From selling box lunches to becoming a famous Chinese chef

Chapter 1107 Spending Time with Family After Work (Second Update, Please Subscribe)

That evening, Feng Nuanyou was especially happy; she was finally able to spend time with her father at the restaurant.

Feng Zhengming waited until the restaurant was completely cleaned up before giving a final explanation to everyone in the restaurant.

He was the last one to leave the restaurant with his wife and daughter.

On the drive home, Feng Nuanyou was probably very satisfied with the day and also a little tired, so she fell asleep in the car.

When they got home, Feng Zhengming parked the car and gently carried his daughter and wife back home.

The mother-in-law and second aunt were still awake, waiting for the family of three.

I saw Feng Zhengming carrying his sleeping daughter into the room.

The mother-in-law couldn't help but laugh: "This little girl, she just wants to stay with her dad."

Second Aunt: "It's been a long time since I've seen my father, so I can understand."

Feng Zhengming smiled and said, "It's alright. Kindergarten will be out for summer vacation soon. If you don't want to, we can ask her to stay home and get some sleep tomorrow."

Luo Qing: "Impossible. Don't you know your daughter? She must get up very early in the morning to go to kindergarten."

Feng Zhengming: "Then I'll put her to bed and put her to sleep first."

Feng Nuanyou, still half asleep, hugged her father and said, "Daddy, when Youyou's kindergarten is on holiday, Youyou wants to stay with Daddy."

Hearing the little girl's dazed words made the whole family laugh.

Feng Zhengming responded softly, "Okay, when Youyou has her vacation, I'll go to the store to keep her dad company."

These words seemed to make the little girl in her father's arms very content, and she continued to sleep in his arms.

Feng Zhengming carried his daughter upstairs and put her in her crib to sleep.

When I went downstairs again, I saw my wife chatting with my mother-in-law and second aunt.

Luo Qing told her second aunt about some things her uncle had said.

Second Aunt also felt that Feng Zhengming should open another large store, as the old-style restaurant was indeed a bit too small.

Feng Zhengming happened to come downstairs and, upon hearing his second aunt's words, he took over.

"I definitely want to open a big store. After the New Year, I'll take some time to go to Pudong and look around. I'll choose a suitable place to open a big store there. I think I want to make the store there more modern."

Hearing this surprised everyone in the family.

The mother-in-law spoke first: "What does 'in modern terms' mean?"

Luo Qing: "Do you want to make the store more fashionable? Not like an old-fashioned restaurant?"

Feng Zhengming nodded: "Yes, our store needs to differentiate itself. It can't all be the same. We need to give people something new. Besides, Pudong is a more modern and fashionable place."

So we need to make the store over there more stylish and modern, maybe even build a completely transparent glass enclosure.

After listening to Feng Zhengming's plan, the second aunt nodded in agreement, thinking it was a good idea.

"That's good. It proves that your store really needs to lead the fashion trend. Otherwise, if it stays the same, people will feel that it doesn't match your reputation."

Hearing her second aunt's words, Luo Qing couldn't help but laugh: "Aunt, you know a lot now, don't you?"

Second Aunt: "Although I don't go out much, I read the news and newspapers every day, so I definitely understand."

Feng Zhengming: "We'll buy a computer for home later, so you can go online."

Second Aunt: "Go online? You mean the internet?"

Feng Zhengming: "Yes, it's the internet. The internet is booming in China now. Brother Luo Qing has even opened two internet cafes in Jinan."

Second Aunt: That's great. I've heard there are a lot of new things on the internet these days.

Feng Zhengming: "Yes, there's more new information on the internet, and messages can be transmitted much faster. We can have Luo Qing and you learn together; you might be able to use it in the future."

Luo Qing asked, somewhat puzzled, "How will we use the internet in the future? Will we use it to cook?"

Feng Zhengming: "No, we can connect all our stores through the internet, so we can understand the situation of each store without having to go to the stores in person."

The family was all very surprised; they never expected there to be such a way.

Feng Zhengming: "In the future, the Internet will change our lives and make our lives and work more convenient."

It's probably because Feng Zhengming hasn't been home this early in a long time and chatted with his family.

So when he said these things tonight, his family was quite surprised.

Fortunately, both his wife Luo Qing and his second aunt are open to new ideas.

Although my mother-in-law was a little confused, and didn't even quite understand what the internet was,
However, Luo Qing and her second aunt were able to understand quickly and both felt that Feng Zhengming's idea was probably not wrong.

Second Aunt: "The future will probably indeed be the era of the Internet. Maybe by then, many things will be able to be done on the Internet."

Luo Qing: "It seems that my brother's timely transition to running an internet cafe was a good choice to keep up with the times."

The mother-in-law finally spoke: "Before, your brother talked to your father and me about going online and opening an internet cafe, and we really didn't understand. But after hearing what you all said today, it seems that the internet will really be useful in the future. It seems that your brother has indeed chosen the right path this time."

Feng Zhengming: "Mom, my brother really chose the right path this time. He will definitely have a great future."

Second Aunt: "Maybe we can even provide technical support to Zhengming and the others when the time comes."

Mother-in-law: "They're all family, he'll definitely help his sister and brother-in-law."

After chatting for a while, they realized it was getting late and went back to their rooms to sleep.

Feng Zhengming did not sleep in the downstairs guest room tonight, but went back upstairs to sleep with his wife.

My daughter is quite restless while sleeping on the small bed in the room; she even kicked off the blanket.

Feng Zhengming carefully tucked the blanket around his daughter.

He lay down with his wife, embraced her, and whispered to her.

"You've worked so hard these past few days, taking such good care of the family."

Luo Qing hugged her husband: "It's not hard work, you're the one who works harder. You leave early and come home late every day. The restaurant is so busy, and you have to deal with all kinds of customers. It's really not easy for you."

Feng Zhengming: "It's alright. I already know those dishes by heart, and there are so many people in the kitchen helping me, so it's really not that hard to make them."

Luo Qing asked, "Why don't you transfer Xia Hui or Sun Hai back? With the two of them around, you should have an easier time."

Feng Zhengming: "They also need to grow. Sun Hai is now learning how to manage the kitchen of Huiquanlou from his senior brother, and Xia Hui is also running the restaurant on the Western restaurant street very well."

If I bring them back to the restaurant to help me now, it will actually limit their development. I can't be that selfish.

Moreover, Fu Jun and Cai Tao are making rapid progress; they can now keep up with my pace.

Hou Dong, Gao Yongfu, and Lu Haisheng have also grown a lot.

Talent needs continuous development; we can't rely on just a few people.

Luo Qing understood that her husband was right; training chefs in the kitchen was a very time-consuming process.

It's not that graduating from a vocational school or culinary school and being able to cook a few dishes makes you a chef.

A chef who can truly work independently requires a long period of training. Therefore, Feng Zhengming's current approach is the best one.

The chefs in the kitchen are trained in separate stages.

From the apprentice stage, to the stage where they can work in the kitchen, and then further to the stage where Xia Hui and Sun Hai can now take charge of cooking on their own.

What follows will require a much longer period of accumulation.

Becoming a master chef requires a longer period of experience accumulation.

Ultimately, personal effort is the most important factor.

People like Sun Hai and Xia Hui both aspire to become master chefs, so they work very hard and diligently learn all the good experiences they encounter.

It was also thanks to the personal efforts of Sun Hai and Xia Hui that they were able to fall behind Zhu Xu and Gu Zhicheng in the past.

The two have now caught up with their pace, and are even slightly ahead.

While Feng Zhengming certainly provided special guidance, it ultimately depended on his own efforts.

In comparison, Yao Zhenhui somewhat disappointed Feng Zhengming.

It should be noted that Yao Zhenhui and Gu Zhicheng went directly into the kitchen of Huiquanlou together.

At that time, Yao Zhenhui's culinary skills were on par with those of Gu Zhicheng, Bao Feng, Guan Wei, and Qi Jiale.

In recent years, Gu Zhicheng has opened his own restaurant in Qingdao.

Bao Feng and Guan Wei were both capable of handling things independently, helping Feng Zhengming manage a branch store in Shanghai.

Qi Jiale has also taken charge of the branch in Shandong and is developing in the direction of restaurants.

But Yao Zhenhui is still working in the kitchen of that branch in Jinan.

He seemed to have gotten used to the relatively relaxed atmosphere of the branch store.

Feng Zhengming didn't say much about it.

After all, it's a personal choice.

Moreover, Yao Zhenhui also managed that branch store very well.

Therefore, Feng Zhengming no longer had much hope for Yao Zhenhui.

Let him be in charge of the dry rice shop branch, just like Shen Rongsen.

Chen Anbang, who was one of the first to work with Feng Zhengming, has now also joined the kitchen of Huiquanlou Restaurant.

According to my senior brother, Chen Anbang has made rapid progress and is already able to take on many of the kitchen tasks alongside Sun Hai.

The fact that he was transferred to Shanghai for training has greatly improved Chen Anbang's skills.

Feng Zhengming whispered to his wife, "After my elder brother and the others go to the capital, Huiquanlou will probably have to rely on Sun Hai and Chen Anbang to keep it running."

Hearing her husband say this, Luo Qing asked curiously, "Brother, are you planning to have him manage the reopened Yanxi Restaurant for you in the capital?"

Feng Zhengming: "When my eldest brother, second brother, third brother, and fifth brother are all at Yanxilou in the capital, and we invite our master over to give us guidance, Yanxilou in the capital will surely be able to regain its former prosperity."

Luo Qing was genuinely surprised: "You actually arranged such a grand setup for Yanxi Restaurant in the capital?"

Feng Zhengming laughed: "This isn't very big; it's just about restoring Yanxilou to its former glory."

Luo Qing: "If Master takes Senior Brother and the others to the capital, won't there be a shortage of manpower in Qilu?"

Feng Zhengming: "Therefore, during this period, we need to focus on training more new people so that they can take on the responsibility of operating branches in various parts of Shandong."

Luo Qing was once again surprised by her husband's arrangements.

In her eyes, her husband was truly outstanding, having arranged everything perfectly.

In Luo Qing's view, this was her husband's most impressive quality.

He always plans everything in advance.

Take it one step at a time, thinking about your goal.

Because he had made various plans in advance, even if there were some deviations on the way to the goal, Feng Zhengming could make timely adjustments and eventually reach the destination.

This process might seem rather lengthy to many people today.

If it were someone else with Feng Zhengming's reputation, they might seize the opportunity to make more money.

Feng Zhengming, however, was not in such a hurry; he continued to proceed step by step according to his plan.

He trains every apprentice in the kitchen of his own stores.

Let those apprentices grow step by step into real chefs.

This process may be lengthy, and some impatient individuals may choose to leave.

But there will still be people who are willing to follow Feng Zhengming and learn the culinary skills step by step.

Perhaps now, those who didn't give up halfway have quickly seized a share of the profits.

However, if we extend the timeframe, those who remain behind Feng Zhengming in the future will inevitably achieve more than anyone who gives up halfway.

Thinking of this, Luo Qing asked, "By the way, what about Deng Huaichuan, Wang Hanwen, Huang Yunliang, Li Yao, and Han Rui? It seems they'll all be opening their own shops after the New Year, right?"

Feng Zhengming: "I authorized their store and gave them the recipes for braised pork, pig's trotters, pork hock and four-happiness meatballs. I will not ask about the rest of the details of opening the store. Let them run it themselves."

Luo Qing: "Aren't you really afraid that if they don't do a good job, it will affect you?"

Feng Zhengming: "How could that be? They have been performing very well all this time. How could they not manage their branches properly? We should trust their pride."

This time, Luo Qing nodded: "Yes, they all have their own pride in their bones, so they shouldn't ruin your reputation."

Feng Zhengming: "Don't worry about them. Their inherent pride won't allow them to slack off, and the branch stores are the beginning of their own careers."

"If they manage the business well and accumulate enough experience, they can hand over the branch to someone else and return to Shanghai to open their own store."

Luo Qing: "I'm afraid what they really want is to come back to Shanghai and open a shop next to yours."

Feng Zhengming: "Haha, yes, I will give them opportunities and reserve suitable positions for them in Pudong in the future."

Luo Qing: "I hope they can grow up."

Feng Zhengming: "Their problem is not their own skills, but that they don't have their own team. I authorized them to open branches so that they could build their own team."

These words made his wife realize: "So that's how it is. No wonder they were willing to go back to their hometown to open a branch of their dry food shop."

Feng Zhengming: "A truly good chef needs a long time to develop."

What I'm doing now is giving chefs enough time to grow, allowing them to improve themselves step by step and accumulate enough experience in their work.

In the future, they can all become true master chefs, not just cooks who can only make two dishes.

Luo Qing hugged her husband tightly: "You deserve to be the top scholar; no one can compare to you."

Feng Zhengming hugged his wife tightly, kissed her forehead, and the couple fell asleep together.

(End of this chapter)