Chef at the University Canteen-Chapter 498 - 279: Xiaojiang, You’re Our Recruitment "Secret Weapon

"Oh! The list for the Seventh Dining Hall chef interviews is out. Who are these people? Does anyone know them? Please share!"

"Damn! I’m a cooking technician, and I couldn’t even pass the initial screening? This, this, this must be rigged, shady operations going on!"

"The one upstairs is cracking me up! A university hiring a chef would surely be picking suitable candidates, needing no shady operations!"

"Hahaha! I actually passed the preliminary screening and made it to the interview list! Sorry, folks! From now on, please call me the Seventh Dining Hall Chef!"

"Dear colleague, don’t celebrate just yet. Wait until you’ve passed the interview and signed an employment contract with Boss Xiao Jiang. Then you can boast!"

"..."

The "Jiang University Seventh Dining Hall" Douyin account just posted the "Interview Notice for Chef Recruitment at Jiang University Seventh Dining Hall," immediately drawing a lot of attention from netizens. The comment section quickly became lively.

But in reality, most netizens are just spectators. Only around two hundred individuals actually submitted resumes to apply, which is a mere drop in the ocean compared to the hundreds of thousands of followers of the "Jiang University Seventh Dining Hall" account.

Like Xiong Zhengtao, the other nine candidates who made it to the interviews were naturally overjoyed. Securing the interview qualification for the chef recruitment at Jiang University Seventh Dining Hall means getting one step closer to joining the large group at the Seventh Dining Hall.

This is not just a simple job; it’s a great opportunity to improve one’s personal skill level.

The most crucial part is that once you start working at the Seventh Dining Hall, it means you get to eat Boss Xiao Jiang’s meals every day. That’s far more important than honing culinary skills.

However, after the excitement, Xiong Zhengtao and these folks all became nervous.

As everyone knows, the job announcement clearly stated that Jiang University Seventh Dining Hall’s chef recruitment seeks only three chefs, two Red Chefs and one Bakery Chef.

The requirements for Red Chefs are a bit higher, needing to be senior chefs skilled in cooking one or two cuisines and having their own signature dishes.

This so-called signature dish refers to the few dishes a chef is most skilled at preparing, showcasing their highest level of culinary prowess.

A good chef’s signature dish often becomes a restaurant’s specialty and a draw for customers.

In comparison, the requirements for a Bakery Chef are much simpler, merely needing proficiency in making various buns, pancakes, and noodles.

Skills like these can often be met by anyone who has worked in bun or noodle shops for several years without necessarily having formal training at a culinary school.

Out of the ten chefs, after eliminating three applicants for the Bakery Chef position, there are seven Red Chefs left, and among these seven, only two will be selected — meaning five will be eliminated.

Nobody wants to be cut out. It’s not just about losing face; it’s also missing out on a golden opportunity to learn alongside Boss Xiao Jiang!

Therefore, including Xiong Zhengtao, all ten candidates were practicing frantically in the remaining few days like they were possessed.

They aren’t sure what the interview entails, but they understand more or less that culinary skills are like martial arts; you can’t gauge ability just by appearances — you have to test it!

In the end, you still have to cook some signature dishes for everyone to taste.

Who is stronger or weaker? The taste will tell!

...

Time flies by quickly, and in the blink of an eye, it’s the end of June.

These days, schools have begun organizing end-of-term exams, casting a busy and tense atmosphere over the entire campus.

Except for those who have always studied diligently, other students seem to be "facing a formidable enemy," wishing days were 48 hours long, so they could catch up on what they’ve missed throughout the term.

Even if it’s just cramming, that’s better than "sitting and waiting for death." 𝒇𝒓𝙚𝒆𝔀𝓮𝓫𝒏𝓸𝙫𝓮𝓵.𝓬𝙤𝙢

The number of students dining at the Seventh Dining Hall seems to be fewer than usual, as eating good food means waiting in long lines. That wait time could be used to read several more pages or memorize several more words.

In ordinary days, it often feels like time crawls and life is dull. Only when exams hit do people suddenly realize time flies when you need it most.

That’s why some had to painfully forego the delicious food at the Seventh Dining Hall as they crammed with bread in hand.

Of course, despite fewer students dining at the Seventh Dining Hall compared to other cafeterias on campus, it remains bustling and crowded.

After all, there is never a shortage of people who appreciate good food in this world.

On this day, just like usual, Jiang Yu arrived early to help in the first-floor kitchen. Seeing him come in, Lu Shuwu, busy kneading dough at the prep counter, greeted with a smile:

"The boss is here!"

"Mm."

Jiang Yu responded, washed his hands, took some plum blossom pork from the ingredients room, cleaned and drained it, minced it into ground meat, added chilled chicken broth, and brought it to the outside counter to start seasoning the filling.

Seeing Jiang Yu sit down on the opposite side, Lu Shuwu looked up, glanced at him, and asked: