Chapter 50: Two-Star Standard

After signing the contract and confirming some details of cooperation with the Lan Tile House, Bai Renzong received the edited video from He Guang and chose to upload it. However, when it came to film appreciation, he lacked the "Divine Tongue" kind of cheat, so it was hard to create explosive results; his popularity would have to be built up slowly.

The next day, Bai Renzong, together with Han Jiayi and Wang Bei, brought their filming equipment and arrived at the Lan Tile House. The blue tiles made the restaurant stand out on the street, but even more striking than the tiles was the luxurious interior. The overall color scheme was white, glaringly so from outside, making it impossible not to notice the place—but this whiteness also gave a sense of cleanliness and order.

As online creators, they usually avoided peak hours for filming, and by now it was already three in the afternoon, yet the restaurant was still quite busy. As a two-star Michelin restaurant and a Western eatery, the average spend per person was over eight hundred, not something ordinary people could easily accept. The fact that there were so many guests spoke to the success of their business.

Upon entering, Bai Renzong was immediately greeted by a server. After briefly explaining their situation, the server led them to a quiet corner.

“Can’t I order for myself?” Bai Renzong asked curiously, noticing the server standing by without handing him a menu.

“I’m sorry, our chef has already prepared a set menu for you,” the server replied politely with a smile.

“…Alright then,” Bai Renzong said, resting his chin on his hand, a bit dissatisfied.

But this was a business collaboration, after all. He was being paid to eat, so naturally he had to accept whatever was served. Still, Bai Renzong silently resolved to make his reputation so resounding that he would one day have the power to refuse such arbitrary arrangements.

Meanwhile, Wang Bei was filming the restaurant’s decor for future material.

“As expected, the owner must want you to help refine the menu,” Han Jiayi whispered. “They’ve held two Michelin stars for two years now, always eyeing the third.”

“How exactly are they ‘eyeing’ it?” Bai Renzong asked, intrigued.

Han Jiayi glanced around, then leaned in close and whispered, “Michelin inspectors usually operate frequently in spring and summer, so many restaurants use this to their advantage. During those seasons, they use only the best ingredients, chefs present their finest dishes, and servers pay meticulous attention to every detail…”

Her face was so close to Bai Renzong that he could clearly see her long eyelashes.

“The scrutiny isn’t just for the chefs; everyone must be alert,” Han Jiayi warned mysteriously. “Did you know Michelin inspectors will sometimes slip a spoon under a chair in an inconspicuous spot to see if the staff notices? If not… see you next year.”

“How fascinating,” Bai Renzong said with genuine interest. “Why don’t you aim for two stars yourself?”

“What do you think I’ve been doing, fussing over new recipes lately?” Han Jiayi retorted.

“If I pull you into filming, will it mess up your star pursuit?” Bai Renzong asked, slightly worried.

“Why are you suddenly so considerate?” Han Jiayi looked at him suspiciously. “It’s not that bad. My restaurant runs fine without me most days; all I can do now is develop new recipes…”

Wang Bei chimed in, “Actually, in our country, getting one Michelin star is pretty easy. Foreigners don’t really understand Chinese cuisine, so as long as you decorate the restaurant nicely and the food isn’t terrible—basically, spend enough money—you’ll get one star.”

“But Western restaurants are a different story,” Han Jiayi added. “You’ll notice that Michelin-starred Chinese restaurants are usually lavishly decorated and expensive, but the food is just average. Western restaurants, on the other hand, must be truly outstanding to earn a star here.”

Bai Renzong nodded in realization: hiring these two was definitely worth it.

He had done his homework, but there’s no way an outsider could know such industry secrets.

After their conversation, the dishes began to arrive.

The first was an appetizer.

Arranged on the plate were several black pebbles, each topped with a rose-colored “jewel” and garnished with tiny pink bee blossom petals.

The dish was so exquisite it almost felt wrong to eat it.

Of course, the portion was so small it was almost a shame to consume; the edible part was less than the decoration.

“Please use the spoon to scoop up one jewel, then add a bit of cream from this bowl for the best flavor,” the server explained.

Bai Renzong nodded, and together with Han Jiayi and Wang Bei, scooped up a rose-colored “jewel” and added some cream before tasting.

The shimmering rose-colored layer was actually a kind of jelly, enclosing springy white meat. The cream added a faint, stimulating note. The first sensation was the floral freshness of the bee blossoms, then the oceanic aroma of the white meat, and finally the earthy depth from the cream.

“As expected of a two-star Michelin…” Bai Renzong mused, resting his chin. The standard of this dish was remarkable—from plating to knife work to flavor and complexity, every aspect was top-notch. No wonder they were confident about aiming for three stars.

“Hmm…” Han Jiayi’s face showed a hint of competitive spirit, but she couldn’t find the words.

“I can’t really explain it, but it’s definitely delicious…” Wang Bei muttered behind the camera.

Bai Renzong simply turned to the server. “We’re ready for the second course.”

The second dish was “soup,” but instead of a thick broth, they received a small plate with about two spoonfuls. Tender white asparagus tips were sprinkled with black peppercorns, tiny green leaves, and bits of purple lavender petals, floating on a clear golden broth, not fully submerged. Black, white, green, purple, gold—it was a feast for the eyes.

Bai Renzong tasted a spoonful; the asparagus tips were so tender they melted with the slightest pressure from tongue and palate. The lavender brought a light floral aroma that blended with the tangy seafood broth for a unique flavor, lingering in the mouth like a resonant melody.

The third course was grape-sized sturgeon balls, paired with tiny peppercorns, arranged in a circle—orange and green, fresh looking, though the taste wasn’t as stunning.

The final main course was a crescent-shaped lamb pie, topped with thin slices of black truffle and sprinkled with green and gold spices. The sauce was painted in three small dots beside the pie.

“All right, tasting over.” After sampling each dish, Bai Renzong nodded in satisfaction. “Now for the commentary.”

“Wait.” At that moment, a young man in his thirties, dressed in chef’s whites, emerged from the back, wiping his hands with a towel as he approached Bai Renzong with a smile. “I’d like to hear your thoughts in person.”

(Thanks to eric sun, Waiting for Rainy Day, Under the August Moon, Yuece for the monthly votes; thanks to vxvg, islo in, Book Fan jia for two votes each.)