Chapter 57: Preparing a Banquet (Seeking Follow-up Reading)
Qin Huairu looked at Wang Jianye with admiration.

She had eaten the dishes cooked by Wang Jianye, and they were the most delicious food she had ever had in her life.

She had also heard about Wang Jianye's performance in Fengze Garden. He was able to impress the chef in the kitchen. What a high level of skill that must have been.

Qin Huairu couldn't help but compare her man Jia Dongxu with Wang Jianye, only to find that Jia Dongxu was inferior to Wang Jianye in every way.

And it’s far from it, alas.

"Hurry up and work, why are you daydreaming?"

Wang Jianye reminded Qin Huairu who was in a daze.

Qin Huairu said "oh" and continued to work.

[Ding, experience value +5]

"Hmm? If I chop more vegetables, can I also gain experience points?"

This was the first time Wang Jianye had seen such a thing.

In the past, he would only get some experience points after cooking a dish.

I've never tried to see if he can gain experience points if he just cuts vegetables.

After all, he was an apprentice chef in the kitchen, and his job was not cutting or preparing vegetables, so he did not cut a lot of vegetables.

"I have received nine recipes. In order to ensure that everything goes well during the cross-level assessment, my next task is to gain enough experience points to upgrade all nine dishes from the entry-level level to the second-level level."

"It takes 270 experience points to upgrade a dish from entry-level level to second-level level. So suppose I'm unlucky during the assessment and all the nine dishes I draw are ones I haven't mastered yet, and I need to use recipes to learn them. Then I need to use experience points to upgrade the level of these dishes. Add up the nine dishes, and that's experience points."

"I have already accumulated 50 experience points, so I only need 220 experience points. Including today, there are still four days before the assessment, so I need to gain 55 experience points per day on average."

Wang Jianye summarized his current situation and had an idea in mind.

Next, Wang Jianye cut out the remaining washed cabbage.

[Ding, experience value +5]

He gained another five experience points, leaving him with fifty points to reach his goal for today.

The cut cabbage leaves and cabbage hearts are placed together, while the cut cabbage stalks are placed separately.

This is to make it convenient to cook two dishes.

"Take these two baskets aside for me, and then go get the washed and peeled potatoes from Auntie."

Wang Jianye instructed Qin Huairu, picked up the tea on the table and took a sip.

Qin Huairu nodded, and as Wang Jianye instructed, she brought a basin full of potatoes.

Wang Jianye put down the enamel pot in his hand, picked up a potato, placed it on the chopping board, and began to skillfully cut it into potato shreds.

The spicy and sour potato shreds he made have reached the level of a top chef.

He is very skilled at shredding potatoes and can do it quickly and well even with his eyes closed.

It didn't take long.

Wang Jianye cut twenty potatoes into thin strips, which were used to make spicy and sour potato shreds, and cut another twenty potatoes into potato cubes, which were used to make braised potatoes.

[Ding, experience value +5]

Wang Jianye asked Qin Huairu to find a vegetable basket and put the cut potato pieces in it.

Then put the shredded potatoes into a basin, fill it with clean water, and wash off the starch on the potato shreds.

After processing the cabbage and potatoes, Wang Jianye then began to cut the dried tofu into thin strips of uniform length.

[Ding, experience value +2]

After cutting the dried tofu, the aunts picked and washed the leeks.

Wang Jianye took it and cut it into small pieces.

[Ding, experience value +1]

Putting these two dishes aside, Wang Jianye continued to chop onions, ginger and garlic. By ten o'clock in the morning, Wang Jianye had prepared all the side dishes needed for the five tables of thirty dishes he was going to prepare for the lunch banquet.

"I gained a total of 13 experience points from cutting these dishes. I am still 55 points away from today's goal of 42 experience points. Next, I need to make another dishes. After that, I should be close to the goal."

Wang Jianye didn't plan to do them one by one, as that would not be enough to keep up with the schedule.

After all, lunch is about to start at around 12 noon, and there are still two hours left.

Qin Huairu kneaded a pile of steamed buns and placed them on the chopping board on the side, enough for five tables of guests.

Then put a double-handled pot on a stove and put a grate on it, put the steamed bread on the grate, and then cover the pot with a lid.

There is not enough space in a pot, so I can only steam the steamed bread in batches.

Wang Jianye put the double-handled pot on the stove.

"I'll make the pork stewed with cabbage and vermicelli first. This dish takes a longer time to cook."

We need to cook dishes for five tables, and the portions are so large that we can’t cook them all in one pot.

Wang Jianye had to use two stoves and two double-handled pots to cook together, which would be faster.

When the dish entered the stewing process, Wang Jianye took advantage of this moment of free time and used another empty pot to make braised potatoes.

Not long after, Wang Jianye prepared the dish of pork stewed with cabbage and vermicelli, enough for five tables.

[Ding, experience value +10]

Wang Jianye did not serve the dish, but took the pot off the stove and put it aside.

This way the bottom of the pot is still hot, which can keep the food warm, so the food won't cool down so quickly.

Wang Jianye then seasoned the braised potatoes, and soon the dish was ready, still taking the whole pot aside.

[Ding, experience value +10]

"I gained another 10 experience points. I am only 55 points away from today's goal of 22 experience points."

After finishing these two dishes, Wang Jianye made the next dish, stewed soybeans and radishes.

He didn't need to worry too much about this dish, just add some water and stew it.

Then there are hot and sour potato shreds, pickled cabbage, and leek and dried tofu.

Wang Jianye took an hour or so to prepare these three dishes one after another, each serving for five tables.

[Ding, experience value +5]

[Ding, experience value +5]

[Ding, experience value +5]

"After making these three dishes, I gained another 15 experience points. I only need 7 more experience points to reach today's goal. When I go home tonight and make two or three dishes, that will be enough."

Wang Jianye finished the banquet.

The time has come to eleven fifty-five.

Wang Jianye found Yi Zhonghai and said, "Uncle Yi, I have prepared all the dishes. When do you think we should start the feast?"

Yi Zhonghai was slightly surprised and asked, "So fast?"

It is much more difficult to prepare five tables of delicious meals than to prepare one table of delicious meals.

He also thought that since it was Wang Jianye's first time to prepare a banquet for others, there might be a delay of an hour or so due to his lack of experience, so he was mentally prepared.

But unexpectedly, Wang Jianye completed it so quickly.

Wang Jianye nodded: "If we're going to start the feast now, I'll just heat up the first few stews I made on the stove and they'll be ready to serve."

"Then go heat up the food now, and I'll go notify everyone to start the meal."

(End of this chapter)