The Reviled God of Cooking Tries to Slack Off - Chapter 109

In response to the theme of “going home for dinner,” some contestants answered: “presence.”

Because in many homes, meals are never lacking in deliciousness—especially as the Lunar New Year approaches, where rich, meaty dishes are always essential at the table.

So, for this round, Tao Jintian went to one extreme: for his main course, he chose a hearty classic—braised pork elbow.

Although pork elbow is a common dish at family banquets, making a truly outstanding version is far from easy.

It contains both fatty and lean meat, and each must be treated with care. The fat must be soft yet springy, the lean meat tender but not dry. When perfectly cooked, the meat should fall from the bone with a gentle shake. The dish should be rich but not greasy. And every family has their own unique marinade. 

Tao Jintian opted for the rock sugar braised pork elbow method.

This version doesn’t use a single drop of soy sauce. The deep, appealing red hue comes solely from caramelized rock sugar. He selected the highest-quality pork elbow and carefully managed the cooking time. Just as it finished, he poured over a thick, glistening marinade. The skin turned sticky and glossy, the lean meat aromatic and savory—a true celebration of meat.

With such a heavy main dish, the soup and side had to provide balance. Tao Jintian chose to prepare a hot and sour soup.

Besides the usual ingredients, he added scallops, fresh shrimp, and fish slices to balance the heat and tang with a touch of sweetness. The more you drank, the more appetizing it became.

His side dish was stir-fried seasonal vegetables with chicken mushrooms. Stir-fried greens are common, but the addition of chicken mushrooms gave the dish a fresh, earthy taste. The crisp sweetness of the seasonal vegetables was enhanced, making the dish a great companion to the rich pork elbow—perfect for a few extra bites of rice.

Though these three dishes—pork elbow, hot and sour soup, and stir-fried vegetables—were ordinary home dishes, Tao Jintian incorporated his signature attention to detail and excellent technique, making them far from ordinary in flavor.

He also gave his set meal a name—common yet auspicious: “Golden Success with Pork Hock” (a pun on “Golden Honor Roll”).

“When I was a kid, my mom would make this for me before every test,” he said with a laugh to the camera. “But I wasn’t that smart, and my grades were average, so I ended up becoming a chef instead.” He smiled confidently as he cooked. “Still, no matter how the test went—this dish was always delicious, right?”

And that’s true. No matter the results, the food prepared by your family is always the best.

As for Ye Shunxin, the first thing she associated with “going home for dinner” was: “hometown.”

Though she now lived in Shangying, it wasn’t her hometown. When she thought about her childhood home, the dish that came to mind was yellow croaker with rice cakes—always served as the grand finale when she returned.

But the price of wild yellow croaker rose every year. With only 500 yuan, she couldn’t afford it. Farmed croaker, on the other hand, lacked flavor. If only she could’ve gotten the wild variety, it alone might have secured her a win.

While walking through the seafood section of the market, she found some Donghai pomfret of excellent quality. That gave her an idea: she would make a homestyle braised pomfret with rice cakes.

Fortunately, she also discovered a rice cake vendor who used the traditional method from her hometown. The owner was a fellow villager. The only downside? The shop only sold rice cakes in bulk.

She didn’t need that much for the main dish, but the rice cakes were delicious on their own—so she bought a bag of granulated sugar and shared the extra with everyone on the bus.

For a “family feast,” there’s always fish. Her braised pomfret with rice cake represented her version of “abundance year after year.”

The pomfret was fresh and tender, the rice cakes soft and chewy, soaked in the rich fish broth. In fact, the rice cakes might have tasted even better than the fish itself.

Since the main dish wasn’t particularly heavy, the soup could afford to be more robust. She made a bone broth tofu stew. The long-simmered bone broth turned milky white. The tofu—made by her own hand—was firm and porous, absorbing all the flavors of the broth. This, too, was a familiar homestyle touch.

For her side dish, she prepared a dessert: osmanthus honey almond tofu, with a strong nutty almond fragrance.

Rice cakes and tofu—both products of further processing—may be humble ingredients, but when turned into the right dishes, they shine. This was the flavor of her hometown.

Watching her, Jiang Tingzhou noticed that she had changed since the start of the competition. She now carried herself with more confidence, even in the high-pressure finals. The anxiety of the early rounds had faded—now she looked calm and focused.

This round gave contestants more time. Everyone took the opportunity to prepare “big dishes” that were both homey and refined—striving to elevate everyday flavors into something memorable. It was mentally and physically demanding.

While cooking, Ye Shunxin grew hungry, so she warmed up a rice cake and munched on it as she stared into her simmering soup pot, looking a bit rough around the edges—but completely at ease.

Though it was the finals, the act of making these familiar dishes brought back many memories. For her, this was the most relaxing day of the entire competition.

And no matter the final results—this dish would undoubtedly be delicious.

Master Qiu interpreted the theme “going home for dinner” as: “classics.”

Home-cooked meals passed down over generations—refined through repetition—are the very definition of “classic.”

Being skilled in Cantonese cuisine, he naturally thought of the poon choi (Cantonese layered pot dish)—a staple of New Year’s feasts. But with only 500 yuan, he couldn’t afford the premium ingredients that dish requires.

Instead, he recalled another saying: “No chicken, no feast.” So he prepared a golden oyster chicken pot.

The name implied good fortune—“The golden rooster announces good news.” He chose a quality free-range chicken, adding oyster flavor for richness and sheen. The result was fresh, tender, and smooth. For his hard-earned beef, he prepared a clear beef soup.

As for the side, Cantonese cuisine boasts countless beloved desserts. He chose one: golden sponge cake.

Though commonly sold as a semi-finished product, this was a family banquet—so he made it from scratch.

The cake had a honeycomb-like texture, soft and fragrant with honey and coconut milk. Its golden color matched perfectly with the chicken dish, making the whole set visually harmonious and auspicious.

Golden and radiant—it symbolized a good year to come.

Every contestant had their own answer to “going home for dinner.” The memories of home are etched deeply in each person’s heart.

Some made ginger duck; others recreated slaughter-day pork dishes—adjusted slightly in technique but preserving traditional flavors. Each one represented the culinary heritage of a different place.

But the spotlight inevitably turned to Cai Yuan, the only Western-style chef in the finals. The audience worried she’d struggle to interpret the theme. As soon as she began shopping, comments poured in:

【“Can Western dishes even count as ‘home-cooked’?”】

【“How will she handle this?”】

Though she had skill in Western cuisine, it seemed out of place for this round. Likely, only judge Rolando would accept Western food as fitting the theme.

Still, Cai Yuan remained composed. After thoughtful shopping, she spent most of her budget on an excellent sirloin steak.

The quality was indisputable, but using steak as a main course seemed to point to Western-style preparation.

Indeed, during the official round, she used a traditional roasting method. The steak was juicy, marbled just right, full of rich meaty flavor.

But the surprise came in the sauce—she paired the steak with a unique Yunnan green sauce.

It immediately distinguished her dish. The sour, spicy, and fresh flavors of the green sauce cut through the richness of the meat, harmonizing perfectly. The tree tomato in the sauce provided the final touch. This wasn’t just a last-minute idea—she’d made it many times while studying abroad.

“When I was overseas,” she explained, “I’d recreate this dish whenever I missed home.”

Her side dish was a fusion too: foie gras spring rolls. A small piece of foie gras wrapped in crispy spring roll skin created a silky, indulgent contrast in texture.

For her soup, she made a variation on French green bean soup, blending traditional Western technique with local flair. The base was edamame, combined with shredded loofah and cantaloupe to create a rich, nourishing broth—similar to what her family called “lazy tofu.” She refined it to suit the judges’ tastes without losing its original charm.

She called her three-dish set: “Nostalgia.”

“I’ve tried many cuisines,” she said, “but no matter where I am, there’s something different about the taste of home.”

During her years abroad, when ingredients were scarce, even tasting a familiar sauce brought comfort. Wherever she was, that flavor made her feel like she was home.

That evening, the finals were broadcast on TV. On New Year’s Eve, it became the most-watched program of the night, trending online since the morning’s market shopping segment.

While the full prep process was available online, the televised version showcased highlights of each dish during the primetime slot.

Each contestant presented their dishes in sequence. Ten judges scored them after tasting. Once all the results were in, the winner would be announced.

With the stunning presentation and touching stories behind every dish, the live broadcast’s popularity soared.

Even Cheng Shifei showed up in the kitchen to offer feedback.

Every contestant gave it their all. The food they prepared was beyond tempting.

The audience buzzed with anticipation and one burning question:

Who will win?