From selling box lunches to becoming a famous Chinese chef

After the New Year, Feng Zhengming did not rush back to Shanghai. Instead, he and his fifth senior brother, Cao Zhiguo, along with the selected personnel, headed to the capital.

During his trip to Beijing, Feng Zhengming immediately secured deals for both shops.

One of the shops was bought by Feng Zhengming, while the other was leased for five years.

The two shops are located in two relatively bustling streets in Kyoto.

After securing the shop space, Feng Zhengming contacted the Liu family's renovation team and asked them to come to Beijing to help with the renovations.

Over the years, the renovation teams in Liujia Village have become famous because of the renovation work done by Feng Zhengming's branch stores.

In addition to decorating Feng Zhengming's shop, they also actively contacted other restaurants and hotels, and undertook the decoration of many other restaurants and hotels.

Furthermore, the renovation team also recruited some design professionals, which enriched the company's workforce and elevated the overall standards of the renovation team.

When Feng Zhengming came to Beijing to sign the shop agreement, he also invited Liu Fangyou and Jiang Chengzhe to come along.

Of course, Liu Fangyou, as the lawyer currently hired by Zhengluxing, came in an official capacity.

Jiang Chengzhe simply made up an excuse to come along.

The relationship between the two was basically established during the Chinese New Year.

Liu Fangyou's parents were quite satisfied with Jiang Chengzhe.

It's possible that Feng Zhengming left a very good impression on the Liu family.

During the Spring Festival, Jiang Chengzhe also made a special trip to the countryside to visit Liu Fangyou's grandfather.

The old man was quite satisfied with Jiang Chengzhe. When he learned that Jiang was from Gangcheng, the old man felt quite proud.

Feng Zhengming watched as Liu Fangyou clung to him, ostensibly to help him talk to Liu Yonggang, the head of the renovation team, about the renovation, but in reality, he just wanted to spend more time with Liu Fangyou.

He couldn't help but smile and walk over: "Ah Zhe, now that the New Year is over, why don't you bring your aunt and uncle to Jinan? Let's have a nice feast at Huiquanlou and invite Liu Fangyou's family?"

Jiang Chengzhe immediately agreed: "Yes, Zhengming, you're absolutely right. I'll contact my parents right away."

Then Jiang Chengzhe slapped his forehead: "My parents were originally going to come to Jinan during the Spring Festival, but I persuaded them to wait in Shanghai first."

Feng Zhengming laughed: "Are you doing me a favor by supporting my Huiquanlou business?"

Jiang Chengzhe: "I hope that you, the youngest head chef of state banquets, can personally cook for us then."

Feng Zhengming raised an eyebrow: "Oh ho, you're making me cook for you just because your parents met? So when you get married, you'll have all your fellow apprentices cook for you?"

Jiang Chengzhe smiled and said, "No, no, I was just thinking, when Fangyou and I get married, could we invite Master Yan and you, the top scholar, to cook together?"

Feng Zhengming laughed: "You really dare to dream. Do you think you can get my master to come?"

Jiang Chengzhe: "I can't get you to come, so I'm hoping you can help me out, Zhengming-ge."

Feng Zhengming: "Alright, stop overthinking. This time, Huiquanlou is hosting a banquet, and my senior brother will cook. When you get married, I can cook for you, whether it's in Jinan, Shanghai, or even Hong Kong. I'll bring my team to cook your wedding banquet."

Upon hearing Feng Zhengming say this, Liu Fangyou couldn't help but quickly stop him: "No need, Brother Feng, you really don't need to go to so much trouble."

Feng Zhengming laughed: "You've already called me brother, how can I, as your older brother, not take good care of things for you?"

Liu Yonggang also came over and said with a smile, "That's right, that's right, Fangyou, don't be polite. It's not like we don't pay Chef Feng. Our renovation team has made a lot of money over the years, and to be honest, it's all thanks to Chef Feng's help."

When you get married, please ask Chef Feng to cook a grand feast for you. Be sure to give him a large red envelope.

Feng Zhengming: "Brother Yonggang, you're wrong. I should be thanking you all these years. Without your help, the renovation of so many of my stores would have been a huge hassle."

Liu Yonggang: "That's not how it works. When we first organized people from the village to do renovations, we really didn't have any experience. It's thanks to your trust in us that you gave us time to grow and allowed us to learn a lot."

Especially the renovation of that old villa in Shanghai, you asked us to help, and we really learned so much from that renovation."

Other renovation teams also came over to agree.

"That's right, we really learned a lot from the renovation of that old house."

"I really didn't know before that renovations could be done like that."

“There are many things that we haven’t thought through in detail before. It’s only when you let us participate in the renovation of the old house that we really understand that many things need to be done in advance.”

“Now we have professional designers in our company, and Fangyou’s father also has many decoration material factories. We owe all of this to you, Feng Zhuangyuan, for giving us the opportunity to broaden our horizons.”

As the members of the renovation team said, they can now travel all over the country to do renovations.

They really owe a lot to Feng Zhengming's support over the years, which has broadened their horizons.

This enhanced their overall capabilities in decoration.

Even Liu Fangyou's father benefited a lot from it.

In the past, Liu Fangyou's father was just a tile agent, but now he even has his own factory that specializes in processing some decoration materials and furniture, especially various antique-style decoration materials, which almost occupy half of the market.

Liu Jiasheng has not forgotten Feng Zhengming's kindness, so now Liu Jiasheng almost never allows Feng Zhengming to charge for the renovation of any of his new stores.

At most, it was the store in Hongcheng back then, because it was quite far away, so they charged some raw material fees.

It can be said that Feng Zhengming and the Liu family complemented each other.

Or rather, Feng Zhengming was intentionally grooming the Liu family's renovation business.

When he reopens Yanxilou in the capital in the future, he wants the Liu family to help him restore Yanxilou.

After inspecting the two shops, Feng Zhengming entrusted the renovation to the Liu family.

Then Feng Zhengming didn't rush to leave. He, along with his fifth senior brother Cao Zhiguo and Jiang Chengzhe, went to visit several master craftsmen in Beijing.

One of them is Master Wang. Feng Zhengming had heard about him. Master Wang had a second spring in his career in Beijing and had been rehired by a big restaurant. Now he works as the head chef in the restaurant's kitchen while also training some new people.

In addition to visiting Master Wang, Feng Zhengming also plans to visit several other well-known Shandong cuisine masters in Beijing.

These master craftsmen are all on par with Master Yan and his ilk in terms of reputation, status, and skill.

Since Feng Zhengming came to Beijing to open a shop, it was natural to pay him a visit, which could be considered as a way of showing respect.

Cao Zhiguo and Jiang Chengzhe both understood the rules, so they both took it very seriously.

Feng Zhengming and his group first visited Master Wang.

Master Wang was naturally very happy to see Feng Zhengming and his group.

"Haha, Zhengming, I heard you're finally coming to the capital? You're welcome to come!"

Feng Zhengming smiled and said, "Thank you for welcoming me, Uncle Wang. I hope you can take some time to visit our shop in Beijing and give me some pointers. If there's anything I can't do, please feel free to point it out."

Master Wang laughed after hearing this: "Zhengming, your shop doesn't need my guidance at all." Feng Zhengming replied: "Uncle Wang, are you saying you look down on me? Then I shouldn't open a shop. If even you, Uncle Wang, don't want to come to my shop, what's the point of me opening one?"

Upon hearing Feng Zhengming's words, Master Wang was stunned for a moment, and then he was at a loss for words, not knowing whether to laugh or cry.

"You, Feng Zhengming, haven't seen me for years, and your mouth has gotten sharper and sharper. You've even started making fun of me, haven't you?"

Feng Zhengming smiled and said, "Uncle Wang, we are sincere. Please come to the shop and give us some pointers."

Cao Zhiguo quickly chimed in, "Yes, Uncle Wang, please visit us often and give us lots of guidance."

Master Wang looked at Feng Zhengming and Cao Zhiguo, the two apprentice brothers.

Then his gaze fell on Jiang Chengzhe.

"Xiao Jiang, do you think my fellow disciples are putting me on a pedestal?"

Jiang Chengzhe smiled and said, "Master Wang, it is our honor to receive your guidance. My master has always said that Master Wang, your skills are absolutely top-notch among Shandong cuisine chefs."

Master Wang: "Well, so the three of you are in cahoots, trying to flatter me to my death, aren't you?"

These words made everyone laugh. Feng Zhengming then earnestly explained his idea of ​​opening two stores in Beijing to Master Wang in detail.

Upon hearing this, Master Wang couldn't help but sigh, "It's clear you have quite the ambition to challenge several Peking duck restaurants in Beijing. Those are the real trump cards in the capital."

Feng Zhengming: "Uncle Wang, do you think we chefs need such a trump card?"

Master Wang was taken aback, then thought about it carefully: "I think it's still necessary. What's the biggest trump card of our Shandong cuisine? It's soup."

Feng Zhengming: "Yes, chefs need to have a trump card, which is why I want to try to challenge myself, break some of the established patterns in Beijing, let everyone learn from each other and compete, and then seek new breakthroughs together."

Master Wang looked at Feng Zhengming with some surprise.

He didn't expect Feng Zhengming to say such a thing.

However, upon careful consideration of Feng Zhengming's words, Master Wang had to admit that he was right.

All rules are meant to be broken; without the courage to break the rules, how can we drive development?

Cooking, too, needs to progress and develop; it must keep pace with the times.

Breaking the rules might lead to some chaos and a lot of superficial things appearing.

However, once the rules are broken, it is acceptable for chaos to occur during the process of rebuilding new rules.

In the midst of chaos, those who possess genuine talent are the ones who ultimately manage to break through.

Now Feng Zhengming is determined to be the one to break the mold.

Master Wang initially thought that Feng Zhengming's plan to open a branch in Beijing and offer roast duck and various duck dishes for a whole duck banquet was a deliberate attempt to challenge several established brands in Beijing.
Now that I think about it, Master Wang thinks this might be a good thing.

Feng Zhengming put pressure on the time-honored brands, pushing them to make some changes.

He himself also continuously developed and changed in the clashes between the two sides.

In this way, everyone will have room to improve.

Master Wang felt that perhaps it really could make everything better.

"Zhengming, your idea is very good. Some of the old chefs in Beijing and I still hope to see something new emerge. However, you still need to withstand some external pressure."

"By ordering roast duck at the restaurant, you're essentially challenging those established restaurants in Beijing; they won't hold back."

Feng Zhengming: "I just don't want them to hold back. I also want to see if I can provoke them to show their true abilities."

Master Wang smiled; he still believed in some of Feng Zhengming's abilities.

However, Master Wang also cautioned: "Beijing is different from Hong Kong or Shanghai. Beijing is a place where hidden talents abound. There are many chefs here who are not famous, but their skills are excellent."

Feng Zhengming roughly knew which people Master Wang was referring to.

There are some chefs in Beijing whose identities really need to be kept secret.

There are also some who work diligently in the kitchens of time-honored brands and have little desire to compete for fame or fortune.

Just like Master Wang said, some chefs may not be well-known, but that doesn't mean they lack ability.

Feng Zhengming: "Thank you for the reminder, Uncle Wang. We will keep an apprentice's mindset and take all challenges seriously."

Master Wang nodded: "Okay, it's good that you're mentally prepared. Next, you'll be visiting a few master craftsmen in Beijing, right?"

Feng Zhengming: "Yes, we also want to visit some of the old masters from the Eight Great Restaurants in Beijing."

Master Wang remarked with emotion, "Back then, there were eight famous restaurants and eight renowned eateries in Beijing. How glorious was Shandong cuisine back then?"

Feng Zhengming: "Uncle Wang, you and the master chefs are still in Beijing, and Shandong cuisine still has its glory."

Master Wang laughed: "That's why I said, Zhengming, you're getting better and better at talking, hahaha, you always manage to say things that make people feel comfortable."

Feng Zhengming: "Perhaps the trials and tribulations over the years have smoothed out some of my rough edges. I still need to calm down and put cooking first."

Master Wang agreed with this point: "That's right, putting the refinement of craftsmanship first is correct."

After visiting Master Wang, Feng Zhengming and his group, led by Master Wang, went to visit some other master craftsmen in Beijing.

Among them are renowned chefs specializing in Shandong cuisine, as well as some master chefs from other cuisines.

The experienced workers were all quite welcoming to Feng Zhengming.

The experienced craftsmen were very supportive of his decision to open a shop in Beijing.

Just like Master Wang, the veteran chefs in Beijing hoped that Feng Zhengming would come to Beijing and bring something different to the culinary industry, break some old rules, and bring about some changes to the entire industry.

The visit surprised Cao Zhiguo and Jiang Chengzhe.

They realized with a deep understanding that the capital city was indeed a place where hidden talents resided.

Unlike some famous chefs in Shanghai who flaunt their influence, many famous chefs in Beijing are indeed very low-key.

Especially the several veteran masters, they are all experienced masters.

Some people even cooked for several of their former colleagues.

Many of them spent their entire lives diligently cooking in the kitchen, never thinking of becoming famous chefs or seeking fame and fortune.

However, they all held Feng Zhengming in high regard and were eagerly anticipating the changes he would bring to the capital city by opening a shop there. (End of Chapter)