Chapter 137: Chapter 137: Three-Star Chef

Chen Yu couldn't help frowning; he was certain he had never seen Hals before.

However, he could distinctly smell the scent of spices on the other man.

Seeing that Chen Yu had no intention of shaking hands, Charles awkwardly withdrew his hand and passed over a business card instead. S~eaʀᴄh the nôvel_Fire.ηet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

"I am a Michelin three-star chef and plan to open a restaurant nearby. Hearing that Mr. Chen is a renowned chef of this generation, I came to pay a visit," he said.

Chen Yu arched his eyebrow and politely pocketed the business card.

He knew very well that this fellow had no good intentions; anyone could open a restaurant anywhere, so why bother visiting him specifically?

It was nothing more than an attempt to capitalize on his local fame to establish their brand.

"At most, I'm just a restaurateur; there's no need for your visit. If you have no other business, please don't disturb me while I'm conducting mine," he said.

Although these words sounded humble, they were incredibly domineering.

Charles stood there, stunned, not knowing what to say.

"Mr. Chen, I've watched the show where you competed with the four famous chefs. I believe you merely had the advantage of the home field. Today, I've come specifically to ask for your guidance," he said.

Chen Yu felt helpless; truly, the more famous you get, the more trouble comes knocking.

All he did was appear on two shows, gained a bit of fame, and now even a Michelin three-star chef had come to challenge him.

"Then you'll have to wait! As you can see, I have many customers. According to the rules here, you need to line up," he said.

Charles was instantly taken aback. In no restaurant around the world would a Michelin three-star top chef ever be expected to queue up at the door.

To him, this was an outright humiliation.

"Mr. Chen, your country is known for its courtesy. Your behavior is hardly the proper way to treat a guest," he said.

Chen Yu simply ignored him and went straight to the kitchen to get busy.

Charles's bodyguard immediately became furious and was about to storm into the restaurant to reclaim their dignity.

Just as they were preparing to take action, the delivery boys inside the restaurant stood up in unison, blocking the entrance.

Although from a professional standpoint, these delivery boys might not be a match for the bodyguards.

But their numbers were overwhelming.

This formidable show of force stopped Charles in his tracks.

"Mr. Chen, I will not go anywhere; I'll wait right here for you," Charles said, calling out to the restaurant. He then pulled up a small stool and sat down at the entrance, with his bodyguards neatly lined up behind him.

For a while, they became a beautiful scene outside Chen Yu's restaurant.

After all, Charles was a world-famous chef; he quickly attracted a lot of local reporters.

Before long, all of Suzhou City was buzzing.

"Old Chen, this foreigner is still a three-star chef, after all. Isn't it a bit... to leave him hanging out there?" Li Gang began, then trailed off.

Afetr all, their restaurant in Suzhou City was quite the internet sensation, frequented by celebrities on a regular basis.

Now, leaving a world-class chef hanging outside could easily make the front page headlines, and who knew what kind of public opinion it would attract.

Chen Yu raised an eyebrow: "This guy actually wants to step on us to climb higher. Do you really want to let him succeed?"

Li Gang shrugged his shoulders and didn't say anything more.

However, the increasing crowd of reporters outside still put some pressure on Chen Yu.

The scene of internet celebrities blocking the door last time had already been a headache.

If some new tricks emerged this time, it would be another troublesome matter.

With no choice left, Chen Yu stood up, grabbed a few pieces of tofu, and quickly made a simple home-style tofu dish.

He then called Yang Shu over, gave her a few instructions, and had her serve the tofu.

"Mr. Charles, it's almost noon. This is the lunch our boss has sent for you. If after eating, you feel it's necessary to challenge our boss, he would be happy to oblige."

Charles immediately became excited. Coming here to compete with Chen Yu was his ultimate goal.

Having taken only a couple of bites, Charles's body suddenly trembled.

His eyes also became somewhat blank.

"Is this personally made by Mr. Chen?"

Yang Shu didn't say a word, just nodded.

Charles's breathing became rapid, and he no longer cared about appearances, picking up the spoon and wolfing down the entire plate of home-style tofu.

"Delicious! Indeed, I cannot make flavors like this. Please tell your boss, Mr. Chen, that I humbly admit defeat."

After handing the plate back to Yang Shu, Charles left with his bodyguard, looking defeated.

Although it was an invisible confrontation, anyone could see that Chen Yu had conquered a Michelin three-starred chef with a plate of home-style tofu.

In fact, chefs of this world-class level would often challenge the most famous local chef before opening a restaurant in the area.

First, to demonstrate their culinary skills, and second, to stake their claim in the local culinary scene.

This approach would allow their restaurant to generate substantial economic benefits in the shortest time possible.

But if there was a mishap during the challenge with the local chef or if they lost,

they would gracefully exit the city and pick a new place to set up shop.

Seeing Charles leave, Chen Yu also breathed a sigh of relief.

The reporters and officials that had been crowding the entrance also dispersed.

At six o'clock in the afternoon, Zhou Shengtao arrived at the shop with a few officials in uniform, looking very serious.

"Chen Yu, come out and get your plaque!"

Chen Yu was stunned for a moment and hastily left the kitchen.

He saw Zhou Shengtao holding a metallic plaque.

"What are you doing with this, Captain Zhou?" Chen Yu hadn't yet grasped what was happening.

"You see, yesterday you helped us catch a criminal who's been on the run for ten years. This is a plaque to reward you, and in addition, you'll receive a bounty of five million yuan."

Chen Yu was surprised, "That much?"

Zhou Shengtao waved his hand dismissively, "That's nothing. The reward for Li Ming alone was up to seven million yuan. You just played a key role in our capture process, so you only get a bounty of five million yuan."

Chen Yu took a sharp breath, feeling somewhat like a bounty hunter.

"Then, thank you, Captain Zhou."

Zhou Shengtao had other business and didn't stay much longer.

After leaving the bounty and the plaque, he led his team away.

The shop's staff suddenly cheered. They hadn't expected that Chen Yu would inadvertently help the authorities crack a significant case.

Chen Yu felt a bit embarrassed; in truth, he hadn't done much – he had merely accompanied Zhou Shengtao to inspect the scene.

After quickly dealing with everyone's praise, Chen Yu hurried back to the kitchen.

He immediately called the supplier.

Today was already Saturday, and after tomorrow, the stock of ingredients in the warehouse would be running low.

Therefore, Chen Yu decided to purchase the next week's ingredients a day early.