The Reviled God of Cooking Tries to Slack Off - Chapter 90

The sauce for the Black Gold Braised Pork was richer than usual, while the Osmanthus & Preserved Plum Braised Pork leaned more toward a sweet and sour profile. The chefs were just as focused and meticulous as they approached it with the care of a formal competition—executing every dish with excellence.

The two chefs making braised pork this time had met Jiang Tingzhou during the CCTV competition. He had extended an invitation before his match against Ye Shunxin, riding the wave of public interest and keeping the momentum going.

Thanks to Jiang Tingzhou’s initiative and the ongoing attention from the public, the second round of the braised pork competition was another success. Chefs came one after another to showcase their skills.

Jiang Tingzhou himself hadn’t expected there to be so many variations of braised pork.

The Black Gold and Osmanthus Plum braised pork were just slight twists on the classic recipe—each infused with special flavors. Taste-wise, they weren’t drastically different from traditional versions. But as chefs from different regions participated, the diversity in styles became more pronounced.

One chef made fermented bean curd braised pork: reddish, soft, and dominated by a bold, savory flavor.

Another offered a Cantonese-style version: gently sweet, with a subtle hint of wine. The meat had a gelatinous texture, melting in the mouth.

There was also a homestyle spicy braised pork, where the use of spices made the dish fragrant enough to be smelled from across the street.

There was also Mao-style braised pork, simmered gently without a single drop of soy sauce, resulting in juicy, tender meat with a lingering aftertaste.

Every two days, the stall opened with a new twist on the dish, bringing delight and surprise to the crowd that gathered faithfully each time. 

It was turning into a full-blown braised pork festival.

Everyone loves a buzz, and chefs and diners alike were caught up in the fun. 

Yet some of the chefs who arrived later began to worry: many of the styles they were good at had already been presented, leaving them feeling they had nothing new to offer.

As the event’s organizer, Jiang Tingzhou didn’t see this as a problem.

“Cooking shouldn’t be confined like that,” he said. “If you think your version lacks novelty, just add something new.”

After he said that, the next day’s stall featured red-braised pork with added side ingredients—fluffy, fragrant chestnuts that had been cooked just right.

The chestnuts were peeled, stewed until perfectly tender, then drenched in rich, glossy gravy. Their natural sweetness paired seamlessly with the braised pork.

The crowd loved it.

Soon, side dishes began to appear across different variations. Some chefs opted for more luxurious ingredients—abalone braised pork, for instance. The abalone, tender and fresh, absorbed the meat’s sauce beautifully. That chef brought an entire foam box full of live abalone—clearly not lacking money—and the diners were more than happy to indulge.

But extravagant ingredients weren’t the only route. As long as the stew base was rich and flavorful, simple additions worked just as well.

Some chefs used fresh tofu soaked in broth. Others went with dried tofu, soft taro, or even glass noodles. One popular version featured braised pork stewed with vermicelli, served over rice. The combo of noodles and grains proved addictive.

Currently, the most popular dish at the stall was:  Braised Pork with Tiger Skin Quail Eggs.

The pork was soft and succulent, and the eggs were so flavorful they almost upstaged the meat itself.

With all this action, people stopped caring about winners and losers. If you could get in line and get a taste, that was already a big win.

Braised pork is a visually appealing dish—its gleaming sauce and delicate marbling look mouthwatering even in photos taken with a phone. Just one glance could stir up your appetite.

Each voting ticket printed at the event carried information about the chefs. These chefs weren’t just cooks—they were competitors. As the reputation of the competition grew, so did public attention.

Although not everyone could come to the scene and eat in person, Jiang Tingzhou encouraged people online to post their own homemade versions of braised pork. The event’s hashtag started to trend, as users from across the internet shared their memories and styles.

【“My grandma’s braised pork is the best! She makes it every New Year’s, and I always eat a huge bowl!”】

【“Our version is different—we stir-fry braised pork with green garlic. Super tasty. Highly recommend!”】

【“We eat it with steamed buns. Stuff the meat in—amazing. I can eat several.”】

【“Lotus leaf pancakes for us!”】

【“Question: we make mei gan cai kou rou (braised pork with preserved vegetables) using pork belly too. Does that count as red-braised pork?”】

【“Wait, if that counts, then ba zi rou (eight-shaped pork) should count too.”】

【“I declare the whole world is one big pot of braised pork!”】

【“Incredible. I can smell it through the screen!”】

The discussion thread under the hashtag was buzzing with energy.

Jiang Tingzhou didn’t idle either. On his own channel, he began teaching jealous viewers how to cook braised pork at home.

From choosing pork belly to making sugar syrup for the glaze—he covered it all. For beginners who struggled with the caramelization step, he also provided a simpler version that skipped it entirely but still yielded soft, flavorful meat.

Some contestants who were smart enough even followed his account, including Ye Shunxin.

With the event trending, the chef competition gained unprecedented attention.

These days, the morning market wasn’t just filled with diners. Influencers and amateur food bloggers had started showing up to take photos. The place was lively, and the sugar factory’s shop saw more foot traffic than ever.

It was already crowded before. Now, the spacious shop was packed. If Jiang Tingzhou hadn’t reserved a small private room for himself, he probably wouldn’t even have a place to sit.

The weather was lovely that day. Sunlight streamed through the window, and it felt good to sit in the warmth.

Jiang Tingzhou had just wrapped up some work and decided to have lunch at the store. Coincidentally, he was eating braised pork again. He liked pairing it with firm rice, some blanched greens from his own garden, and a soft-boiled egg. A spoonful of gravy over the top—it was the perfect meal for him.

Unfortunately, he’d left the house in a rush that morning and forgotten to bring soup. 

Just as he was about to get up to brew tea, Lu Baiyu walked in.

It wasn’t Lu Baiyu’s first time visiting. He was already familiar with the shop and seemed to know Jiang Tingzhou’s habits.

Shaking the insulated food box in his hand, he said, “I brought soup. Drink this.”

Before Jiang Tingzhou could reply, Lu Baiyu added, “Oh, I just saw Zhou Bing and the others leaving. Bingcheng Chao and Haoshi are both on board. Director Zeng has relaxed his stance too. Tingzhou, the chef competition can proceed just as you envisioned.”

He walked to Jiang Tingzhou’s table and gently placed the soup down. “If Director Zeng still hesitates,” he added, “Dongjiang TV will help push things forward.”

Lu Baiyu was here for official reasons—at least on the surface. Jiang Tingzhou thought for a moment, then sat back down—choosing not to send him away.

By now, Jiang Tingzhou knew that Lu Baiyu had met with Deputy Director He. What surprised him more was that Dongjiang TV had come to film on-site that very day—and they’d captured some interesting footage, and the footage had gone viral.

Apparently, when people eat something truly delicious, their energy spikes. There was one especially memorable shot of an old man’s expression changing dramatically the moment he tasted the meat. The clip exploded online and became a minor sensation, with some diners even imitating it for fun.

At first, Deputy Director He was just returning a favor when Lu Group called him in. But now, seeing the scene, he had started taking the project more seriously.

 And Lu Baiyu’s news didn’t end there.

“Dongjiang TV is rescheduling the broadcast,” Lu Baiyu said. “The Chef Competition is moving from an afternoon slot to prime time Saturday evening.”

Jiang Tingzhou was stunned. “Saturday? I thought it was Friday night?”

He couldn’t have misremembered the schedule. It had been fixed in his memory for years.

“Saturday’s better,” Lu Baiyu replied. “The competition is drawing more attention than expected. It deserves a prime slot.”

Dongjiang TV had already started promotion.

As they spoke, Lu Baiyu took out a thermos. He had brought a bowl of loofah and white clam soup. It smelled sweet and fresh, pairing perfectly with braised pork and rice.

He had cooked the soup himself, though he didn’t mention that.

Making soup wasn’t hard if you had good ingredients. After a few tries, even a novice could get it right.

Pushing the soup bowl toward Jiang Tingzhou, he looked at him expectantly:“Tingzhou, try it.”

Jiang Tingzhou studied the bowl, took a spoonful, and nodded.“Not bad.”

The clam meat had been chosen well. Because it was fresh, there was almost no need for extra seasoning. The natural sweetness of the ingredients spoke for itself.

Lu Baiyu was clearly delighted to be praised—but before he could respond, Jiang Tingzhou added: “I really have to thank the Lu Group for their help.”

He knew Lu Baiyu had worked hard on the director’s end and with the TV station.

Lu Baiyu said, “Tingzhou, no need to thank me. Between us…”

“No help—this is what I should do,” Jiang Tingzhou interrupted. “Now that the competition is gaining traction, Xiaoping has reached out to short video platforms. One of them is interested in taking over the live stream and online broadcast. Of course, for online broadcasting, they’ll want their own ad slots.”

Just the pre-event buzz had already amassed nearly 1 billion views. Ye Shunxin, the most popular contestant who’d just started her account, had already gained 100,000 followers in days. With such a high level of online attention, platforms naturally took interest.

Now even the previously unwanted naming rights for the TV competition were hotly contested, but the partnership slots were long gone..

“Because it’s a collaboration with you, the platform is willing to negotiate on terms,” Jiang Tingzhou said. “The platform gave a very low quote. Lu Group should sign it, so it’ll be clearly stated that the ingredients are provided by Lu Group—and only Lu Group.”

If the event truly succeeded, everyone aligned with Jiang Tingzhou would benefit. Not just Lu Group, but also Bingcheng Chao and Haoshi. Everyone who contributed would be treated fairly.

But this wasn’t quite what Lu Baiyu had hoped for. The smile on his face grew stiff. “Tingzhou, I… I don’t want to sign under Lu Group’s name. I…”

“I know,” Jiang Tingzhou said calmly. “So I went straight to President Qin. She was very happy to support us. It’s not a large expense for Lu Group. Since she agreed, there was no need to involve Young Master Lu.”

He didn’t want to rely solely on Lu Baiyu. If there was a more direct, more profitable route—he’d take it.

Lu Baiyu was quiet for a long moment. Then he said, “Tingzhou, I did all this just because I wanted to help you… It had nothing to do with Lu Group.”

“Business is business,” Jiang Tingzhou replied.  “I can’t accept your kindness for nothing.”

He paused and added, “And that’s all there is. If young President Lu wants anything else, I don’t have it to give.”