"Chef Inoue, are you busy?"
Bringing Hoshino Sora to the kitchen, Yukino Yano saw Inoue Kenjirō busy at work and went forward to greet him, with a hint of surprise in her expression.
"Teaching the apprentices how to cook, not very busy.
But Young Miss, why are you free to come to the kitchen today? Did Madam ask you to come and learn cooking from me?"
Looking at Yukino Yano who appeared in the kitchen, Inoue Kenjirō put down his stir-frying spoon and smiled, teasing her. In this world view, food culture is exceptionally popular. If one doesn't study well, learning to cook is also a way out.
And it's a bright and limitless way out!
"No, my boyfriend came to visit my house today, and my mother asked you to assist him in preparing a dinner banquet for our family.
By the way, he is the current Ten Elite First Seat of Far Moon. He defeated the former First Seat in less than a year after enrolling. He definitely has skill. If you're not at ease, you can compete with him."
Looking at Inoue Kenjirō's slightly puzzled expression, Yukino Yano added, her voice full of praise for Hoshino Sora. After all, he was new, and she was establishing his authority.
"Huh? What, this little guy is the current Far Moon First Seat!? Miss Yano, you must have been tricked, right?"
Hearing Yukino Yano's words, Inoue Kenjirō raised his eyebrows, his eyes widened slightly, filled with disbelief. This little guy, who hadn't even fully matured, was actually the current Elite Ten First Seat?!
Impossible, absolutely impossible! Miss Yano must have been tricked by this guy!
"Uh, you can find out about this kind of thing with a little inquiry; there's no need to lie. Besides, whether someone has skill or not, one dish is enough to prove it."
Hearing Inoue Kenjirō's words, Hoshino Sora said somewhat speechlessly. This guy, he wondered if a screw was loose in his head. Could this kind of thing be faked?
"You're right, one dish is enough to prove it.
Alright, since you say you're the Ten Elite First Seat of Far Moon, your cooking skills must be very strong. I won't make it difficult for you; I'll test you on the simplest thing, fried rice. You know it, right? Make one now.
Do you see that area? You can use any ingredients inside, and there's rice there too."
Looking at Hoshino Sora, whose face was full of confidence, Inoue Kenjirō was momentarily unsure, so he could only pretend to be calm and ask him to prove himself with fried rice.
If Hoshino Sora's skill was sufficient, then there would be no problem with him working under him. But if his skill was not enough, then the authority of the kitchen must remain in his hands!
Even if this kid insisted on staying, he had to personally oversee tonight's dinner. After all, if unpalatable dishes came out of his kitchen, he would be the one to lose face.
"Okay, I don't need to add any other ingredients. Two eggs are enough, and then the rice, I'll use this one."
Hoshino Sora searched among the rice for a long time, finally choosing the one with the lowest moisture, most suitable for fried rice. He boldly scooped two spoonfuls into a bowl, then came to the stove.
"What is he going to do?"
"I don't know. It seems like a new helper the young miss found. The boss wants to test his skills."
"What are you talking about? I just heard it! This person seems to be found by the young miss to replace the boss. The boss wasn't happy, so he challenged this kid to a competition."
"No matter what, there's a good show to watch now!"
Seeing Hoshino Sora walking back and forth in the kitchen, all the surrounding helpers gathered around, their eyes focused on the young man, discussing the reason in hushed tones.
"What are you all doing here?! Have you finished your work before idling here!? All of you, get back to work!"
Hearing the buzzing noise around him, Inoue Kenjirō's brows furrowed slightly. He couldn't help but scold the idle helpers, and in an instant, everyone returned to their workstations.
His deterrent power was immense!
On the other side, Hoshino Sora had already heated oil in the wok.
When it comes to fried rice, the most classic is the Golden Fried Rice, and Hoshino Sora happened to possess the cooking soul of Golden Fried Rice, so he was well-versed in its preparation.
Although the people around had left, their attention remained on Hoshino Sora, or more precisely, on his wok, wanting to see what skills he possessed.
Hoshino Sora separated the egg yolk and egg white, rapidly mixed the egg yolk with the rice, and then directly added it to the hot oil. The clumped rice was quickly broken into small pieces as his spatula rotated, and these small pieces were then further broken down into individual grains of rice.
He started another wok for the egg whites, stir-frying them until the surface solidified, then breaking them apart and setting them aside.
With the stove on high heat, soon, golden rice grains danced in the wok. Hoshino Sora added seasonings at the right time: a little salt and pepper, followed by quick stir-frying over high heat.
One stir, two stirs, three stirs, then he added the cooked egg whites. Four stirs, five stirs... nine stirs, and then he stopped.
Placing the spoon flat on the wok, the perfectly cooked Golden Fried Rice fell completely into the spoon, then was inverted precisely onto the center of the plate, neither too far nor too close.
As the spoon was removed, the Golden Fried Rice was presented to the world, and an indescribably domineering aroma burst forth from it like a bomb! At the same time, a golden light reflecting off the rice appeared in their eyes.
"Gulp."
"Gulp... Mmm..."
Innumerable sounds of swallowing echoed in Hoshino Sora's ears. Unbeknownst to him, the kitchen apprentices had gathered around again, their eyes all focused on the dish on the plate!
"Let me taste it. Gulp."
Holding a spoon, Inoue Kenjirō's expression was one of shock.
Although it was just simple stir-frying, he could blend the flavors of egg and rice to such an extent. This guy in front of him was very impressive, extremely impressive!
It was precisely because of the simplicity of the ingredients used that it revealed a truly profound culinary skill!
One spoonful of Golden Fried Rice entered his mouth, and Inoue Kenjirō immediately rolled his eyes in pleasure, his body uncontrollably swaying backward, trembling occasionally, clearly having received quite a shock.
Seeing their boss in such a state, the others exchanged glances and then eagerly stepped forward to grab spoons. With one bite, everyone's reactions were different, but the only commonality was that they all thoroughly enjoyed it.
Especially Inoue Kenjirō, who, having recovered, squeezed forward again and ate several more mouthfuls of the fried rice. That subtle sensation arose from deep within his body, spreading throughout him the moment he swallowed the dish.
It was at this moment that he truly acknowledged Hoshino Sora.
He acknowledged the man before him!
"How do you need us to cooperate for dinner?"
Inoue Kenjirō was a stubborn person; once he set his mind on something, he would stick to it. Since the other party's cooking could impress him, it became natural for him to work under him.
"Just follow my arrangements then. But isn't it a bit too early to start preparing dinner now?"
"Didn't you say it was almost dinner time, which is why you came over? Now you realize it's too early."
"It's my first time meeting my mother-in-law, so I'm a little nervous."
Hearing Yukino Yano's slightly sarcastic remark, Hoshino Sora gave an awkward laugh. He didn't know the time either; he had been in her car for several hours, and then chatted for a long time after arriving. Only when he calmed down did he realize it was only just past three o'clock.
"Never mind. I'll make you lunch first. Weren't you constantly complaining about being hungry in the car earlier?"
"I'm full from eating snacks earlier, but I'll gladly have a serving of that Golden Fried Rice. I still have room for it."
Hearing Hoshino Sora's question, Yukino Yano replied rather playfully.
"Got it, little glutton.
You all can rest for a bit. We'll start preparing in half an hour."
After some playful banter with Yukino Yano, Hoshino Sora turned his head to the back and spoke to the group of people whose jaws were about to drop.
"Okay, understood."
Hearing Hoshino Sora's words, the dozen or so chefs present nodded and then went about their respective tasks.
Of course, a few people gathered around Hoshino Sora, wanting to see how he could turn a simple bowl of rice and two ordinary eggs into Golden Fried Rice that emitted a golden glow!
Time flowed slowly, and soon it was dinner time. Hoshino Sora appeared carrying a large bowl of Golden Fried Rice, followed by dishes such as Sweet and Sour Pork Ribs, Braised Pork, Mixed Flavor Chicken Wings, Sautéed Prawns, Green Pepper Stir-fried Mushrooms, and Watermelon Chicken.
Under Hoshino Sora's comprehensive arrangements, these dishes were completed almost simultaneously. So, when the Golden Fried Rice was placed in the center of the dining table, the other dishes were also delivered by servants and promptly placed around the fried rice.
Soon, the table was filled with food.
A rich aroma diffused through the hall. Yukino's mother looked at the lavish dinner and couldn't help but swallow, the intense fragrance causing her rationality to waver.
Although she had lived a life of luxury in the Yukishita Family, eating countless delicacies since childhood, she had never before encountered a dish that could so powerfully stimulate one's appetite and draw out one's cravings!
"What an incredible dish!"
Looking at the dishes before him, Yukino's father, who was sitting next to Yukino's mother and had initially been somewhat 'hostile' towards Hoshino Sora, exclaimed in surprise. He hadn't expected this young man to be so skilled.
"Of course. Hoshino-kun is the Far Moon Ten Elite First Seat; one could say he is the most skilled chef among young people in Japan."
Hearing her father's voice, Yukino Yano immediately praised Hoshino Sora beside her, her tone full of pride.
"I'm going to eat."
Clasping her hands together and holding her chopsticks, Yukino's mother finally couldn't contain her excitement. She softly uttered a phrase and began to sample the dishes on the table.
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