Vanessa placed the plate gently in the center of the judges’ table, and took two steps back. After making sure everything was in its place, she heaved a long breath of relief.

  This was the first time she found carrying a plate a very tiring task. Of course, the most important reason was that she didn’t want this delicacy which was as intricate as a piece of artwork to be destroyed in her hands. The pressure was much bigger than the weight of the plate.

  All the judges’ gazes were already attracted by the “18-year-old maiden’s dress”.

  “The art of plating is utilized to the extreme in this ’18-year-old maiden’s dress’. The moving colors’ combination and the perfectly fitted shape have demonstrated his superb cutting skills. This is the most beautiful cold dish I have ever seen and a cold dish I couldn’t bear to eat the most.” Robert stood up to show his praises and admiration.

  The audience all nodded in agreement. President Robert had voiced out what they were thinking.

  “This is the first dress that isn’t red which I’m tempted to try on. It’s indeed very beautiful.” Scheer was also looking at that colorful dress with amazement. It was colorful, but not vulgar at all. It had the energy that an 18-year-old should possess, as if putting on this dress could make one dance happily.

  “I didn’t expect Miss Scheer would speak so highly about it.”


  The audience were staring at Scheer with astonishment. Everyone in Chaos City knew Miss Scheer only liked to wear red dresses. No one had seen her in dresses of other colors before. They could see her attitude toward this dish when she gave a comment like this.

  “I’m not going to wear a dress, but I think my daughter will definitely love this dress if she sees it.” Michael smiled.

  “It has changed from armor to a pretty dress. Seems like you’ve been through quite a bit in these past few years.” Novan looked at Harris thoughtfully.

  “Nonsense. No, this is art!” Harris emphasized gravely.

  Jeffree picked up his chopsticks, and used them to pick up a piece of blanched carrot at the edge of the dress. Even though it looked like an ordinary carrot, there was actually some transparent dressing that was drizzled over it. He fed it into his mouth.

  The blanched carrot was still crispy, and the dressing that was slightly sweet and tangy made the already sweet carrot even crunchier.

  The crunchy texture activated the dull tongue instantaneously, and his appetite was whetted. He was anticipating even more scrumptiousness.

  Jeffree raised his eyebrows slightly. It was a familiar style and taste. Harris was still adhering to the principles of maximizing and preserving the taste of the ingredients and using seasonings that minimally affected the ingredients after all these years. Most of the time, seasonings were simply supporting characters.

  “It still tastes the same. One could only make truly delicious food when they respect the ingredients.” Jeffree put down his chopsticks, and admiringly said to Harris, “You’re still the best chef I have ever met.”


  The other judges also picked up their chopsticks, and started to taste the dish from the edge of the dress. They were all bowed over by it.

  Although they looked as if they weren’t cooked because of the plating, in actuality, every ingredient was perfectly processed and had a crunchy texture. Furthermore, the dressing that was drizzled over them was just like a highlight. It gave this dish a soul that made people unable to stop eating it.

  This was a very exceptional cold dish. It was crunchy and refreshing, and its advantage would be even more obvious if it was paired with other food. Everyone nodded as they ate, and they all couldn’t resist grabbing a few more bites.

  “All five judges have given it highly favorable comments! Is the second round already over now?”


  Everyone’s gazes instinctively landed on Mag, who was still in the midst of plating. If Mag lost this round again, the duel would be over too.

  The highly acclaimed “18-year-old maiden’s dress” had redefined the upper limit on cold dishes for everyone. From today on, ordinary cold dishes would no longer be able to satisfy them.

  Mag still had a calm and collected expression. The surface of the braised beef and beef offal had completely dried, and Mag cut them into slices that were equal in size and thickness with a knife. The beef, tripe, ox heart, ox tongue, and ox scalp all looked different when they were sliced up.

  Mag got a big white deep dish over, and placed the sliced beef and offals onto one another to form a shape of a volcano in the center of the dish.

  Then, Mag used a big ladle to drizzle a scoop of the red oil that he had prepared in advance along the edge of the volcano to soak the dried meat slices before he scattered a handful of crushed peanuts and roasted sesame seeds. Finally, he placed a tender green cilantro at the mouth of the volcano as the garnish, and a helping of bright red “sliced beef and ox tongue in chili sauce” was done.

  Mag walked over to the judges’ table with the “sliced beef and ox tongue in chili sauce”.

  “Although it isn’t as beautiful as ’18-year-old maiden’s dress’, that scoop of red oil seems to have injected a soul into it, and made me feel the spiciness of the hot pot. This is, in fact, an active volcano that is about to erupt!” Abraham’s Adam’s apple moved. Even though he had been tortured by the hot pot countless times, he still loved it like it was his first love. Hence, his expectations for this so-called “husband and wife lung slices” immediately increased exponentially.

  “My heavens! Is this infused with a deadly dose of chili oil?”


  “Congratulations. Mamy Restaurant’s spicy family has added a new member.”


  “Compared to the light and refreshing ’18-year-old maiden’s dress’, this is the other extreme! Is there a chance for a comeback?”


  The audience chatted excitedly as their gazes moved along with Mag.

  Harris’ “18-year-old maiden’s dress” had brought along an exquisite experience for everyone with its light and refreshing grace.

  Meanwhile, Mag’s hot “husband and wife lung slice” was just like a flushing barbarian who simply barged in and attracted everyone’s stares.

  The red oil had dyed the beef and beef offals bright red. They didn’t have to put them into their mouths, as the aroma of the red oil alone already made them swallow their saliva.

  And, that tiny bit of tender green cilantro among all the redness had also portrayed the artistic conception of a tiny bit of green in the midst of thousands of flowers.

  Jeffree furrowed his eyebrows as he looked at the “husband and wife lung slice” with distaste.

  The other judges were also looking at this “husband and wife lung slice” with hesitation. The bright redness made them wonder how to start eating it.

  The plating was still pretty, but compared to the exquisite “18-year-old maiden’s dress”, this plating was simply so-so.

  “Boss Mag, what level of spiciness is this ‘husband and wife lung slice’ of yours compared to the spicy grilled fish?” Michael asked Mag. As a father who had been tortured by the insanely spicy grilled fish before, he didn’t want to repeat his mistake again.

  “If this is only a comparison of their spiciness, it’s probably around medium spicy,” Mag said after a moment of pondering.

  “Medium spicy, that’s good.” Michael heaved a breath of relief. He could accept this level of spiciness. He grabbed a pair of new chopsticks, picked up a piece of beef from the plate, and chuckled. “Then, let me be the first to try it.”


  The thinly sliced beef was coated with a layer of red oil and garnished with roasted sesame seeds and crushed peanuts. Whiffs of the aroma of the braised meat and red oil drifted gradually. The taste buds were already tickled even before it entered the mouth.

  After Michael bit down, the rich aroma of the red oil and the spiciness blossomed on the tip of his tongue at the same time. Shortly after that, it was the rich aroma of the braised beef.

  The soft and smooth beef disintegrated after being bitten down on softly. The taste buds couldn’t help quivering as they welcomed the impact of this spiciness like a tropical storm.

  “Oh! This shocking scrumptiousness!”


  Michael could only open his mouth to praise it after a long time.