He opened the door and entered a large classroom.
Xia Yu appeared at the back of the classroom. At that moment, Smith was already holding a microphone and lecturing from the podium.
Setting aside his identity with the "Gourmet Club," Smith was, after all, a Super Chef with genuine talent and knowledge. Even Far Moon students, who possessed a strong competitive spirit, found themselves engrossed in his teaching without realizing it.
"In a world that pursues aesthetics, the culinary world also emphasizes ’aesthetics’!"
Different from his somber temperament, Smith’s lectures were easy to understand and incorporated popular terms.
"What is called plating decoration is both culinary aesthetics and art."
"Do not consider yourselves as chefs, but as artists holding brushes. Artists among chefs, with knives as your brushes..."
Smith, holding a remote control, pressed it lightly, and the content of the presentation appeared on the projection screen behind him.
One exquisite picture after another.
Indeed, he was here to teach today.
Just as he was about to continue, Smith’s gaze shifted toward the back of the classroom, where a student, arms folded and standing out conspicuously, was very noticeable. This was in the middle of a lecture; wasn’t such a student’s behavior a blatant disrespect for the teacher?
Upon closer inspection, Smith’s frown deepened.
Not some student, but the manager and head chef of Xia’s Chinese Restaurant!
Also, he was a guest lecturer at Far Moon!
Having suffered a significant loss just days before, Smith had strictly ordered Lancelot to investigate Xia Yu’s background. The news of his passing the assessment at Chiyoda Shrine had not yet spread; hence, Smith only knew this one identity of Xia Yu.
Of course, he also had a grandfather who had returned to his homeland. The "Gourmet Club" had shallow roots in that mysterious continent; thus, no information had reached Neon yet.
The classroom fell suddenly silent.
Both the Far Moon Exchange Group and the Orlando Team followed Smith’s gaze toward the back of the classroom.
"Instructor Xia is here!"
"It’s really him! We’re set!"
The Far Moon students and faculty were elated, while the Orlando faculty and students whispered among themselves.
"Is that man a lecturer?"
"So young, and not wearing the uniform, but he’s wearing a work ID!"
All the students and instructors from Orlando had not anticipated Xia Yu’s purpose and thought he was here to observe. After discussing for a bit, they turned their attention back to the lecture.
Smith gave Xia Yu a deep look, their eyes meeting midway as if striking sparks.
The lecture was roughly half an hour long.
"Chefs," after all, required practice in their profession; just talking wouldn’t cut it. Half an hour later, it was time for the real competition segment.
"Please, Instructor Auson, come to the podium—"
Pressing the remote, Smith turned off the projector and the presentation in a graceful manner.
That thought went through the minds of the Far Moon students and faculty.
Originally, it was Instructor Auson who was supposed to lead the practical segment. He stood up and coldly said, "I’m sorry, Professor Smith, but I’ve injured my right arm. Therefore, this practical segment will be taught by another Far Moon lecturer."
At those words, the smile on Smith’s face momentarily froze, and his eyes instinctively drifted toward the young man still standing at the back of the classroom.
His heart gave a jolt—could it be...
Logically, as a Super Chef, he shouldn’t feel intimidated by a young man whose hair had barely grown out, but for some reason, Smith couldn’t help thinking about the terrifying scene he witnessed while tasting the second VIP specialty dish a few days earlier.
Even now, the memory made his skin crawl.
At that moment, Roland Chapeau started clapping while turning back to Xia Yu who waited at the back of the classroom, "It’s all yours, Instructor Xia."
The students and teachers of Far Moon all stood up, applauding with Roland Chapele. After all, Xia Yu was representing Far Moon on stage. Regardless of the final outcome, they should offer him encouraging applause.
Smith’s gaze followed Xia Yu as he took the stage, standing shoulder to shoulder with him, his expression darkening slightly.
"Professor Smith, this is our second meeting. Please take care of me!"
Xia Yu greeted him with an innocuous smile.
While the courtesy was ample, deep down he couldn’t wait to see this guy looking disheveled, to make him take a big loss and dare not target Xia’s shop or the shopping street again. But politeness was still necessary.
Smith and Xia Yu shook hands.
"So next, we will start the practical segment—"
"I will go head-to-head with Instructor Xia, each of us creating a dish that focuses on decorative art and emphasizes ’visual appeal’. The final judgment will also only look at ’visual appeal’, regardless of the taste of the food."
Smith turned and handed a prepared list of ingredients to one of Far Moon’s staff members.
"Instructor Xia, please order anything you need!"
The staff member said.
"The things I need are quite simple. Bring me a half-meter cube of ice and a few small carrots..." Xia Yu said casually.
The male staff member was momentarily stunned, uncertainly asking, "Just ice and small carrots?"
Xia Yu glanced at him.
Pursing his lips and after a few more glances at Xia Yu’s expression, the male staff member finally left, looking utterly bewildered.
When Xia Yu mentioned his needed ingredients, he didn’t try to lower his voice or hide anything, so the entire Far Moon Team and Orlando Team in the large classroom heard everything clearly.
Ice and small carrots. Could they be turned into some exquisite artistic combination?
Far Moon’s students and teachers were all petrified.
As for the Orlando Team, students and teachers whispered to each other, faintly exchanging some rather unflattering remarks.
Smith was astonished.
In the office, Dojima Yin also affirmed.
Ice sculpture was nothing uncommon for a Super Chef as experienced as Dojima Yin, but he slightly frowned and said, "Smith’s aesthetic in food presentation follows a modern Western cuisine style—bold, with a mix of construction and colors, and quite intricate..."
He knew Smith’s background like the back of his hand; it was obvious he had spent time investigating the past few days.
The Special Envoy from IGO headquarters, Qiushan Hong, was still smiling.
Just by looking at his demeanor, this was a gentle and handsome middle-aged man who always had a smile on his face.
The materials used in the exchange topic were provided by the Far Moon Food Duel Administration, and efficiency went without saying. In just ten minutes, the materials needed by Xia Yu and Smith were all laid out on the edge of the large classroom podium.
On Xia Yu’s side, on the cart, there was a block of ice that continuously emitted cold air. Half a meter in size, it was not very big.
Next to the cart, in a small vegetable basket, were a few small carrots, still with their vibrant green tops attached.
And on Smith’s side, it was colorful and attractive to the eye.
Compared with Smith, Xia Yu seemed underprepared, and his materials too simplistic.
"Basil, parsley, mint, oregano, dill, thyme, rosemary, chives..."
Xia Yu was looking over the items prepared by Smith and couldn’t help but commend, "The eight kinds of seasoning plants commonly used in Western dish presentation—you’ve brought them all. To arrange them in one plate is no easy feat!"
His leisurely and idle tone caused Smith to feel a surge of irritation.
"Instructor Xia, let’s begin—"
Smith said in a low voice, reaching into the basket and grabbing handful after handful of the green "weeds," quickly processing them.