Feng Yifan looked at the dishes made by Zhang Fenglin and Qi Deqiang very carefully.
Zhang Fenglin made good use of every part of the eel. He boiled the eel bones and blood into soup base, and then added the navel and glutinous rice to the soup base to cook eel porridge.
As for the eel back, Zhang Fenglin made it into pot-sticked eel back and served it in eel porridge.
This kind of cooking makes full use of ingredients. Although the dishes produced are not very unique, the combination is still relatively novel.
Feng Yifan took a mouthful of porridge and ate a small piece of pot-sticked eel back.
There is nothing wrong with the overall texture and taste, and in Feng Yifan's opinion, this dish of Zhang Fenglin is a breakthrough for him.
Then there is Qi Deqiang’s Mingyue Stewed Raw Pot, the appearance of the dish is naturally better than Zhang Fenglin’s.
Just from the appearance point of view, the eel slices stewed in a small pot, paired with a piece of pork belly, a small rapeseed, and finally a fried quail egg, are really a bit poetic.
Just by looking at it, the children, including Feng Ruoruo, thought it was extremely beautiful.
Then Zhang Fenglin's son couldn't help but mutter: "My dad is going to lose, this one is so beautiful, my dad's is obviously not as beautiful as this one."
Feng Yifan heard the voice and looked back at the boy and said, "Don't jump to conclusions. You should support your father, even if he may lose. But you can't deny your father's efforts just because of this win or loss. Your father's cooking is no worse than anyone else's, understand?"
Zhang Fenglin's son looked at Feng Yifan, hesitated for a moment and nodded: "Well, Uncle Feng, I understand."
The judges were still tasting the food carefully and discussing how to judge the two people's dishes.
We even arranged to record the cooking process on site and then play it again for everyone to see.
The reason why the two finalists were asked to complete the entire cooking process alone was to conduct a comprehensive assessment.
Only by making a more comprehensive comparison of the chef’s knife skills, cooking skills, and the color, aroma, taste, and shape of the final dish can we make a more fair judgment.
After a series of comparative studies, the judges scored the contestants one by one based on several aspects.
After all the points are scored, they will be handed over to the organizer, Su Liancheng and his team, for comparison and final score calculation.
Su Liancheng suddenly came to Feng Yifan and quietly pulled Feng Yifan aside.
"Brother-in-law, who do you think is the winner in this competition?"
Feng Yifan looked at Su Liancheng with some surprise and asked, "Why are you asking me? Aren't there judges on the scene? And there are three state banquet masters present. Aren't their judges more professional and authoritative than mine?"
Su Liancheng hesitated for a moment and said, "But the three state banquet masters have different opinions, so I came here to ask for your opinion."
Feng Yifan looked at Su Liancheng, frowned slightly, and vaguely guessed what the other party was thinking.
"I'm afraid it's not that the three state banquet masters disagree, but that you're worried that Zhang Fenglin won't be the winner in the end? So you want to ask me if I want Zhang Fenglin to win for sure, right?"
Su Liancheng did not hide it: "Yes, I know that Zhang Fenglin has a relationship with you and Su Ji. If you really need him to win, I can go and tell him now. Otherwise, the result will be sealed in the envelope and I may not be able to change the final result."
Feng Yifan said calmly: "Actually, it doesn't have to be like that. I think my senior brother should be able to accept any result."
Su Liancheng looked at Feng Yifan and said, "Brother-in-law, don't you really want to help him?"
Feng Yifan shook his head: "No, I believe in my senior brother. He can use his own strength to win the victory in the end."
Su Liancheng didn't say anything more, just nodded and turned back.
After Su Liancheng left, Feng Yifan turned around and saw Zhang Fenglin's son standing behind him.
Facing the boy's gaze, Feng Yifan said very seriously: "Did you hear everything? Do you think that I was a little unkind by not speaking up for your father?"
The boy nodded seriously, "Yes, I thought Uncle Feng would speak for my dad."
Before Feng Yifan could speak, the boy continued, "But I know that if my dad knew that it was you who spoke for him and made him the champion, he would definitely not be able to accept it."
Feng Yifan was a little surprised by the boy's words.
Although this boy of fifteen or sixteen years old is still a child in terms of age, he seems to know a lot.
Moreover, the boy seemed to know his father very well and understood that his father was a strong-willed person.
Feng Yifan nodded and said, "Sometimes, the process of participation is more important than the final result. This time, your father and grandfather have reconciled, and your family has become harmonious and united through this competition. These gains should be more important than the championship."
The boy was stunned for a moment, and said, "Uncle, I don't really understand what you are saying. I only know one thing, my dad wants his cooking skills to be recognized, not to win by cheating."
Feng Yifan walked up and patted the boy on the shoulder: "Well, we should trust your father. Let's go back."
When Dad and big brother came back, Feng Ruoruo and a few other little girls rushed to Dad Feng.
"Dad, do you think Uncle Zhang can win?"
Hearing his daughter asking this question again, Feng Yifan smiled and touched his daughter's head: "Let's take a look together, there should be a result soon."
Not long after Feng Yifan and the others sat down, Su Liancheng and the host came on stage.
Su Liancheng first thanked everyone who supported this competition.
Then he said seriously, "We discussed the final result with the judges for a long time, because both chefs showed their strengths in color, fragrance, taste, shape and other aspects. Both of them really showed their strengths and made the eel very delicious."
Su Liancheng paused here for a moment, looked at Zhang Fenglin and Qi Deqiang, and finally said: "But after discussion, the judges unanimously felt that Zhang Fenglin was better in terms of dish innovation, so the final winner of this Fujinglou Chinese Cuisine Huaicheng Cooking Competition is Chef Zhang Fenglin."
After the result was announced, there was a burst of applause at the scene, but Zhang Fenglin was still a little dazed.
Zhuang Daozhong picked up the microphone in front of him and began to speak a few words.
"In terms of the quality of the final dishes, the two chefs are indeed on par with each other. Feng Yifan has indeed achieved the effect of setting an example for you. The color, aroma, taste and shape of your dishes are all very well done.
But in terms of innovation and utilization of ingredients, Zhang Fenglin is indeed better.
He used all the parts of the eel to their full potential and combined them perfectly, so for this reason, I think there should be no doubt that Zhang Fenglin won. "
Zhuang Daozhong’s final decision made everyone more convinced.
Qi Deqiang thought about it and felt that what Mr. Zhuang said was indeed right.
Zhuang Daozhong paused for a moment and said, "Although Chef Qi Deqiang did not win the championship, his Mingyue Stewed Raw Crackers was indeed very authentic, and the color, aroma, taste and shape of the dish were all very good, so please don't be discouraged, you will still have a chance in the provincial selection later."
After listening to Zhuang Daozhong's words, Qi Deqiang was encouraged and faced the failure more calmly.
“Thank you, Mr. Zhuang, and thank you for the opportunity given by the organizers this time. I especially want to thank Chef Feng Yifan. Without the two dishes you made in the restaurant, I would not have been able to be inspired by you and study cooking skills.
For the first time in so many days of competition, I focused all my energy on cooking, and I felt that my cooking skills had made new breakthroughs.
Although I didn't win the championship, I have no regrets, and Chef Zhang really deserves the title, and I admire him very much."
After Qi Deqiang finished speaking, Su Liancheng looked at Feng Yifan, asking Feng Yifan if he wanted to speak.
Feng Yifan also stood up and said to Qi Deqiang: "Don't be discouraged. If you are willing, I can let you stay in Fujing Building with my senior brother Zhang Fenglin. I think the cooperation between the two of you in Fujing Building should be able to promote the better development of Fujing Building."
Qi Deqiang was a little surprised. After a pause, he said, "Thank you, Chef Feng."
Su Liancheng and Mei Ru looked at each other and were both a little surprised.
But if you think about it carefully, Feng Yifan's arrangement is very reasonable. After all, after the publicity, Zhang Fenglin and Qi Deqiang have become famous. So if both of them stay in Fujinglou, the business of Fujinglou will definitely become prosperous in the future.
Those diners would take turns to go to Fujinglou to taste the food just for its reputation as the champion and runner-up.
Su Liancheng and Mei Ru felt that Feng Yifan's arrangement was really good, which was enough to show that he was really helping them find a solution.
Qi Deqiang's story is over, and the champion Zhang Fenglin will take the stage next.
Zhang Fenglin walked to the center of the stage and bowed deeply in front of everyone.
Then he stood up and said, “I would like to thank the judges for their recognition of me, and thank you all for giving me the opportunity to return to Fujinglou, especially to Chef Feng.
Although he called me his senior brother, in fact my cooking skills were far inferior to his, and I didn’t really study at Su Ji for a long time. I was even very rebellious at one point and didn’t want to learn cooking at Su Ji.
It can be said that I am a disciple who betrayed my master.
But I want to thank my master and my fellow apprentices. They helped me find myself again, made me realize the mistakes I made, and understood what I should persist in and the direction I should work towards. "
Having said that, Zhang Fenglin pointed to the championship trophy placed below.
"I will not take this trophy away for now. I will leave it here because I feel that I am not worthy of this trophy right now. I will use this trophy to motivate myself to work harder and reach a higher level of culinary skills, so that I can be worthy of this trophy one day."
Zhang Fenglin's words triggered a round of applause at the scene.
Most people admire Zhang Fenglin for his courage to face up to his own shortcomings and for his courage to say that he does not deserve the trophy.
Feng Yifan also clapped and laughed at his senior brother.
Feng Ruoruo clapped her hands twice, turned around and hugged her father's neck and asked, "Dad, why doesn't Uncle Zhang want the trophy? He obviously won."
Feng Yifan leaned close to his daughter's ear and said, "Because Uncle Zhang feels that he is not strong enough yet, he wants to continue to improve his strength. Only when Uncle Zhang becomes stronger will he take the trophy away. This will also motivate Uncle Zhang to work harder."
Feng Ruoruo then said, "Yeah, so should the trophy be given to that person?"
Hearing his daughter's words, Feng Yifan smiled and continued, "No, the trophy will be kept here for the time being. When Uncle Zhang becomes more powerful, he can take it back."
Perhaps even Su Liancheng and Mei Ru did not expect that at the end of such a cooking competition, the theme would be sublimated.
Not only did Feng Yifan come to support the competition, but the song "Chicken Marrow Bamboo Shoots" from Dream of the Red Chamber also heightened the atmosphere of the competition.
Moreover, in the end, the two remarks made by Zhang Fenglin and Qi Deqiang elevated the theme of the entire competition.
The pursuit of culinary skills should be endless. One should not stagnate or become complacent just because one wins a cooking competition.
So after this final, it was promoted on the Internet and on TV.
Fujing Tower once again entered the public eye and became a symbol of Huaicheng.
Perhaps Su Liancheng and Mei Ru did not expect that such a final would bring them such a great opportunity.
After the competition, Zhuang Daozhong and two state banquet masters came to Feng Yifan and his team.
With the three state banquet masters present, Feng Yifan was naturally neither humble nor arrogant, and handled the situation quite easily.
The three masters all agreed that Feng Yifan should add chicken marrow bamboo shoots to the menu of Fujinglou.
Zhuang Daozhong said very bluntly: "After all, Fujinglou is a very distinctive and iconic restaurant in Huaicheng. If we add the dishes you gave us, it will elevate Fujinglou's status even higher, which will be of great significance to the future promotion of Huaicheng catering."
A state banquet master smiled and said, "Of course, Yifan, you have to ask them for copyright fees."
Zhuang Daozhong smiled and said, "Hahaha, no need. I heard that Yifan and his team own the majority of the shares in Fujing Building."
Another state banquet master heard this and said, "That's no problem. If our own restaurant needs it, we can use it directly."
Feng Yifan saw Su Liancheng and Mei Ru looking over here, and waved to call them over.
In front of Su Liancheng and Mei Ru, he also agreed to the suggestions given by the three state banquet masters: "The three masters asked me to add "Chicken Marrow Bamboo Shoots" and some Red Mansion dishes to the menu of Fujinglou. You two happen to be here. If you agree, I will add it."
Su Liancheng and Mei Ru were stunned at first, and Mei Ru quickly said, "I agree. We have no objection."
Feng Yifan smiled and said, "Okay, I'll discuss this with the two new chefs later."
Su Liancheng laughed happily: "Hahaha, thank you brother-in-law for your help. This way, Fujinglou finally has its own characteristics. Fujinglou will definitely do better."