I'm the Culinary God-Chapter 493 - 251: Grand Opening Celebration Plan! Brother Xu, do you know how to make that kind of Pumpkin Soup from the barbecue restaurant? [Subscribe please]_2
Upon learning that her in-laws were driving over, Shen Baobao couldn’t help but feel a pang of sympathy for them. It was such a long drive. Since they were hauling so much fruit vinegar, they couldn’t go very fast. They probably wouldn’t make it to Beijing until mid-afternoon.
Hearing this, Han Shuzhen and Chen Yan’s expressions immediately lit up. Was the beauty-enhancing, qi-boosting, blood-invigorating fruit vinegar finally on its way? Fantastic! This was great news!
Chen Yan immediately said, "We’ll trade things with you; we won’t let your mother-in-law lose out. Girls who marry out usually do everything they can to bring things back to their maiden families. But look at you! You’re treating us like strangers even before you’re married in."
"Well, at least I’ve married myself off already!" Shen Baobao retorted.
Chen Yan: !!!!!!!!!! After this meal, I’m signing up for boxing lessons with Lu Lu! Once I’m trained, if I don’t thrash you eight times a day, I’ll start calling you ’Big Sis’! Always leaving people speechless... How did I end up with a cousin like you? This is infuriating!
「After the meal.」
Everyone slumped in their chairs, looking thoroughly stuffed.
Han Shuzhen announced, "Starting tomorrow, we can’t eat like this anymore. Consuming so many carbs and fats daily won’t help us slim down; at best, we’ll just become agile but overweight people."
Shen Guofu wasn’t too pleased to hear this, but now was not the time to contradict his wife, or else he’d be in for it when they got home.
Chen Yan said, "I saw many bloggers online using pumpkin as a meal replacement. Brother-in-law, how about you steam some pumpkin tomorrow to replace our main carbs?"
"Okay, I’ll have someone bring some in later," Lin Xu agreed. Perfect timing, since Mom is coming. I’ll ask her to make some pumpkin congee. I’ve been eating the restaurant’s staff meals for so long; I’m starting to miss her cooking.
「Shortly after dinner.」
Shen Baobao went back to her apartment in the residential community behind the restaurant to change into sportswear, then left to play tennis with Chen Yan.
Shen Guofu drove Han Shuzhen home so they could do their exercise dance routine.
Around six in the evening, the guests who had reserved the roasted whole lamb began to arrive at the restaurant.
These three tables had ordered several other dishes in addition to the roasted whole lamb. By the time all the other dishes were served, the lamb was also perfectly roasted.
Lin Xu, with the help of Wei Qian and Zhu Yong, carefully removed the roasted whole lamb from the oven.
They then undid the supports and the huge roasting spit, placing the lamb, back-side up, onto a large wooden tray lined with lettuce leaves.
Soon, the waiters carried it out to the diners.
Zhuang Yizhou, having just finished his cooking tasks, remarked, "The last time I dined with some streamers at the Mongolian Cultural Garden, they played Mongolian music when they served the roasted whole lamb, and the waiters even performed a Mongolian dance."
Hearing this, Zhu Yong suggested, "Why don’t we do the same?"
Lin Xu smiled. "Then you’d have to lead the dance."
Me, lead the dance? Zhu Yong pictured the embarrassing scene and immediately started to backpedal. "I think Lin Ji needs its own unique style," he said. "We can’t just keep copying others. Besides, as pioneers of new Chinese cuisine, we should reject all unnecessary frills!" 𝘧𝘳𝘦ℯ𝓌𝘦𝒷𝘯𝑜𝑣𝘦𝓁.𝒸𝘰𝓂
If Lu Lu found out I was dancing in a Mongolian robe, wouldn’t she laugh herself silly? Best to drop this topic quickly before word gets to her.
「In the upstairs private room.」
Zhen Wensheng, the director of the travel channel, raised his glass of beer and said, "Thanks to everyone’s hard work recently, our travel channel has finally made a comeback! Bonuses will be doubled this month. Please, eat and drink to your heart’s content, don’t hold back!"
He drained his beer in one gulp, then turned to Geng Lishan, who was seated beside him, and asked, "Mr. Lishan, do you have anything to add?"
Geng Lishan waved his hand and said very down-to-earthly, "What’s there to say? Let’s eat! Everyone’s starving."
Sitting next to him, Geng Lele had already slipped on a pair of disposable gloves, ready to dig in the moment the director finished speaking.
Just yesterday, Chen Yan had treated her and her grandfather, Geng Lishan, to a meal where they’d tasted the renowned roasted suckling pig. So when the travel channel invited them for roasted whole lamb today, and even specifically invited her grandpa from home, how could she miss such a great opportunity? Naturally, she tagged along.
Seeing everyone eyeing the roasted whole lamb in the center of the table with hungry anticipation, Zhen Wensheng announced, "Alright, let’s begin! Waiter, please have someone come and carve this lamb."
A whole roasted lamb is difficult to handle. It’s better to carve it into smaller pieces before eating, making it easier to pick up and enjoy.
Soon, Zhu Yong, who had eagerly volunteered, came in with a sharp boning knife. He deftly carved the roasted whole lamb into smaller pieces, even separating the ribs one by one.
Once it was all prepared, everyone eagerly reached out, grabbing pieces of lamb and starting to savor them.
Zeng Xiaoqi, who had eaten roasted whole lamb at a tourist attraction before, unhesitatingly picked up a piece of meat from the lamb’s back and handed it to Geng Lele. "The meat from the back is the crispiest and most delicious."
"Thanks, Xiaoqi. In a bit, I’ll go to the second floor to see if Lin Xu is secretly making something delicious. If he is, I’ll bring some back for you."
"Great!"
Everyone knew by now that the truly best dishes at Lin Ji were the ones not listed on the menu. So Geng Lele planned to scout around the kitchen entrance, hoping to chance upon some of those special dishes they shared among themselves. If she managed to find some, it would be a real score!
They ate and chatted, and when they were nearly finished, Geng Lele removed her disposable gloves, wiped the grease from her mouth, and said to Geng Lishan, "Grandpa, drink a little less. I’m going to see what Lin Xu is up to."
"I’ll stop after this glass. Just don’t disturb Lin Xu while he’s working," Geng Lishan replied.
"I won’t," Geng Lele promised.
By then, Zeng Xiaoqi had also eaten her fill. Seeing her colleagues starting to raise their glasses for toasts, she removed her gloves and left the private room with Geng Lele.
