There was only one chance to serve the dish, which meant that a single misinterpretation would mean waiting until next year.
"No matter what, let's grab the important ingredients first!"
"Exactly, grab the ingredients!"
Someone yelled, and the previously quiet chefs instantly erupted into chaos, all scrambling for ingredients. Although the theme hadn't been confirmed, everyone was fighting for various meats and vegetables. Only a few dozens of people remained in place, still thinking.
There was no rush. Once she made up her mind, she could act. Erina Nakiri moved in and out of the crowd, quickly gathering all the ingredients she needed, then began cooking at her station.
"I remember this young girl. She's the young general director of Totsuki Academy, inheriting a great enterprise at a young age. Her culinary skills are incredibly impressive, and she achieved a second-place finish in the world-class BLUE competition."
"The first place, I believe, is this special admission student from Oriental Academy, very famous. Let's see what makes this second-place holder so extraordinary!"
Watching Erina Nakiri begin to act, several old men in the high audience seats started chatting. Because she was the fastest to start cooking, she received the most attention.
"That young girl over there is also good. Her technique is skillful, she has beautiful long black hair, a graceful figure, and her appearance is also very good. I like her."
Looking at Yumeko Jabami, who was precise with her knife skills and sharp in her technique at the cooking station, a middle-aged woman praised her, her eyes filled with admiration. She then focused most of her attention on her, planning to take her as a disciple after she enrolled.
"You've taken a liking to this young girl? She certainly is a talented seedling. I'm quite interested in that blue-haired girl. She looks very honest and down-to-earth, and being grounded often leads to going further."
"Hmph, then I wish you success in taking a disciple."
Two middle-aged women chatted in the high audience seats. The reason the admission assessment was held here, besides attracting spectators, was more to allow these renowned chefs to select talented disciples to pass on their legacy, which was definitely a major event.
Otherwise, Oriental Academy wouldn't have gone to such lengths to create such a large assessment venue, all for the purpose of allowing the Chefs in the audience to clearly observe the contestants' performances.
Hoshino Sora, as an official student of Oriental Academy, was naturally also in the audience.
At this moment, he secretly nodded at his wife's performance, while also wondering what kind of dish he would make if he encountered such a theme.
"I hope everything goes smoothly."
He quickly formed a rough idea of the dish in his mind. "Wind, Flowers, Snow, Moon" broadly refers to the scenery of the four seasons, but it can also allude to matters of love or a life of revelry, and it can also refer to poetry that is empty in content but filled with flowery language. Various meanings emerged endlessly.
Among them, the easiest to make was the original meaning of Wind, Flower, Snow, and Moon, which only required materializing the scenery of the four seasons; however, integrating the scenery of the four seasons was not an easy task.
But even if it wasn't easy, it was at least a way out.
As for the second meaning, matters of love and a life of pleasure, Hoshino Sora had no clue either. He couldn't possibly make a love chocolate that would make the judges feel love, could he?!
Then the other party would likely give him a big slap.
Watching the participating students gradually begin to act, Hoshino Sora watched them cook and guessed their next moves, greatly improving his logical thinking skills in the process.
Time passed bit by bit, and soon all the students began cooking. Because they only had one chance, everyone was extremely careful, fearing that they would make a mistake and waste time.
"Finished!"
After an hour and a half, Erina Nakiri let out a long breath, a relaxed expression appearing on her face, then she called the examiner in charge of that area to come and inspect.
She made a "Winter Sun Soup," a rich and flavorful soup based on delicious chicken and vegetables, with appropriate amounts of curry powder and other spices, and specially treated flowers.
Taking a sip on a cold winter day, one immediately felt the warmth of the sun and a comfortable atmosphere.
"How does this dish of yours embody Wind, Flower, Snow, and Moon?"
The examiner in charge of Erina Nakiri's area slowly stepped forward, looking at the steaming rich soup before him, a hint of doubt in his eyes.
No matter how he looked at it, it was just an ordinary soup!
"So for Wind, Flower, Snow, and Moon, I interpreted wind and snow, flower, and moon separately."
Facing the examiner's question, Erina Nakiri was not flustered at all. Instead, she slowly began to explain. The surrounding contestants who were taking the exam also turned their gazes towards her, hoping to gain new inspiration from her cooking.
"Wind and snow represent coldness, so I prepared hot soup. Flowers represent beautiful things, and flowers themselves are beautiful things, so I used chrysanthemums in this soup.
As for the moon, it is yin, and chrysanthemums are also yin, possessing the effect of clearing heat and detoxifying. So I combined these elements to create this Winter Sun Soup."
"Let me taste how it is."
Hearing Erina Nakiri's explanation, the chief examiner nodded. For this assessment, as long as the theme of Wind, Flower, Snow, and Moon could be self-consistent, it would be fine. The most crucial aspect was still the taste of the dish.
After all, it wasn't a championship selection, so the definition of the theme was relatively less strict. Moreover, what this young lady said made sense; she had obviously considered it carefully and wasn't just making it up.
Picking up the Winter Sun Soup, the examiner began to taste and evaluate. As long as the taste of this dish was Passed, then Erina Nakiri could become a member of the Oriental Academy.
Upon first taste, what was felt first was the rich texture and the slight spiciness of the curry. Immediately after, the deliciousness of the chicken and the freshness of the vegetables intertwined, forming a perfect balance.
Although it was an incredibly simple combination, it gave a strangely novel experience. Using curry for soup, one had to admit that this idea was truly novel.
"Incredibly delicious!"
The deliciousness blooming on his tongue lingered endlessly. The examiner's face showed an expression of extreme enjoyment, and his whole body trembled. A masterpiece!
Looking at the relaxed Erina Nakiri, a subtle hint of shock flashed across the man's face. To have such a level at this age, was such a genius cultivated from outside!?
"What a Winter Sun Soup! Her ability to make it self-consistent is good. From the taste emanating from the soup..."
"Without a doubt, she has reached that level!"
The two old men said in unison. Although they were mentally prepared, they were still very shocked when they actually confirmed this, because Erina Nakiri was not cultivated by the Oriental Academy.
In other words, she was pure talent!
To be able to reach this level at Totsuki Academy, after coming to their Oriental Academy, it is estimated that it won't take long for her to truly rise and become an existence that the younger generation of the Dark Cuisine World fears!
"Don't be shocked. She has the God Tongue and is naturally born to be a chef. It would be surprising if she couldn't reach this level. I estimate her strength can rank among the top ten on the Oriental Cuisine List."
Looking at the two shocked old men, Mr. Li walked over from not far away. Looking at Erina Nakiri, who easily passed the assessment, his expression was clear. It would be an accident if she couldn't pass easily.
"Since this guy is so strong, how terrifying will the talent of the person who defeated her be?!"
As if thinking of something, one of the old men's gazes searched the audience, trying to find the man who easily defeated Erina Nakiri at BLUE.
"I guess that person's strength is similar to Erina Nakiri's. He won mainly because he used ingredients from the Gourmet Continent, and his opponent didn't finish the dish within the specified time.
Although I don't know where he got so many ingredients from the Gourmet Continent, his ability to easily control ingredients from the Gourmet Continent is enough to show that his strength should not be underestimated."
Looking in the direction where Hoshino Sora was sitting in the audience, Mr. Li murmured with a frown. In this world, besides some black markets that might have ingredients from the Gourmet Continent, the only other source is probably the Dark Cuisine World.
But Hoshino Sora is clearly at odds with the Dark Cuisine World. So where did he get his ingredients from? The Gourmet Continent? Normally, that shouldn't be the case, after all, he just obtained the legendary cooking utensils and most likely doesn't know how to use them yet.
However, recalling the compass pointing to Neon and showing abnormalities a year ago, but the treasure hunting team dispatched found nothing, it was initially thought that the Dark Cuisine World had gotten there first, or it was just a simple misunderstanding. Now it seems that the legendary cooking utensil was very likely taken by Hoshino Sora!
In other words, this kid now possesses at least two legendary cooking utensils!
Thinking of this, even Mr. Li was a little moved!
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