Customers who frequent such restaurants are mostly well-off, and they usually eat high-end ingredients like Matsutake. After hearing their words and smelling the unique creamy aroma, their doubts about the price immediately vanished.
"Indeed, just from the ingredients, this dish is not expensive. However, ultimately, we still have to see how it tastes," a guest said, then began to taste it.
Seeing this, the other guests also began to taste it one after another.
Fragrant rice grains wrapped in soft egg liquid, Matsutake emitting a creamy aroma… The deliciousness was like a storm, instantly engulfing them.
At this moment, everyone who tasted it felt their entire body naked, wrapped in a tornado, flying to the clouds, experiencing an extreme pleasure.
"This texture is truly wonderful."
"That soft Matsutake feels like marshmallow, enveloping my entire being."
The guests' faces all showed expressions of intoxication, and their hand movements did not stop at all. Spoon after spoon, they continuously shoveled the fried rice into their mouths, and the rice in the plates decreased at a visible speed.
Seeing this scene, those guests who supported other chefs and Alpha and the others were all stunned.
Mr. Mita, Izayoi Tsuki, and Miss Sakai, however, breathed a sigh of relief.
"Thank goodness, I was startled just now," Miss Sakai said, patting her ample chest with lingering fear.
Satou also breathed a sigh of relief, thinking that this time, it was again thanks to Hanayama-in Natsuki; otherwise, it wouldn't have been so easy to explain.
"Wait a moment, I have a gift for you," Satou said to her mysteriously.
"A gift?" Hanayama-in Natsuki asked curiously while eating the Yangzhou Fried Rice.
"Yes, wait for me," Satou smiled slightly, then walked into the kitchen, took out some Almond Cabbage, and made a portion of Hand-pulled Cabbage.
At this time, the guests in the restaurant had already finished their Yangzhou Fried Rice, with expressions of happiness on their faces. Some guests, however, were reluctant to finish it all at once and wanted to savor it slowly.
"Worth it! This dish is too worth it! Not to mention the ingredients, just the taste alone is absolutely worth this price!"
"Exactly. I feel unprecedentedly relaxed; it seems all my worries have left me. It's truly amazing!"
"If I could eat this dish every day, that would be wonderful."
Watching them eat and smelling the rich aroma in the air, the mouths of the guests who supported Alpha and the others were watering. Looking at the dishes made by chefs like Alpha on their own tables, they suddenly felt they weren't that tasty anymore.
"This is specially prepared for you; it won't be for sale for now," Satou said, handing the finished Hand-pulled Cabbage to Hanayama-in Natsuki.
"This dish…" Hanayama-in Natsuki's eyes lit up as she looked at the Hand-pulled Cabbage in front of her, then she eagerly tasted it.
The spicy and hot taste, coupled with the crispy and sweet Almond Cabbage, conquered her in an instant!
The situation here quickly attracted the attention of others.
"Can I buy a portion of this cabbage?" The first guest who affirmed the ingredients looked at Hanayama-in Natsuki, who was eating with relish, and swallowed, asking.
His Yangzhou Fried Rice had long been finished, but it wasn't satisfying at all. Looking at this plate of Hand-pulled Cabbage, he was especially tempted.
"Yeah, can you sell me a portion too?"
"Any price is fine!"
"Please, you must sell it to me!"
Other guests also gathered around, and even some guests who originally supported chefs like Alpha were attracted.
Chefs like Alpha, noticing this scene, immediately looked displeased.
"I'm sorry, this is not for sale. There will be an opportunity to sell it in the future," Satou said. In fact, he still had a lot of Almond Cabbage left; it was so big, and he had only made two portions of Hand-pulled Cabbage. But he planned to eat the rest himself.
"Is that so? What a pity," the guest said regretfully, then glanced at Hanayama-in Natsuki, who was eating with particular delight, and couldn't help but ask, "Hana-yama'in, could you sell me half?"
"No!" Hanayama-in Natsuki refused without thinking. How could she sell such a delicious dish?
Soon, it was time for the restaurant to close.
Those guests who didn't get to buy the dishes were naturally disappointed, and those who did buy them felt they hadn't eaten enough. They all made arrangements with Mr. Mita, asking him to notify them next time the dishes were sold.
This included many guests who originally liked chefs like Alpha.
The expressions of Alpha and the others could no longer be described as merely displeased.
Mr. Mita naturally agreed immediately.
"Oh, by the way, let's exchange contact information," Hanayama-in Natsuki suggested.
"Sure," Satou nodded, and then the two exchanged contact information.
"If your dishes go on sale in the future, remember to notify me immediately," Hanayama-in Natsuki said with a slight smile.
"Of course," Satou also smiled.
"Hey, hey, Satou, are you and Hana-yama'in seeing each other?" Miss Sakai leaned in, asking with great gossip.
"Seeing each other? What are you talking about?" Satou was speechless.
"I heard that culinary demoness has never smiled at anyone, but today, she's smiled at you more than once." Miss Sakai winked at him. "And she's really good to you, always defending you. Are you two, by any chance, dating? A younger man, older woman relationship—just thinking about it is thrilling!"
Even Izayoi Tsuki looked at him suspiciously.
"What nonsense are you spouting?" Satou was both amused and exasperated.
"Satou-jun, this is your share from the food sales." Before leaving, Mr. Mita handed him an envelope.
Satou counted it; it was exactly 160,000.
"I get 80%? That's too much." He frowned, as the usual split with a chef is 30/70, with the chef getting 30% and the restaurant 70%.
It might seem like the restaurant makes a lot for nothing, but in reality, venue fees, service fees, ingredient costs, and so on are all borne by the restaurant. Satou's 80% was truly a lot.
"Not at all. After all, the precious ingredients were provided by Satou-jun... and the popularity you brought alone is already very satisfying to us," Mr. Mita said with a smile.
Seeing that he couldn't refuse, Satou accepted it.
After bidding farewell to the manager, Satou and Izayoi Tsuki took the train back together.
When Satou returned to the Apartment, Erina Nakiri was already back.
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