Chapter 488: It's about strength, not mind

"I feel the same way. I want to copy it down and recite it every day. A boss is a boss..."

"But the boss praised Yu Yiyuan, and he sounded pretty awesome, didn't he?"

"When has he ever not been awesome? The center of the world, the focus of the universe!" Another unrecognizable male chef rolled his eyes at the ceiling.

"Okay, stop being sour. I praised you, but at least the points were deducted!"

As the contestants were mumbling to each other, Nan Rongquan looked a little tired. Dang Yongge on the side hurriedly handed the thermos cup to him, asked some questions, and then picked up the microphone.

"Everyone be quiet, I will continue."

"Teacher Nan and I divided the grading criteria into five major areas. The first area is what Teacher Nan just mentioned: teamwork. Teacher Nan has already evaluated this aspect. Let me move on to the next four areas. These are not only the criteria for this team, but also the criteria for every team that follows."

The contestant seats were not only silent, but also immediately became serious and solemn.

Dang Yongge smiled slightly. "The second part is whether it fits the theme. We set a theme for each banquet. It's not just a random choice. You can just pick a few good dishes and call it a day. Each theme has its own requirements and rules. This part is to evaluate whether your dishes strictly fit the theme.

Let me give you an example. The first theme is Pine and Crane Eternal Spring, and birthday banquets. So we have to consider the etiquette, standards, and requirements of birthday banquets.

The rules of a birthday banquet are that it's only considered a birthday celebration if the person is over 60 years old. Secondly, it's not considered a birthday celebration if the parents are present. This means that the main guest we're entertaining is someone over 60 years old, and they're likely the oldest person at the table. Therefore, the main seat at the table should belong to this person.

As for requirements, our birthday banquets generally require auspicious appearance and auspicious meaning, and they should end with a bowl of longevity noodles, symbolizing longevity. As for standards, these are tailored to the price range and the tastes and flavor preferences of those over 60.

Well, this is just an example, let’s talk about how the first team performed in terms of staying on topic.”

"This team chose four themes and prepared four banquet sets. The first set was a business banquet. For a business banquet, seating should be at least 600 centimeters apart, no more than 700. Plates should also be 40-45 centimeters from the tabletop. More distance looks awkward, and less seems stingy. We also had to ensure that the dishes weren't too numerous and that everyone had their share. Serving spoons or chopsticks were placed next to dishes that needed to be shared. Separate coat hangers were provided for men and women, and someone was always present at the door to the private room, ready to refill water upon request and promptly remove clean bone dishes. This team's approach was quite accurate, taking all these details into account, with some subtle but crucial adjustments. The theme worked perfectly."

Zhao Xiaojing gave a very stiff smile and exchanged a glance with the equally stiff fat man. It was indeed a high-end, elegant and exquisite business banquet. Fortunately, she didn't choose it!

But how did Yu Yiyuan still manage to do this after the split?

Before Zhao Xiaojing could figure it out, Dang Yongge continued speaking.

"As for the second banquet, 'Hua Ying Yuan Yue' (a perfect full moon and auspicious flowers), apart from the carrot-carved '囍' character on your table, where can you tell it's a perfect full moon and auspicious flowers? There weren't even any wedding cakes at the wedding banquet. They didn't even bother with the basic plating and meaning. Do you think having two '囍' characters would fit the theme?

The third set was a winner, not to mention the second set. They at least finished cooking the dishes, and even if they lost money, the customers were satisfied. But what happened to your third set? You couldn't even finish the dishes, and you had to rely on the captain to come to the rescue. If you needed to come to the rescue, what were you guys doing in the first place?

Zhao Xiaojing instantly understood why the last few dishes of the third set looked so appetizing.

I guess it is what Dang Yongge said, that Yu Yiyuan came to the rescue.

"Since we've come this far, let me say a few more words. As the saying goes, don't take on a job you don't have the skills to handle. Since the captain was elected by everyone, it means everyone recognizes his abilities. It's okay to raise questions, and it's okay for some people to disagree with the choice, or even to step in and replace the captain. As long as you're capable, we have no objection. But if you don't have the skills, if you're a bad person, if you're not a good cook, and you come out and muddy the waters, not only will you miss out on catching any big fish, but you might end up losing everything, your money, and your life. So I advise some people to put aside their petty thoughts. A competition is a competition, and what matters in the end is strength, not cunning."

Dang Yongge's words were serious. Although the contestants didn't understand what she meant, they could still hear the chill in her tone. They didn't even dare to breathe and just looked at each other in confusion.

Zhao Xiaojing thought of the bad apple in her team and glanced at Gu Yanghui and the other person who were sitting the farthest to the right.

I wonder what exactly happened with Yu Yiyuan's team that would cause Dang Yongge to speak so harshly. Judging from the judges' expressions, it seems they all knew what happened on the field. Did they watch the photographer's video in advance?

In this way, the judges will definitely know about the weird things happening in my team. I wonder how many points my team will lose because of these two weird things.

It seems that we thought that we should each work separately, ensure that our own side can proceed smoothly, and help the other party when needed based on the principle of working as a team. We were too simple-minded.

When Zhao Xiaojing looked at Gu Yanghui and the other one, the other people in the team also looked at them at the same time. The two of them turned their faces away slightly, not daring to move because of their guilty conscience.

"Speaking of the fourth set, 'Peaches and Plums All Over the World,' this one is my personal favorite of the four. Not only is the color palette brimming with the greenery of spring, but the overall layout and artistic conception are also captivating. The main dish, foie gras stuffed with spring bamboo shoots, appears to support the foie gras, but without it, the bamboo shoots are just empty shells; their flavor only comes together in a complementary way. The folding fan behind the table symbolizes the scholar of yesteryear, alluding to the teacher. The three layers of dishes below, each distinct, are harmoniously paired, evoking the artistic conception of students each striving for their own unique beauty, yet sharing it all together. If the first set was acceptable in terms of theme, then this one, in terms of theme fit, is, in my opinion, perfect."

Zhao Xiaojing was shocked. She had only felt an indescribable depth and beauty in Yu Yiyuan's "Peach Blossoms and Plums"—a perfect fit for the theme—but she hadn't grasped it as profoundly as Dang Yongge had. Only after Dang Yongge's explanation did her thinking suddenly become clearer.