Ch. 491..500

Chapter 491: Unlucky (2 chapters combined into one)

He made such a low-level mistake because he was distracted; it was really humiliating.

The fishbone was stabbed in directly, not just a simple prick.

Joseph Tanner endured the pain and quickly pulled the fishbone out.

His finger was trembling from the pain.

“Have the doctor wrap it up for you,” said Michael Greene in a deep voice.

Eleanor Ward had already run over.

This small injury was about the size of a pinhole.

After disinfecting Joseph Tanner’s wound, Eleanor applied a band-aid, and he was fine.

But Joseph still felt that he had wasted a lot of time. As soon as the wound was dressed, he immediately went back to processing the fish.

However, his finger was still throbbing with pain, which made his movements considerably slower.

“What bad luck!” Joseph muttered angrily under his breath.

He glared fiercely at Cindy Clarke.

If it weren’t for Cindy meddling, he wouldn’t have been distracted!

At this time, Cindy was focusing on her cuisine, completely unaware of Joseph’s gaze.

Finally, the cooking time was almost over.

Michael Greene reminded, “There is one minute left.” Joseph’s fish was still steaming in the pot.

His finger being injured and time spent on wrapping the wound made his movements slower.

It took much longer than he anticipated putting the fish on the steamer.

Now, he couldn’t be sure if the fish was cooked thoroughly.

But there was only one minute left.

He still had to plate it.

Joseph clenched his teeth and hurriedly took the fish out of the steamer.

He opened the pot, and hot steam was still coming out.

Joseph didn’t have time to care about wearing heat-resistant gloves.

He took a piece of cloth to hold the scorching hot plate.

The cloth couldn’t completely block the heat, and Joseph’s finger was hurting and burning at the same time.

Adding to that, the steamer’s white steam poured out of the pot.

His hand turned red as soon as he reached in.

Joseph quickly took out the fish.

“Bang!” Due to being burned, Joseph’s hand slipped, and the plate fell.

Joseph’s heart raced.

Fortunately, the plate wasn’t too high above the table and didn’t tip over.

The fish inside wobbled twice and almost fell out.

Although the fish didn’t topple out, a lot of the soup inside splashed out.

Joseph was so angry he wanted to flip the table.

He hadn’t had a single moment of smooth sailing during this competition!

This was such bad luck!

He quickly wiped the plate clean and rearranged it.

Finally, everything was handled just in time.

He just didn’t know if the fish was cooked through.

Joseph calculated the time it took to steam the fish, feeling it was a bit risky.

“Now, let’s taste the dishes according to the draw numbers,” said Wesley Gordon, “Number 1, Parker Honi, Wayne Tanner.” As expected, Parker Honi won.

“Number 2, Kai Dawson, Aiden Huxley,” Wesley continued.

Ultimately, Aiden Huxley triumphed.

As the numbers were called one by one, it finally reached number 6.

Cindy and Iris Doone each brought their dishes in front of the judges.

Iris Doone spoke first: “I made the Soup of Abundance. I stewed abalone, fish maw, bird’s nest, dried scallop, sea cucumber, matsutake, black truffle, and noodles together. I used silver fungus to thicken the soup, and I removed the fishy smell from the fish maw, dried scallop, sea cucumber, and abalone.” Michael Greene tasted it and said, “I remember you took shark fin before?” Iris stiffened awkwardly and said, “Before the competition, when I was designing this dish, I didn’t think too much. But when I heard what Cindy said about shark fin just now, I thought it made sense, and there was no need to use it.” “So, I changed the shark fin I originally used as the base to noodles,” Iris explained.

Michael Greene nodded and motioned to the other four judges.

The other four judges tasted it one after another.

“This Soup of Abundance is fresh, sweet, and not fishy; it tastes good,” said Wesley Gordon. “However, I didn’t see anything special about the technique or seasoning, other than putting these expensive ingredients together and stewing them.” Iris’s face tensed.

“This time, your Soup of Abundance is a dish I haven’t seen in any of the restaurants I’ve been to. You must have spent a lot of time thinking about it, wanting to prove that you could also have unique ideas,” said Rosaline Parker, in a relatively polite tone. “However, there’s still some gap to be bridged. At least having the idea is good. Keep working hard.” Charles Dean’s evaluation was also relatively polite: “The soup tastes good. Keep up the good work.” Hunter Clarke didn’t have a good impression of Iris. After taking a bite, he said, “This soup has a luxurious taste, but that’s all it can be described as. You could find any random person, throw these ingredients into a pot, and they could stew it too. Why would customers pay for a dish with such low technical content in a restaurant?” Iris could no longer conceal her gloomy expression.

The five judges turned their attention to Cindy’s dish.

“I made Yellow Croaker in Soup,” Cindy introduced.

Wesley smiled, “This dish is Michael Greene’s signature dish. We four have all tried Michael’s version.” “Let’s not talk about us four for now,” said Hunter Clarke, “Even just Michael’s requirements for this dish must be much stricter than for others. To get his approval, unless the dish really has something unique.” “Why did you choose to make this dish?” Michael also asked.

“I know it’s your signature dish. If I can get your approval on this dish, then I must have succeeded,” said Cindy. “And, I really wanted to challenge myself.” “I don’t like to be just conventional when I cook. Today’s theme is ocean, and I chose seafood as my main ingredient, which is already a very safe approach. That’s why I wanted to add some challenges and difficulties within that safety.” “I chose this dish at first without realizing it was your signature dish. It was only after I decided to make it that I realized it was your signature. But once the inspiration hit, I didn’t want to change it, so I insisted on sticking with this dish.” “The reason I chose this dish at the beginning was that the Yellow Croaker in Soup has endless possibilities. It’s like the food chain of marine life. Big fish eat small fish, and small fish eat shrimp.” “The Yellow Croaker in Soup is filled with a variety of ingredients within the fish’s belly, which is quite like the food chain. And it fits the ocean theme even better,” explained Cindy.

“Your idea is quite interesting,” Michael chuckled.

Charles suggested, “Since this is your signature dish, why not let you make the first cut?” “Alright,” Michael agreed, “But you can’t use a knife for this dish.” Charles was a foreigner after all, and his forte was Western cuisine.

Although he had spent a few years in Hearth Nation, his mastery of Chinese cuisine was still lacking.

“The most challenging part of the Yellow Croaker in Soup is not only the seasoning but also mastering the knife work and heat control,” Michael explained.

Chapter 492 Too Bold (Two Chapters Combined)

“The first challenge of this dish is to remove the fish bones completely without compromising the integrity of the fish.” Michael Greene inspected it and nodded in satisfaction, “The fish is well preserved, and the incision made for deboning is small and barely visible.” The other four judges nodded in satisfaction as well.

“Next is the tenderness of the fish. It can’t be overcooked, and of course, it can’t be undercooked either,” said Michael Greene.

He tapped the fish’s body gently with a clean, new pair of chopsticks, “The fish is plump and elastic, which means the soup filling inside must be rich. The best tenderness is when the fish breaks by itself with just a poke from the tip of the chopsticks, and the breakage is almost indistinguishable from a knife cut.” “Only tender and delicate fish can achieve this,” Michael Greene said, “Let’s give it a try.” Although Cindy Clarke had practiced many times at home and was confident in her control of the heat, she still couldn’t help but hold her breath at this moment.

Not until she saw the chopsticks separating the fish’s belly from the Middle.

As Michael Greene said, because the fish was tender enough, even using the tip of chopsticks could make a clean cut, with smooth and delicate lines.

As soon as the fish belly was opened, the rich tea-colored Soup inside gushed out, like a dam breaking.

It mixed with the soup in the plate, turning into a light, translucent tea color.

The Five Judges were instantly drawn to the delicious and sweet taste.

There were white and red balls mixed in the soup.

The red and white colors were strikingly beautiful.

The red ones were semi-transparent and looked like they would burst open with juice.

Michael Greene took a spoonful of the Soup first.

The Soup was delicious and had no fishy taste.

After drinking it, there was even a hint of sweetness in the aftertaste.

For the second spoonful, he took Soup with a white ball in it.

“The ball is just a common glutinous rice ball, I didn’t add any seasoning, it simply absorbs the flavor of the soup,” explained Cindy Clarke.

Wesley Gordon tasted it carefully: “The ball is soft, elastic, and not sticky, with the sweetness of the soup. It’s as if the soup has solidified.” Charles Dean then scooped up a semi-transparent red ball, about the same size as the white one.

“Is this fish roe?” Charles Dean asked before tasting it.

Cindy shook her head: “No, while fish roe can pop with juice, its slightly fishy taste needs some accompaniment, and not everyone can accept that flavor.” “I was worried that the taste of the fish roe would ruin the sweetness of the soup,” said Cindy Clarke, “So, even though it looks like fish roe, I made these red balls as an imitation. Why don’t you try it and I’ll reveal the answer afterward?” Not only Charles Dean but also the other four judges were intrigued by what Cindy Clarke said.

They all thought that Cindy had added fish roe to the dish.

Rosaline Parker had been thinking that Cindy’s decision to use fish roe was a misstep.

It seemed to be a good match, both being seafood.

But in reality, the sweet taste of the Yellow Croaker in soup and the slightly fishy taste of fish roe were not compatible.

Rather, the soup’s original balance would be destroyed by the fish roe.

But now that Cindy said so, Rosaline Parker became curious.

Charles Dean took a small spoonful of soup along with one of the red balls.

When he bit into the red ball, he could feel the pressure release.

The juice inside then burst out and blended with the original sweet soup.

The delicious soup suddenly had an added tangy sweetness that blended seamlessly with the original flavor, and even enhanced the existing taste.

Charles Dean closed his eyes as if he were on a sunny beach.

“What is this?” Hunter Clarke asked in amazement.

“Do you like the taste?” Cindy Clarke asked.

This girl was really bold.

Instead of revealing the secret immediately, she joked with the judges.

Hunter Clarke didn’t get angry but was amused instead: “It’s delicious, but I’m just too embarrassed that I couldn’t figure out what it is.” “These are popping bubbles made from Passion Fruit and Grapefruit juice, using Calcium Carbonate,” Cindy Clarke finally explained.

The judges suddenly realized: “Ah! So it’s based on the principle of popping bubbles!” Of course, they knew about popping bubbles, which are a fun and interesting food item.

Those who don’t know about them would find it quite intriguing, but as insiders, they all knew how it was made.

It’s just that all five of them were experts in high-end cuisine, so they didn’t think of popping bubbles at first.

“When I was designing the recipe at home, I hesitated whether to do it this way. I didn’t know if the tart sweetness of the fruit juice could blend well with the soup. Also, I needed to choose which fruit to use to achieve a good result,” “I bought all the fruits I could find and squeezed their juice. Then I tasted a mouthful of fish soup followed by a mouthful of fruit juice to see which combinations were the best. However, I knew that the taste of drinking it like this would be different from making popping bubbles,” “So, after deciding on the fruits to use, I made popping bubbles for a taste test to make sure the flavors matched,” Cindy Clarke explained.

Rosaline Parker laughed: “Didn’t you get sick after tasting so many times?” Cindy couldn’t help laughing: “To be honest, I don’t even feel like it now just by sniffing at it.” “The glutinous rice balls served with fish soup are soft, sweet and delicious. The popping bubbles added to the soup are tangy and refreshing. And the red and white balls that come out of the fish belly look like fish roe as well,” said Wesley Gordon.

Michael Greene tasted the fish again: “The fish is tender and fully infused with the flavor of the soup, melting in the mouth.” Wesley Gordon laughed: “We were worried that even if you did it very well, you still wouldn’t be able to surpass Michael Greene. But now it seems that Michael’s signboard dish is about to change hands.” “Hahaha!” Michael Greene didn’t mind at all, “This also spurs me on. It reminds me to constantly think about how to improve my dishes, or I’ll be surpassed eventually.” “Alright, no more talking. I’ll go back and research new dishes immediately. I’ve already lost in one aspect, now the rest can’t be beaten. Otherwise, I’m the one who’s going to be fired,” Michael Greene said jokingly.

However, he really felt a sense of crisis in his heart.

He couldn’t afford to stagnate.

He not only needed to improve the dishes but also develop new ones.

Cindy Clarke said with a smile: “Actually, when I first tried making this dish at home, I always felt that the taste was a little off. So, I specifically went to ‘Quire’ to taste Chef Greene’s Yellow Croaker in Soup. After identifying the difference, I went back and tried it again.” “But, I couldn’t make it exactly the same as the Chef,” Cindy Clarke said.

Chapter 493 Don’t Force Yourself Anymore (2 Chapters Combined)

“The recipe for Yellow Croaker in Soup is already there, and I was wondering how to make it with my personal touch. Just like Chef Greene’s Yellow Croaker in Soup, which has always been unsurpassed because it has his own signature. I also need to create my own signature. Finally, I made this dish now.” “But if I didn’t try Chef Greene’s cuisine and lack that foundation, this dish might be lacking a lot,” Cindy said.

It was true that she had tasted Michael Greene’s cuisine at Quire.

It was better to say it openly.

Better than Michael Greene thinking about it and feeling uncomfortable.

“So are you imitating Chef Greene’s cuisine?” Iris Doone suddenly spoke up from the side.

Everyone looked at Iris.

Cindy laughed.

Iris really knew how to get attention.

The judges didn’t even review her cuisine that much, which obviously showed they were not very satisfied with it.

Iris’s cuisine was delicious, but it had no distinctive feature.

Just like an article full of flowery language.

It sounded beautiful and lovely to read, but what did it say?

After reading it, you find out it didn’t say anything.

The whole article was hollow.

Iris’s cuisine was like that too.

Iris still remembered the humiliation from the last competition.

The judges said she imitated Cindy.

And this time, Cindy directly made Michael Greene’s signboard dish.

Moreover, Cindy admitted it herself, she went to try Michael Greene’s cuisine and then went back to improve it.

Isn’t this imitating Michael Greene?

In the last competition, she made different dishes than Cindy’s.

Why did the judges criticize her last time, but not Cindy this time?

Hunter Clarke gave Iris a mocking glance.

It seemed Iris was really upset.

Witnessing the judges give high praise to Cindy’s cuisine, she knew she couldn’t win.

So she didn’t care about face and played this game directly.

Looking at it now, it was indeed possible that Cindy had said Iris deliberately ruined her ingredients before.

Iris could do it when she got upset.

At this time, Michael Greene said, “If you put it that way, I’m imitating too.” “Yellow Croaker in Soup is a traditional dish with a long history. It’s not my own creation. I was just fortunate that it got the recognition of many diners and became my signboard dish. To be honest, I’m a bit embarrassed about it since I didn’t invent it.” “And the Yellow Croaker in Soup that Cindy has researched now is completely different from mine. In terms of taste, our cuisines are two different styles.” Michael Greene said, “But I think Cindy’s dish is better than mine.” This evaluation was really high!

The industry recognized that Michael Greene’s Yellow Croaker in Soup had reached the pinnacle and no one could surpass it.

But now, Michael Greene said that Cindy’s dish was better!

People couldn’t help but wonder how good Cindy’s would taste.

“It must be so delicious, I really want to taste it.” “Heh! I haven’t even been to try Michael Greene’s yet. Michelin three-star restaurant, one reason is that it’s too expensive, and the other is that you can’t book a table. I just don’t know how to taste Cindy’s, she doesn’t open a restaurant.” “I wonder if Cindy will make a video tutorial for this?” Cindy’s fan asked.

“Even if she does, we won’t be able to! It’s so complicated. I searched the recipe for Yellow Croaker in Soup online, there are so many ingredients and it’s quite complex. Not to mention Cindy’s advanced version, even the original version is hard for ordinary people to replicate. Now, there are very few people who can actually make this dish.” “But Michael Greene is really generous. To openly say that he was surpassed, and by a junior, without any unwillingness.” “Yes, regardless of whether it’s because he’s on camera or not, at least he is showing himself to be very generous.” “Chef Greene, I’m a fan now!” “Iris Doone is really disgusting! Now I have a reason to believe that Cindy was right, Iris deliberately ruined her ingredients.” “As a result, Cindy didn’t even use shark fin, so the damage was all done in vain. Making such a foolish move does match Iris.” “Yes, this is being broadcast live, and she can still provoke people like this publicly, making her actions too ugly.” “It shows that she is really desperate. Seeing the judges’ high evaluation of Cindy, there’s no doubt that Cindy will win. She knows it too, so she is being driven to desperation, even if she knows it’s inappropriate, she is like a cornered dog, trying to splash dirty water on Cindy to succeed.” “Heh! The judges said there’s no problem with Cindy’s dish. Even Michael Greene said there’s no problem; I don’t know what else Iris has to say.” As Rosaline Parker heard Iris’s desperate slander, her impression of Iris plummeted to rock bottom.

Rosaline had a bad temper and couldn’t tolerate things she disliked. When she lost her temper, she didn’t give anyone any face.

At this moment, she directly spoke to Iris without politeness, “In this round, although your cuisine is like an article of flowery language, it’s empty and hollow, looking good and gorgeous, but actually devoid of substance. I can still see that you want to make progress and want to achieve something.” “It’s good to have that intention, so I didn’t say my review too harshly, wanting you to continue to progress and not discourage you. But now, it seems that I didn’t make myself clear enough.” “Cindy’s dish is what’s called cuisine, sincerity, and creativity. The recipe is here, it’s not something that you can’t use because I used it, but you need to stand out and have your own stuff in it.” “It doesn’t have to be in such an obvious place for you to see the difference; it could be like this dish, adding popping bubbles to enhance the layers of taste. Or it could be changing the ratio of seasoning in the recipe, or adding seasonings or ingredients not in the recipe.” “Instead of just piling up a bunch of ingredients that can release delicious flavors, giving it a different name, and calling it innovation.” Rosaline said very impolitely.

Iris’s face turned red, and her face burned with embarrassment.

Especially since Cindy was standing right next to her.

Cindy was praised while she was criticized so badly.

“I think your current strength is not suitable for the future competitions. Even if you continue, your ability won’t be enough to go further,” Hunter Clarke said, “You should go back and continue to improve yourself, and speak only when your strength is enough.” “Of course, if your strength is here and no matter how hard you try, you can’t improve, that’s probably a talent issue, so don’t force yourself,” Hunter Clarke added.

“Pfft!” In the barrage, the netizens laughed and typed, “I didn’t expect Chef Clarke’s mouth to be so poisonous!” Chapter 494 Fear (2 s in one)

“Hahahaha, don’t force yourself, hahaha! Chef Clarke’s words, they hit so hard!” “The contrast among the judges this round is hilarious! Chef Rosaline Parker looks so gorgeous but turns out to have such a temper. Chef Clarke seems so gentle when making comments normally, but who would have thought she has such a poisonous tongue.” Iris Doone really felt the burn on her face.

Hunter Clarke then said, “I don’t know about others, but my vote goes to Cindy Clarke.” Rosaline Parker followed closely, “My vote also goes to Cindy Clarke.” The two female judges among the five were the most decisive and straightforward.

They didn’t drag their feet at all and clearly stated their pick.

Cindy Clarke ignored Iris Doone and thanked Hunter Clarke and Rosaline Parker.

Michael Greene couldn’t help but smile; these two were still as impatient as ever.

But, the evaluation was almost finished anyway.

Since Hunter Clarke and Rosaline Parker had cast their votes, there was no need for the rest of them to say more.

“My vote also goes to Cindy Clarke.” Michael Greene said.

Charles Dean immediately followed, “I also choose Cindy Clarke. Her cuisine today is outstanding. We have only tasted to the sixth group, and there are competitors’ cuisines not yet tasted, so it’s hard to say definitively. But so far, I believe, Cindy Clarke’s cuisine is the best.” This evaluation was already excellent!

After all, there were still people from under Pingla Academy among the previous groups!

And they were not just ordinary people.

They were Parker Honi and Aiden Huxley, ranked first and third respectively!

Since the auditions, Cindy Clarke had been continuously acclaimed as the First Person under Pingla Corp.

This was because people from the under Pingla Academy scored higher.

No matter how outstanding Cindy Clarke was, she was always deemed inferior to the people of under Pingla Academy from the outside world.

In the last competition, the under Pingla Academy consolidated its advantage from the auditions and abstained from participating.

Even though Cindy Clarke obtained first place, people still believed that those from under Pingla Academy were superior.

And now, Parker Honi and Aiden Huxley had already competed earlier.

Even after tasting their cuisines, Charles Dean still declared that Cindy Clarke’s dish was the best so far.

Didn’t that mean that Cindy Clarke’s dish today was better than Parker Honi and Aiden Huxley?

Parker Honi, he is this year’s number one from Pingla!

The evaluation of Cindy Clarke by Charles Dean could be regarded as extremely high!

Meanwhile, Iris Doone was utterly trampled underfoot, losing even the qualification to be compared with Cindy Clarke.

It was originally just a PK between Cindy Clarke and her.

But now, Cindy Clarke has surpassed even Parker Honi. Iris Doone paled in comparison.

Cindy Clarke, hearing such high praise, remained neither arrogant nor hot-headed.

Her face showed continuous confidence that had not changed at any point.

She did not look the slightest bit proud or gratified by Charles Dean’s evaluation.

Unsurprisingly, Wesley Gordon also said, “I am voting for Cindy Clarke. Your cuisine today is truly excellent. I fully agree with what Charles Dean said. So far, your cuisine is the best of all. It would just be a question whether anyone else would surpass you.” “Thank you, Chef.” Cindy Clarke said.

Upon hearing this, the contestants stirred into chatter.

“What do the judges mean by this? Cindy Clarke’s cuisine even surpassed Parker Honi?” questioned Kai Dawson.

Kai Dawson was competing directly with Parker Honi.

In that round, he was utterly crushed by Parker Honi.

He thought Parker Honi’s dish was already impressive.

But what did it mean if the judges said that Cindy Clarke’s cuisine was better than Parker Honi’s?

The same question also appeared in the minds of contestants who had been eliminated in the first five rounds.

Their opponents were already formidable. Could Cindy Clarke’s cuisine be even better?

Daniel Vahn quietly asked Parker Honi, “Hey, Honi, did you not try your best because your opponent was too weak?” Parker Honi gave him a glance and gritted his teeth, “I respect every opponent. Even the weakest opponent will see my full strength.” “Translating that means Honi enjoys the pleasure of crushing his opponents. The more thoroughly he crushes them, the happier he is.” Cynthia Florine opened a nail polish bottle, commenting while polishing her nails.

Because during the competition, their hands have to remain clean.

So, they can’t wear nail polish.

Therefore, before the competition, Cynthia Florine always removed her nail polish.

Now, all three of them had finished their competition and all had won their PK battles.

So, they returned to their seats under the advancement stage to rest.

Cynthia Florine, having nothing better to do, began reapplying her nail polish.

Daniel Vahn took a deep breath, “So, the judges think that the cuisine that Cindy Clarke made today is better than yours!” Parker Honi:

Parker Honi shot him an annoyed look, “I heard what the judges said, you don’t need to repeat it.” Parker Honi felt that his position as Pingla No.1 was being challenged.

Cindy Clarke was even more outstanding today.

He did not doubt the judges’ decision at all.

Especially when two of the judges thought so.

The other three didn’t comment, but he saw them nodding earlier.

“Hey, no worries.” Daniel Vahn said, “Cynthia Florine and I also got surpassed by Cindy Clarke.” They were all successful PK competitors.

So far, if Cindy Clarke was the best, didn’t that mean she surpassed all of them?

Cynthia Florine blew on her nails, “I didn’t expect Cindy Clarke to progress so quickly. During the auditions, she ranked 11th, but today she surpassed us.” “However, I didn’t try my best.” Daniel Vahn tried to recover some dignity, “My opponent was so weak, I had to save some strength, couldn’t let everyone see through me.” Cynthia Florine chuckled, “Are you afraid of those competitors?” “Of course I’m not worried about them, it’s you I’m worried about.” Daniel Vahn said, “In my eyes, my competition only includes you guys.” The ten of them from under Pingla Academy almost all had the same idea.

They viewed this Cooking Competition as an internal competition.

None of them paid any attention to the other contestants.

Although the rankings from the audition rounds had been announced.

But no one accepted the outcomes.

Even Parker Honi didn’t garner the respect of all.

All of them were determined to surpass the ones in front.

Only after the major competition, with a comprehensive evaluation of each of their performances, would the final ranks of their group be determined.

Although they had participated in countless competitions both big and small at Pingla Academy.

No other competition afforded such a perfect opportunity like this Cooking Competition.

After all, this was an opportunity to showcase their skills to all the audience.

No matter how well they normally performed in school, it was always just an internal affair.

Who outside of the school knew about them?

This time, it was really an opportunity for them to gain fame.

Chapter 495 Cindy Clarke, Truly Terrifying (2 s in one)

They wanted everyone to know who the boss is!

But who would have thought that a Cindy Clarke would appear this year.

“This batch is very interesting,” Parker Honi said, “Actually, just the ten of us competing against each other isn’t that interesting. We compete in school, and now we’re competing outside, it’s still us. It’s kind of boring.” “Having a new face like Cindy Clarke is pretty good, quite refreshing,” Parker Honi laughed.

“That’s true.” Cynthia Florine dried her nails and smiled.

As soon as she finished speaking, they saw Cindy Clarke heading their way.

The three of them no longer talked.

When Cindy Clarke came over, Cynthia Florine smiled and said, “Congratulations.” “Thank you.” Cindy Clarke smiled and sat down next to Cynthia Florine.

“Group 7, Joseph Tanner, Yellen Brooks,” Wesley Gordon said.

So, Joseph Tanner and Yellen Brooks brought their dishes to the judges.

Both of them uncovered their dishes.

When Joseph Tanner saw Yellen Brooks’s dish, he couldn’t help but pause.

Even the judges were attracted by Yellen Brooks’s dish.

“This is…” Wesley Gordon tapped the dish with the back of his spoon. “Fishcake?” The fishcake was very elastic, and with one tap, it bounced up and down.

“Yes, it’s a fishcake. I used a mold to create the shape of a fish,” Yellen Brooks said, “The golden-red pattern is made from the crab roe of sea crabs. The eyes are tiny fishballs made of squid ink mixed with squid juice.” “Very interesting,” Charles Dean found it amusing. “Even without considering the taste, at least visually, it’s entertaining.” Cindy Clarke and the others could only observe Yellen Brooks and Joseph Tanner’s dishes through the big screen from their seats.

Cynthia Florine turned to her and asked, “Who do you think will win?” “The judges haven’t tasted it yet, so it’s not easy to say,” Cindy Clarke answered cautiously.

“Oh, just guess!” Cynthia Florine said, “It’s because we’re not sure that guessing makes it more fun! Don’t be so boring. Tell me, who do you think will win?” Cindy Clarke smiled, not feeling discouraged, and after looking at the screen and thinking for a moment, she said, “I think Yellen Brooks has a better chance.” Upon hearing this, the other two non-Pingla Academy contestants also listened in.

Including Cindy Clarke, there were a total of six people on the contestant’s seats.

Three students from Pingla Academy, plus three non-Pingla Academy students, including Cindy Clarke.

Cynthia Florine and the others didn’t care; after all, they weren’t concerned with who would win or lose.

But the other two felt that what Cindy Clarke said wasn’t quite right.

Joseph Tanner was a highly-ranked, competitive contestant.

On the other hand, Yellen Brooks was ranked lower.

No matter how they see it, Yellen Brooks couldn’t possibly win against Joseph Tanner.

Could it be that just because Joseph Tanner had been rude to Cindy Clarke before, she didn’t want him to win?

Cindy Clarke didn’t care what they thought, and she wasn’t afraid of offending anyone.

Indeed, with Adrian Zhekova around, she was exceptionally confident.

But it was also due to her own self-confidence in her abilities.

Even if Joseph Tanner advanced, he would eventually be eliminated sooner or later.

Even if he knew and was unhappy about it, what could he do?

If he wanted to eliminate her, he could try on the racecourse.

Moreover, Cindy Clarke’s impression of Joseph Tanner wasn’t great.

“Why do you think Yellen Brooks will win?” Daniel Vahn also asked curiously, “Joseph Tanner’s ranking is higher than Yellen Brooks, right?” “One’s performance in a competition and ranking don’t necessarily determine the outcome,” Cindy Clarke said, seeing the disbelief on the faces of the other two contestants; still, she spoke openly.

“In the last competition, Joseph Tanner’s dish was indeed better than Yellen Brooks’s. But in this round, Joseph Tanner’s mindset is off.” “From the beginning, when he felt the competition rules were unfair, he lost his balance. He cares too much about winning. It’s not that he shouldn’t care or that not caring is bad. After all, everyone wants to win.” “But, you can’t let the desire to win affect your mindset. Sometimes, the more you think about it, the more restrictions you impose on yourself, and the worse your performance becomes,” Cindy Clarke said.

“Just like before in the food storage room, when I blocked the door – everyone was anxious, but he was the first to speak up and the most impatient.” “Just now when Yellen Brooks borrowed onions and ginger, I gave them to her. I noticed that Joseph Tanner’s demeanor changed immediately. It seemed like he was blaming me for giving Yellen Brooks the onions and ginger, as if he thought that by lending her those ingredients, I was preventing him from winning.” “Already relying on the mistakes of his opponent to win, I don’t think he will perform well this round,” Cindy Clarke said.

“Besides, I also noticed that when the cooking time was almost up, he took the fish out, but there were some small mistakes due to panic. Judging by the time he put the fish in the steamer, I doubt whether it’s even fully cooked,” Cindy Clarke said.

Fortunately, Joseph Tanner couldn’t hear Cindy Clarke’s analysis at this moment.

Otherwise, Joseph Tanner would be terrified.

During the previous competition, he had watched Cindy Clarke closely.

Apparently, Cindy Clarke was focusing on making her own dish.

Who would have thought that she could observe every detail of his reaction without missing a thing?

The other two contestants were also very surprised.

The cooking time was so tight that they were busy making the most of their limited time to perfect their dishes.

They couldn’t afford to waste a single moment.

And they had to concentrate on controlling the heat, afraid of making mistakes in any step.

Especially under the pressure of this competition, they were more nervous than when cooking at home or in the restaurant’s kitchen.

They were too busy with their own dishes to have time to pay attention to others.

But they didn’t expect that while making her own complicated dish, Cindy Clarke could still notice all of Joseph Tanner’s reactions without missing a single detail.

Meanwhile, her dish did not have any mistakes and received high praise from the judges.

It seemed like Cindy Clarke hadn’t concentrated all her energy on cooking.

How did she manage to do it?

If she focused all her energy on cooking, would her dish be even better?

The other two contestants couldn’t help but mutter to themselves in their hearts.

Suddenly, they became much more wary of Cindy Clarke.

Cindy Clarke was truly terrifying!

Just how advanced were her cooking skills?

Even the three Pingla Academy students couldn’t help but reevaluate Cindy Clarke’s strength.

As if she didn’t see the wariness and evaluation in their eyes, Cindy Clarke kept her attention on the big screen.

She also reminded the others who were still looking at her, “The judges are going to taste the dishes.” Everyone quickly shifted their gaze to the big screen.

They saw the judges taste Yellen Brooks’s fishcake.

The presentation alone was exquisite and appealing.

As long as the taste wasn’t bad, Yellen Brooks had a good chance of winning.

Chapter 496 “The fishcake is tender and has the texture of jelly, melting in the mouth.” Charles Dean said, “Not bad.” Compared to the many compliments he gave to Cindy Clarke’s cuisine earlier, this comment seemed quite average.

But in reality, only Cindy Clarke’s cuisine had received such high praise.

The other winners received comments similar to those Yellen Brooks received.

“It’s more like a fish jelly than a fishcake. It doesn’t have the powdery and bean-like texture of traditional fishcakes. Like Charles said, it’s more like a pudding.” Wesley Gordon said, “The texture is quite a pleasant surprise. Not bad.” “Your last Competition performance wasn’t great, but you did well this time,” Hunter Clarke said with a smile.

“There’s no fishiness, just a sweet taste with a slight hint of spiciness,” Rosaline Parker said. “There’s very little spice, and you can hardly taste it if you’re not paying attention. But this little bit of spice adds a delightful surprise. Once you taste it, it’s like your taste buds have been awakened.” “It’s rare for fish jelly to have no fishiness at all,” Michael Greene admitted.

Yellen Brooks didn’t hide any information as she said, “I actually forgot to bring scallions and ginger to remove the fishiness. I was too flustered and focused on getting all the ingredients quickly so that I would have more time for cooking. As a result, I forgot to bring the important scallions and ginger.” “I know it’s my fault for forgetting the ingredients, and the rules of the Competition also state that if you don’t bring something, you don’t have it. If I lose the Competition because of this, I can only blame myself. But at that time, I still tried to ask other contestants for the ingredients,” Yellen Brooks said.

Yellen Brooks did not say she wanted to borrow.

Because these ingredients were to be given to her for use in the first place. How could she give them back?

There’s borrowing only when there’s returning.

“Thanks to Cindy Clarke, I didn’t even have to ask her. She simply gave me the scallions and ginger without hesitation. It may not look like an important ingredient, but who knows if it will still be needed later. Regardless, she generously gave me some.” “Without her help, I wouldn’t have been able to complete my dish today,” Yellen Brooks said. “So, I especially want to thank her. My dish couldn’t have received the judges’ recognition without Cindy Clarke’s help.” Yellen Brooks didn’t mention Iris Doone’s refusal to help her.

It would make her seem petty and holding a grudge.

Now she only mentioned this to express her gratitude to Cindy Clarke.

Cindy Clarke usually didn’t interact much with the contestants.

Many people behind the scenes misunderstood her as aloof and difficult to get along with.

But this incident changed her perception.

Those who seemed easygoing on the surface might not necessarily be good people, while those who appeared aloof could actually be warm-hearted.

Yellen Brooks didn’t want to cause any trouble for Cindy Clarke by mentioning Iris Doone, worrying this might make her an enemy.

Although Iris Doone has been on bad terms with Cindy Clarke, she can’t make things worse.

She wouldn’t want Cindy Clarke, who had done a good deed, to be misunderstood as a result.

Her intentions were to show gratitude to Cindy Clarke, not to cause problems for her.

“We contestants, in fact, don’t know much about each other. Many things are just based on appearances. If someone seems easygoing on the surface, gentle, harmless, or a good person, it might not always be true.” Iris Doone was sitting in the elimination area at this time, listening to Yellen Brooks’s words, her face darkened, and she looked gloomy.

Wasn’t Yellen Brooks talking about her?

Was it just because she didn’t give her the scallions and ginger?

Had she been remembered for something so trivial?

This was a Competition – who would pity her!

Iris Doone gritted her teeth in anger and seething resentment.

Not only did she hate Yellen Brooks, but also Cindy Clarke even more.

Why was Cindy Clarke so helpful in her time of need?

It made Iris look very bad.

This was a Competition, not a game of friendship first.

She didn’t know if the whole situation had been captured by the camera.

Please don’t let it have been captured.

Not only would she be criticized, but she would also play into Cindy Clarke’s hands, establishing her image as a cold person with a warm heart.

Iris Doone stared at Yellen Brooks fiercely.

“Cindy Clarke doesn’t interact with us much. We don’t talk or spend time together, and our contact is minimal. However, when it mattered, she was the one who helped me,” Yellen Brooks said. “Whether I advance today or not, I am grateful for her help. I don’t know if the moment when Cindy helped me earlier was captured by the cameras.” “If not, I’d like to take this opportunity now, in front of the cameras and the audience, to let everyone know that it was Cindy who helped me. She’s a kind person,” Yellen Brooks said.

“You’re a good person too!” someone suddenly yelled from the audience.

Immediately after, the audience burst into applause.

Everyone couldn’t help but laugh at the sudden outburst.

Even the judges couldn’t help but smile.

The camera quickly focused on Cindy Clarke for a close-up.

Iris Doone was calculating that perhaps the scene showing Cindy Clarke giving Yellen Brooks the scallions and ginger earlier wasn’t captured by the cameras.

Unexpectedly, the live broadcast showed a playback of the scene on the big screen.

The first thing that appeared was Iris Doone’s name, right when Yellen Brooks asked to borrow the scallions and ginger.

Now looking at the exchange between Yellen Brooks and herself from the third person perspective, it felt especially strange.

Then, Iris Doone’s refusal to help Yellen Brooks was shown.

Just as the playback showed Iris Doone refusing Yellen Brooks, someone noticed and said, “Look, Cindy Clarke was quietly cutting scallions without making a fuss. These must be for Yellen Brooks, right?” “Actually, if Yellen Brooks hadn’t asked her, Cindy could’ve just played dumb.” “Cindy really is a good person.” “From what Yellen Brooks implied, it seems like Cindy doesn’t have a good relationship with the other contestants.” “It’s not hard to see why; there have only been two Competitions so far, and she has already had disagreements in both. In the previous one, Zoe Silverstone intentionally targeted her. At first, I thought that since Cindy was being targeted by one or two people, perhaps she had some issues herself. But now it seems that Iris Doone is the one with issues.” “Yeah, who would’ve thought that Iris Doone, with her gentle and weak appearance, could have such a wicked heart.” “She and Yellen Brooks weren’t in competition with each other in this round. Iris had taken so much; she could’ve shared some with Yellen Brooks.” “Although helping would be out of kindness and not helping would be justified, it’s Yellen’s fault, and she can’t blame others. Even if Iris didn’t lend the ingredients, I don’t think she should receive much blame. But the bad part is how she portrayed herself as innocent and harmless. From what Yellen Brooks implied, Iris gets along well with the contestants, but she turned her back on them when it mattered most. It’s not about whether she lent the ingredients or not, but rather that people like this can be terrifying.” Chapter 497 “Yeah, who would dare to associate with her after seeing her play both sides like this?” “That’s probably what Yellen was talking about with Iris. She seems gentle on the surface and gets along well with everyone, but she’s nothing compared to Cindy who, even though she doesn’t seem close to others, is willing to help when it really matters.” “This shows that Cindy is genuinely a good person.” The other contestants were still waiting for the judges’ comments at their cooking stations, and they all cast their eyes on Iris.

They used to get along well with her.

They had no idea Iris was this kind of person.

In the breakthrough seats, the expressions of the other two contestants were also a little surprised as they looked at Cindy.

They thought Iris was a nice person, who was always pleasant to be around. But she turned her back on people when they actually needed her help.

They thought Cindy had a bad temper, was always causing trouble, and argued with others. But she turned out to be very loyal at crucial moments, without any hesitation.

They had indeed misjudged her.

Thinking of their previous attitude towards Cindy, they felt awkward for a moment.

While a screen was playing back the action, the main screen continued to broadcast the live scene.

At this point, the judges had finished tasting Yellen’s cuisine and tasted Joseph’s.

“I remember when you put the fish in the steamer.” Wesley Gordon said, “The fish you chose was quite large, and the steaming time was actually quite risky. It’s possible that it won’t be cooked through.” Joseph replied, “I got injured in the Middle, so I was a little slow.” “As a professional chef, it’s not that you can’t get injured. However, being so careless as to get a fishbone stuck under your fingernail only shows that you were not focused enough at the time.” Hunter Clarke said, “Therefore, this cannot be an excuse for your cuisine’s failure.” Joseph was a little upset.

The judges hadn’t even tasted his dish, so how could they be sure his cuisine had failed?

But he didn’t consider that the Five Judges were all highly experienced head chefs.

How could they not tell the fundamental matter of how long it takes to steam a fish of this size?

“Let’s verify if it’s cooked or not.” Michael Greene brought over a small knife and cut into the thickest part of the fish belly.

Upon pulling the fish meat apart, a hint of pink color was visible in the center of the fish.

The fish meat had not turned white, nor had it cooked into flakey pieces.

“The facts prove that your fish is indeed not cooked through.” Michael Greene put the knife to the side and didn’t pick up his chopsticks again. “This isn’t an error that a professional chef should make.” None of the other four judges picked up their chopsticks either.

“If they could give me just two more minutes, only two minutes…” Joseph said eagerly.

“However, this is a Competition, and everyone has the same amount of time. It’s impossible to give you an extra two minutes, even if your hand is injured.” Hunter Clarke said bluntly, “Moreover, your hand injury is due to your own carelessness, so you have to take responsibility.” “But… but only the inside is uncooked, most of the outside is cooked.” Joseph said, “Could you give me a chance? Please have a taste. It really is delicious.” “I’ve been working on this dish for a long time.” Joseph said.

Wesley Gordon said, “The fish isn’t even cooked, so no matter how good it tastes, we won’t try it.” “Would you serve uncooked food to customers in a restaurant?” Rosaline Parker said coldly.

“I announce that in the seventh group, Yellen Brooks wins.” Wesley Gordon said.

As it turned out, not one of the Five Judges tasted Joseph’s cuisine.

Joseph’s hands clenched tightly into fists.

Yellen thanked the judges and hurried to the breakthrough seats.

She grinned at Cindy from a distance as she approached.

When she sat next to Cindy, she whispered her thanks again, “Thank you. If you hadn’t given me the green onions and ginger, I would have been eliminated.” “You’re welcome.” Cindy graciously accepted her thanks.

As Joseph walked toward the elimination seats in a daze, he couldn’t accept the fact that he had been eliminated.

He had ranked at the top and had breathed a sigh of relief when he had been drawn to be in a group with Yellen before the Competition.

He thought he had a sure win today.

Who knew that he would lose!

It was all because of Cindy!

When he arrived at the elimination seats, Joseph couldn’t bring himself to sit down.

He suddenly turned around and stared directly at Cindy.

If it weren’t for her meddling, he wouldn’t have lost his focus.

How could he have been injured and made such a basic mistake as not cooking the fish completely?

Indeed, earlier, Cindy had blocked the door to the pantry, further wasting much of their time.

Otherwise, there would have been enough time!

It’s all because of Cindy that he was eliminated!

As Iris watched Joseph’s reaction from the elimination seats, she added fuel to the fire, “Cindy is awesome, taking out anyone who doesn’t get along with her, one by one. I wonder who else doesn’t like her? Their turn to be eliminated should be coming up soon.” Joseph suddenly turned his gaze to Iris.

“Not coming in to sit?” Iris looked at him lazily. “It’s done now, and whether you accept it or not, the judges won’t change their decision. Instead, you should think about what to do next.” “What’s next?” Joseph finally snapped out of it.

At this point, he couldn’t keep standing outside forever.

With great reluctance, he finally entered the elimination seats.

“Since you’ve been eliminated, are you willing to just watch Cindy eliminate whoever opposes her one by one?” Iris whispered.

“When Zoe and I were still here, your hostility towards Cindy wasn’t obvious. But today, you were rude to her several times. And as a result, you were eliminated today. Don’t you find that coincidental?” Joseph clenched his jaw.

“To be honest, if it wasn’t for Cindy’s meddling, even if your fish still wasn’t cooked in the end, Yellen’s dish would have flaws as well. Without the green onions and ginger to remove the fishy smell, her dish wouldn’t have been as delicious.” Iris whispered, “So, in the end, it’s really hard to say who would have advanced.” “It’s not like it is now, you being eliminated without a hint of suspense.” Iris whispered.

Iris reminded Joseph once more.

Joseph immediately asked, “What do you plan to do?” “What can I do? I’ve been eliminated too, and I don’t even know if I’ll ever see Cindy again.” Iris chuckled.

“Then why mention it to me?” Joseph said coldly. “Are you teasing me?” “You see, it’s that impatience of yours that causes you to suffer at the hands of Cindy.” Iris said, “As for what to do in the future, no one can say for sure. Isn’t it better to wait and see once the Competition is over? If you ask me so suddenly now, I don’t have any ideas.” Chapter 498 “However, Cindy Clarke has eliminated one after another using despicable means. Together, we can certainly deal with her, right?” Iris Doone said.

“Besides, don’t forget that Zoe Silverstone is still around.” Iris Doone added.

“Zoe Silverstone?” Joseph Tanner hadn’t paid much attention to her.

“The harm Cindy Clarke did to Zoe was not just a simple elimination. She can’t even continue as a food blogger now, and many brands have terminated their collaborations with her. In other words, Zoe’s source of income was directly cut off by Cindy Clarke.” “You say, with such heartless behavior like cutting off income directly, could Zoe just let it go?” Iris Doone said.

Joseph Tanner squinted his eyes: “We three can join forces.” “Yes.” Iris Doone nodded, “After the competition today, I’ll contact Zoe. I might not be able to reach her immediately, but don’t worry. As soon as I get in touch with her, I’ll let you know. Then we’ll figure it out.” Joseph Tanner looked at the advancing seats opposite: “Anyway, I can’t let Cindy Clarke be so triumphant!” “Of course.” Iris Doone nodded.

The next groups were quickly evaluated.

In the end, the ten people under Pingla Academy successfully advanced: Parker Honi, Jasmine Hudson, Aiden Huxley, Gladys Joy, Daniel Vahn, Yannick O’Brian, Cynthia Florine, Bartholomew Bailey, Ava Brown, and Leon Hernandez.

The remaining five places went to Cindy Clarke, Larry Bennett, Natalie Campbell, Yellen Brooks, and Blake Walker.

One could say that Blake Walker had been extraordinarily lucky.

Although he was ranked low, he drew an opponent who was similar to his own level.

He ultimately won by a slim margin.

When all the results came out, whether it was the advancing players or those eliminated, all of them returned to the stage together.

After all, they were the top 30.

The eliminated players had to get some screen time before leaving the stage.

“Doone.” When everyone gathered, Blake Walker came to find Iris Doone.

Iris Doone was full of mixed emotions.

Because they were assigned to the same group during the auditions and advanced together, she got along well with Blake Walker.

Moreover, their skills were about the same.

But she never expected that she would be eliminated, and Blake Walker would advance.

Blake Walker was so lucky to draw an opponent with the same level as him.

Iris Doone thought jealously, why didn’t Blake Walker draw someone from Pingla?

Even if he drew Cindy Clarke, Blake Walker wouldn’t have a chance to advance!

With that level of skill, his advancement was the biggest joke!

On the surface, Iris Doone gently said, “Congratulations.” “I was just lucky this time.” Despite what Blake Walker said, his face still showed an unconcealable triumph.

He had been lucky to get an opponent with a similar ranking.

But it also proved that he was indeed stronger than his opponent, so he won.

He advanced on his own merits.

“I just didn’t expect you to…” Blake Walker sighed, “I wanted to fight alongside you.” Iris Doone gave a sweet, gentle smile, saying, “It’s okay, you can work hard for both of us.” “I can’t continue in the competition, and I won’t have a chance to beat Cindy Clarke again. It’s all up to you now, you have to win against her!” Iris Doone said, ” You can’t let her be so triumphant.” “Of course, I will.” Blake Walker didn’t know where his confidence came from, but he dared to promise that.

“Please, eliminated contestants, come to the front,” Wesley Gordon said at that moment.

Iris Doone smiled at Blake Walker and hurried to the front.

“Although you were eliminated in this round, remember that you are this year’s top 30. You have emerged through layers of selection and finally stood on this racecourse as the top 30. You are among the top 30 of the country’s youth chefs.” Wesley Gordon encouraged them.

Many people felt their blood boiling as Wesley Gordon spoke.

“This failure is not the end. I hope you can learn something from this competition and improve your cooking skills. In this way, the purpose of the competition will be achieved.” Wesley Gordon said.

“Wishing you a bright future, next year, you are still welcome to participate.” Michael Greene smiled and said.

“Here, congratulations to the 15 successful advancing contestants.” Hunter Clarke said, “Congratulations, you are the 15 best young chefs in the country. The following matches will become more intense, so be prepared.” At this moment, a staff member came up and said something in Wesley Gordon’s ear.

Wesley Gordon nodded and said, “At the beginning of the match, there was a dispute in the food storage room. Among them, contestant Cindy Clarke’s ingredients were destroyed, and she requested to check the video footage from the live broadcast in the food storage room.” “During the competition, the staff reviewed the footage taken before and the results are now available.” Wesley Gordon said.

“In the spirit of fairness and openness, and in order to appease everyone, we will now broadcast the video on-site, revealing it to all contestants, the audience on-site, and those watching the live broadcast through various platforms.” Wesley Gordon said.

After speaking, Wesley Gordon instructed the staff to play the video, displaying it on the big screen and streaming channels for all audiences to see.

The big screen and online live streaming platform both switched to the video.

The top right corner of the video showed the time it was taken.

This allowed the audience to clearly know when it was taken, and the constantly changing second count also proved that this video was not edited.

The staff responsible for checking the video brought up a microphone and said, “Before playing the part where the contestants went to the food storage room to check the ingredients, I want to go back to 75 minutes ago. I won’t say anything; just watch. Even though it’s 75 minutes back, the viewing time is not long. We’ll watch that specific time and then go back.” The staff looked at Wesley Gordon.

Wesley Gordon nodded, and the staff adjusted the video to 75 minutes prior.

The first image to appear was an empty food preparation room.

The time when the contestants went to check the ingredients was even earlier than 75 minutes ago.

That was long before the start of the competition, probably around noon.

Suddenly, Iris Doone appeared in the frame.

She walked halfway around the food storage room, found Cindy Clarke’s ingredient section, and stopped right in front of it, She looked at it for a while and then left.

“Did Iris Doone go there first?” “What did she do staring at Cindy Clarke’s ingredients?” “It seems that it really might be her who did it; otherwise, why would she go there?” Iris Doone didn’t expect the organizers to turn on the camera so early!

“In order to ensure that nothing goes wrong during the live broadcast, we started testing the cameras ahead of time.” Chapter 499 “The staff won’t be watching the live broadcast monitoring room all day. That’s why they didn’t notice that Iris Doone had already been there so early.” the staff explained.

“Of course, this doesn’t necessarily indicate any problems. It’s permissible for contestants to come early to check their materials to avoid any accidents during the competition. It has happened before.” the staff added.

These words blocked all unspoken suspicions.

At this point, Iris Doone was not doing well.

She never thought that the organizers would turn on the cameras so early!

However, that wasn’t the worst part.

In the contestant area, there was already significant suspicion directed at Iris Doone.

Yellen Brooks exclaimed, “I remember that Iris Doone went to the backstage makeup room only half an hour before the competition began, right? At that time, she said that she was late because she was stuck in traffic, didn’t she? She was thankful that she’d arrived on time!” Reminded by Yellen Brooks, the other contestants also recalled it.

Before, Iris Doone had indeed said so.

“Yeah, I remember she rushed over and said she was stuck in traffic. It turns out she had arrived early, but we don’t know where she hid and came out so late, telling us she’d just arrived.” said an eliminated contestant.

“Why did she lie? She definitely wanted to do something underhanded, so she felt guilty and lied to escape suspicion.” someone else said.

“Since she had already gone to the food storage room early, why didn’t she destroy the materials then?” someone asked.

“Isn’t there a step where all the contestants check the ingredients together? Rectifying any problems found then would still be in time. But it was only after we had all checked the ingredients and found them okay that she took the opportunity to sabotage. At that time, even Cindy had finished checking, and naturally, she wouldn’t think there were so many people around that her ingredients could still be destroyed.” another contestant said.

He continued, “By the time the competition really started, and we all went to the food storage room to get ingredients, and then Cindy found her ingredients had been sabotaged, even rectifying the issue would be too late. Even if the organizers had more ingredients and she went to get new ones, wouldn’t that take time?” “In this way, the time that Cindy would take to start actually cooking would be much later than ours. Just like what happened to Joseph Tanner this time, his cuisine was undercooked and many seasonings weren’t prepared in time, so compared to the fully prepared Iris Doone, Cindy would lose this time.” someone else added.

Another person nodded, “That’s right, and Cindy’s cuisine this time is extremely complicated. She originally needed a lot of time and had to make full use of every minute and second, and couldn’t afford to waste any. If Iris Doone had actually succeeded, Cindy might have lost today.” Even without watching the rest of the video, the contestants had already determined that Iris Doone had done it.

Because Iris Doone had lied from the beginning.

Why did she lie?

Wasn’t it because she felt guilty?

If nothing had happened, why would she lie?

The audience didn’t know as much as the contestants and didn’t realize that there had been such an incident before the competition.

After this section of the video was played, the staff said, “Next, I will jump the time forward to before the competition when the contestants followed the staff to the food storage room to check their materials, and the records of that time.” After that, the staff jumped the video to before the competition began.

The video still showed an empty food storage room.

After about ten seconds, the door of the food storage room was opened.

The staff who entered first appeared in the video.

Then, numerous contestants followed one by one.

Because Iris Doone was the prime suspect now.

Everyone, including the audience, focused on Iris Doone.

There were several cameras in the food storage room.

The staff split the screen to show the footage from several angles simultaneously.

Audience members voluntarily cooperated with others sitting nearby.

Several people formed a group, each responsible for one video angle.

Eventually, many people noticed something wrong.

“Here!” someone shouted.

As the voice sounded, the staff paused the video.

A red mark appeared on the screen, and then the video was enlarged frame by frame.

Finally, the video was enlarged to show Iris Doone’s hand movement clearly.

In the video, Iris Doone’s hand was reaching into Cindy’s ingredients compartment.

As the video continued to enlarge, it could be seen that Iris Doone’s hand was reaching directly for the glass bowl containing the shark fin.

“It’s her!” the audience exclaimed.

“She still won’t admit it! She thought the camera wouldn’t be able to film her because someone was blocking her.” the audience commented.

But they didn’t realize whose misfortune this was.

This was Iris Doone, who was accused by Cindy herself.

Adrian Zhekova contacted Billy Houston right away after seeing the live footage from the food storage room on the big screen at the scene.

Billy Houston immediately gave the staff a strict order.

Frame by frame, you must find the person responsible!

Billy Houston was a little worried: what if Cindy had accused the wrong person?

Cindy herself had said that if she was wrong, she would withdraw from the competition.

If this incident caused her to withdraw, how regrettable would it be.

So, Billy Houston told Adrian Zhekova about his worries.

But surprisingly, Adrian Zhekova didn’t worry at all.

“If my Cindy dares to say so, she must have the confidence that it was Iris Doone.” Adrian Zhekova said confidently.

When he said “my Cindy,” his extremely smug expression made Billy Houston want to turn around and leave, not wanting to deal with him.

“So you just have someone check it out, and it’s bound to be Iris Doone who did it.” Adrian Zhekova said.

Since Adrian Zhekova said so, Billy Houston stopped talking.

He continued to have the staff investigate.

No matter who was found, they would report the truth.

If it wasn’t Iris Doone, it would be between Cindy and Iris Doone.

First and foremost, they had to ensure that the major competition could not tolerate the existence of contestants who used underhanded tactics.

In the end, it was just as Adrian Zhekova and Cindy said.

It was really Iris Doone!

“It wasn’t me!” Even now, Iris Doone still refused to admit it, shouting, “I just accidentally touched it, it wasn’t me!” The staff said, “But my colleagues and I, a total of 10 people, have reviewed the video again and again. You were the only one who ‘accidentally’ did this, while the others just checked their own ingredient compartments and none of them went to others’ compartments. Even when passing by, they deliberately kept their distance and didn’t even come close, let alone touch or approach other people’s compartments. They were all extremely cautious to avoid unnecessary misunderstandings.” Chapter 500 “Are you all convinced that it’s me?” Iris Doone felt all eyes on her, just like needles on her face.

“It’s not that we’re convinced, but the video clearly shows it,” said Wesley Gordon coldly.

“In addition, we will publish the full video on the official website of the major competition. The audience can watch and compare for themselves. And also supervise our review results, whether there are any mistakes or omissions. We also welcome everyone’s feedback.” Wesley Gordon said to the audience.

“So far, based on the conclusions drawn from the video, it indeed shows that Iris Doone sabotaged Cindy Clarke’s ingredients. The organizers should have disqualified Iris Doone from the competition, but she has already been eliminated in this round, so the organizers can’t disqualify her anymore.” Wesley Gordon was very regretful about this.

At this moment, he saw Adrian Zhekova stand up in the VIP seat.

Wesley Gordon stopped talking and looked at Adrian Zhekova.

Adrian Zhekova then walked out of the VIP area, stepping onto the stage with his long legs.

The audience’s excitement grew even more.

In the previous race, Adrian Zhekova had also been on stage.

It was not a big deal for the audience who were not present, as they could not experience the feeling of being stunned.

But the audience who were present, especially the girls, were truly captivated by Adrian Zhekova’s stunning appearance.

This man seemed too incredible to exist in reality.

He’s just too handsome!

His every move exudes charisma.

“I didn’t expect to see Adrian Zhekova on stage in this competition. I’m so glad I bought a ticket! It’s worth it!” “Wow, Adrian Zhekova is here too! He has attended two consecutive competitions, and he has been on stage in both of them.” “Every time he comes on stage because of something related to Cindy Clarke, what should I do? I can’t control myself. I want to imagine a small essay about them.” Cindy Clarke also didn’t expect Adrian Zhekova to suddenly come on stage.

Iris Doone looked at Adrian Zhekova, somewhat dazed.

She should be scared. Adrian Zhekova coming up here can’t be a good thing.

But faced with Adrian Zhekova’s handsome face and his overall temperament, Iris Doone couldn’t help but have her heartbeat quicken.

This should be the closest she has ever been to Adrian Zhekova.

Iris Doone stared at him, but Adrian Zhekova didn’t even glance at her.

Adrian Zhekova first looked at Cindy Clarke, then walked in front of Wesley Gordon, took the microphone from his hand, and faced the audience.

“Hello everyone, I’m Adrian Zhekova,” Adrian Zhekova began.

In the previous competition, he hadn’t taken the microphone to speak.

As a result, only a few audience members in the front row could hear his voice clearly.

This time the microphone amplified his voice, and his refreshing and mellow voice instantly spread throughout the venue.

Young girls’ faces turned red from listening to him.

“Oh my God, I feel like Adrian Zhekova fulfills all of my fantasies,” a young girl whispered to her friend.

“His voice in person is even better than in interviews.” “He’s much better looking in person than on TV! He’s literally got the face of a god.” “As the CEO of the Pingla Group, I hereby announce that even though Iris Doone has already been eliminated in this competition, from now on, any competition held by the Pingla Group, whether it is our Pingla Culinary Competition or other future competitions, will permanently disqualify Iris Doone from participating, and refuse her entry into any major competition under the Flag of Pingla,” Adrian Zhekova said expressionlessly.

“In addition, all restaurants under the Pingla Group will refuse Iris Doone’s admission,” Adrian Zhekova continued.

In other words, Iris Doone will no longer be able to apply for a job, whether as a head chef, sous-chef, or any other position at any of the Pingla Group’s restaurants.

Iris Doone, being a chef, joined this competition to make a name for herself, to add a good-looking record to her resume, and even to open a door for herself to enter the high-end restaurants under the Pingla Group.

But now, not to mention opening doors, even the windows have been nailed shut for her.

Iris Doone finally came to her senses, not caring about seeing Adrian Zhekova causing her heart to beat faster.

Hearing Adrian Zhekova’s words, her heart had gone completely cold!

All the restaurants under the Pingla Group will refuse her admission.

This means that half of the restaurants in the Hearth Nation are off-limits for her job applications.

Her job opportunities have been directly reduced by more than half.

However, Iris Doone thinks too simplistically.

She thought it was just the Pingla Group’s restaurants that were refusing her.

But she failed to realize that in such a large public setting, Adrian Zhekova personally said that he would refuse her admission.

There are quite a few parties with good relationships with Pingla, who have cooperated with Pingla, who want to curry favor with Pingla, or who do not want to offend Pingla because of various reasons.

Combined, they may not occupy half of the power in the Hearth Nation’s culinary world, but they seriously didn’t leave much room for Iris Doone.

Any company with the ambition and capabilities to compete and cooperate with Pingla and establish a relationship with them, Will not hire Iris Doone for their restaurants.

They dare not offend Adrian Zhekova, let alone the Big Eight families that Adrian Zhekova belongs to.

Even if they have no cooperation with Pingla, the Big Eight families dominate various industries such as law, healthcare, entertainment, and real estate, and cooperation is always needed.

As a result, offending Adrian Zhekova because of Iris Doone, and subsequently offending the Big Eight families, Who would dare?

What’s left for Iris Doone to choose are those small restaurants that have no prospects and are nowhere near the Pingla Group. Even with hard work, they can’t reach the Pingla Group.

They are so far away that they don’t even have a name in the Pingla Group’s mind.

No one knows about their existence, so it’s natural that they don’t talk about offending or currying favor with them.

However, Iris Doone came to the competition with ambition and aspirations.

How could she be content working in an unknown little restaurant?

What kind of future is there for her to speak of?

Yet from now on, this is the only path available to her.

However, at this point, Iris Doone’s limited mindset can’t even comprehend this.

She only felt that half of her path was blocked, not knowing that more than two-thirds of the road was closed off for her.

In addition to that, her behavior in this competition has been broadcasted without any concealment.

The remaining restaurants that don’t mind and would still hire her will have to consider her character issues.

Hiring her might cause conflicts within the restaurant.

Various shady practices might make the restaurant filled with strife.

People go to work to get along well with their colleagues.

During that process, some people who stir up trouble might be inevitable.

But when you knowingly hire someone like this, why bother?

It’s better to avoid it in advance if you know about it.

“This is a decision made by me, representing the Pingla Group.” After finishing, Adrian Zhekova handed the microphone back to Wesley Gordon and returned to his seat in the VIP section.