Subprime

There are several reasons for my preference of ingredients of fair rather than superb quality for my cookery.

Well, to begin with, I was brought up from the grass-root class and could not afford any expensive treat until I graduated from the medical school. (For example, shark fin to me on those days was nothing more than a kind of sticky soup in a wedding banquet.)

More importantly, everything has its value. Although it is great to eat A5 wagyu (和牛) and blue fin tuna, you cannot reasonably expect they are the only kind of beef and fish to feed everyone on earth. Not only is their supply limited and would be exhausted shortly; there are wagyu of lower grades and tuna from less distinct families that are not only edible but have reasonable flavor when appropriately treated.

To put it simply, chefs from a Michelin three-star restaurant turn ingredient of superb quality into exquisite dishes, but I am more impressed by people who can make the best use of a limited provision.