Chapter 229: Chapter 229: Secret Recipe Roast Chicken
Jin Lingsu was already eagerly holding up her bowl, wolfing down the contents until it was perfectly clean.
"Chen Yu, I knew it, your cooking is truly extraordinary, even those heritage brands over a century old can't compare to you."
The elderly man beside her also felt somewhat embarrassed; suddenly, he thought that asking Chen Yu to sign an agreement earlier seemed a tad petty.
"Young man, could you perhaps sell me your secret fried liver recipe? I'm willing to offer five million for it!"
Chen Yu chuckled, "Delicious food is meant to be savored by people, not bought and sold, besides, I really just casually made a couple of bowls of fried liver just now, it wasn't anything exaggerated."
By this time, Jin Lingsu had already finished her fried liver and was urging from the side.
"Let's hurry to the next place. This small bowl of fried liver isn't nearly enough to line my stomach!"
Chen Yu was well aware that Jin Lingsu was trying to help him out of an awkward situation.
He quickly got up and went with Jin Lingsu to the next shop.
This shop sold secret recipe roasted chicken, which has existed since the late Ming and early Qing dynasty. Their chicken was so famous that even the big fast-food chains would beg to buy their recipe.
Compared to the neighboring fried liver shop, this one was decorated much nicer, and it was run by a couple.
It seemed that the roasted chicken shop's tradition had not been broken.
As soon as Chen Yu sat down, the owner brought over several small dishes of condiments.
This roasted chicken shop never takes reservations or signs contracts with delivery services. It's first come, first served for everyone, no matter who they are.
At this moment, the roasted chicken shop was already filled with customers, with several tables set up outside as well.
Fortunately, it was the off-season for tourism, so Chen Yu and Jin Lingsu were able to squeeze in two seats.
Before long, two fragrant roasted chickens were served. The golden brown sauce slowly flowed over the surface of the chickens, looking incredibly enticing.
Jin Lingsu couldn't stand it any longer and, without any regard for her image, tore off a chicken leg and stuffed it into her mouth.
"This flavor is truly exquisite, but it still falls short compared to your cooking!"
Whether intentionally or not, Jin Lingsu spoke so loudly that she attracted the attention of everyone in the shop, even making the owner take notice.
With these heritage brand shops, their nerves are always on edge.
After all, countless people come to challenge their signature dishes every day. Jin Lingsu's words especially led them to mistake Chen Yu for a challenger.
"Brother, may I ask which cuisine you specialize in and which restaurant's chef you are?"
The owner didn't beat around the bush and asked directly, leaving Chen Yu somewhat embarrassed.
"You've misunderstood, boss. We're just here to eat, nothing more."
The owner sized up Chen Yu, "No need to explain. Every day here, many come with different intentions. Even if you have some thoughts, it's not a big deal. If you can beat me in making roasted chicken, I wouldn't mind giving you this shop!"
Chen Yu's face was full of helplessness; before he could figure out how to respond, the owner had already taken him to the kitchen.
It looked like he wouldn't be able to leave today without competing.
"Boss, I'm not that good at barbecuing. How about we compromise? I'll just casually cook a dish, and you continue with your roasted chicken, how does that sound?"
"No way!" The owner was also straightforward, "Today you have to make roasted chicken."
Chen Yu sighed softly, didn't say much, and simply grabbed a chicken frame beside him to place on the grill.
Barbecue food, actually, is the simplest, only requiring a little preparation.
The most difficult part is the sauce.
The reason this roast chicken shop has stood for two hundred years in the capital is because of their secret sauce recipe, which no one has been able to decode to this day.
Chen Yu didn't concern himself with that; he simply picked up various seasonings from the side and began to mix them up. Continue your adventure with m|v-l'e m,p| y- r
However, as he was preparing the ingredients, the shop owner suddenly froze beside him.
The ingredients Chen Yu was mixing were identical to his secret recipe, even the order and the quantities were controlled with extreme precision.
Moreover, Chen Yu had made some improvements that could greatly enhance the flavor of the ingredients.
The owner watched, dumbfounded, convinced he had never seen Chen Yu before, especially since Chen Yu had only taken one bite of his roast chicken.
The owner's breathing became rapid at that moment, but his hands did not fumble at all, quickly preparing the sauce and applying it to the roast chicken.
But as it roasted, the owner noticed something else.
Chen Yu was constantly adjusting the temperature based on different parts of the chicken.
In less than twenty minutes, a rich aroma wafted from Chen Yu's direction, and when he took out the roast chicken, all the customers on-site gasped in surprise.
Compared to the shop's roast chicken, Chen Yu's had a golden-brown hue, like gold; the sauce on top was extremely even, and most of it had already seeped into the meat.
At this point, the owner couldn't care less about anything else and stepped forward to tear off a chicken leg and stuffed it into his mouth.
The crisp exterior and tender interior won over the owner instantly.
"Brother, how the hell did you cook this chicken? Can you sell me the recipe?"
Chen Yu frowned, wondering why everyone kept asking him for the recipe when he had just casually grilled the chicken.
"I used your shop's recipe; I analyzed your approach and sauce after just one bite of the roast chicken. I just made some improvements during the cooking process!"
The words were already quite modest, immediately making the owner feel mortified.
Just then, the owner of the neighboring fried liver shop came rushing over.
"Ah! I'm too late. I knew you, with your stubborn head, would definitely want to compete with him."
The roast chicken owner widened his eyes, looking at the fried liver shop owner with an inexplicable gaze.
"What do you mean by that? Did he also make fried liver in your shop?"
The fried liver shop owner sighed helplessly: "This gentleman is probably a culinary genius. I saw him enter your shop earlier and was worried you'd try to compete with him. I rushed over to dissuade you, but it seems I'm still too late."
The roast chicken owner was mortified, but before he could speak, Chen Yu had already left the shop.
Jin Lingsu, on her way out, casually took the roast chicken that Chen Yu had cooked.
"Chen Yu, I never thought you'd be able to cook like this. If I'd known, I wouldn't have come out. We could have just found a spot for you to cook for me."
Chen Yu stopped in his tracks, pondering for a moment.
"Well then, let's find somewhere to camp."