From selling box lunches to becoming a famous Chinese chef

Feng Nuanyou ran out of the room, grabbed her father's hand, and led him to the French windows of the outer room, pointing down below.

"Hehehe, Daddy, let's go play downstairs!"

Feng Zhengming naturally smiled and agreed: "Okay, our little princess wants to go downstairs to play, so let's go downstairs and play. You go and ask your mother to change your clothes first."

Feng Nuanyou was as happy as a little swallow, and quickly ran back to her room to have her mother change her clothes and re-braid her hair.

Feng Zhengming looked at his fifth senior brother from the outer room.

"Fifth Brother, tell me, has there been any news lately?"

Cao Zhiguo didn't say anything along the way; he hadn't originally planned to say anything now.

But when his junior brother asked, he could only give a brief account of the situation in the capital.

The news that Feng Zhengming opened a shop in Beijing has attracted a lot of attention.

It's fair to say that the renovation progress of both stores was being closely monitored.

The renovation was originally going smoothly, but we encountered some minor problems about two weeks ago.

Cao Zhiguo briefly explained the problem: the exhaust pipe in the kitchen was faulty.

"It seems that they want us to minimize the impact of the grease emitted from the range hood on the surrounding buildings, so they require us to renovate it. We have also asked some people about this."

Then the range hood ductwork was also adjusted, which is why it took some time.

Feng Zhengming: "This is not a big problem. Just do everything according to the requirements of the capital."

Cao Zhiguo: "That's true, but there are always some people who want to create more trouble."

Feng Zhengming: "Fifth Brother, don't be afraid if you're in trouble. Over the years, when we were in Jinan, no one dared to cause us any trouble because we were tough enough."

But in the capital, there will definitely be many people who will object to our coming to the capital, and they will certainly cause trouble.

"But we're just here to open a shop in Beijing. We haven't affected them at all. We're all in business, why make such a fuss?"

Cao Zhiguo was genuinely puzzled. He felt that since everyone was doing their own business, there was really no need for this.

Feng Zhengming laughed: "Fifth Brother, this is my fault. It's mainly because I've been too domineering these past few years. Look, I've suppressed the catering industry in Shanghai to the point that they can't even raise their heads. In Jiangxi Province, I almost overturned their chefs' association."

Therefore, I understand why some people in Beijing are so wary of me. We should just do our own thing and try to be as friendly as possible.

Cao Zhiguo said with some helplessness, "We were friendly, but others weren't so friendly to us."

Feng Zhengming: "That's alright. We'll be polite first, then resort to force. If the other side doesn't want to be friendly, then we naturally won't be friendly either."

After hearing his junior brother's words, Cao Zhiguo's frustration dissipated considerably.

"Okay, with you saying that, we feel more at ease."

At this moment, Feng Nuanyou changed her clothes and ran out from inside.

"Dad, Dad, Fifth Uncle, look at me, am I dressed pretty?"

Upon seeing the little girl's new clothes, Cao Zhiguo immediately praised, "Oh my, our Youyou is so beautiful."

Feng Zhengming also said, "So beautiful, our little princess is so gorgeous."

Luo Qing didn't change her clothes before coming out.

"You're so vain, showing off to your fifth uncle. You really have no shame."

Feng Nuanyou smiled and said, "Let's go shopping."

Cao Zhiguo: "Then you guys can look around and rest for a couple of days. I'll head back now."

There's no need for Feng Zhengming to be polite with his fifth senior brother.

"Okay, Fifth Brother, you go back first. In the evening, invite everyone over so we can have dinner together."

Cao Zhiguo nodded: "Okay, I understand."

Before leaving, Cao Zhiguo waved to Feng Nuanyou: "Fifth Uncle is leaving now, have fun, Youyou."

Feng Nuanyou waved her little hand: "Goodbye, Fifth Uncle."

After seeing off his fifth senior brother, Feng Zhengming and his wife took their daughter downstairs.

I walked out of the hotel and came to the old street near it.

The old street is a small market that seems to sell everything.

Feng Zhengming and his wife walked and looked around, holding their daughter's little hand.

The dazzling array of little items made Feng Nuanyou's eyes light up.

Feng Zhengming smiled at his wife and said, "This must be what they call a flea market."

Luo Qing was also surprised: "I didn't expect that they sell all kinds of things here."

Feng Zhengming: "That's how it is in these small markets. Everyone sets up stalls and can sell all sorts of things."

At the same time, Feng Zhengming also knew in his heart that this market would gradually disappear.

However, these markets may also appear in other forms.

The market isn't very big; you can easily walk to the other side in no time.

Feng Zhengming bought some snacks for his wife and daughter, especially candied hawthorns made fresh at the market.

Feng Nuanyou liked it very much and held it in her hand so happily that she was reluctant to eat it.

Stepping out of the small market on the other side, you'll see a very old Beijing hutong across the street.

Feng Zhengming and his wife then took their daughter for a stroll in the alley.

There are still quite a few people living in the hutongs, and some grand and wealthy houses have been preserved.

Feng Zhengming also introduced the place to his wife and daughter as they walked.

He also took some photos of his wife and daughter in the alley.

The family of three had a fun day and then returned to the hotel to rest for a while.

In the evening, my fifth senior brother called.

He told Feng Zhengming that he had already booked a restaurant near the hotel and asked Feng Zhengming and Luo Qing to take the children there.

After hanging up the phone and making some preparations, Feng Zhengming, along with his wife and daughter, rushed over.

This time, Feng Zhengming went downstairs to the hotel lobby and happened to run into the hotel owner.

"Oh, Scholar Feng, you're staying at my hotel again. It's such an honor for me."

Feng Zhengming smiled and replied to the hotel owner's words: "Mr. He, you are too kind. I said last time that I would definitely stay at your hotel again when I come to Beijing."

He Lingfeng seized the opportunity to ask, "I heard that your branch in Beijing is about to open, Scholar Feng?"

Feng Zhengming: "Yes, they are just two small shops, nothing special, but since it's in Beijing, I definitely had to come and take a look."

While Feng Zhengming was talking to the hotel owner, Luo Qing took her daughter to the side to play and wait.

He Lingfeng: "Feng Zhuangyuan, you are too modest. Your branch must have excellent craftsmanship. The small shop you mentioned is really too modest."

Feng Zhengming: "Mr. He, when my shop opens, if you have time, you can come and try some of my Beijing dishes and see if they are authentic enough?"

He Lingfeng was somewhat surprised to hear this. He didn't expect Feng Zhengming to directly say that he would be making Beijing cuisine at his restaurant.

Does this mean that Feng Zhengming is openly challenging some chefs in Beijing?
However, He Lingfeng didn't care about this at all.

"Haha, okay, I'll definitely be there to congratulate you on the opening of Feng Zhuangyuan's branch."

Feng Zhengming: "Okay, thank you, Boss He. I'll be going now. My wife and kids are waiting. We'll contact each other again later."

He Lingfeng agreed: "Okay, okay, Scholar Feng, you go ahead with your work."

After exchanging a few words with He Lingfeng, Feng Zhengming walked over to his wife and daughter, and then left the hotel with them.

As He Lingfeng watched Feng Zhengming's departing figure, he made up his mind that he would try to curry favor with Feng Zhengming.

He asked Feng Zhengming for advice on his hotel's restaurant.

At least the top scholar is involved; even if the fee is a bit high, it's definitely worth the money. Feng Zhengming chatted with his wife on the way.

"The hotel owner probably wants to collaborate with me."

"You can tell he's in a hurry."

"I guess he wants me to give him some pointers on his hotel's restaurant, since I've heard it hasn't received very good reviews."

"It's not that the reviews are bad, it's that the restaurant at his hotel has consistently received very low ratings."

"It seems there are a lot of things that need to be changed."

"It depends on whether he's willing to listen to you."

"Haha, then let's wait for him to contact me."

The place Cao Zhiguo chose was indeed not far from the hotel. Feng Zhengming and Luo Qing, holding their daughter's hand, walked two blocks before arriving at the restaurant Cao Zhiguo had booked.

The restaurant that my fifth senior brother booked wasn't a fancy restaurant, but a small family-run eatery in a hutong alley.

In the afternoon, Feng Zhengming and his wife took their daughter and passed by the door.

When I arrived here, the owner greeted me warmly as soon as I entered.

"Oh, Scholar Feng, we are truly flattered that you have come to visit us."

Feng Zhengming smiled and shook hands with the boss: "You're welcome. Thank you so much for your help tonight."

Boss: "No trouble at all, it's our honor to entertain you."

Feng Zhengming and Luo Qing led their daughter inside and entered a private room converted from an old house.

Stepping into the private room, Cao Zhiguo and his family of three, Sun Hongcheng, and the kitchen staff from the two new restaurants in Beijing were all there.

Upon seeing Feng Zhengming and his group enter, everyone immediately stood up to greet them.

Feng Zhengming greeted Fifth Sister-in-law with a smile, and when he saw Fifth Senior Brother's chubby-faced son, he also greeted the boy with a smile.

"Fifth Sister-in-law, you look better and better."

"What's wrong with Xiao Cao? He didn't even greet his uncle when he saw him?"

Fifth Sister-in-law responded with a smile and told her son to quickly call for help.

Before the fifth senior brother's son could even speak, Feng Nuanyou started calling for people first.

The little girl called out to everyone present.

This surprised everyone in the kitchen of the restaurant in Beijing.

They had only met the little girl once before in Jinan, but she still remembered them.

This also shows that the little girl is indeed quite clever.

Cao Zhiguo's son, Cao Chen, was somewhat unhappy that the little girl had called out to him first.

Seeing Cao Chen's expression, Cao Zhiguo felt a bit disappointed and frustrated.

Especially when compared to Feng Nuanyou, Cao Zhiguo felt even more indignant.

However, Cao Chen still greatly admires his uncle, Feng Zhengming.

After all, Feng Zhengming was truly capable, and Cao Chen often heard his parents talk about his uncle.

Most importantly, Cao Chen also heard some classmates at school talking about his uncle, and those classmates all admired his uncle quite a bit.

This gave Cao Chen a sense of vanity, because his classmates admired his uncle, and he could even meet him.

Cao Chen greeted Feng Zhengming warmly, saying, "Hello, Uncle."

He then greeted Luo Qing and Feng Nuanyou separately.

"Hello, Auntie. Hello, Sister."

Feng Nuanyou was very happy to be greeted: "Hello, Brother Chenchen."

Seeing that his son knew to greet him, Cao Zhiguo's expression softened, and Fifth Sister-in-law was even happier.

Then everyone sat down, and Cao Zhiguo introduced the small restaurant to Feng Zhengming.

"We discovered this place by chance. The owner buys the ingredients himself every day and cooks them himself. They are all very fresh, and his cooking skills are also very good. We often come here to eat during this period."

Feng Zhengming: "Looks like you've been giving the boss a lot of pointers here, senior brother?"

Cao Zhiguo smiled and said, "I'm just offering some advice."

Soon the owner started serving the dishes. Feng Zhengming could tell at a glance that everything was fresh, and the steam rising from the dishes indicated that they were all made to order and had a wok-fried aroma.

The food wasn't served quickly, but the pace was well-controlled, preventing customers from having to wait for their food.

Feng Zhengming knew very well that it must have been his fifth senior brother who had instructed the other party.

Otherwise, a small family restaurant like this wouldn't know how to serve dishes at this pace.

Almost all the dishes were served. The owner led his son in to offer a toast, thanking Feng Zhengming for coming.

When Feng Zhengming saw the boss's son, he smiled and asked, "Is this what you made?"

The owner's son nodded: "I made most of it, but I'm not very good at making a few of the main dishes, so my dad did those."

Feng Zhengming: "It looks like you have good skills. It's great that you have such skills at such a young age."

The boss thanked him, saying, "Thank you for the compliment, Scholar Feng."

After the boss offered a toast, he left with his son.

Feng Zhengming looked at his fifth senior brother: "Fifth brother, do you want to take this boss's son as your apprentice?"

Cao Zhiguo was taken aback and looked at his junior brother with some surprise.

"How did you guess that?"

Feng Zhengming laughed: "It's not hard to guess. Your eyes gave you away when he came in. Besides, this kid is only sixteen years old, but he already has some skills, which means he has some talent. If you like him, then keep him by your side."

Cao Zhiguo was truly surprised that his junior brother really understood his feelings.

Those few words struck a chord with me.

“I really like that kid. I’m planning to talk to the boss and see if he’d be willing to let the kid learn from me.”

Feng Zhengming: "Of course I'd be willing, after all, Fifth Brother, you're a chef specializing in state banquets."

Cao Zhiguo laughed: "Alright, alright, don't make fun of me, you head chef."

Everyone else in the room burst into laughter.

The banter between Feng Zhengming and Cao Zhiguo, these two fellow apprentices, was indeed quite amusing to everyone.

The key is that the jokes they make at each other are things that only they themselves can say.

After listening for a while, Cao Chen couldn't help but ask, "Uncle, can I be your apprentice in the future?"

Hearing this, Feng Zhengming asked with a smile, "Why do you want to be my apprentice? Don't you want to learn from your dad? Are you afraid your dad is too harsh on you and might hit you?"

Before Cao Chen could reply, Feng Zhengming emphasized, "Being my apprentice will be much harder than learning from your father."

Cao Chen glanced at his parents, then said with a firm attitude, "I'm willing to endure hardship. I want to learn from my uncle and surpass my dad in the future."

Feng Zhengming laughed loudly: "Hahaha, surpass your dad? That's difficult. Your uncle hasn't surpassed your dad yet."

These words left Cao Chen somewhat incredulous: "Uncle, you haven't surpassed my dad? That's impossible. You're already the national culinary champion, and you're also the head chef for state banquets. How could you not have surpassed my dad?"

Feng Zhengming: "Those titles aren't really important. What's important for a chef is being able to cook well. Do you think your dad's cooking is bad?"

Cao Chen then looked at his father: "My dad probably didn't do as well as my uncle."

Feng Zhengming's expression was serious: "You're wrong. Your father is better than your uncle. Your uncle was just lucky to have expanded his business, which is why he specifically asked your father to manage his shop here in Beijing."

After hearing Feng Zhengming's words, Cao Chen was stunned. After thinking about it carefully, his gaze towards his father changed. (End of Chapter)