Chef at the University Canteen-Chapter 446 - 266: Could Easily Live Off Looks, Yet Relies on Culinary Skills

First floor of the Seventh Dining Hall, cafeteria hall.

There must have been an "insider" in the cafeteria, as the news leaked too fast. As soon as they heard Jiang Yu would be personally cooking on the first floor today, creating all new dishes,

instantly, regardless if they were regulars at the Seventh Dining Hall or students who usually didn’t want to waste time queuing due to their hectic studies, they all couldn’t help but gather from all corners of the campus.

As a result, even before the cafeteria’s opening time, the hall was bustling and crowded. Students arriving late couldn’t even squeeze in at the entrance.

Jiang Yu was still in the kitchen cooking when he heard Tongtong running over to report the situation. After a moment of thought, he said to Lu Shuwu:

"Since there are so many students here today, let’s start serving food earlier. Safety first with this many people."

"Alright, I’ll arrange for the serving to start,"

Lu Shuwu nodded and quickly went out to arrange the serving staff.

At this moment, the students waiting for their meals were each filled with anticipation, occasionally chatting with the classmates beside them:

"Weren’t those previous dishes all very delicious? Why suddenly change them? Dishes like braised pork with preserved vegetables, chopped chili fish, and black bean sauce ribs—I never get tired of them!"

"If we always eat these few dishes, we won’t have a balanced nutrition. Senior Brother Jiang changes the menu for our own good, right?"

"Nonsense! With all the variety we have, how can it not be balanced? Changing the menu is just to ensure we don’t get bored eating the same things all the time, don’t overthink it!"

"Anyway, Senior Brother Jiang really cares about us. After all, we’re all his juniors!"

"..."

Zhu Yaxue was also in the long queue, albeit a bit towards the back, just a step away from having to stand outside the door.

These days, she had been following her cousin Liu Qian’s advice, staying at the Taoyuan Conference Hall, eating at the Seventh Dining Hall, and living blissfully.

To the point that she almost forgot the reason she traveled all the way from Chang’an to Jiang University.

Until last night, while surfing the internet in her hotel room, she suddenly received a call from her editor-in-chief asking how her manuscript for the month was coming along.

With just a week left until the deadline, he urged her to hurry...

This awakened her, realizing she was actually a magazine editor!

Somehow, she felt a bit wronged. It wasn’t her fault; blame the food at the Seventh Dining Hall for being so good that she almost forgot who she was.

However, that feeling of being wronged only lasted a moment. After coming to the Seventh Dining Hall this morning, she turned her grievance into appetite, devouring a whole basket of soup dumplings, two marinated duck wings, two marinated duck feet, plus a bowl of century egg and lean pork congee, which cheered her up.

Yet, she still remembered her editor-in-chief’s reminder. With only a week left, she had to interview Jiang Yu within the next couple of days. If that didn’t work, she’d still have some time to rush to Xiang Chu Tanzhou.

Although the timing was tight, she could still manage a manuscript if she hurried.

Besides, she had already been on and off at Jiang University for almost half a month. Despite her love for the food at the Seventh Dining Hall, she eventually had to return to Chang’an.

After all, life isn’t just about good food, but also about poetry and distant lands!

The unexpected part for Zhu Yaxue was when she arrived at the Seventh Dining Hall at 10:30 to find a long queue already formed. Before she figured out what was happening, the discussions among students around her brought her instant joy:

It turned out that Jiang Yu would be cooking the meals in the first-floor canteen himself today, and more importantly, there was going to be a complete menu change!

This, this, this—it was like a grand surprise gift from the heavens!

For a moment, Zhu Yaxue was both excited and worried.

Obviously, she was excited because she could enjoy Jiang Yu’s cooking without going to the second floor. Her worry, however, was that with so many people in line, her favorite dishes might sell out before it was her turn.

If that really happened, wouldn’t she be heartbroken?

After being on edge for a while, the cafeteria finally opened for business.

As soon as the serving began, the whole line couldn’t help but stir. Each student involuntarily moved forward, while those at the front craned their necks to peer at the dishes just brought out, faces full of delight:

"Wow! There’s cold braised beef and chilled cucumber with pig ears! In this hot weather, I just love eating chilled dishes!"

"And cola chicken wings, my favorite! Wah, Senior Brother Jiang is so thoughtful!"

"Is that tomato-braised beef? The tomatoes are cooked to perfection, and I can’t help salivating. It’s absolutely perfect with rice!"

"..."

The students up front shouted excitedly, announcing each new dish, making the ones at the back who couldn’t see even more anxious.

Were it not for the risk of getting caught cutting in line and possibly having their conduct scores deducted, someone might have already dashed to the front!

Zhu Yaxue was also quite anxious. The tomato-braised beef, with its tangy and fresh taste, was perfect for stimulating appetite in this hot summer!

Just imagining it made her mouth water!

And yes, the cola chicken wings were also her favorite. She could eat a whole plate of them even without rice!