"Sell it to me?"
Lucas was a bit confused.
"You have many local friends, with your connections, there's a much higher chance they'll try our Great Xia Cuisine."
"Well, it's not impossible."
Lucas nodded, "We can get Amber and Jade to help recommend it too; twenty portions should be easy."
"But..."
Just as he was hesitating, Lin Chen received a notification from the system.
[Ding, time's up. Today's stall total: 212 dishes sold, 167 approval points gained, mission failed]
"????"
Lin Chen's smile froze on his face. Just 167 approval points?
Does that mean nearly 50 guests weren't satisfied with the cold dishes?
[Due to insufficient approval points, you can't obtain the designated Recipe Exchange Coupon, but you reached over 75% of the goal, earning a consolation prize: Random Recipe Exchange Coupon*1]
There's a consolation prize?
Looking at the golden card floating in the air, Lin Chen breathed a sigh of relief.
Having something is better than nothing; at least today's stall wasn't for nothing.
Random is random; Great Xia Cuisine has so much variety, any dish can make a mark.
"But I think next time, fellow countryman, you may need to consider your recipe choice a bit more."
Lucas hesitated for a few seconds before speaking again.
"Because I saw quite a few people who tried a few bites and then tossed it. Cold dishes are delicious for those with a heavy taste like mine, but foreigners generally have milder tastes and prefer sweet flavors—it's not a taste they can adapt to easily."
"Earlier, I asked my friends, and they might not have wanted to say it in front of you, but only Jade and Amber thought it was tasty. Lina thought it was too spicy and salty, and her boyfriend barely ate any."
With Lucas's reminder, Lin Chen had an epiphany.
Oh right!
How could he have forgotten that?
Seeing Lin Chen stunned there, Lucas thought he had hit his confidence, quickly adding.
"But the taste is authentic; I just feel the pairing is off for selling here. Cold dishes aren't suited to be eaten alone; they need rice. If you sell it with rice next time, it would surely be much better!"
"Yes, indeed. I wasn't thorough in my consideration."
Lin Chen nodded, suddenly having a clearer direction for his future stall selections.
Judging by the system's count, the 20 portions Lucas helped with are likely not included, meaning no shortcuts; he must personally make each one for it to be valid.
"Thanks, fellow countryman, I'll treat you to a feast next time!"
Lucas's heart settled back in his chest, laughing, "Great, I'll be waiting then!"
He really feared he might dampen his fellow countryman's enthusiasm; then there wouldn't be such authentic Great Xia Cuisine to eat anymore.
Although Lin Chen had been a chef for many years, it was all Western cuisine; he wasn't familiar with Chinese cuisine and had never run a stall, so it's normal not to know the local preferences.
Back home, after freshening up, he didn't hesitate much, directly using the random coupon.
[Ding, congratulations on obtaining the recipe: Handmade Fresh Fruit Jelly]
Handmade jelly?
Seeing the recipe, his eyes lit up.
This item will definitely sell well!
With cooked food, one might need to consider the taste preferences of people from different countries, but sweets are different; they're universally loved.
Perhaps even more popular abroad, given that Westerners even coat bread with sugar frosting and syrup.
The only issue is the ice powder seeds...
He looked it up online and found that the original home of ice powder seeds is actually South America, and later spread to countries worldwide, only becoming a well-known dessert in Great Xia.
Then he logged into the local Chinese supermarket app and found that they do sell it, and many Chinatown dessert shops also sell jelly.
"Looks like I should find some time to visit Chinatown. It's been nearly two years since I've been there, hasn't it? Didn't expect they sell so many things now and have opened many new stores; I'll look for inspiration soon."
The next day.
Saturday.
As usual, Saturday would be the busiest day in the restaurant, with the kitchen fully staffed.
Lin Chen was completely unaffected by yesterday's failed mission, feeling a burning determination instead.
Foreigners? Can they really challenge the supremacy of Great Xia Cuisine?
Slowly, imperceptibly change their tastes; sooner or later, this place will become the realm of Great Xia Cuisine!
"Hey Anderson, go help those newbies with the ingredients, teach them well, and don't let any trouble happen!"
The executive chef had just entered the kitchen and was already assigning tasks.
Reluctantly, Anderson took his Western-style knife and went to the prep area, not forgetting to mention: "Chef, Lin is idle now, let him help as well; I can't teach them all alone."
"Well, you need to reflect on that."
The executive chef unhesitatingly refused, "Lin has already taught four times this week, and you haven't taught once. Plus, he earned a 200 Euro tip yesterday; he's the main force today, no energy wasted on such trivial matters!"
"What?? 200 Euros???"
Anderson was stunned, his expression increasingly unpleasant.
Originally, he thought after taking a break, Lin Chen would be overwhelmed and inevitably make mistakes, earning a scolding from the executive chef.
Every chef has experienced this; it's normal. People's energy is limited, and there's only so much capacity to multitask, especially during the high-pressure opening hours. If you could do everything perfectly, you'd be an executive chef already.
Why is Lin Chen, who is typically at his level, performing so well these past two days?
There must be something off!
"Dammit, you're an idiot, can't even cut a steak properly!"
"Hey! Talking to you, Blackie, you were supposed to remove the fish bones, not make huge holes in the fish! How is this supposed to pan-fry?!"
"Gloves! Don't make me say it again, put on those damn gloves!"
"No jewelry allowed in the kitchen! Are you trying to show off how rich you are? Take it off!"
Faced with Anderson's scolding, the group of newbies, still not skilled in their tasks, wore dejected looks, casting hopeful glances at Lin Chen.
But he could only shrug, returning a look that said 'good luck.' After all, the executive chef had designated people, and he couldn't step in without permission.
Perhaps due to the frustration before opening hours, Anderson's mood was quite unstable, his face constantly grim.
Just five orders in, and problems arose.
"Anderson!!"
The executive chef slammed the table thunderously, his eyes bulging like copper bells, tossing the iron tray onto the table.
"Look at this fish you pan-fried! The skin is burnt! The inside is raw, only medium rare! Are you trying to send customers to meet God?! Fuck!!"
"With skills like this, how do you have the nerve to take a break? You've been pan-frying fish for a year in this kitchen, and you still serve it raw? Holy crap, if I were you, I'd change careers early!"