From selling box lunches to becoming a famous Chinese chef

After leaving the branch store managed by Sun Hai, Feng Zhengming drove to the store managed by Zhu Xu and Guan Wei.

This store is actually the one with the best location among Feng Zhengming's several branches.

Moreover, this store is the second largest after the one on the Western restaurant street.

During the time Zhu Xu was temporarily transferred to the Old House Restaurant by Feng Zhengming, Guan Wei was basically in charge of the restaurant's affairs.

After Zhu Xu returned, he and Guan Wei continued to work together and managed the store very well.

This shop is located in one of the more well-known tourist attractions in Shanghai.

Therefore, this shop also stays open very late.

To provide tourists visiting Shanghai with a cheap, delicious, and filling place to eat in the evening.

When Feng Zhengming arrived at the store, he saw that it was still crowded with people, and there were still many people queuing up.

This store and the one near the train station that Zhang Lei manages are probably the two stores in Shanghai that most resemble fast food restaurants.

Feng Zhengming still didn't go through the main entrance, but instead went directly into the kitchen through the kitchen door.

Upon entering the kitchen, Feng Zhengming immediately heard Zhu Xu and Guan Wei taking turns giving instructions.

The two of them were each in charge of a stove, and there was no very clear division of labor. It could be said that whoever had a free stove would cook the food ordered by the customers outside.

It's easy to see from the orders that the most frequently ordered items at this store are different from those at the other three stores.

At the restaurant near the train station, the main dishes ordered are braised pork belly, pork hock, and pig's trotters, which are meant to be eaten with rice.

The restaurant that Sun Hai was in charge of mainly served various home-style dishes.

After all, there are many residential areas and communities nearby, and many elderly people or young working couples will come to eat there.

The shop on the Western restaurant street has now been transformed into a restaurant under Jiang Chengzhe's management.

Therefore, the store receives all sorts of customers every day.

The restaurant's menu is not fixed; customers can order almost anything.

Zhu Xu and Guan Wei were put in charge of the store.

Besides braised pork belly, braised pork hock, and pig's trotters, the dishes ordered also included some local Shanghainese specialties, as well as some stir-fries and stews that were perfect with rice.

These are dishes that tourists who come to this area usually order when looking for a place to eat.

Some people hope to experience the unique characteristics of local Shanghai cuisine.

Some people don't like local Shanghai cuisine, so they'll order dishes they can eat.

The most popular dishes on the menu include Kung Pao Chicken, Stir-fried Three Delicacies, Stir-fried Diced Pork with Sauce, and Stir-fried Beef with Scallions.

Feng Zhengming listened to the order taking in the kitchen for a while, and then listened to Zhu Xu and Guan Wei talk about kitchen management.

He has already made some changes to the store.

Given the location of this shop, it receives a lot of tourists visiting Shanghai.

Moreover, most tourists treat this store as a restaurant.

Feng Zhengming decided to simply turn the shop into a mid-range restaurant.

Let Zhu Xu and Guan Wei continue to be in charge.

At the same time, we will expand the store a little.

Customers who simply want to eat braised pork, pork knuckle, or pig's trotters can eat at another fast-food stall next door.

In this way, they will not affect each other.

It can be used as a place to eat, or as a fast food restaurant.

Thinking of this change, Feng Zhengming noticed that the kitchen seemed a little quieter, so he finally stood in front of the kitchen door.

An apprentice was the first to see Feng Zhengming.

"Chef, you've arrived."

Hearing the sound, everyone else turned to look at the doorway.

Zhu Xu and Guan Wei immediately greeted each other with smiles.

"Uncle Feng, you've arrived."

Good evening, Uncle Feng.

Feng Zhengming smiled and said, "Good evening, Guan Wei. When I went to Beijing this time, I transferred Zhu Xu to the restaurant instead of asking you to go. Do you have a problem with me, your senior apprentice?"

Guan Wei was taken aback at first, then he and Zhu Xu exchanged a glance.

Then Guan Wei laughed: "Uncle-Master, if I say I have no objections, it seems like I lack ambition?"

Feng Zhengming: "It's right to have opinions, so I'm going to arrange for you to go for a training trip."

Guan Wei was taken aback: "You're arranging for me to go and study?"

Not only was Guan Wei puzzled, but Zhu Xu and the others in the kitchen were also stunned.

Then Feng Zhengming announced his plan in front of everyone in the kitchen.

"I plan to renovate your store and separate the fast food area from the dine-in area. One side will continue to serve fast food, mainly the four traditional dishes: braised pork, pork knuckle, pig's trotters, and four-happiness meatballs."

In addition, some of the Chinese and Western fusion fast food that Ah Zhe and I made were all placed in the fast food section of the store.

This place has been upgraded to a formal restaurant, where customers can now order food properly.

Upon hearing Feng Zhengming's arrangement, everyone in the kitchen thought about it carefully and agreed that it was a good arrangement.

Guan Wei: "Uncle-Master, this is great! Now our shop is just like Jiang Chengzhe's. I think if Zhu Xu and I work together, we definitely won't be any worse than that kid Jiang Chengzhe."

It's clear that Guan Wei has made significant progress during his time with Zhu Xu.

He's now used to working with Zhu Xu.

Zhu Xu nodded in agreement: "Uncle Feng, this arrangement is indeed better. It's more convenient than having our fast food and restaurant together now."

Feng Zhengming continued, "So, I'm going to arrange for Guan Wei to go and learn. Zhu Xu, you've learned a lot in my restaurant's kitchen, haven't you? You don't need to go this time. I believe you can do a good job."

Guan Wei, I will arrange for you to learn in the kitchen of an old Shanghainese restaurant. You will learn some authentic Shanghainese dishes.

Then you need to learn to integrate, to fuse Shanghai cuisine with Shandong cuisine, and then you can come back and work with Zhu Xu.”

After listening to Feng Zhengming's arrangement, Zhu Xu and Guan Wei thought about it carefully and had no objections to it.

This way, the two can have a clearer division of labor in the kitchen.

Moreover, it can better integrate local Shanghai cuisine with Shandong cuisine.

Afterwards, dealing with different customers in the restaurant will allow the two of them to be more at ease.

Everyone in the kitchen was excited; their shop was about to become a proper restaurant.

They can learn more, and if they manage the business well, they can earn higher salaries.

How could the kitchen apprentices not be happy?
Zhu Xu and Guan Wei both wondered at the same time if other stores might have other ideas about Feng Zhengming's arrangement.
The two exchanged a glance, and Zhu Xu spoke up: "Uncle Feng, if this is how our store is arranged, what about the other stores?"

Feng Zhengming: "The other stores, the one near the train station, will remain as they are. However, I will transfer Zhang Lei back to Quancheng and have him go to the kitchen of Huiquanlou to learn kitchen management from his master for a while longer."

He will likely be given another job afterward; a new store manager and head chef will be assigned to the train station branch he was in charge of.

After explaining the situation at the train station store, Feng Zhengming added that the store Sun Hai was in charge of would be in the same situation.

Finally, there's Jiang Chengzhe's shop.

"As for Ah Zhe's shop, it will remain as it is. Ah Zhe will not be replaced for the time being. He is now in full charge of the shop. I trust him."

After hearing Feng Zhengming's arrangements, the other kitchen staff didn't have any particular thoughts.

Zhu Xu and Guan Wei suspected that Feng Zhengming might be planning something even bigger.

Both Zhu Xu and Guan Wei simultaneously recalled Jiang Chengzhe's earlier discussion about entering the mid-range catering market. Now, hearing Feng Zhengming's plan, Zhu Xu and Guan Wei knew that Jiang Chengzhe was right.

Feng Zhengming, their junior apprentice, is indeed going to enter the mid-range catering market.

He still occupies the low-end market, and relying on the unique fast food format of his dry rice shop, it is actually relatively easy for him to expand.

In the high-end catering market, Feng Zhengming owns a unique old-style house restaurant.

In fact, at least in Shanghai, there's no need to open a second store.

But the mid-range restaurant market is a huge market.

Many people now consider Feng Zhengming's restaurants in Shanghai to be mid-range eateries.

The demand in the mid-range market is gradually increasing, but there are not enough good restaurants to fill the gap.

According to Zhu Xu and Guan Wei, Feng Shishu probably wanted to make early arrangements to seize the market.

Judging from their expressions, Feng Zhengming could roughly guess what they were thinking.

"If you two feel that staying at this shop is not a good idea, you can go back to Quancheng Huiquanlou with Zhang Lei. We can make some other arrangements for you afterwards?"

Zhu Xu and Guan Wei quickly said, "No need, no need."

Guan Wei: "Uncle-Master, we are willing to run this store."

Zhu Xu: "We've grown attached to this store, so let's not move it."

Feng Zhengming smiled: "Okay, you have feelings for each other, then I hope you can run this restaurant well. I hope that in a year or two, your restaurant can be on my list of recommended restaurants."

These words gave Zhu Xu and Guan Wei confidence.

"Uncle Feng, we will definitely work hard."

"Yes, we will definitely work hard."

Feng Zhengming: "In addition, after this restaurant is upgraded, you can also participate in some competitions as head chefs, no matter what kind of competition it is, domestic or foreign. Participating in these competitions can broaden your horizons and enhance your reputation."

This can be said to have given Zhu Xu and Guan Wei even greater encouragement.

Participating in competitions can indeed boost their reputation.

Moreover, winning awards in competitions can make their store more famous.

After explaining things to the two men, Feng Zhengming also left the store.

She didn't ask Zhu Xu and Guan Wei to drive her because another group of customers had arrived, and the two of them would need to stay busy for a while longer.

When Feng Zhengming returned to the restaurant on the Western restaurant street after wandering around for a while, there were finally fewer people.

It was almost midnight.

In the middle of the conversation, Feng Zhengming received a call from his daughter, so he parked his car on the side of the road and chatted with her for a while.

After finally getting his daughter to sleep, he drove to this restaurant on the Western restaurant street.

At this moment, Feng Zhengming felt that being a boss was really tough.

There's nothing I can do; I have too many stores.

Although I know that the people in charge of each store are trustworthy, and that they will manage each store well even if I don't show up myself.

But Feng Zhengming still wanted to attend in person and have a heart-to-heart talk with the chefs from each restaurant.

This restaurant on the Western Restaurant Street is now arguably the second most well-known restaurant in Shanghai after the Old House Restaurant.

Under Feng Zhengming's instruction, Jiang Chengzhe also acquired some of the nearby shops.

Now the store is big enough to be a must-eat for many people in Shanghai.

More importantly, this restaurant offers more than just Jiang Chengzhe's Hong Kong-style Cantonese cuisine.

You can also enjoy Huaiyang cuisine by Deng Huaichuan, Sichuan cuisine by Wang Hanwen, Fujian cuisine by Huang Yunliang, and local Shanghai cuisine by Li Yao and Han Rui.

It could even be said that the kitchen here is even bigger than the one in Feng Zhengming's old-style restaurant.

Of course, although the scale was indeed larger, there were still some flaws.

The most prominent point is that since Deng Huaichuan, Wang Hanwen, Huang Yunliang, Li Yao, and Han Rui are not Jiang Chengzhe's subordinates, they usually cook their own dishes.

In many situations, Jiang Chengzhe couldn't interfere with their decisions.

On the contrary, when they need help, they need to be given apprentices to assist them.

In other words, Jiang Chengzhe is like the executive chef of a large restaurant.

However, different cuisines in a large restaurant each have their own head chef.

He has no way to control the cooking methods of other cuisines.

Although this will create some competition among the group, everyone will be very serious about making their dishes better.

However, coordinating between different cuisines can also become quite troublesome.

Jiang Chengzhe often finds kitchen management a headache.

For example, tonight, a group of guests ordered dishes from different cuisines, creating a complete meal.

During the cooking process, the group of people were competing with each other.

When it came time to serve the dishes, some conflicts arose.

They even competed to have their dishes served first.

Fortunately, Jiang Chengzhe brought up Feng Zhengming, reminding the five people that Feng Zhengming had already returned to Shanghai.

This also kept the other five people in check, preventing them from acting recklessly.

However, this situation still gave Jiang Chengzhe a bit of a headache.

He now hopes that Feng Zhengming will transfer these five people to the old villa restaurant.

But in reality, Jiang Chengzhe also knew that it was not very likely.

After all, all five of them knew that the labeling in the old-style restaurant could be more stringent.

The five of them often had to follow instructions, and the dishes they made had to meet the requirements and be in sync with the serving schedule as much as possible.

After closing for business that evening, Jiang Chengzhe planned to have a serious talk with five people.

At least we need to make sure that in the future, the five people in the kitchen will follow our instructions.

The conversation started off in a fairly harmonious atmosphere.

However, as the conversation progressed, the five of them began to show some resentment towards Jiang Chengzhe.

“With Jiang Chengzhe here, we are equals. You are indeed in charge of this store, as you are the store manager, but you can’t make all the decisions about the kitchen alone.”

"And when you're in the store, they'll always recommend your dishes more often, while our dishes are usually less popular."

"Jiang Chengzhe, your arrangement is not right. We also need to recommend our dishes to our guests."

“Yes, Jiang Chengzhe, you are the store manager, but you can’t put us in a bad position.”

"You are clearly trying to suppress us."

Feng Zhengming walked into the kitchen and overheard their conversation. Upon hearing this, he smiled and walked out.

"It seems there's quite a bit of disagreement between you five? Are you planning to leave here?"

Feng Zhengming was very dissatisfied after hearing what the five people said about Jiang Chengzhe.

After all, he had just talked to five people and told them that he would open a new store for them later.

As a result, the five people returned to Jiang Chengzhe's shop and started causing a ruckus with him. (End of Chapter)