Gourmet: Twins' Father and Chef of the Kindergarten

Chapter 465 - 426: Not Wanting to Lose Face in This Smokeless Contest

Sunlight filtered through the half-open window, casting its glow in the kitchen of Xuanmen Bay Tourist Park.

Lu Aiguo smiled at Huang Jun, who was checking the freshness of the ingredients, and said, "Chef Huang, aside from everything already prepared for you, is there anything else missing here in the kitchen? Whether it’s ingredients, seasoning, or equipment, if there’s any shortage, just let me or our kitchen staff know, and we’ll make sure to sort it out for you."

Huang Jun paused his work, looked up at Lu Aiguo, and replied with a smile, "Mr. Lu, you truly are thorough. As far as I can see, everything here is well-prepared. If anything does come up, I’ll let you know right away."

Lu Aiguo patted Huang Jun on the shoulder, "Alright then, I won’t get in your way, carry on with your work!"

"Okay, take care!"

Huang Jun responded politely, watching as Lu Aiguo’s figure gradually disappeared at the kitchen door until he was completely out of sight.

As soon as Lu Aiguo disappeared...

He immediately turned around, his spirits high, clapped his hands with a smile, and said, "Alright, let’s get started!"

"Aunt Li, Aunt Lin, could you both handle giving these piglets another wash? Assistant Chef Qian, you join me later for cutting the piglets and preparing them for marination..."

"Got it, Chef Huang!"

The three, Qian Guoxiang among them, responded in unison. Aunt Li and Aunt Lin quickly sprang into action, efficiently moving the tender little piglets to the sink for a thorough wash.

That’s right.

Huang Jun was preparing a sumptuous meal—roasted suckling pig—for the children, teachers, and accompanying parents.

Though Huang Jun was a novice in the field of roasting suckling pigs, even making his first dive into it.

But that wasn’t daunting for him...

After all, he was the master of the system!

His current cooking skills had already reached an intermediate level, enough to tackle various challenges.

He stood aside, carefully guiding Aunt Lin and Aunt Li, who were trying their hands at washing piglets for the first time, ensuring each step of the wash was meticulous.

To avoid any mistakes!

Though there were thirty prepared piglets, which seemed quite a lot, considering the large number of people, it was estimated that each person could only get a small piece.

Because the piglets weren’t large, weighing about ten pounds each in total, after roasting, while their skin would be crispy, their weight would reduce, and the actual meat content wouldn’t be much, unable to withstand too much feasting.

"Assistant Chef Qian, let’s handle those few clean piglets next, preparing them for cutting..."

Seeing that Aunt Li and Aunt Lin had washed a few piglets, Huang Jun called Qian Guoxiang over to join the next step of the process.

Cutting is particularly crucial for roasting piglets.

It not only makes the roasted piglets appear more presentable but also ensures the meat is heated evenly during roasting, preventing some parts from being overcooked while others remain underdone.

Moreover, during the cutting, it’s essential to remove impurities and parts unsuitable for roasting from the piglets to make the meat tastier when roasted.

He and Qian Guoxiang each placed their piglet belly-up on the cutting board, ready to start the cutting process.

Cutting was actually quite simple.

It involved chopping the piglet’s head and spine right down the middle, but care must be taken not to damage the skin; just separating the bones is sufficient.

Huang Jun gripped a sharp, large cleaver tightly, bringing it down on the spinal bone precisely, then swiftly pulled the blade out and continued until the entire bone was neatly split.

Next, he firmly held the pig’s head with one hand, while raising the sharp cleaver high with the other, aiming it at the division line on the head, and swiftly chopping to split the head.

This process required special technique, avoiding damage to the pig skin, only cutting through the bones.

It seemed easy, but in practice, it was all about skill.

Too light a chop and the bone wouldn’t move; too heavy and the pig’s skin would suffer.

After all, a piglet’s skin is very delicate, with meat and the fat below being thin like paper, and any carelessness could cause "injury."

Oops!

Once the pig’s head was split in two...

Huang Jun skillfully extracted the brain and preserved it in a bowl.

These pig brains were a treasure; they add a rich flavor when put into porridge.

Then, he carefully cleaned the lymph nodes on the pig’s neck, which would make the roasted piglet taste more delicious and savory.

After cleaning thoroughly...

Huang Jun picked up a sharp kitchen knife and expertly removed the scapula from above the front leg.

Why bother removing it?

Because when roasting piglets, the scapula would act as a "roadblock," affecting the even heating of the meat, and could even cause the pig’s skin to tear.

Not only the scapula, but the lower jaw and neck bone of the pig head also needed to be thoroughly removed.

In short, apart from necessary bones like the front leg and skull, all other bones on the pig’s head had to be removed to guarantee the scrumptious taste and appearance of the roast pig.

After deboning, Huang Jun picked up the knife again and made several shallow cuts on the thicker areas of meat.

This is called "making cross cuts"!

Doing this has two benefits: first, it allows the marinade to seep into the meat more easily, making the flavor richer when roasted; second, these cuts ensure the meat heats more evenly, roasting faster and better.

Having finished with the pig’s head, he moved on to tackle the spine.

With a precise "crack," the spine split in half, with the attached meat meticulously carved out by him.

This made roasting easier and more aesthetically pleasing.

Then he completed the removal of the rib parts, leaving only the central parts attached to the skin.

All of this was to ensure the piglets absorbed the marinade and roast flavors more fully.

As for the hind legs, handling them was much easier.

Just chop off the hind leg bones, make a few cuts on the thick parts, and the rest needed no more fuss...

Not far away, Chef Zheng and a few assistants occasionally glanced towards Huang Jun, watching his cutting technique without blinking.

One must admit, Huang Jun’s cutting technique was like flowing water, executed in one swift motion, compelling admiration.

Judging purely by cutting skill, it’s clear that the legendary Chef Huang’s reputation wasn’t just for show; his skill was indeed exceptional.

In the chef’s world, details are everything; a small move can reveal a chef’s true skill level.

At this moment.

Chef Zheng dared not underestimate Huang Jun anymore, feeling internally challenged, deciding he would take his roast pig to a higher level.

Indeed!

He wasn’t looking to win for the sake of victory but wanted to regain the face he unknowingly lost, and he didn’t want to lose face in this subtle competition.

Thus...

Not wanting to fall behind in this silent rivalry, Chef Zheng prepared his roast pig with even greater care...

Huang Jun and his team were busy, so engrossed in their work that they didn’t notice the little calculations in Chef Zheng’s heart from the nearby Hu Jin Kindergarten, focusing entirely on their tasks.

Before Qian Guoxiang even finished his knife work, he saw Huang Jun agilely pick up another clean little piglet, ready to continue his cutting endeavor.

Qian Guoxiang couldn’t help but exclaim, "Youth is truly an asset; that energy and speed are enviable."

Hearing this, Huang Jun turned, looked at Qian Guoxiang, and said with concern, "Master Qian, if you’re feeling tired, take a break. I can handle the rest."

Qian Guoxiang smiled, waved his hand, and replied, "Not that exaggerated, it’s just that my pace is a bit slower, not quite keeping up with you young ones."

"No problem, just take your time, no need to rush. With me here, we won’t fall behind schedule!"

After saying this, Huang Jun smiled again and continued his task without pause, skillfully working on the piglets.

Feeling Huang Jun’s care, Qian Guoxiang looked at him appreciatively and then returned to his own work...