Cupid's Kitchen Episode 26 Recap
> Cupid's Kitchen Recap
Elise, under renewed threat from Li Yan who had approached Jiang Qianfan, urgently sought help from Jun Bin. Jun Bin, speaking to Li Yan on the phone, managed to negotiate a three-day deadline to pay ¥2,000,000. Li Yan promised that upon receiving the money, he would disappear permanently, but warned that if the deadline was missed, he would visit Mr. Jiang at his house.
Determined to protect Elise, Jun Bin resolved to mortgage his own house, assuring her he would pay even ¥50,000,000 if it meant Li Yan would finally leave them alone. However, Elise refused to let him make such a sacrifice, expressing deep regret for her past actions and feeling like a "lunatic" and "terrible" person.
She questioned why Jun Bin wasn't scared of her, to which he replied that he saw guilt, not fear, and believed she was more gentle than she thought. Touched by his unwavering support, Elise cried and embraced him. To ensure Lin Kesong's safety, Jiang Qianfan had all the door locks in the house changed, declaring his intention to give her a "safe home." Lin Kesong was deeply moved by this gesture, feeling warmed by the "iceberg" that was Jiang Qianfan.
Later, while reviewing her cooking, Jiang Qianfan critiqued her salt-baked chicken, explaining that it was overcooked by half a minute, causing it to be too salty and lack elasticity. Meanwhile, at Yuxuan, Chef Mai proudly shared an article from an official account that lauded him as "the pillar of Yuxuan." Papo gently suggested that such an article might be inappropriate, especially if Jiang Qianfan or Elise saw it.
Chef Mai dismissed his concerns, boasting about his longer tenure at Yuxuan and demanding that all kitchen staff forward the article in their chat groups. Boris presented Lin Xiaoyu with the competition scores, highlighting that despite Lin Kesong's current low standing, her performance was on an upward trend.
He warned Lin Xiaoyu that if Lin Kesong placed first or second in the upcoming round while Lin Xiaoyu ranked low, Lin Kesong would advance to the final four, and Lin Xiaoyu would be eliminated. Humiliated by the prospect, Lin Xiaoyu declared her intention to ensure Lin Kesong "goes astray" in the competition. That night, Lin Kesong woke from a nightmare, crying out about being chased and crushed by a heavy rock.
Jiang Qianfan, finding her distressed, apologized for putting too much pressure on her, which Lin Kesong humorously likened to him being the rock in her dream. He took her to the balcony for fresh air and asked if she would have continued her culinary journey with another mentor if he hadn't brought her back. Lin Kesong retorted by asking if he would have taken another apprentice if she had truly left.
After some playful back-and-forth, Jiang Qianfan admitted he would "absolutely" not take another apprentice, finding the process too exhausting. Lin Kesong echoed his sentiment. When she inquired if he would dismiss her should she lose the next competition, Jiang Qianfan, to her astonishment, calmly stated that losing wouldn't be a significant issue and that they would simply "experience it together," as he had never truly experienced a loss himself.
This profound shift in his perspective deeply moved Lin Kesong, making her feel he had "grown taller and stronger" in her heart. As she grew sleepy, Jiang Qianfan offered his shoulder for her to rest on, expressing his desire to help her become "truly brilliant." Once she drifted off, he carefully carried her into his own room. Later, Jiang Qianfan messaged Thomas, stating his wish to appear on stage with Lin Kesong if she made it to the final.
Thomas, noting the change, inquired if he was abandoning his pessimistic philosophy. Jiang Qianfan clarified that his core beliefs hadn't changed, but he simply didn't want to "drag down Lin Kesong," adding that for her, "life is sweet and flavorful." The next morning, Lin Kesong awoke in Jiang Qianfan's room, confused about how she got there.
Jiang Qianfan playfully claimed he had slept in her room and fabricated a story about her making animal noises in her sleep, which genuinely frightened her into thinking she had relapsed into an old illness. Seeing her distress, Jiang Qianfan confessed he was joking and suggested they permanently swap rooms to prevent future nightmares. Lin Kesong found the idea troublesome, but he insisted they prepare for the day.
The theme for the fourth round of the competition was announced as "Origin," emphasizing the importance of pairing local ingredients with local salts. Thomas elaborated on the nuances of different salts in Western cooking and their specific uses. Lin Kesong arrived at the venue about half an hour before the competition. Lin Xiaoyu, upon seeing her, made a snide remark about her previous intention to withdraw.
Jiang Qianfan attempted to intervene, but Lin Xiaoyu dismissed him, insisting it was a private matter between sisters. She then lured Lin Kesong away from the venue under the pretense of needing to talk elsewhere. Madam Quentin arrived wearing a qipao made of the same fabric and color as Huang Shi's attire. Blu teasingly remarked that they looked like they were wearing "couples' outfits."
Madam Quentin, slightly embarrassed, urged Huang Shi to change, but he insisted on taking a photo together first before complying. Lin Xiaoyu drove Lin Kesong to a secluded beach, taunting her about her cooking skills. Once there, she confirmed Lin Kesong didn't have her phone, then deliberately locked her inside the car, leaving her stranded with only 20 minutes left until the competition.
Lin Xiaoyu sarcastically told her they would chat in an hour and a half, claiming she left a small gap in the window for air before driving away. Trapped, Lin Kesong desperately tried various methods to escape. She eventually found a tool inside the car, used it to smash a window, and broke free. Exhausted, she borrowed a passerby's phone to call Jiang Qianfan, who was anxiously searching for her. After getting directions, he rushed to pick her up.
The competition officially began with the host announcing the task: "Replication." Contestants were tasked with replicating Chairperson Thomas's Eight Treasure Duck, which incorporated famous ingredients and local salts from five different locations, with a specific "mystery" in its surface sauce. Eight minutes after the competition began, and just before the ten-minute disqualification mark, Lin Kesong, escorted by Jiang Qianfan, dramatically rushed onto the stage.
Jiang Qianfan then sat down next to Boris, telling him he hadn't filed a complaint because Boris's actions (implicitly, along with Lin Xiaoyu's) had "stimulated Lin Kesong's fighting spirit" and that he had "done a good thing" for the "softhearted" Lin Kesong. Boris, feigning ignorance, simply stated his Chinese was "too lousy" to understand.
During the competition, Huang Shi appeared wearing a ¥19 husky-patterned T-shirt, which Madam Quentin found adorable, noting its resemblance to her dog, Lucky, and expressing her intention to buy one too. As the tension mounted, Lin Kesong puzzled other contestants and viewers by deliberately pouring out the contents of her cooking into a different pot. Following the competition, the host interviewed Lin Kesong, asking why she had switched pots mid-cooking.
Lin Kesong explained that her initial pot was stainless steel, but she realized Chairperson Thomas had used a copper pot for his dish and swiftly switched to replicate that detail. Thomas confirmed her observation, expressing astonishment at her "amazing" sense of taste, which could even detect the copper pot. He highly praised her perfect replication of the ingredients' original taste and sauce, though he noted her plating was not perfect.
The results of the round were then announced: Victor placed first, Lin Kesong second, and Lin Xiaoyu third. The four finalists for the Future Star Culinary Competition were revealed to be Victor Quentin, Lin Xiaoyu, Blu, and Lin Kesong. Simultaneously, Elise was shown falling down a flight of stairs.
Separately, Song Yiran's elder brother informed him that Chu Ting's father had called, stating that the romantic matters between the young people should be resolved by themselves and would not impact their families' business relationship. The elder brother expressed admiration for Chu Ting's father's understanding and apologized for placing undue pressure on Song Yiran. Song Yiran acknowledged his brother's good intentions but admitted that his comfortable life under his brother's care had left him, at 24, having "achieved nothing." In response, his elder brother promised to no longer interfere with Song Yiran's career or love life, allowing him to make his own decisions.
