"Delicious! The taste at this restaurant is truly amazing!"
Holding up his chopsticks with satisfaction written on his face, the taste of the dish rapidly spread in his mouth, and the rich aroma was exceptionally tempting!
"Even though they are all ordinary ingredients, why is it so delicious? This should have surpassed the limit that cooking this ingredient can achieve, especially this dish…"
Eri Nai Erina's brows furrowed in confusion. She closed her eyes and repeatedly chewed the dish in front of her. After a long moment, she opened her eyes, revealing a look of sudden understanding: "It's spices! I should have thought of it earlier, this dish uses spices from the Other World!"
The rich taste of the spices elevated the flavor of the ingredients themselves. This was cumin pork. Aside from the ingredients themselves, only seasonings from the Other World could give ordinary ingredients such a taste!
As for what spices were used, Eri Nai Erina didn't know, because she had never tasted such a flavor before. The only thing she could be sure of was that this spice came from the Other World.
"Indeed, it's spicy with a hint of sweetness. To be honest, this feeling is a bit strange, but when paired with meat, it's like tomatoes meeting eggs, simply a match made in heaven!
And only these two dishes used that spice. These two dishes should be from the same chef, and that chef's style is familiar with using this type of spice."
Pointing to the two dishes further away on the dining table, Hoshino Sora analyzed rationally. His desire to explore the Gourmet Continent grew stronger and stronger; that place was simply a treasure trove!
If he could find some widely applicable spices there and transplant them to the Gourmet Manor, it would also be a good choice. At that time, he might even become a supplier for Oriental Academy.
As for whether spices from the Other World could survive on Earth, Hoshino Sora had doubts. But no matter what, large-scale cultivation was unlikely, as soil, water sources, climate, and other factors would all become issues.
If it could be widely cultivated, this spice would quickly become a common one, and he wouldn't have never seen it before. Therefore, this spice should be difficult to cultivate.
Of course, it's also possible that its distribution is strictly controlled.
His mind was filled with thoughts. No matter what, everything would be answered once he went to the Gourmet Continent. By then, all sorts of delicious and precious ingredients would become his!
He looked at Erina Nakiri and the others. They still looked relaxed, clearly not too concerned about the official assessment in the afternoon. Shiina Mahiru, however, seemed worried.
Alas, this girl has probably been suppressed by others for too long and has lost confidence in herself. As the weakest chef in the Dimensional Restaurant, it's normal for Mahiru to feel insecure.
However, her weakness is only relative to the chefs of the Dimensional Restaurant. In the outside world, she is definitely a highly skilled chef, capable of serving as a Chef in some smaller hotels, especially since she stood out among seven thousand people to be chosen as one of five hundred.
It's just that she's been the phoenix's tail at a high place for too long, constantly suppressed. Facing some chicken heads, she loses confidence, but no matter how bad a phoenix's tail is, it's still better than a chicken head!
This is like the bow of a small boat compared to the stern of a luxurious cruise ship. The luxurious cruise ship is not only more comfortable but can also travel further. He wondered when Mahiru would realize this.
Even if he told her directly, it would be useless. Mahiru had to realize this herself and experience it from the bottom of her heart.
He got up and went behind Mahiru, naturally placing his hands on her shoulders and skillfully massaging her. The main area he massaged was her trapezius muscles, which could quickly relieve her body's fatigue.
If she has no confidence, then so be it. This kind of thing cannot be forced. At least he had to let her participate in the assessment with the best possible mental state, which would increase her chances of success.
"Mmm... comfortable!~"
Her voice trembled slightly. As Hoshino Sora applied pressure, Mahiru straightened up, a surge of extreme pleasure flowing through her entire body, and then she completely relaxed.
"Me too, me too."
"Exactly! You can't just favor Miyu. Our backs and waists are also sore. Hurry up and come massage us too."
"Sora, come here~"
Watching Hoshino Sora show special favoritism to Mahiru, the girls around immediately called out, stretching their limbs as if tired, trying to get his special attention.
"Alright, after I'm done massaging Mahiru, I'll massage you all from left to right. I promise each of you will enjoy it. Today, you are my masters."
Hoshino Sora said with a laugh, increasing the pressure in his hands as he spoke, causing Mahiru to let out a more satisfied cry, her body trembling slightly in response.
Soon, the girl lay sprawled on the table, her body soft, her breathing slightly hurried.
Seeing this, Hoshino Sora let go of her hands and quickly walked to the next person. Soon, everyone at the table experienced the joy of the massage, their bodies greatly relaxed, sprawling limply on the tables. The scene was too beautiful!
Time flew by. The group, having finished their lunch break, hurried towards the competition venue. This time, the competition venue was a huge square, large enough to accommodate a thousand people cooking!
The square was surrounded by various fresh ingredients, and above the ingredient area, the audience was seated. These were all internal members of the Oriental Academy, including students and teachers, and their gazes towards the people below held a hint of scrutiny.
"I don't want to say too much extra. Everyone here should be aiming to join the Oriental Academy. The rules for this assessment are as follows.
The five hundred winners from the first round will find their cooking stations according to the numbers distributed beforehand. As you can see, this venue is filled with cooking stations.
All the ingredients on site can be used, which are those around you, but the ingredients in each ingredient area are limited. Popular ingredients may quickly be snatched up, so please manage your time wisely and make choices regarding ingredients.
Secondly, this assessment will only select two hundred students. The first two hundred students who meet the quality standards will be admitted to the Oriental Academy. All remaining students will be disqualified, even if their dishes are excellent."
Looking at the waiting crowd, an old woman with silver hair slowly descended from the audience seats and came to a high platform in front of everyone. Looking at the vibrant young people below, a smile appeared on the old woman's face.
"These are roughly the rules. Now, the assessment theme will be announced."
As she spoke, a scroll suddenly unfurled from the high platform, stretching into a banner, and then a line of text appeared before everyone's eyes.
Theme: Wind, Flowers, Snow, Moon
"What does that mean? Wind, Flowers, Snow, Moon..."
"Is this a cooking theme?! Isn't it a bit too abstract?"
"What's with this Wind, Flowers, Snow, Moon? It's so hot, where are we supposed to get Wind, Flowers, Snow, Moon from?!"
The expressions of the participants stiffened upon seeing this inexplicable theme, and then they began to discuss it among themselves, their words filled with helplessness and confusion. This theme... was a bit too presumptuous.
"Silence! Anyone who makes noise now will be disqualified from the competition."
Looking at the noisy crowd below, the old woman, with a powerful voice, let out a sharp cry, her gaze sweeping across the area. Wherever her eyes fell, people averted their gazes, not daring to meet her eyes, and the scene became so quiet that you could hear a pin drop.
The person before them was the famous 'Flame Sparrow' in the culinary world, skilled in cooking avian animals using grilling methods, especially exceptional at handling sparrow ingredients. Gradually, people began to call her by this title.
Titled Chef, this was the highest honor in the culinary world!
"The cooking time limit is 3 hours. There is no room for failure in this assessment; it's a one-shot deal. Please serve your dishes with careful consideration!
Now, let the cooking begin!"
Taking advantage of the silence, Flame Sparrow spoke again, her voice carrying a hint of seriousness. After saying this, she left the high platform, and the chefs below fell into an eerie silence, everyone pondering the meaning of the Wind, Flowers, Snow, Moon theme.
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