“Master, what should we start with?”

Qiao Lu was brimming with excitement at the prospect of learning how to cook.

“Follow me.”

Qin Feng led her into the kitchen.

As Qiao Lu stepped into the kitchen, she was struck by how spotless it was—pristine enough to reflect light like a mirror. She almost felt guilty just walking in. Everything inside, from the utensils to the seasonings, was organized with such precision that anyone unaware might assume Qin Feng had obsessive-compulsive disorder.

Qin Feng looked at her seriously and said, “The kitchen is the birthplace of delicious food, so it must be treated with respect. Cleanliness and orderliness are a must. There are three fundamental skills every chef must master: knife skills, wok skills, and pastry-making. You’ll start with these three—they’re the gatekeepers to becoming a chef.”

Qiao Lu nodded enthusiastically and asked, “Knife skills? Isn’t that just chopping vegetables? What’s so hard about that?”

Hearing this, Qin Feng chuckled softly and took out a potato. He began slicing it.

In no time, the cutting board was covered with perfectly uniform potato strips, all the same thickness and length. The sight was oddly satisfying.

“Master, that’s incredible! Even the thickness is identical. How did you do that?”

Qiao Lu picked up a few potato strips and compared them, marveling at their uniformity, her eyes wide with amazement.

“It’s just practice. After spending years in the kitchen, you’ll be able to do it too. This is just the basics of being a chef.”

Qin Feng glanced at the pile of potato strips, feeling a pang of nostalgia. When he was learning how to cook, it had taken him a full year to master just the basics of knife skills. That year had been nothing short of hellish.

“Master, how do I practice knife skills? Just by chopping vegetables?” Qiao Lu asked, her curiosity piqued.

“Chopping is only one aspect. Carving also falls under knife skills. You’ll need to learn techniques like slicing, hacking, chopping, dicing, cleaving, shaving, slicing thin, and slicing fine. Each of these techniques can be further subdivided—straight slicing, pushing, pulling, sawing, rolling… And you’ll need to know how to handle ingredients to produce cubes, strips, grains, sheets, and purées. The intricacies of this craft are endless—you could spend a lifetime learning and still not master it all.”

Qin Feng spoke at a leisurely pace.

Qiao Lu was utterly stunned by what she heard. Who would’ve thought knife skills could be so complicated?

Qin Feng handed her a kitchen knife and said, “Let’s start. Slice the potato into sheets first, then into strips. It’s quite simple.”

“Chopping is easy enough, but making them look like yours? That’s not simple. How long will it take me to practice this?” Qiao Lu asked.

“Practice as long as you would during a workday. I’ll demonstrate first. Hold the knife steady with your dominant hand, and use the knuckles of your other hand to guide the blade. Curl your fingers inward and move them back in rhythm. The goal is even thickness and uniform strips. Now, take your time and practice.”

After his demonstration, Qin Feng headed outside.

“Eight hours a day? That’s a full work shift!” Qiao Lu muttered as she massaged her temples. She’d thought cooking would be a leisurely job. Who knew it would be this exhausting?

Meanwhile, Qin Feng sat down at a table and wrote on the chalkboard: Today’s New Dish – Twice-Cooked Pork.

Although Twice-Cooked Pork was a common dish, it held a revered status in Sichuan cuisine, often called the King of Sichuan Dishes.

After finalizing the dish name, he placed the chalkboard at the entrance to the alley.

Seeing the sign, Zhao Yonghe immediately summoned a chef and instructed, “Stop what you’re doing and go queue up over there. Taste that Twice-Cooked Pork for me and figure out the ingredients and cooking process.”

“Understood,” the chef replied, promptly heading to the back to change clothes.

By 11:30 a.m., customers began trickling into the restaurant, including Shen Yuanshan and Shen Yan.

Shen Yuanshan found a seat and joked, “Little Qin, you should roll out a few more new dishes each time! One dish is never enough for me.”

“Old Master, good food is meant to be savored slowly. I plan to launch breakfast soon, with a new item every day,” Qin Feng replied with a grin, engaging in casual banter.

Someone urged impatiently, “Boss, hurry up with the food! I’ve got things to do.”

Qin Feng glanced at the speaker and replied, “We officially open at noon. There’s still half an hour to go. If you’re in a rush, the restaurant next door is open.”

“What kind of rule is this? Aren’t restaurants supposed to serve food? Whatever, I’ll leave.”

As Huang Yuan prepared to leave, he noticed a crowd forming outside, lining up to get in. Seeing how popular the place was, he decided to stay.

“Boss, it’s noon now. Can you start serving?”

As soon as the clock struck twelve, the crowd grew restless, eagerly urging Qin Feng to begin.

Qin Feng checked the time and then walked into the kitchen.

Inside, he saw Qiao Lu still diligently practicing her knife skills on the potatoes. Her slices were still uneven, but he didn’t comment. Instead, he instructed her, “Pause for a moment. Come over here.”

Hearing this, Qiao Lu wiped the sweat from her brow, delighted. She thought he was letting her take a break out of concern for her.

But the next moment, Qin Feng pointed at the ingredients and said, “Now I’ll teach you the simplest task—ingredient preparation. The person handling this must know exactly what each dish requires. For Twice-Cooked Pork, you’ll need two scallions, one piece of pork, green peppers, ginger, and garlic. Prepare them for me.”

“Two scallions, one piece of pork…” Qiao Lu murmured as she began gathering the ingredients.

“Twice-Cooked Pork requires the pork to be boiled first, then stir-fried. The trick is achieving a balance—too long, and it burns; too short, and the flavors don’t meld,” Qin Feng explained as he began cooking.

Soon, a mouthwatering aroma filled the air. Qiao Lu couldn’t resist taking a deep breath and exclaimed, “Master, it smells amazing!”

“Try it,” Qin Feng said, placing a piece of pork into her mouth.

Qiao Lu chewed a few times, her eyes widening in delight. “It’s delicious! It smells great, but the taste is even better!”

Qin Feng plated the Twice-Cooked Pork and handed it to her. “Take it out to the customers.”

When Shen Yuanshan saw Qiao Lu, he asked, “Young lady, what are you doing here?”

“I’m learning to cook from Master,” Qiao Lu replied with a smile.

“Not bad, not bad. A great teacher produces excellent students. I look forward to tasting your cooking someday.”

Shen Yuanshan leaned in to smell the dish in front of him. The aroma of the pork and garlic blended perfectly. He picked up a slice and placed it in his mouth. The rich, non-greasy flavor had him hooked instantly.

Shen Yan, seeing her grandfather devouring piece after piece, quickly stopped him. “Grandpa, your health isn’t great. You should eat less fatty meat!”

“It’s fine, it’s fine. A little indulgence now and then won’t hurt.”

Shen Yuanshan polished off the plate in no time, clearly not wanting to risk Shen Yan changing her mind.

Meanwhile, the other diners watched enviously as the dish was devoured. Their impatience boiled over.

“Boss, hurry up! I’m starving!”

“Boss, have mercy! My stomach’s already growling—serve me something quick!”

“Hey, brother, can I try a piece of yours? I’ll pay you back later!”

“No way! I don’t even have enough for myself!”