Super Zoo

Chapter 170 The Fastidious Foreigner

Upon hearing Mr. Seibel say so, the host seemed not quite to understand and asked, "Mr. Seibel, what do you mean by that?"

"I believe that an excellent chef should not only possess cooking skills but should also be able to distinguish the quality of the ingredients themselves. Let's take your fish for example, the same braised fish dish, cooked by the same chef and even under completely identical conditions in every aspect, would the taste necessarily be the same? No, no, high-quality ingredients have a natural advantage! As far as I know, in Huaxia, chef apprentices don't get to cook right away, they must first learn to select ingredients, and that's the reason."

As Mr. Seibel spoke, he deftly picked up a small slice of braised carp with his chopsticks, choosing not the boneless belly but a tender piece of flesh beneath the fish's eye.

"Hmm, just as my tongue tells me, this fish is delicious. Despite the use of many heavily flavored artificial seasonings, they can't possibly mask the natural delicious taste of the fish. The seasoning has perfectly integrated with the fish, and the freshness of the fish itself has been brought out by the seasonings. It is clear that this hotel has a highly skilled chef," he said, putting down his chopsticks.

After Mr. Seibel finished speaking, the face of the hotel lobby manager standing to the side nearly burst into bloom with a smile.

"But..." Mr. Seibel changed his tone, "there is a saying in the East: 'Learning has no end.' The same goes for gourmet food. Just because this dish tastes great, should we stop our pursuit of even more delicious food? No, no, no..."

The onlooking crowd widened their eyes at Mr. Seibel, unsure what this foreigner was trying to say—was he suggesting the fish was good, or not good?

The manager of Yuleyu Restaurant was also feeling perplexed, what was this foreigner up to? Was he here to show support or to undermine them? He shot a plea for help toward the host, who could only shrug helplessly. Mr. Seibel's thoughts were always unique, sometimes even 'bizarre,' and he could indeed make some unexpected comments on the show that even she, as the host, couldn't control.

"If I were to give a score, I would give the first fish I tasted 60 points, but for this fish, I can give 80 points," Mr. Seibel nodded, wiping his mouth with a napkin, looking ready to stand up and leave.

The host had come with a 'mission' and seeing Mr. Seibel about to leave, she hastily thought of a way to steer the conversation towards what Nangong Yan had instructed, but before she could speak, the manager of Yuleyu Restaurant took the initiative to ask, "Mr. Seibel, why only 80 points? You said this fish is very good and even lively and free. It should score at least 90 points, right? Could it be that our chef didn't do a good job?"

"Oh, no, no, it's not to do with you, but rather a certain insistence of mine, this old fellow," Mr. Seibel said with a chuckle, shaking his head, "I believe that only the finest ingredients deserve a score of 90 or above. Such ingredients, when tasted, give an extraordinary sensation. Of course, such superb ingredients are almost impossible to come by, hence, this isn't your problem."

"But the fish from Huating Reservoir are already the best in Yangchuan City. I think there might not be any better in the entire country. Your standard seems too mysterious," the lobby manager muttered, thinking to himself that now 'extraordinary' had been brought up, why didn't the old foreigner just say that eating it would grant immortality?

A server whispered a reminder, "Manager, didn't the zoo send over a hundred pounds of fish last time?"

"The zoo's fish are also lake-raised. People even row boats on the lake, so the taste of the fish is likely not even as good as the domestic ones," the lobby manager whispered back with a frown.

"Just try it, maybe it will meet the foreigner's taste," the server suggested.

After thinking it over, the lobby manager pulled the host aside to discuss, "We have another batch of fish here, but I have no confidence in it. If the foreigner doesn't like it, our reputation will be ruined."

The host, fully aware of the situation, understandingly replied, "No problem, we're not live broadcasting. Just prepare those fish, and if Mr. Seibel finds them unsatisfactory, we'll cut that segment before airing."