Chapter 54: Chapter 53: Dessert Quest

“The porridge is ready!”

Fu Yu finished serving the porridge and called out.

The other kitchen helpers quickly rushed forward to hold the bowls.

Because both the boss and the head chef were present, Zhao Meng and Gu Yunwu were quite at ease, but the other helpers suddenly lost their appetite, each focusing on their bowls silently, head down while drinking porridge.

Dong Jun Tian held the spoon and stirred the porridge in his bowl.

A good bowl of seafood porridge.

It values being tender, soft, and smooth.

It needs to have that melt-in-the-mouth sensation.

Some so-called “porridges” are actually just watery rice in reality, with the grains not even blossomed.

Let alone reaching that invisible state of rice grains.

But the bowl in front of Dong Jun Tian was just right between thick and thin porridge.

He estimated in his mind that it must have reached a ratio of at least 1:11.

This requires a high level of precision for the amount of rice and the water level!

He scooped a spoonful of porridge, brought it close for a careful look.

All the rice grains had blossomed, but it wasn’t in an invisible state, rather distinct in grains, scattered in spirit but not in form.

This demands an even higher skill in controlling the heat.

He put the spoonful of seafood porridge into his mouth.

The unique fresh aroma of seafood instantly filled his mouth, the texture was soft and slippery, melting as soon as it entered the mouth.

Dong Jun Tian’s eyes lit up.

This porridge is cooked authentically!

After taking a bite of the seafood porridge, he quickly scooped another spoonful into his mouth.

Even though he had eaten enough appetizers earlier, he suddenly felt a surge in appetite.

Besides the porridge, the shrimp had a very bouncy texture, and the crab meat, the crab shell was cut just right, making it easy to taste the fresh crab meat inside without much effort.

To cut it like this, the knife skills must be superb.

“Not bad!”

Dong Jun Tian smiled: “Yao Shi, this young chef’s porridge-cooking skills are very adept, especially in mastering the ingredients and the heat. Our restaurant’s seafood porridge can hold its own name in this city, right?”

This porridge, both in appearance and taste, is definitively the most authentic seafood porridge method.

Without long-term practice and accumulation, such exquisite cooking cannot be mastered.

Yao Shi heard this and smiled slightly: “Our restaurant’s seafood porridge is originally a specialty. Xiaofu is now under Zhao Meng’s guidance, and the young man indeed has quite a talent in cooking.”

Dong Jun Tian nodded upon hearing this and said to Zhao Meng: “No wonder, Chef Zhao is always meticulous and holds high standards.”

Zhao Meng, upon hearing this, recalled how, just now, he felt a tinge of anxiety as the congee was about to boil over, feeling quite complicated for a moment.

Fu Yu, this kid, seems to be quite fortunate.

Even with such tossing, not only did he not burn the pot, but his performance remained stable.

After all, this was cooking congee using a wok, even when he himself handled it with two stoves, he’d still end up fumbling compared to how skillfully Fu Yu managed it.

Indeed!

Skillfully managed!

When Fu Yu cooked the porridge just now, the calmness of this kid was truly…!

[Ding! NPC Chef Zhao Meng’s Favorability: +10]

Fu Yu, while pricking up his ears to listen to the boss compliment him, suddenly heard an electronic prompt sound by his ear.

Hey! Chef Zhao’s favorability is back up!

At this moment, Dong Jun Tian suddenly turned to Fu Yu and said with a smile: “You are Fu Yu, right? Not bad, keep it up, it’s talents like you that our kitchen needs.”

Fu Yu gave a modest smile: “Thank you, boss, I will.”

The look in everyone’s eyes towards Fu Yu was different now.

With the end of the month approaching, Fu Yu’s ability to gain favor with the boss made concerns about getting a permanent position seem trivial.

Truly something to envy and admire!

While the back kitchen was “happily” having midnight snacks, the waiter in the front hall responsible for answering phone calls was holding up the handset, listening in disbelief to the customer explaining the specific ordering details.

Qianlima Restaurant closes at ten-thirty at night.

There were still five minutes until closing time.

And at this time, the receptionist suddenly received a customer’s call for taking an order.

After carefully jotting down the customer’s requirements, the waiter hurriedly found the supervisor to report: “Sister Gao! Another customer has called to order a takeaway!”

Gao Wenjing exclaimed: “Now? Didn’t you tell them the restaurant is closing, so no more orders?”

The waiter anxiously said: “It’s Mr. Sun, our high-class VIP. He said he just saw a livestreamer ordering takeout for the sanitation workers, was deeply moved, and also wants to order 100 seafood porridge set meals, each paired with a specialty fresh cream puff from the restaurant, for charity.”

Upon hearing this, Gao Wenjing’s expression changed immediately: “Just as well, the boss is here, and so is Chef Yao, I’ll go over and ask directly!”

Gao Wenjing quickly jogged to the back kitchen, relaying the situation about the order taken at the reception.

Upon hearing that a high-class VIP from the restaurant placed a last-minute order and ordered 100 seafood porridge sets, Dong Jun Tian was delighted!

What a big order this is!

The purpose of doing business is profit, and with someone willingly bringing money in, there’s no reason to turn it away.

Dong Jun Tian immediately decided: “Accept the order!”

Then personally called the supplier, urging them to quickly contact the seafood store for a late-night replenishment.

With the boss having given the command, the back kitchen immediately buzzed with activity.

The day shift people who had already left couldn’t be called back in the middle of the night.

Thus, all who lived in the dorms were called in.

At the same time, Boss Pang from the dessert shop was happily driving home when he suddenly received a call, momentarily taken aback.

“What? 100 orders of cream puffs?”

Yao Shi was busy cooking porridge and had no time for idle talk. After stating the exact number of portions and delivery time, he hung up the phone.

Boss Pang picked up his phone and directly dialed the dessert chef’s number at the shop, hurriedly saying, “Master Zhang, we’ve got another order from Qianlima, 100 orders of cream puffs, I’m sorry but you’ll have to rush back once more…”

Boss Pang hadn’t finished speaking when he was interrupted.

Dessert chef Zhang Zhuang replied with difficulty, “Boss, my daughter suddenly has a high fever, my wife is working overtime and can’t come back, I just brought her to the hospital and really can’t leave!”

Boss Pang was immediately anxious upon hearing this: “Oh no, what should we do!”

Zhang Zhuang asked, “Have you contacted Xiaoxu and the others?”

The dessert shop had two chefs and two apprentices under them.

Boss Pang hurriedly said, “I contacted you first as soon as I received the news, alright, your situation is special, I’ll contact others right now.”

After thanking Zhang Zhuang, he hung up the phone.

Boss Pang quickly contacted another dessert chef, but the person’s phone was turned off.

Boss Pang was both furious and helpless.

It was after work hours now, and since the dessert shop was different from other businesses, there was never any late-night overtime, so he hadn’t insisted that the employees keep their phones on 24/7.

Neither of the dessert chefs could be reached, and even contacting the two apprentices was useless. One had been learning for less than three months, and the other had just started last week.

The most they could do was lend a helping hand, but they likely hadn’t even touched cream puffs.

But 100 orders!

The customers were practically shoving money into his pocket, and he was supposed to refuse?

Damn it!

No way can I pull this off!!

Boss Pang was spinning around anxiously in the car.

The order had to be taken!

The problem now was that no one knew how to make cream puffs!

What to do?

Borrow someone!

With that thought, he picked up his phone and started calling every dessert chef he knew.

But because it was so late, they were either already unavailable or made excuses not to come out.

He contacted several people in a row and not a single one could help!

…

Qianlima Restaurant.

The kitchen was overseen by the head chef and two senior chefs, busy but orderly.

All ten stoves could now be used for cooking porridge, and Fu Yu stayed by Zhao Meng’s side, diligently assisting.

Dong Jun Tian hadn’t left either, though he couldn’t really help. He wanted to work overtime with the employees, thinking that his presence as the boss would inspire them and boost their morale!

He was watching his employees with a smile when his phone rang.

It was Boss Pang from the dessert shop.

Dong Jun Tian quickly answered the call: “Hello, Boss Pang, what’s up?”

Boss Pang immediately asked, “Boss Dong, do you know any dessert chefs? Both my chefs have things to attend to and can’t make it, no one’s here to make the cream puffs!”

Dong Jun Tian’s expression changed: “I’ll help you reach out!”

He hung up and first called a couple of dessert shop owners he knew.

But when they heard it was outsourcing, they all made excuses to refuse.

Are you kidding!

Call the shop’s dessert chef over for overtime in the middle of the night and it’s not even full-price sales, just earning a labor fee.

Only a fool would agree!

Dong Jun Tian had no choice but to call Boss Pang and say, “It’s not working, they’re not willing to cooperate.”

Boss Pang was completely out of ideas, unwilling but resigned, he said, “Sigh, there’s really no other way.”

After saying this, he sighed, “Boss Dong, don’t you have any pastry chefs in your kitchen that can make desserts? For cream puffs, as long as you can bake the puffs, the filling is ready-made.”

Dong Jun Tian understood Boss Pang’s feelings and decided to put it on speaker, directly asking, “Are there any pastry chefs who can make desserts? Can anyone make cream puffs?”

Even Dong Jun Tian didn’t hold much hope after asking.

The chefs in their kitchen were experts at making pancakes and pan-fried dumplings.

Desserts?

That’s crossing into a different territory!

Completely different!

Fu Yu was busy slicing seafood and didn’t take Dong Jun Tian’s words to heart.

He thought Boss Pang was just grasping at straws!

Just as the thought flashed through his mind, a digital notification sound suddenly rang in Fu Yu’s ear.

[Ding! NPC Boss Dong Jun Tian’s Task: Assist dessert shop owner Boss Pang in making 100 orders of cream puffs. Task completion reward: Gain one dessert cooking skill]

Fu Yu: “!”

Dong Jun Tian apologetically said to Boss Pang, “Sorry, you see, on my end…”

“Boss! I know how to make cream puffs!”

A clear male voice suddenly sounded.

The next moment, Boss Pang’s joyful exclamation came through the phone: “Great! Boss Dong, please lend him to me! I’m eternally grateful!!”

Hearing this, Dong Jun Tian looked over and saw Fu Yu looking at him.

Dong Jun Tian: “…Uh, okay, alright, I’ll send him over right away, no need to be polite.”

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep