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Domoto Kawa wasn't optimistic that Renz could pull off a comeback after re-making the same dish. The God's Tongue had a classic side effect: the first taste of a new dish was always the best; the second taste would be a downgrade. In front of the God's Tongue, re-making a dish without changing ingredients or components was undoubtedly culinary suicide. Why? Why challenge the God's Tongue when he'd already secured a 4-A rating?
Domoto Kawa had already planned his exit route, so how could youthful arrogance lead to such a situation?! He grumbled inwardly.
On Erina's table, Renz's re-made ramen sat perfectly. The portion was small. Erina had eaten the entire first bowl out of respect for Renz's cooking, so for the second serving, Renz, concerned about her appetite, only put a third of the noodles in. She ate slowly, chewing meticulously. Renz sat across from Erina at the table, unable to resist stealing glances at her as she ate.
As Erina tasted the ramen, she noticed the poached egg nestled within the noodles. Her smile was uninhibited as she savored each bite. After taking a quiet sip of soup, Renz instinctively reached for a napkin from the table. Erina accepted the napkin Renz offered without hesitation, wiping her lips.
"I'll elaborate," Erina said, frowning as if savoring the lingering taste. "The soup base likely uses five different ingredients. For the vegetable element in the broth, corn kernels were chosen as the main component, providing a solid texture. This added a sweetness to what was originally an all-vegetable broth. Of course, the most crucial element in the entire dish is the handling of the noodles."
"The noodles are smooth yet resilient, chewy yet slick," she continued. "This truly tests the chef's skill." Erina kept highlighting the strengths of Renz's dish. "To achieve such a firm noodle, besides the technique, the control of heat and timing are extremely important." She continued to elaborate, adding several more key points.
Then, suddenly, she shifted her tone. "The previous bowl of ramen wasn't bad, actually, but it lacked a certain flavor I was looking for."
"But this ramen, I ate it with complete satisfaction!" Erina smiled contentedly. "Everything that was missing from the last bowl of ramen has been fully compensated for in this one. I am satisfied, and my God's Tongue is equally satisfied!"
"Therefore!"
"My rating is...!"
"A-rating!"
"And this A-rating, compared to the previous dish, is even more deserving of the evaluation."
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As her final assessment landed, the entire venue erupted in murmurs again.
"Better than the last one?" Roland Chapelle was startled. He thought the bowl he ate was already the pinnacle of ramen, enough to make someone who didn't even like the cuisine eat it all. "So what exactly did it have that the previous dish didn't?" Roland Chapelle continued to ponder the details. Was it an extra ingredient? An enhanced texture? Or a change in the soup base?
The camera crew began recording Erina's evaluation of the dish. Chief Director Domoto Kawa found himself in a state of existential confusion. He woke up, and the world had turned upside down. Throughout the day, the sheer number of plot twists had left him dizzy. The God's Tongue evaluation. A small restaurant owner. An all-star lineup of judges. Wasn't this guy doomed?
Then, the master chefs of the all-star lineup were conquered. Although the God's Tongue didn't give the absolute best rating, it still achieved a 4-A rating. Domoto Kawa figured the matter was settled.
But then?! The small restaurant owner wasn't satisfied with the God's Tongue's reaction. He re-made the dish. Damn it. Was the God's Tongue someone who just ate another dish because you asked? Would she re-evaluate just because you requested it? Fine! She actually re-evaluated it. These two twists had already made Domoto Kawa question reality, but he wouldn't believe this absurdity, that everything today would be opposite to logic and common sense. You have to be reasonable, right?
Didn't the God's Tongue's palate decline after eating the same dish twice? Would she develop a resistance to it? Yes! This was common knowledge. So, frankly, if this small restaurant owner used the same dish against the God's Tongue, wasn't he doomed? Wasn't defeat already sealed?
But to his utter surprise, this world was completely defying him. Was he crazy, or was this world crazy? After tasting the same dish, the God's Tongue again gave a positive review and highly praised the dish.
Domoto Kawa was speechless. He was given three chances to guess the outcome. The first time, he thought the judges wouldn't give a good review, but it was the opposite. The second time, he thought the God's Tongue wouldn't re-evaluate, and again, it was the opposite. The third time, he believed the God's Tongue wouldn't give a good review for the same dish, and still, it was the opposite.
Next to him, Renz calmly stated the name of the dish to the other members of the director's team who were interviewing him. "Special Renz Five-Spice Ramen." As someone terrible at naming things, his self-made ramen had a simple, unadorned name.
"And the chef's name?" the recording assistant from the camera crew asked.
"Renz," Renz stated his name.
"Alright," the assistant recorded the dish and the chef into the register. Now, the list of master dishes and chefs from the God's Tongue evaluation would have another name added.
But! Renz's actions this time caused quite a stir. A 4-A rating itself was very rare. After receiving a 4-A rating, and then, facing the God's Tongue's initial dissatisfaction, he re-made the same dish and still received a 4-A rating, once again subverting the audience's imagination. After this episode aired, Renz's name would undoubtedly become famous in the culinary world! He had gained initial recognition! At least in the short term, no one would forget his name.
"Can I try your dish?" Domoto Kawa said, almost in tears. He was truly impressed. He swore he would never be someone who readily made judgments again. Why not just be a director and watch the show, instead of bravely making predictions and having his pride repeatedly trampled by unpredictable situations?
"There's still some left in the pot," Renz replied, turning his head. "How many bowls?"
"One bowl, one bowl is enough. I've already had lunch; I'll just taste it." Domoto Kawa took a deep breath. He wanted to experience how delicious a dish praised by the God's Tongue could truly be!
However, is there something wrong with you, guy? You were so attentive to Erina, dishing out a smaller portion for her after she'd already eaten one bowl, and politely offering her a napkin when she finished. But when it was his turn to taste the dish, your attitude changed. He was also a diner, so why the two different reactions? Shouldn't there be a standard for customer service? At least a consistent attitude? You can't just be extra nice to people because they're pretty. Besides, just because someone is pretty doesn't mean they'll be your wife in the future. What's the point of being so diligent now?
Domoto Kawa silently grumbled about this differential treatment. When Renz served him a bowl of ramen, he rubbed his hands together, ready to savor it.
"If you want more later, add it yourself," Renz said, pointing, as he still had to receive a culinary interview from the director's team and was quite busy.
In front of him, a beautiful interviewer specially invited by the director's team picked up the microphone and asked, "Excuse me, Mr. Renz, did you develop this ramen dish yourself?"
Well, obviously. In this day and age, who still locks themselves away to develop dishes? Don't you need to ask your wife to taste-test or something? But remembering what Erina had told him, Renz knew it wasn't the right time to expose their secret relationship. There was no way. Renz was currently a penniless guy, his initial capital borrowed from Erina. If his situation got out, he'd probably get his legs broken by the Nakiri family for trying to marry into their household. After all, the great tsundere he'd "abducted" wasn't just the God's Tongue, but also the most talented chef of the current Nakiri generation. Besides, Erina was a public figure. If he jumped out now, wouldn't it affect her career development? He had to wait until his own career had taken off before revealing anything.
However, he didn't need to expose his wife's identity, but that didn't mean he couldn't show off his wife. Renz opened his mouth and delivered a bold line.
"Don't you have a partner to research dishes with you?"
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