Episode Summary
Shen Shaojie returns to town broke and takes a disguised job at a rival tavern. Meanwhile, Shen Jianshe, after intense training with Yu San, enters the Chef God Competition. The theme is a complex poem about life. A sabotage attempt by his rival, using Shen Shaojie, causes a chaotic scene where Shen Jianshe injures his wrist. Despite the injury, he has a breakthrough and presents six simple family-favorite dishes, explaining that his true goal is to cook for his loved ones, not to win a competition.
Spoiler Alert
A Not-So-Triumphant Return
So, Shen Shaojie is back in Yong'an. He's completely broke. He is also deeply ashamed of himself. He just can't bring himself to face his family.
He hears about a job opening at the Shen family restaurant. The news makes him want to crawl into a hole. But then a job broker tells him Yunlai Tavern is also hiring. He decides to go there instead. He puts on a fake beard to disguise himself. It actually works. No one recognizes him. Lu Yun thinks he talks a good game. He hires Shen Shaojie on the spot to take care of his horse. What a downgrade.
Gearing Up for the Big Cook-Off
Shen Jianshe is going all-in on the Chef God Competition. He is practicing constantly. He makes a few dishes and asks Yu San to try them. Yu San gets invited to the table before closing time. This is a huge deal for someone of his status. He feels incredibly honored.
Shen Jianshe tells him that anyone who works at the restaurant is family. Yu San appreciates the sincerity. So he gives his honest opinion. The food is just okay.
This kicks off a new routine. Shen Jianshe starts begging Yu San to teach him how to cook properly. He spends his days practicing knife skills and building arm strength. He's always tossing the wok around. Li Fengxia watches him train. She finally looks a little bit satisfied with his effort.
The Competition Begins
The day of the Chef God Competition arrives. Chefs from all the big-name restaurants are there. Shen Jianshe and Shen Jingwen are also competing. The main judge is Kang Yuanwai. People say he's the top food expert in Yong'an.
Minister Meng is there with Lin Yan to watch the event. Meng gives the competitors their challenge. It's a poem. They have to interpret its meaning and create a dish.
Shen Jingwen understands the poem's meaning right away. He starts picking his ingredients with care. Shen Jianshe, on the other hand, is totally lost. He just stands there scratching his head. He ends up just grabbing a little bit of everything. He's basically copying what the other chefs are doing.
Lin Yan and Minister Meng talk about the poem's theme. It’s about putting the flavors of life into a meal. Meng is very impressed with her interpretation.
Most chefs are already prepping their food. They're busy chopping and arranging everything. Shen Jianshe is still pacing around. He suddenly realizes the poem mentions different ages. It must be about the stages of a person's life. But he still has no idea what dish to make.
A Wrench in the Works
Lu Yun decides to play dirty. He wants to sabotage the chefs who are a threat to his tavern. He especially wants to target the Shen family. He calls over Shen Shaojie, who's in the back washing dishes. He tells him to go out front and cause a scene.
Shen Shaojie pushes his way into the crowd. His daughter, Shen Yangyang, spots him almost immediately. She runs up to him, and they finally reunite. Shen Shaojie just breaks down. He holds his daughter and starts crying.
A-Yuan sees this and thinks a stranger is hurting Shen Yangyang. He runs up and starts kicking Shen Shaojie. The commotion draws a huge crowd. Shen Jianshe hears someone shout his son's name. He turns to look and drops his heavy wok. He twists his wrist badly in the process.
Shen Shaojie sees the chaos he caused. He panics and runs away from the scene. Li Fengxia tells Shen Jianshe they need to go to a doctor right away. But then, Shen Jianshe gets an idea. He knows exactly what dish he needs to make. He ignores his injury and gets back to work.
Judging the Final Plates
Time is up. The incense has burned out.
Shen Jingwen and the chef from Guixiang Restaurant both made four dishes. Their concepts represent the four stages of life and the four seasons. Yunlai Tavern's dish is all about presentation. The knife work is the most intricate and flashy of the whole competition.
Then there's Shen Jianshe. He made six simple, home-style dishes.
He explains his thinking. There are five people in his family. He made each person's favorite dish. The sixth dish is rice tofu. That one is for Lin Yan. He says he just wants his family to come home to a meal they love after a long day. He doesn't care about winning or losing the competition.
