The Cheat Emperor of the Culinary World

Speaking of this, Brother Hua suddenly changed the topic: "You all are well-educated people, unlike someone like me who didn’t read much. I’m just a foodie, I love to eat. After tasting so many things, I have gained some understanding of gastronomy."

"This barbecue seems simple, but in fact, it’s not any easier than other cooking methods like stir-frying, steaming, or braising. The technical skills are quite high!"

"There are many types of barbecue sauces, countless secret recipes and special features. Every shop has its own unique formula, trying them all would be a huge project!"

Fu Yu and Zhang Jinyu couldn’t help but laugh as they listened.

This host named Brother Hua is really eloquent, and what he says makes a lot of sense. No wonder he is so popular.

However, what Brother Hua said suddenly sparked an idea in Fu Yu’s mind.

That’s right!

Barbecuing is indeed different from other cooking methods.

But cooking methods, however varied, all share the same underlying principles.

There can be many ways to cook, and many flavors; this is also true for barbecuing.

Brother Hua’s voice rang out again: "Are those ancestral secret recipes really that amazing?"

"Well, everyone has their own opinion on that."

Fu Yu flipped the eel over and nodded in agreement.

Exactly.

In fact, barbecuing is just like any other cooking method.

When cooking raw ingredients to bring out a unique flavor, you need to use various seasonings to merge and enhance the taste.

Secret sauces are formulated through numerous trials, blending various seasonings together, and if the flavor is adjusted well and receives widespread acclaim, then it’s considered a success.

When cooking dishes, the variety of seasonings becomes richer and this enhances the unique taste of the ingredients.

The same goes for barbecuing; originally, it was just placing ingredients directly over the fire, with maybe a seasoning or two to add flavor.

Later, people slowly developed various styles of barbecue, like slow-cooking, marinating before grilling, which makes the ingredients richer in flavor and more delicious.

Now there’s Korean barbecue, charcoal grilling, and Japanese barbecue.

Even the secret barbecue that Qianlima does uses sauces personally taught by Master Chen, showing the importance of sauces in cooking.

It was only until this moment that Fu Yu gradually put away his disdain for sauces.

The system never does anything unnecessary. Since the task reward is learning about sauce preparation, there must be a deep purpose to it.

The customers hadn’t arrived, so the order clerk had nothing to do.

Liu Yuqing used the excuse of urging dishes in the kitchen and shuffled over to the grilling area to watch Fu Yu cook.

"Xiaozhang, what are you looking at?"

Zhang Jinyu handed the phone to Liu Yuqing, letting her clearly see the live streaming screen.

Liu Yuqing took a glance and nodded.

She had come across Brother Hua’s store exploration videos before, but because of a negative first impression, she didn’t follow him.

Zhang Jinyu browsed the live stream, quite interested in the fans’ comments.

"Chef Fu, how do you think those ancestral secret recipes came about? If my ancestors left me one, could I set up a stall and easily make a living with barbecue?"

Liu Yuqing heard this and also turned to look at Fu Yu.

Fu Yu smiled and shook his head: "I don’t know, my family doesn’t have such an ancestor either."

Zhang Jinyu sighed: "I really don’t know what rare seasonings are mixed in those secret sauces, some indeed taste quite unique. Like Zhang Ji and Great Shanghai, it seems like their sauces have at least dozens of varieties!"

Fu Yu chuckled: "It seems many people have this misconception, thinking that the more and fancier the seasonings used, the better the culinary result."

Zhang Jinyu was taken aback: "Isn’t that so?"

"Actually, it’s not the case." Fu Yu shook his head: "Too many types of seasonings create an overwhelming taste, completely masking the original flavor of the ingredients."

"Overly sweet, too salty, even overly savory flavors will overload the taste buds."

"Many inheritors of various cuisines never reveal the secrets of the seasonings within their dishes, thinking it’s their special skill. Because for the same ingredient, others can’t replicate that flavor, they consider it authentic and take pride in their cuisine."

"In fact, delicious ingredients don’t need too many seasonings, they can be eaten directly or with a simple cooking method, without a need to pursue complex flavors."

"So-called flavors are caused by the seasonings in the ingredients, or by different cooking methods, and most flavors are all due to the seasonings."

"That is to say, it’s the seasonings in the food that trick your taste buds into thinking the food is delicious."

"Over time, people’s tastes become heavier, needing to eat strong-flavored dishes to feel the flavor, which is a sign of taste degeneration, though individuals can’t sense it."

This explanation left Zhang Jinyu enlightened!

Laughingly said: "Chef Fu, you truly are smart! Once you explain something, it becomes particularly easy to understand!"

After this chat, the way Zhang Jinyu looked at Fu Yu changed too, with more admiration and respect.

And Fu Yu, through this chat, gained a lot too.

While explaining to Zhang Jinyu, he was also conducting a deep reflection.

Previously, he had never thought about these issues, but through this explanation, he felt that he improved too.

This feeling is very wonderful.

Standing nearby, Liu Yuqing listened even more attentively than Zhang Jinyu.

She realized that Fu Yu’s understanding of cooking is extremely profound, no wonder his culinary skills are so good at such a young age!

To reach such a sophisticated level at his age, he must have worked very hard, right?

She heard he used to attend a culinary school.

In school, he must have been a diligent student, practicing hard even after school while others were resting.

Being so diligent, he must have gained a lot of culinary experience and tips; it would be nice to learn from him when there’s a chance.

Suddenly, Liu Yuqing had an epiphany that perhaps Fu Yu will really accomplish something in the future, maybe even reach God Yao’s level!

With that in mind, Fu Yu really seemed like a version of God Yao!

Doesn’t this mean she could witness the rise of a culinary master firsthand?

Thinking of this, Liu Yuqing couldn’t help but feel her heart racing.

If Fu Yu is so outstanding, what if he really reaches God Yao’s level?

At this moment, Liu Yuqing almost felt a mission to witness a miracle.

If Fu Yu can work so hard, as a fan of God Yao, she needs to put in the effort too!

And Fu Yu, in his subsequent grilling, became even more meticulous and earnest.

He began to try to discover his shortcomings and deficiencies in cooking.

Relying previously on various exceptional skills, he never paid attention to these aspects.

But this time, he couldn’t help but think.

How to best merge the reduction of seasoning use with highlighting the natural flavor of the ingredients?