Chapter 828 - 730: Strange as It Sounds

Zhao Meng glanced at the prepared ingredients on the counter and couldn’t help but ask, "Fu Yu, how are things going?"

Fu Yu continued marinating as he replied, "There are three more barbecue orders. The customer hopes the kitchen can help make the plating a bit more extravagant. I’m planning to change the plating method to try and meet the customer’s request."

"We can only do our best, but I recommended the barbecue, so there shouldn’t be any problem with the taste."

Zhao Meng frowned slightly, and Gao Wenjing looked at Fu Yu with concern.

The plating designs are set, making changes now—can it really work?

Zhao Meng asked, "Do you have any ideas yet?"

Fu Yu already had a plan in mind, but it was too soon to say for sure.

"I have some ideas. Once the grilling is done, we’ll give it a try with the plating."

Zhao Meng nodded. Having an idea was good, but he was still a little uneasy, so he added a reminder, "Achieving a luxurious plating look really depends on the sides and the kitchenware."

"Like placing grilled fish in wooden boxes—it looks upscale and the shape is easy—but... there’s one problem, if you choose the wrong sides, the visual effect of the ingredients will be impacted."

At this point, Zhao Meng glanced at the ingredients on the counter and said, "Actually, using some fruits as sides isn’t bad. Unlike fried or stir-fried dishes, barbecue’s consistency limits the need to be overly cautious when plating."

"Grilled dishes initially taste fresh, but eating too much can get greasy. Using light and crisp ingredients for sides can enhance both the plating effect and the dining experience."

"Of course, that’s just my suggestion. The specifics are up to you."

Zhao Meng’s advice was fair; Fu Yu couldn’t fully disclose that he had already referred to a special banquet recipe and planned the plating style.

He could only agree, "Don’t worry, I understand."

With Fu Yu’s assurance, Zhao Meng naturally felt relieved.

It was Gao Wenjing who still had some concerns, but she couldn’t get involved in kitchen matters. She could only wait until the dishes were served to see if presenting the customer with a small gift as compensation would suffice.

Although it was an undeserved misfortune and the customer’s fault, Jiang Mo’s argument with the customer itself violated the store’s regulations.

Fortunately, with the approach of the New Year, the store had prepared plenty of small gifts.

These small items, not costly, at least showed some goodwill.

If they could coax the customer into happiness, the matter could be considered resolved.

Sometimes, thinking about it, working in the service industry isn’t easy at all...

...

With the carp marinating, Fu Yu began preparing two styles of squid.

Zhang Jinyu couldn’t resist taking a peek at the carp on the plate.

Because it was going to be grilled, the carp was split from the belly to the back, with the back left connected.

And both sides of the fish had delicate crosshatch cuts to enhance the flavor.

Though a simple operation, Zhang Jinyu noticed Fu Yu’s split carp was extraordinary.

The connection on the back was particularly thin, merely held by a layer of skin.

Before, he didn’t understand, but after spending much time with Fu Yu, he slowly grasped some culinary skills during prep.

For example, leaving the carp’s back so thin is meant for a crispy texture when grilled.

And what seemed like casual slicing actually contained exquisite knife skills.

The fish flesh was very soft and smooth, not easily fixed in place, relying entirely on the deftness of one’s hands.

Being able to cut exactly as intended, with desired depth in one go, is remarkably challenging.

At least, Zhang Jinyu felt that with his current knife skills, perhaps after practicing a few more years, he might attempt it.

With envy, he admired Fu Yu’s exquisitely cut carp, then turned to see Fu Yu holding a kitchen knife, starting to slice the squid.

One method of preparing the squid was to slice it thinly and boil it briefly in clear water.

This method seemed simple, but it’s not easy for the average person to perfect.

First is slicing; if it’s too thick, it’s flavorless; too thin, it affects the texture.

And for the sake of the plating design, the sliced squid pieces must be uniform in width, giving customers a sense of orderly comfort visually.

Fu Yu’s knife skills were impeccable. After slicing the squid, he placed them in water to boil.

Zhang Jinyu stood aside, not wanting to intrude.

Fu Yu was unlike other chefs. When he cooked, assistants only needed to prepare ingredients, pass utensils, and help with draining when blanching.

The rest, like managing the heat and timing the simmering, Fu Yu always managed personally.

And perhaps due to being overly impressed, Zhang Jinyu always saw Fu Yu through a lens of admiration.

Zhang Jinyu had always felt that Fu Yu’s timing and control over cooking durations were almost metaphysical in their precision.

No matter how busy Fu Yu got, he could always adjust the heat and determine the perfect timing at the right moment.

There was even a time when Zhang Jinyu genuinely thought the stew was cooking too long and the bottom would definitely burn.

But Fu Yu, unhurried, turned off the heat and plated the dish, which was perfectly stewed without a hint of sticking to the pan.

The experience was almost magical!

From then on, Zhang Jinyu truly acknowledged Fu Yu’s culinary mastery, both in heart and mind.