Culinary God in Wilderness

"Here’s the roast duck and roast goose combo you ordered."

The owner pushed a cart to their table, placed the heavy platter down, and forced a commercial smile.

"The sauce on the left is a ginger paste, and the one on the right is plum sauce. I’m the owner of this restaurant. Since you two are new faces, I’m throwing in a piece of our signature char siu for you to try. It’s our bestseller."

"Oh, wow! This is amazing!"

"Honey, it’s really just like Lin described. Even the sauces are exactly the same!"

"I know, right? It looks so tempting, and it smells incredible. I bet it’ll taste even better than we imagined."

The owner’s brow twitched. He keenly picked up on the keyword in their conversation.

Lin?

’That sounds like a Da Xia name.’

"If you don’t mind me asking, how did you two hear about our restaurant?"

Restaurants in North America often conduct customer satisfaction surveys, so this kind of thing wasn’t unusual. The couple didn’t find it strange at all.

"We were just watching a variety show at home, and we saw one of the contestants making this. We hadn’t had lunch yet, so we searched for the nearest restaurant, saw you had it on the menu, and came right over."

"A variety show?"

The owner was taken aback. He never would have expected such an answer.

’What kind of variety show would recommend Great Xia’s roast duck and goose? We’re lucky if the foreign media doesn’t try to smear us. Since when are they so kind?’

After serving a few more tables, he got the same story from all of them, which only made him more curious.

He returned to the first couple, who seemed approachable.

"Excuse me, but could I ask what show it was?"

"Wild Survival!"

The woman was tearing into a plump duck leg, her mouth greasy with oil. Judging by the delighted expression on her face, the restaurant had likely gained another regular customer.

As she spoke, she leaned back and gestured for the owner to come look at her boyfriend’s phone, which was propped up on the table.

’Isn’t Wild Survival a wilderness survival show? Recommending Daxia roast duck??’

Puzzled, the owner leaned in and immediately saw the title at the top of the livestream, along with a flaming icon indicating its popularity.

"The Great Xia Chef, Lin Chen?"

He blinked, glancing from the roast duck on the platter to the chicken hanging by the fire on the screen, and then to the familiar face of his fellow countryman.

’Such a young chef, making Daxia Cuisine on Wild Survival?’

’He’s a fellow countryman, no matter what. I have to support him!’

"Mrs. Wang!"

"Go, turn on the TV, search for Wild Survival Season 14 on the tablet, find Lin Chen’s livestream, and cast it to the screen!"

"Sir!"

"Yes?"

The woman tossed the clean-picked duck bone onto the table and gave him a thumbs-up.

"I never knew Great Xia’s roast duck was this delicious. I’ve passed by this place countless times but never came in. Do you have a contact number? Can I preorder a roast duck?"

"Yes, of course!"

The owner chuckled and pulled a business card from his breast pocket, handing it to her. "Just call this number and make a reservation with the front desk. But you need to order at least half a day in advance, or a full day for large orders."

"Great, great, thank you. Oh, right, besides these, do you have any other recommended dishes?"

"Our seafood congee, of course!"

...

’I’m so hungry.’

Lin Chen gazed longingly at the grouse, which was dripping fat drop by drop, and couldn’t help but swallow the saliva flooding his mouth.

The rich aroma of chicken fat filled his nostrils, mingled with the faint fruity scent of the burning applewood. An image of tearing into a large chicken leg flashed through his mind, nearly killing him with craving.

He turned the grouse to ensure it cooked evenly.

The golden fat dripping from the grouse’s rump had already formed a thin layer in the pan below, shimmering with an irresistible luster in the flickering firelight.

’At this rate, it’ll be at least another half hour before I can eat this delicious roast chicken. No, I have to make something to tide me over first, or I really won’t last.’

He glanced at his available supplies, and his eyes lit up as they fell on the cleaned giblets.

’I’ve got it!’

He placed the saucepan back under the roasting chicken to continue catching the drippings and moved the skillet over the fire.

His army knife flew, rapidly slicing a handful of Jerusalem artichoke and a few rakkyo leaves.

When the skillet began to smoke, he tossed the fresh giblets in and began to stir-fry them quickly.

The moment the pale pink giblets hit the high heat, they let out a loud SIZZLE. Splattering grease caused the flames at the edge of the pan to flare up, which then spread into the pan itself.

Lin Chen tossed the pan continuously, his eyes focused, tracking the giblets as they flew up and down, as if judging their doneness.

After a dozen or so tosses, he added the sliced Jerusalem artichoke and continued to stir-fry, allowing the chicken fat to evenly coat every single sliver.

He seasoned it with a little salt, then added the rakkyo leaves and gave it a few more quick tosses. Done!

The whole process was as smooth as silk. From ingredients hitting the pan to the finished dish, it took only a few dozen seconds.

The flames in the pan died down, and a great cloud of steam rose, carrying a thick aroma straight into his nostrils.

The unique, fresh garlic-like scent of the rakkyo leaves constantly stimulated his salivary glands. The translucent slivers of Jerusalem artichoke were still half-raw, and while the giblets hidden among them were few, they were the star of the show.

"It’s a shame I don’t have any chili peppers or soy sauce. Otherwise, the flavor would be even more perfect."

He couldn’t be bothered to wait for it to cool, eagerly scooping up a mouthful of the Jerusalem artichoke slices and stuffing them into his mouth.

The rich aroma of the chicken fat washed over him like a tidal wave. The soft, slightly crunchy, half-cooked Jerusalem artichoke slices brought a profound sense of carbohydrate-fueled bliss. Catalyzed by the chicken fat, every bite was the ultimate indulgence.

The crisp chicken intestines were cooked just right, along with the firm and springy gizzards, the tender and juicy hearts, and the rich, creamy liver...

[Enjoying a delicious giblet dish in a warm shelter during the North American rainy season. Happiness +3]

The system notification did nothing to slow his pace. In just two or three minutes, he had wiped the skillet clean.

’The first bite of greasy food after starving for days really does bring a greater sense of happiness. I just wonder if it will affect the score for the roast chicken later.’

Lin Chen smacked his lips, savoring the last taste as he licked the lingering chicken fat from the corner of his mouth. While he was at it, he turned the grouse again.

Once he finished this meal, he would once again face the predicament of needing to go out and hunt.

He had no idea how many days this rain would last. Although this weather would encourage lots of wild mushrooms to grow, it would also make hunting incredibly difficult.

On top of that, collecting firewood had become a luxury.

Without a fire, the temperature at night would drop to ten to twenty degrees below zero Celsius. Even with the insulation from his sleeping bag and shelter, the penetrating chill was simply unavoidable.