luo Lan’s points.

"You’re too focused on how your stream looks. Your dish, like you, is very beautiful—but so what? Ultimately, it doesn’t taste good. That makes it a failed dish. Don't miss the point."

Yes, that was right.

The girl thought, stunned.

At first, she really had wanted to carefully study how to make dishes taste better, but the resulting attention changed her. She became distracted by the audience’s praise for her and her dishes’ appearance, gradually neglecting the flavor.

After all, viewers can't taste through the screen.

So, was she livestreaming to cook, or cooking to livestream?

She wanted to make delicious food. She loved seeing people’s happy expressions after tasting her dishes.

In that moment, she understood, and gave a deep bow to Ms. Luo Lan. "I understand now. Thank you, Ms. Luo Lan."

She knew she wouldn't advance in this competition, but it didn’t matter—she had already gained what mattered most.

The countdown on the wall continued. Two hours passed quickly, leaving only one final minute. But some contestants still hadn’t finished. Those remaining worked faster, but haste led to mistakes, and a single misstep could ruin everything, forcing them to give up reluctantly.

Five seconds, three seconds, one second—the time's up signal rang through the studio. Those who hadn’t finished by the last moment could only leave regretfully.

In the end, 96 of the 100 contestants successfully completed their dishes.

The contestants gathered in the center of the hall, waiting for the final results to be announced.

"?Wait, that’s it? My streamer didn't get any screen time?"

"I’m more and more convinced our streamer didn't show up. He didn’t even show his face—he was never one to like being in the spotlight anyway."

"Stupid Penguin with their false advertising, how annoying."

"Let’s just see the final results. Whether the streamer's here will be clear then."

The host reappeared at center stage, smiling. "Next up is the tense and exciting results announcement. Which thirty contestants will advance to the next round? Honestly, even I don’t know."

"The results will be announced from 30th place up. Everyone, listen carefully."

"Now announcing 30th place: Congratulations, Zhonghua Xiaochu!"

"It’s me!" A middle-aged woman in the crowd covered her mouth, surprised.

"28th place…"

"27th place…"

Excited cheers burst out intermittently from the group of contestants. Those still waiting grew more nervous—with each announced spot, their hopes faded.

……

"Fourth place: Congratulations, Song Yu!"

The girl calmly accepted congratulations from those around her, fairly satisfied with her ranking.

"Finally, the top three." The host grinned playfully. "Who could they be?"

At this point, neither Lu Qian nor Lucas had been announced. Both were undoubtedly in the top three, so who would the last one be?

Many contestants who hadn’t heard their names yet were realistic enough to know they couldn’t make the top three and were getting discouraged. Still, a few held onto hope—maybe they actually were that good?

Satisfied to see everyone’s wide eyes from nervousness, the host continued, "Third place: Congratulations, Lu Qian!"

Mr. Lu stood up, smiling as he acknowledged the applause.

"If Mr. Lu Qian isn’t first, then it must be Lucas, right?"

"No doubt about it. I guessed it was him from the start."

"Let’s see who’s second. To surpass both Song Yu and Mr. Lu—that’s impressive too."

Lucas sat motionless in his seat, completely unsurprised. First place was basically his for the taking, both in this round and in the final.

This segment was too drawn out; he was nearly asleep.

"Second place…" The host dragged out the announcement meaningfully, deliberately building suspense.

"Congratulations, Lucas!"

"What? Who? Second place is Lucas?"

"Did I hear that right? Or did you misread, host?"

"If Lucas isn’t first, then who on earth is number one?"

"Wait, guys, I have a bold idea…"

Not only did the chat explode, but the live audience burst into chatter. Even eliminated contestants forgot their disappointment for a moment, scanning the room to see who had beaten Lucas for first place.

Lucas abruptly straightened up, his eyes widening in disbelief, completely caught off guard.

He wasn't in first place?

No way!

He had long obtained the list of contestants for the show and was convinced that no one could surpass him.

Who exactly was the first place winner?

That was the question burning in everyone's mind at that moment.

"Finally, the first-place winner for this round," the host continued leisurely, as if oblivious to the contestants' urgency, "this contestant scored highest in the entire competition..."

"Let's congratulate Ash!"

"!!!!!"

"Holy shit, holy shit, holy shit, I can’t believe it’s really you, streamer!"

"The person I like is actually this amazing, pulling off such a big move—I’m impressed."

"Hurry, hurry, cut to the streamer’s shot! I want to see what this streamer looks like."

"Wait, who is this Ash?? How do I not remember him? Where did he come from?"

Just as everyone was searching around, a figure slowly stood up. A spotlight hit him directly from above, and all the live-stream cameras focused on him at the same time.

He was tall and slender, and he made the pure black chef's uniform look exceptionally sharp on him. However, he wore a black mask that covered most of his face. Facing everyone's gaze, he gave a slight bow, and his pale pink lips, visible below the mask, moved as he spoke.

"You honor me."