Chapter 714

Chapter 714:

While the score wasn’t extraordinary, it edged slightly ahead of the previous three teams.

The final team, Skyline Restaurant, had chosen Malcom as their head chef—a decision that left most spectators assuming the restaurant had no serious intention of winning.

As a result, despite the three men’s score being lower than anticipated, their advancement to the semi-finals seemed all but guaranteed.

All eyes then shifted to Malcom, who had just completed his dishes.

The crowd watched with bated breath, eager to witness how Malcom might embarrass himself.

Finally, it was Skyline Restaurant’s turn to showcase the eagerly anticipated dishes. By this point, rumors had circulated among both contestants and spectators alike, fueling anticipation for Malcom’s potential mistakes.

As the audience watched intently, Malcom felt a surge of nerves. Yet, seeing the dishes he and Ashton had meticulously prepared, his confidence returned. Together, they presented their culinary efforts to the three judges.

Jeremiah fixed Malcom with a stern look and said, “Malcom, you’ve exceeded the allotted time for cooking. If everyone took as long as you, we would be here until tomorrow.”

Malcom’s cheeks flushed with embarrassment. Guided by Ashton, he had been overly meticulous, his inexperience leading to cautious, slow progress. This cautiousness meant he hadn’t kept up with Ashton’s pace, resulting in his delay.

Jeremiah, noting Malcom’s embarrassed silence, sighed deeply and said, “Malcom, although I knew your father well, this is a competition watched by many. I can’t give you special treatment. According to the rules, exceeding the time limit will cost your team 5 points.”

This ruling triggered laughter from the Figueroa brothers nearby.

𝗥𝗲𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗳𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁 𝗮𝘁: ⳑ𝗮𝗅𝗇𝗈ν𝗍𝖊𝗅𝘀．𝖼𝗈𝗺

With the penalty applied, Malcom’s already slim chances of winning vanished, as his score couldn’t possibly exceed their 90 points.

The audience began whispering among themselves.

“He couldn’t even finish three dishes in 20 minutes, and he had help. His assistant had the ingredients ready, yet Malcom still took his time. It was cringe-worthy.”

“Exactly! With skills like that, why even compete? He’s just embarrassing himself. I would have disqualified them on the spot if I were a judge.”

“Even if they had not lost points, do you really think his dishes could outshine those made by the three Figueroas?”

The mocking voices of the crowd unsettled Malcom, but as his eyes scanned the dishes on the table, he took a steadying breath and said, “I accept responsibility for my mistakes. If there are no other concerns, let’s proceed with the tasting and scoring to avoid delaying the next competitors.”

Jeremiah gave a nod and was the first to reach for his knife and fork, eager to taste the dishes.

Despite Malcom’s slow pace, the dishes he crafted under Ashton’s detailed supervision were visually quite impressive.

The judges’ faces took on curious expressions after tasting the dishes.

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