Chapter 43: Terrifying Knife Skills

Manager Terry's respectful demeanor toward Chef Liu was remarkable. Typically, the two worked independently and seldom yielded to each other. Yet today, Manager Terry's attitude indicated strong reservations about the person who wished to compete. This sparked Chef Liu's curiosity. He looked at George and asked, "Are you sure you want to compete with me? While I may not be the best chef in the country, my skills are far from lacking." "I'd like to see how good Chef Liu's cooking is," George replied. Originally, George had no intention of competing, but for the $1,500 prize, he felt the competition was worth it. "Alright, let's have a competition," Chef Liu agreed. By now, most of the dishes had already been served in the private room, and Chef Liu had completed his tasks. In his view, if George had the audacity to propose a competition, he must possess some skills. Furthermore, competing with others could help Chef Liu refine his own cooking techniques. As for showing respect to Manager Terry, that was merely incidental. Soon, a chef cleared space for both George and Chef Liu to compete, and Chef Liu learned the rules of the competition from Manager Terry, which he accepted without issue. Chef Liu began by taking out a piece of meat and cutting it. His knife skills were impressive; the slices were even, with a perfect balance of fat and lean meat. At first, George hadn't decided what to make. After learning various recipes from Aunt Wang, he had a vast array of dishes he could prepare. Observing Chef Liu's actions, George decided to use a piece of pork belly and began cutting as well. When Chef Liu casually glanced at George's movements, he was first surprised and then grew angry. Clearly, George had chosen to prepare the same dish, directly challenging him. If they had chosen different dishes, a loss could be blamed on personal taste differences. But with both preparing the same dish, there would be no such excuse. This young man is so arrogant. Chef Liu turned away from George. He had initially considered whether to hold back, but seeing George's audacious behavior, he decided to unleash all his skills and teach George a lesson. Others also understood George's intentions and shared Chef Liu's sentiment, thinking George was too arrogant. For Elijah and Manager Terry, George's decision was perfect. If George lost, he would have no excuse. But the next moment, the onlookers were left stunned. George pressed the meat with his left hand and held the knife with his right. As the knife descended, perfectly even slices of meat appeared on the cutting board, matching Chef Liu's work in both size and quality. Even more astonishing was George's speed. His right hand blurred as it moved, leaving behind streaks of motion. The pile of meat on the cutting board grew rapidly, while the portion under his left hand dwindled quickly. His knife speed was terrifying! His knife skills were exceptional. Everyone had initially thought George's claim of having better cooking skills than the top chefs here was a joke. But now, it seemed that wasn't the case. His knife skills not only matched Chef Liu's but were possibly even superior. Isn't he a physical education teacher? How could his knife skills be so impressive? The crowd was bewildered. "Maybe his knife skills are good, but his cooking might be average. The taste of his dishes could still fall short," Elijah and Manager Terry mused. On the other hand, Chef Liu was also taken aback by George's knife skills. As the saying goes, amateurs admire the show, but experts focus on the craft. While others marveled at George's impressive knife skills, Chef Liu could see that George's abilities were not only exceptional but among the best in the country. Such skill was the result of decades of practice, something few could achieve. How could someone so young possess such knife skills? Previously confident, Chef Liu now felt genuinely threatened for the first time. He quickly refocused and concentrated on preparing his dish. George paid no attention to the reactions around him. Immersed in his own world, his focus was solely on the ingredients before him. Previously, he had only displayed a fraction of his skills through barbecuing, which couldn't fully showcase his advanced cooking abilities. Today, he finally had the chance to demonstrate his true expertise. While the onlookers were curious, George was fully absorbed and excited by the task at hand. Both chefs were making braised pork, a common dish that many could prepare. However, it was precisely such simple dishes that tested a chef's true skill. While many could make it, only a few could achieve exceptional taste. After starting on the braised pork, both simultaneously began preparing their next dish: squirrel fish, a renowned specialty. The fish were live, ensuring optimal freshness. In the next moment, George showcased his extraordinary knife skills once again. He tossed the fish into the air, and with a few swift movements of his knife, he expertly removed the scales, opened the belly, and eliminated the internal organs, bones, and spines. The fish landed on the cutting board, clean and tender. With a flick of his wrist, George sent the scales, organs, bones, and spines into the nearby trash bin, leaving nothing behind. How was this possible? The crowd's astonishment grew. While they had all seen fish scaled before, none had witnessed such a technique as George's. It was incredible. His movements were so swift that they couldn't even follow them. The fish's scales seemed to disappear in an instant. George hadn't just relied on knife skills; he had employed a dissection technique that separated the fish meat from the other parts. His method was so impressive that it left the onlookers feeling both amazed and slightly intimidated. Chef Liu was equally stunned. While he had been initially shocked by George's knife skills, he was now deeply impressed. George's abilities were far beyond what Chef Liu had initially imagined. It wasn't just that few could compare to George—there simply was no one who could. Who is this person? How does he possess such remarkable knife skills? Could he be the disciple of a renowned master?