After I finished my culinary training journey, Master Luo and Mr. Chouyu entrusted Yosen Shuka to my care.
What? This is...
That's right. We're counting on you, Mao.
But I didn't expect such a horrible customer like this fellow.
You are obligated to accept my challenge. You will, won't you kid?
Or should I say, Mr. Super Chef?
The Challenger! Mao Chooses to Fight!
I don't have a reason to fight, and I'm not betting anything.
I just want to challenge you to a Siu Mai Showdown!
A siu mai showdown?
Mao!
I'm sure you'll accept the challenge. Right, Super Chef?
A siu mai... showdown...
You displayed great skill...
...with such fantastic siu mai made from three eggs.
If you don't accept my challenge, I won't be able to sleep.
We have chicken eggs and century duck eggs.
And the eggs of Shanghai crabs, dancing in your mouth.
It is a beautiful siu mai with the great harmony of eggs.
However...
I know you can do better than this!
I want to see that talent.
Right in front of my eyes now!
What's that?
I will fight with everything I have!
A black steel stick!
I haven't used this in a while.
But I'll need it to defeat you!
What are those stars?
Those must represent the chefs he's beaten in the past!
This is like my résumé.
This is my personal record...
...of the talented chefs I defeated in the past!
Defeated in the past?
Chao of Yang Lou Yuan, in Shanxi.
Shu from the Moonlight Restaurant, in Peking.
Tenho of the Springtime Restaurant, in Yunnan...
And many others. Their talent shines as brightly as stars in the night sky!
He defeated many chefs who were like shining stars...
These are his victory marks.
How great were the battles?
What great siu mai does he make with that steel stick?
How did he defeat such talented chefs with his great siu mai?
I want to fight him.
You have the Super Chef title despite your age. I'm sure we'll have a very interesting match.
But...
Mao, as long as that key is in your care, you are in charge of, and represent Yosen Shuka.
I'm responsible for the kitchen here.
If I accept his challenge, it may cause trouble...
But I also want to see it. I want to see the siu mai that he makes with his stick!
Okay!
Don't do it, Mao!
Mei Li.
There's no telling what punishment you'll get for accepting this battle!
That's right, Brother Mao. You know Yosen Shuka's rules are very strict!
What, what, what, what's all this?!!
Forget about the rules!
Listen to your true feelings as a chef, and fight me!
Listen to my true feelings...
No, Mao! Please don't do it!
Brother Mao!
If he really has the soul of a cooking master, he will surely accept my challenge.
Thanks for asking...
But I can't accept your challenge!
Why not?!
I must not do it!
I'm very disappointed in you.
You wimp!
You call yourself a Super Chef?!
Who cares about Yosen Shuka?!
Who cares about some stupid rules?!
He's gone stark raving mad!
I have to do this to calm myself!
He's going to destroy Yosen Shuka for sure!
The way he's handling that stick...
How does he use it?
How does he make siu mai with that? What kind of siu mai?
I want to see it. I want to see how he uses that stick to make great siu mai!
As a chef, I want to challenge him!
I'm truly sorry. Mr. Chouyu, Master Luo, Mei Li... I...
I accept your challenge!
So now you're willing to battle?
Mao!
You mustn't do it!
Brother Mao...
I'll take full responsibility.
What? Please reconsider Mao. You don't want to lose your position here!
Brother Mao!
You can't stop him, Mei LI.
Master Luo... Mr. Chouyu!
Dad.
The recklessness of youth can sometimes be a good thing!
Mao, do you have the kitchen key?
Yes, Mr. Chouyu.
I didn't give you that key just so that you can protect Yosen Shuka.
I knew you could take charge of Yosen, because the competitive spirit of a chef is strong in you.
That's right.
Why hesitate doing what you thought was the right thing to do?
Even if you were defeated, it wouldn't be shameful to us if you gave it your best.
It won't harm the restaurant!
Y-yes!
That's right.
We were worried for nothing.
The famous Master Luo and Sifu Chouyu together! What a delightful surprise.
This place is like a box of chocolates! You never know what you're going to get!
You've certainly made a huge mess of my restaurant.
What? Oh my, oh dear...
This vase was one of my priceless treasures, and now it's smashed into pieces.
You, with your dangerous weapon. There's no doubt about it... you must be Shell!
His name is Shell?
Grandpa, you know this guy?
He's a young genius from Shanxi Province who specializes in dim sum.
He's a Super Dim Sum Chef who's traveling the country on a training mission.
They call him... Steel Stick Shell!
A Super Dim Sum Chef!
While Mao is the youngest certified Super Chef,
Shell had a similar achievement. He was the youngest person...
... to become a Super Dim Sum Chef, a few years ago.
Then he must be really good!
I like this place.
Idiot!
How rude!
Master Luo, you can be the judge of this battle.
But I belong here. I may be biased in favor of Mao if I judge.
But you'll still pick my siu mai as the superior one.
Now that's confidence!
Did you hear that, Mao?
I am not going to lose!
Okay!
You have two hours to prepare.
You can use any ingredient you find here.
So then, here's the condition...
Prepare siu mai for fifty people.
Fifty people?
That many?
Master Luo will be the judge. Do you have any objections?
No, I don't!
Neither... do I!
In that case...
Let's begin!
Siu mai for fifty. What a crazy order that old man asked for...
Man, my arms are getting sore.
Don't worry. In his battle against the Dumpling Brothers, Mao was able to make lots of dumplings in very little time!
Dumpling shells and siu mai skins are similar enough, I guess.
I'm afraid you're mistaken.
Dumpling and siu mai skins are different.
What? But it made up of the same thing... flour.
Did you really train to be a chef for three years?
Sorta.
Here's the difference between dumplings and siu mai.
The skin of a dumpling is like a leather bag, surrounding the good stuff inside.
But siu mai skins are like a soft silky cloth wrapped around the contents.
Therefore, siu mai skins need to be softer and thinner than dumpling skins.
It must require good technique to make plenty of good-quality skins...
Now you understand.
I'm telling you, he's crazy.
I've never seen anything like this!
Look at that. The balls are perfectly lined up!
So then...
He's finally using that stick!
Brother Mao! Now's not the time to be happily watching his techniques!
It's no use, Shilou. He can't hear you right now.
He placed it on top...
He's spinning like a top!
Look at the balls!
They're being flattened.
How's that?
His moves look violent, but they're actually very delicate.
He managed to consistently flatten the dough into thin skins without breaking them.
You certainly know what you're talking about, Master Luo.
They're all the same size.
And the thinness is perfect for making for siu mai.
Amazing.
You shouldn't be watching him. You're too relaxed, Brother Mao!
He can make plenty of skins if he continues like that.
What are you going to do?
What are you going to do, kid?
All right! I guess I'll be spinning as well.
Spinning?
No way!
I'll get you some steel sticks!
Mao, you're going to copy him?
I can't do what he just did.
Then what did you mean by "spinning"?
I'll be spinning this!
What?
Mwa ha ha.
Yoink!
So you're spinning the dough!
The dough is getting bigger!
Shilou, clear the table!
Yes sir!
Here we go!
Amazing!
Ingenious. He used centrifugal force.
Amazing. It's super thin!
It's so beautiful!
All right! Let's go! All right! Let's go!
Well done, kid.
I can't believe how thin he made that dough with just centrifugal force.
I haven't seen anyone use that kind of technique before. Extraordinary creativity is his weapon.
He's different from all the other chefs that I've battled against.
I didn't expect to find such a diamond in the rough, in a place like this...
That kid is amazing.
However...
You'll never be able to beat me in siu mai.
I don't care what kind of siu mai you're going to make...
There's only one perfet siu mai in the world, and only I know how to make it.
Oho! As expected from Yosen Shuka!
Only good restaurants would stock this kind of ingredient. I really like this place!
He's using that new Jinhua pork!
Jinhua pork?
It's the ingredient used in making Jinhua Ham, a well-regarded and expensive dry-cured meat.
How did you know that?
Hey, I did train for three years to become a chef, you know!
What's he going to do now?
His stick can split in two!
Brother Mao. Concentrate on your own work!
I've seen many great chefs during my culinary training journey.
But...
This man is of a different caliber!
Steel Stick Shell. Now I see why he defeated so many chefs!
The marks on his stick aren't just for show. They were forged in the crucible of battle!
And now he's using it against me.
But I won't be defeated easily.
No! I will win, no matter what!
He knows the breaking line of the meat so well.
But I've never seen anyone mince pork as wildly as this!
Shell, the Genius Super Dim Sum Chef. He wields that stick very skillfully.
B-Brother Mao, this isn't good! Look at the meat that he minced!
We don't have time to watch him, Shilou!
You're one to talk, Brother Mao!
Brother Mao...
Don't worry, Shilou.
What are you saying? Do you have any good ideas?
Kind of. I have a plan.
A plan?
Don't discount Mao as just a little kid. He is a very talented young chef as well!
What ingredients will he choose?
I suppose, meat and some shrimp.
You're right!
Perhaps some eggs and green vegetables as well.
Wow, you got it right again!
The question is, what kind of siu mai is he going to make?
All right, the meat is done.
He minced it wonderfully.
Next will be...
They're having a siu mai showdown!
Yosen Shuka's Mao against Steel Stick Shell!
What kind of siu mai are they making?
It's taken almost one hour...
I'm done, Master Luo!
What?
No way!
He's already made enough for fifty?!
But he only used half the time!
He's fast!
Fifty servings worth!
Hmm? Let me see...
I won't be shocked, no matter what!
You should all take a good look. Behold, the complete and ultimate siu mai!
What's that?
That's...
The city center has a bustling din,
As I jump over the guard rails unseen.
Must hurry over to our meeting place,
And beat the dusk in a race.
In your twinkling eyes, I see so clearly,
The soothing warmth that you feel for me.
And with only that, my poor defenseless heart,
Is starting to melt and break apart.
This is a feeling that won't stop; it just keeps going straight.
And it's starting to speed up and accelerate.
I'm by your door, and knocking hard. Won't you let me in?
Let me show you my spirit filled with passion. Yeah!