I'm a Druid at a farmhouse.

Chapter 55 Chef Levels

Song You hadn't really thought about this research before, since his agritainment business was just starting out and he was focused on running it and his druid missions.

But since Wang Tong brought it up, this is an opportunity.

"Senior Wang, are there any special considerations when getting a chef's certificate?" Song You asked.

Wang Tong picked up his teacup, took a small sip, and turned his gaze to Wang Guoming: "Aren't the ones in charge of the Level 3 chef assessments recently that Hengshan chef Liu Kun and his brother Liu Xu?"

Wang Guoming nodded quickly: "Yes, Master. Last time at the food festival, I made a bet with Liu Kun. I didn't expect his younger brother to be in the association as an examiner."

Upon hearing Liu Kun's name, a thought flashed through Song You's mind. In the last competition, he had thoroughly humiliated Liu Kun with his arrogance. Would this man hold a grudge and try to trip him up?

He didn't ask directly, but just looked at Wang Guoming. Wang Guoming seemed to sense his hesitation and took over the conversation, explaining.

"Brother Song, Liu Kun is alright. He lost, he lost. He wouldn't resort to underhanded tactics when it comes to verification." Wang Guoming waved his hand. "The problem is his younger brother, Liu Xu. That guy is a knife fanatic."

"A knife fanatic?" Song You asked, puzzled.

"Yes, a knife fanatic." Wang Guoming nodded affirmatively. "At the last food festival, your knife skills completely stunned Liu Xu. I heard that after he went back, he locked himself in the kitchen for several days in a row, just to figure out your knife skills. If you go to get certified and show off that kind of knife skill again, he will definitely keep pestering you and insist on sparring with you endlessly."

Upon hearing this, Song You smiled inwardly, realizing that this was indeed the troublesome situation.

He thought about it and realized it wasn't a big deal. He just needed to run fast. They couldn't really keep bothering him, could they?

"Can't we just take the Level 2 Chef exam directly?" Song You asked again.

He felt that if he took out his Crimson Dragon Breath Plum Blossom Brand, it should be fine for him to reach level two without much trouble.

Wang Guoming shook his head with a wry smile: "No, Brother Song. Chef certification must be done step by step, starting from level three. Moreover, there should be at least a six-month gap between level three and level two, allowing chefs time to reflect and accumulate experience."

"Settling?" Song You pondered the word.

"Yes. The association means that culinary skills are not enough with just techniques; you also need an understanding of ingredients, flavors, and diners, all of which require time to hone," Wang Guoming explained.

"What are the requirements for chefs at each level?" Song You asked. Since there's going to be an exam, he needed to understand it clearly.

Wang Guoming cleared his throat and began to introduce himself, while Li Zhe listened attentively.

"Level 3 chef is the easiest." Wang Guoming held up three fingers. "Make three dishes: one meat dish, one vegetable dish, and one soup. As long as four out of the five judges think it's acceptable, you pass."

"It's much harder to become a Level 2 chef." He lowered two fingers, leaving only one. "You need to have a signature dish that can dominate Hunan Province. This dish must represent the pinnacle of your culinary skills, leaving a deep impression on everyone who has tasted it, and making it unforgettable."

A thought struck Song You: perhaps his Crimson Dragon Breath Plum Blossom Mark could reach this standard.

He didn't show it on his face, but listened quietly.

"A first-class chef, that's an even bigger hurdle." Wang Guoming's tone became serious. "It's no longer just a few dishes, but a whole banquet. Cold dishes, hot dishes, staple foods, desserts, soups, all kinds of cuisines must be included."

"The examiners will assess your overall abilities based on your banquet. Ultimately, you need to be recognized by more than 90% of the chefs at level two and above to achieve level one."

"As for master chefs," Wang Guoming's eyes revealed a hint of longing and awe as he looked at Wang Tong, "that's even more difficult. They need to create an original dish that is perfect. Then, it must be recognized by at least three master chefs nationwide."

After listening, Song You had a general idea in his mind. It turned out that the path to promotion for chefs was so clear.

"Brother Song, your Crimson Dragon Breath Plum Blossom Pancake is absolutely amazing in both taste and creativity. You could totally use it to challenge for the title of Master Chef," Wang Guoming suggested.

Wang Tong shook his head, his voice calm, but it made Song You and Wang Guoming's hearts skip a beat at the same time.

"It's almost there," Wang Tong said.

"Is it still a little short?" Wang Guoming couldn't help but ask, his face full of confusion. "Master, didn't you say that dish had a spiritual quality? I felt it was already perfect!"

Song You shared the same thought. He believed that the dish had reached its limit in terms of the fusion of ingredients and flavors.

Wang Tong's gaze shifted from Wang Guoming's face to Song You.

"To become a master chef, you need to be perfect in every aspect. Your dish had top-notch ingredients, top-notch knife skills, and a great concept," Wang Tong said slowly. "However, the timing of stir-frying and adding seasonings, the control of the heat, and other things, although the overall taste was very good, there were still flaws."

Song You felt a chill run down his spine; Master Wang Tong's insight was indeed sharp.

He's right. Although he has [Control of the Stove Fire], it's only his perception and fine-tuning of the fire temperature.

He hadn't systematically studied the theoretical knowledge of cooking, the combination of seasonings, and the timing of putting ingredients in the pan—the essence of traditional culinary skills.

Relying on a druid's intuition and talent, achieving this level is already the limit.

"What Senior Wang said is true." Song You readily admitted, "My cooking skills still have a lot of room for improvement."

He was not discouraged at all; on the contrary, a surge of excitement welled up inside him.

This means that his culinary skills can continue to improve, and there is still much room for him to grow on the path of the Druid.

"I'll take the certification exam when I have some free time in a couple of days," Song You decided.

Seeing his proper attitude, Wang Tong showed a satisfied expression.

The atmosphere immediately relaxed considerably, and Song You was in a great mood. He remembered something and turned to walk back into the house.

A moment later, he came out carrying an old brown earthenware jar.

"It's rare for a senior to come, so I'm happy today. I have a jar of fine wine here, please have a taste." Song You smiled and placed the wine jar on the stone table.

This is the very jar of wine that Deng Shen had been eyeing for a long time but hadn't been able to drink last time, the one used for his wedding.

Wang Guoming's eyes lit up instantly.

Without wasting words, Song You picked up a small hammer and, with a bang, broke open the seal.

A rich, overpowering aroma of wine instantly gushed out from the jar, forcefully filling the entire courtyard.

Even the usually composed Wang Tong couldn't help but take a deep breath, a hint of amazement flashing in his eyes.

"Excellent wine!" Wang Tong exclaimed.

Song You poured a small bowl for each person. The wine was amber in color, clear and bright, and clung to the inside of the bowl.

Wang Tong picked up the bowl, smelled it first, and then took a small sip.

The wine is smooth and warm on the palate, with a rich aroma that explodes on the tongue and then transforms into a warm current that slides down the throat and into the stomach, making the whole body feel comfortable.

"This wine has been around for a while," Wang Tong said, putting down his bowl with a satisfied look on his face.

"It was left by my father and has been buried for almost ten years," Song You said.

Wang Guoming couldn't hold back any longer. He picked up the bowl and downed the drink in one gulp, then let out a satisfied sigh: "Delicious! This wine paired with that dish was simply heavenly!"

The meal was a pleasant one for both host and guests.

[Druid Log: You received genuine praise from a diner, Gourmet Druid beginner progress +13%! Current progress: 87%.]

[Advanced Gourmet Druid Quest: Nature's Gift - Diner +3 (86/100)]

Song You accepted the money for the meal, which was quite expensive, but Wang Tong and Wang Guoming both felt it was well worth the price.

Wang Tong was in high spirits after drinking. Before leaving, he patted Wang Guoming on the shoulder and said, "These next two days, bring me all the notes I took in Xiangcheng. We can't let such a promising talent go to waste."

"We'll talk about the master chef later; there are still some things to prepare."

Wang Guoming nodded repeatedly, but felt a little sour inside.

He had studied under him for so many years, and his master had kept all those precious notes hidden away. He never expected that Song You would take them all out with just a few words.

After seeing Wang Tong and the other two off, Song You looked at the mess of cups and plates in the courtyard, but his heart was filled with energy.

He returned to his room, rested briefly, then took out his phone and opened Douyin (TikTok).

The inbox is overflowing with private messages, mostly inquiring about the address of the farmhouse and how to reserve a table.

He patiently replied to each one.

Scrolling to the end, a private message from an unknown number caught his attention.

"Senior, is that you? I'm Su Yunxi. I forgot to add you on WeChat when I visited you last time."

Su Yunxi?

Song You thought for a moment before remembering that it was that very pretty junior.

Her hair was slightly wavy, the same hairstyle as her ex-girlfriend.

Without thinking twice, he sent his WeChat ID directly.

After doing all this, he turned off his phone and prepared to go to the back mountain to check on the wild boars.

Just as I reached the door, my WeChat buzzed with a friend request.

The profile picture is of a beautiful girl in an academic gown, smiling sweetly; it's Su Yunxi.

Song You clicked "approved".

The other party replied almost instantly.

"Hi senior, I've finally added you!" followed by a handshake emoji.

Song You replied with a "Hello".

Su Yunxi: "Senior, your agritainment business is doing so well now, are you able to manage it all by yourself?"

Song You: "It's alright, it's fine for now."

Su Yunxi: "What about the weekend? There will definitely be even more people on the weekend, right? Do you need someone to come and help you? I can work for free."

Song You stared at the screen, his fingers pausing on the keyboard.

Before he could figure out how to reply, the other party sent another message.

"I have a friend who studies law. She said that since your agritainment business has contracted the mountains and reservoirs, you should get an operating license and a food safety license. Otherwise, it will be very troublesome if someone reports it."

When Song You saw this message, his heart stirred.

This is indeed a problem. He was only thinking about how to make money to pay off his debts. Although his father had handled the paperwork, he hadn't checked it carefully.

He replied, "Thanks for reminding me, I'll take care of it in the next few days."

Su Yunxi: "No need to be so polite. When are you going, senior? If you come to the city, I might be able to ask about the procedures for you."

Although her words were quite restrained, they all conveyed a sense of wanting to get closer to him.

Song You pondered for a moment, then typed a reply: "I'm going to the city in a few days to take a chef's certificate exam, so I'll ask about these certificates while I'm at it."

He wanted to see what this junior was up to, and after thinking it over, Song You sent her a message: "Is there anything I can help you with?"

After the message was sent, Su Yunxi remained silent for a long time.

Just when Song You thought she wouldn't reply, his phone vibrated again.

Su Yunxi: "Senior, actually the school wants us to find places for internships. When are you coming to the city? I'll pick you up by car, and we can talk about it in detail then."