7 The One and Only

As a food enthusiast, Rindō Kobayashi likes eating, but liking is just a basic condition.

Beyond that, what's required is understanding food!

Understanding!

Is just a fancy word.

It involves knowledge of ingredients, various cooking methods, awareness of culinary cultures and taste preferences from different countries, cities, and regions.

And also knowing that the same dish can have many variations in the hands of different chefs.

In Rindō Kobayashi's mind, she always approaches unknown foods and dishes with great interest.

This mentality, this deep-rooted passion for eating, has been quietly influencing her life all along.

She can run long distances or climb mountains for an unknown ingredient without feeling tired!

Therefore, this explains why her character is so carefree.

But being able to excel in various rare ingredients from different countries at such a young age, and being the second among the top ten at the Totsuki Culinary Academy today is truly remarkable!

In reality, to Rindō Kobayashi, the most important aspect of any dish in this world is the taste!

Take the Thousand-Layer Pancake for example, the crispy texture is crucial, and the method of using 1462 layers of pastry might seem like a mere show-off.

However, the aroma of scallions in the air, the fragrance of the cake, and the taste of the meat successfully triggered her appetite.

So, shocked but without hesitation, she, under Zane's gaze, took a bite of the Thousand-Layer Pancake.

"Mmm..."

As she took a bite, a sound of "crunch, crunch" was heard.

It was clearly the friction between the 1000-plus layers of pastry and her teeth, along with the sound of air being forced out.

The first thing she tasted was the crispy, 1462-layer pastry.

It instantly melted in her mouth, providing a wonderful taste experience!

And that crispy texture made the experience very enjoyable, as if she could feel the deliciousness while chewing.

Later, as she chewed vigorously, she discovered a solid filling wrapped in the thin and crispy pastry.

Taking another bite, she tasted the butter mixed in between.

This rich layering instantly made the simple Thousand-Layer Pancake quite delicious!

And as she moved her tongue around, she could feel the layers of the pancake being cut open from different angles.

For a moment, the most primitive dough flavor hidden inside started to seep out bit by bit.

Then, well, that was it.

All she knew was that the unique aroma and taste of the pancake compelled her to savor it slowly.

The increasingly rich aroma of scallions blended with the fragrance of the pastry, along with the rich meaty flavors, made her truly experience the charm of this Thousand-Layer Pancake!

At that moment, all her worries seemed to disappear, leaving only this wonderful Thousand-Layer Pancake.

"Strange, the black granules sprinkled on the surface."

"They're not sesame seeds, but... a rare spice called Lanxiangzi!"

"So that's it."

"In the process of making the Thousand-Layer Pancake, all you need to do is evenly sprinkle Lanxiangzi on the pastry, then roll and fold."

"When the pastry is baked, the Lanxiangzi will present a crispy texture, perfectly complementing the crispy outer layer and rich filling of the Thousand-Layer Pancake."

"In other words, the addition of Lanxiangzi further enhances the texture of the Thousand-Layer Pancake."

"And the unique fragrance of Lanxiangzi, combined with the crispiness of the pancake, complement each other perfectly."

"Perfect!"

"Truly a perfect match!"

"This ordinary Thousand-Layer Pancake has truly surprised me."

Coming back to her senses, Rindō Kobayashi couldn't help but sigh deeply.

Being able to elevate such a humble snack like the Thousand-Layer Pancake to an unprecedented level, the owner in front of her was truly a rare culinary genius in this world!

"Chef Zane, I dare say the Thousand-Layer Pancake you made is truly one of a kind in the world!"

"Ah, I feel so lucky. To think that I, Rindō Kobayashi, could eat such a deliciously crispy snack in my life. It's truly a life without regrets."

Lastly, as Rindō Kobayashi enjoyed the Thousand-Layer Pancake, she showered Zane with praise.

Of course, these words were a bit exaggerated.

But overall, the early morning meal of the Thousand-Layer Pancake truly left Rindō Kobayashi in awe!

"You're not bad yourself."

"You were able to taste the black granules sprinkled on the surface, which are Lanxiangzi, not sesame seeds."

"Indeed, as the second among the top ten at Totsuki Culinary Academy, you are definitely worthy of your reputation!"

Eating the Thousand-Layer Pancake, Zane casually glanced at Rindō Kobayashi who calmly said,

"Hehe, I just happened to learn about Lanxiangzi once while hunting in the mountains."

Upon receiving Zane's approval, Rindō Kobayashi's lovely face suddenly reddened, seemingly with a bit of joy inside!

"No!"

"Don't praise me."

"Why are you blushing?"

Zane looked at the blushing Rindō Kobayashi and couldn't help but feel a bit surprised.

He thought to himself, understanding women's thoughts is really difficult.

He had only talked about her skills, which definitely lived up to her reputation as the second among the top ten, yet just that one statement made her shy?

"Huh?"

"I... I wasn't blushing!"

Rindō Kobayashi touched her warm cheeks and tried to defend herself.

As Zane was about to tease her again, Rindō Kobayashi suddenly turned serious and said, "Chef Zane, I've always admired your culinary skills."

"But I still can't understand why you don't aim for a bigger stage."

"With your current skills, even being the head chef at a five-star hotel would be more than achievable for you!"

But as soon as she said this, Zane remained composed, eating up the Thousand-Layer Pancake that was in his hand.

Then, he took out a clean napkin, wiped his mouth, and then fixed his gaze on Rindō Kobayashi.

"Chef, why... why are you looking at me like that?"

Being stared at by Zane, Rindō Kobayashi became increasingly uncomfortable and quickly turned her head away.

"Rindo."

"What are you pursuing?"

Zane retracted his gaze and asked.

"Nothing!"

"What pursuit do I have?"

"At most in my life, I just want to explore unknown ingredients, taste all the dishes in this world, and continually enjoy the pleasure of good food, that's all!"

Rindō Kobayashi was momentarily stunned, then truthfully answered Zane's question.

"Actually, I used to be the head chef at a five-star hotel."

"But that kind of life was too boring, which is why I'm now managing this tavern alone."

Zane calmly explained again.

"Huh?"

Upon hearing this, Rindō Kobayashi was once again completely bewildered!