The rhythmic sound of waves crashing from the distant sea, the scent of saltwater, natural and clear.
Being in a country far from the sea, they were naturally drawn to this scene.
Stepping out of the car and opening the door, the sea breeze that blew in made them close their eyes and feel the beauty and purity of nature, as if they were in a fairyland, forcefully pouring all the beauty of the mortal world into their bodies in an instant.
"The abundant ingredients you require have all been prepared. Shall we begin now?"
Mike walked towards the two, naturally needing to greet customers like these proactively.
Following closely behind was Cao Baming. He was meeting these two for the first time. Although they were just chefs, they were world-class champions. He had to witness it firsthand.
After shaking hands, they all entered the largest villa together. The largest kitchen in this area was located here. The entire kitchen was surrounded by floor-to-ceiling windows, with one side directly offering a view of the distant sea through a gap in the buildings. He was sure these two would be thrilled.
The sunlight today was also beautiful, bright but not harsh. The thin clouds just managed to block the ultraviolet rays but not the warmth.
As the two chefs entered the kitchen, their expressions revealed how happy they were at that moment.
Without needing any rest, they began preparations. Cao Baming himself hadn't eaten yet, so there was no time for them to rest.
Fortunately, this dish only took a little over half an hour to prepare. They just had to wait a little longer to savor this culinary masterpiece.
He was not only anticipating its taste but also its appearance. After a brief greeting, Cao Baming, along with Old Mike, left the kitchen and went to wait on the sofa in the living room.
From the living room, one could see the three floors above, with ample space and a wide view that made one feel relaxed.
The ingredients purchased were all very common items: beef, pork, jam, chili peppers, oatmeal, caviar, and so on. However, combining them gave a rather strange impression.
He couldn't imagine what it would be like to have all those ingredients in one dish.
The two chefs prepared one dish, one soup, and a staple-like item for Cao Baming, enough to satisfy the appetite of a normal adult.
More importantly, this dish would not overlap with what was already prepared for the evening's gathering. This meant he wouldn't have to worry about encountering a dish he had already tasted, which would be a disappointment.
As the world's top chefs, their extensive experience meant they could easily prepare thousands of dishes of completely different styles from memory. This was a trivial matter for them.
It was as simple as Cao Baming scoring a penalty kick in front of the goal. In fact, Cao Baming still couldn't understand why some people couldn't even score a penalty kick.
The distance was not that far, the goalkeeper's reach was limited, and he was the one attacking.
After some time, there was movement from the kitchen.
Subsequently, an exquisite serving tray was presented, covered with a metal lid, making one curious about what was inside.
Cao Baming's eyes widened. He had waited so long and was starving, his anticipation growing with each passing moment.
As a puff of steaming hot air escaped, a delicate triangle appeared before him, accompanied by a bowl of orange-yellow, noodle-like substance, and finally, a bowl of soup.
He hadn't expected that even a casually prepared dish could be so exquisite!
The chef wore a smile.
Just then, Mike received a call. More chefs had arrived. With so many people, someone had to be dispatched to pick them up. From this moment on, Mike's phone did not stop ringing.
The tray was placed on the table. Cao Baming had nothing else to worry about. At this moment, his sole focus was on savoring the delicious meal before him, which was the most important thing in the current situation.
Afterward, the two chefs returned to the kitchen to begin preparations for the evening's ingredients.
Although there were still five or six hours until the evening gathering, the dish they planned for tonight required a significant amount of time to prepare; it was a major undertaking.
They likely wouldn't have much time for proper rest in the afternoon. Although no one was rushing them, the workload was undeniable, and time was tight.
Despite this, for ten million dollars, no one would complain. Working a whole afternoon without rest to earn ten million US dollars was undeniably worth it.
It would even be worth it if the price were halved!
During this time, Cao Baming quickly finished his meal.
The shape was peculiar, and the taste was equally unusual. Perhaps due to the geographical distance, this dish was more suited to local palates.
However, overall, the experience alone deserved an eight out of ten.
Only after tasting it did he realize the surprisingly complex structure within the triangle-shaped item. The yellow part was egg, the purple was black rice and jam, and in addition, there were dried shrimp and coconut powder.
He hadn't expected such rich internal layering.
At this moment, movement was heard from the main gate. Another group of chefs had arrived. From now on, the arrivals did not stop.
Due to the sheer number of people, even a large kitchen in one villa would not be able to accommodate over sixty individuals. Many had come prepared, intending to begin preliminary ingredient processing and other preparations in the afternoon.
Fortunately, Cao Baming had purchased not just one villa but four, which was enough. Under Mike's arrangement, all the chefs were assigned specific positions, and the core area for the evening gathering had already begun preparations!
The core area was the wide street next to the stadium, between the gates of two villas. It was the most convenient area, the central hub, regardless of where one needed to go.
With all unrelated traffic blocked, this area was treated as a backyard, posing no issues.