From selling box lunches to becoming a famous Chinese chef

A few days later, Feng Zhengming was still invited to attend a small meeting jointly organized by the Catering Association and the Chefs Association.

When Feng Zhengming appeared at the meeting place, he was immediately surrounded by many people from the Catering Association and the Chefs Association.

The first to speak were several restaurant owners from the catering association.

“Scholar Feng, tell me, what should we do next? I’ve heard that many overseas people have been inquiring about the shop.”

"Yes, they chose some very high-end places, clearly aiming to seize the market."

“Feng Zhuangyuan, you have no problem. Your stores have long been recognized by many people.”

"Yes, but you also need to consider this for us and think of a solution."

Despite seeing everyone's anxious expressions, Feng Zhengming remained calm and composed.

"Don't be so nervous, everyone. You are all my seniors here. You've been in the restaurant business for so many years, do you really think you'll lose business to those foreigners? Can't you have a little bit of confidence in your business?"

After Feng Zhengming said that, the restaurant owners present calmed down.

Immediately afterwards, several chefs from the Chefs Association crowded around Feng Zhengming.

They didn't speak up in front of the restaurant owners.

The chefs escorted Feng Zhengming toward the conference room, only beginning their questioning along the way.

"Feng Zhuangyuan, do you think we need to learn Western cuisine if we want to compete with those overseas chefs?"

"Yeah, should we start learning to cook in a Western style from now on?"

"Scholar Feng, give me a straight answer. Do we also need to learn more?"

"To be honest, I'm actually a little panicked."

Feng Zhengming looked at the chefs with a very calm expression.

"Fellow industry professionals, you don't need to worry. Just keep sticking to your craft and bring out what you're best at. Your market will only get bigger and better in the future."

These words surprised the chefs.

"So, we can still make money using our best skills?"

Feng Zhengming smiled: "Haven't you always had a market in Shanghai all these years? Does it mean that after China joined the WTO and more foreigners came to the country, your old customers stopped coming to eat there?"

Feng Zhengming's words immediately reassured the chefs, and they all felt that their skills should be fine.

Surrounded by everyone, Feng Zhengming finally entered the meeting room.

The presidents and vice presidents of the Shanghai Chefs Association and Catering Association were all present.

Some city officials in charge of the two associations were also present.

Upon seeing Feng Zhengming, everyone took the initiative to shake his hand and greet him.

In fact, this meeting was organized by the city.

The city's idea was simple: to get the catering association and chefs' association to step in and help coordinate the situation of several food streets, especially to address food safety issues on these streets.

After understanding the situation, Feng Zhengming immediately expressed his full support to the city officials present.

"Don't worry, everyone. Food safety is not only something we need to focus on, but more importantly, it is the biggest enemy of our chefs and restaurants. If there are problems with food safety, our chefs and restaurants will face a huge crisis."

So to be honest, we're probably more concerned about food safety than you are, or even more concerned about some diners.

Feng Zhengming's statement immediately won the unanimous approval of everyone present.

Seeing Feng Zhengming and everyone else express such a stance brought smiles to the faces of the city officials.

As long as Feng Zhengming takes the lead, and everyone is willing to listen to him, then things will be easy to resolve from the city's perspective.

Next, everyone sat down.

Feng Zhengming was seated in the first row.

Beside him were the current presidents of two associations.

However, it's obvious to everyone that both the Catering Association and the Chefs Association will listen to Feng Zhengming's opinions more, and it could even be said that Feng Zhengming manages them.

The first thing that naturally started was when people from the city came and emphasized the issue of food safety.

Everyone present certainly expressed their support for this emphasis.

Next are two new food districts that the city is planning to develop.

This is largely due to factors such as the population growth in recent years and the city's future development.

In addition to the existing well-known food streets, several new food streets will be planned and developed.

Feng Zhengming listened attentively and quickly understood what he meant.

The city government of Shanghai clearly hopes that they can all take the lead in the new food street area.

Especially Feng Zhengming, because he had promised to open some more branches in Shanghai, so the city hoped that he could take the lead in making some preparations in advance for the two newly planned food streets.

One of these projects particularly interested Feng Zhengming.

The city is planning to create an international food street.

We will specifically bring in some international restaurants to set up shop there.

Some of the other restaurant and chef association members present were somewhat worried upon hearing the news.

They felt that the city's planned international food street would obviously have an impact on them.

Then the people from the city naturally looked at Feng Zhengming.

"This time, the city hopes that you can take the lead. Your old villa restaurant is the first in China to be awarded the title of one of the top ten restaurants of the year internationally."

Therefore, the city hopes you can open a branch there, which would help revitalize that international food street area.

Feng Zhengming burst out laughing upon hearing this.

"It seems the city has high expectations for me? They hope I can win more international awards at the branch over there?"

The people from the city couldn't help but laugh.

“The city does hope that you, Feng Zhuangyuan, can do it, and we know that you, Feng Zhuangyuan, can definitely do it.”

"Of course, you can rest assured, Scholar Feng, we will give you certain preferential policies."

"Yes, the city will appropriately lower the rental prices for houses there for you, Feng Zhuangyuan."

Feng Zhengming smiled and asked, "Can I buy it?"

These words stunned everyone present.

However, Kong Xingli couldn't help but laugh first.

“Our top scholar Feng always buys directly, he’s a big spender, we can’t compare.”

Today, even Jiang Chengzhe was invited. He is now considered the representative chef of the port city in Shanghai.

Jiang Chengzhe chimed in, "After all, Feng Zhuangyuan is Feng Zhuangyuan. He has a lot of money on hand now, which is something we can't compare to at all."

Feng Zhengming looked at the two of them: "Senior Brother Kong, A Zhe, what you're saying is true. You can buy it too. Don't tell me you can't afford it."

Kong Xingli: "I really can't afford it."

Jiang Chengzhe: "I really can't afford it."

The city officials exchanged smiles, and then one of them spoke up: "I'm sorry, but the city's plan for the shops on that street is to only rent, not sell. Mr. Feng, you don't need to worry about the rent. We can sign a long-term contract." Feng Zhengming: "Only rent, not sell? That makes things a bit difficult for me. I still prefer to buy it directly, so that the rent won't be raised just because my shop is doing well."

No one present thought Feng Zhengming was joking.

Because everyone knows that Feng Zhengming's current financial resources certainly give him the right to say that.

If he wanted to buy, he could definitely afford a house anywhere in Shanghai.

Just like the building on the street with the Western restaurant, it has all been bought by Feng Zhengming.

In recent years, Feng Zhengming has used loans to buy up almost all the properties he owns in several shops in Shanghai.

In fact, Feng Zhengming really wanted to tell some of the people present that buying now is a low price, and if they waited any longer, the price would be much higher than it is now, possibly even scaring them to death.

But I really can't say these words. If I don't say them, how many people will believe me?
If everyone believed it and went to buy it now, Feng Zhengming felt he wouldn't have a good opportunity to make a move.

However, the other party said that the new neighborhood is only for rent, not for sale.

Feng Zhengming was well aware that the area would indeed become a renowned food and commercial center in the future.

In particular, that neighborhood is expected to become a hub for high-end restaurants in the future.

Therefore, the city government is clearly also eyeing the potential for future appreciation in that area.

Renting out properties without selling them will become a stable source of income for the city.

But Feng Zhengming felt that he could still talk to the city government privately.

You don't need a shop in the most prime location; you can leave the prime locations to rent in the city. You only need to buy a fixed shop and you can run a restaurant there peacefully.

“It’s okay. The city needs me to open a branch there. I’m willing to go. If I’m renting, I’ll definitely rent for at least ten years.”

Hearing that it had been at least ten years still surprised many people present.

But on second thought, it doesn't seem strange at all that Feng Zhengming would rent it for ten years.

After all, since Feng Zhengming came to Shanghai, his shops have indeed been doing very well.

Unless development projects occur in the locations of his stores in the future.

Otherwise, it would be almost impossible for anything to affect his business.

Therefore, Feng Zhengming's decision to rent a long-term lease in the newly planned international food street is well in line with his capabilities.

The city officials nodded: "We can discuss this; we will give you, Scholar Feng, certain preferential treatment."

Feng Zhengming turned to Jiang Chengzhe and asked, "Ah Zhe, why don't you go over there and open a branch together?"

Jiang Chengzhe was both amused and exasperated: "Brother Feng, how could I possibly open a branch? I'm already very busy with my current store, I simply don't have the manpower to open a branch over there."

Feng Zhengming: "Therefore, we should train more new people, and we should also train our apprentices more."

Everyone was speechless at Feng Zhengming's words.

Everyone knows that Feng Zhengming is able to open so many branches because he has his own new chef training system.

In this respect, no chef doesn't secretly envy Feng Zhengming.

Feng Zhengming's stores have such a good reputation.

It's because he has a very good young chef in the kitchen of all his stores.

These young chefs are not recruited like some other restaurants and hotels.

These young chefs were all trained by Feng Zhengming and his fellow apprentices.

Because Feng Zhengming owns many restaurants, he can start from the basics and gradually help a young chef advance to the head chef position.

The city government in Shanghai is aware of this, which is why they invited him to open a shop in the new food street.

On the other hand, it's also because, in the city's view, only Feng Zhengming could keep the situation under control in the past.

After all, the goal is to attract more internationally renowned restaurants to open branches.

Or it could attract some restaurant companies to invest there.

With Feng Zhengming's branch in charge, it became quite attractive to those people.

After all, the head chef of one of the world's top ten restaurants opened a branch.

What about the chefs of other international top ten restaurants of the year?
And what about those chefs who want to challenge themselves to be among the top ten restaurant chefs?

That street may soon become a truly top-notch food street.

The event was also open to other members of the city's food and beverage associations and chefs' associations present.

They are all allowed to plan new stores there, or open their own branches.

Initially, most of the people present had no intention of investing.

However, a remark by Feng Zhengming reminded them.

"Have you all thought about this? If you don't go there now, the area will only be occupied by those large overseas catering companies, and many top overseas chefs will also flock there."

Once they reach a certain scale there, will they attract a large influx of diners?

Feng Zhengming's words immediately reminded everyone present.

In particular, several big bosses in the catering association realized that this was very likely.

Even Feng Zhengming opened a branch there, so it's bound to attract a lot of people.

Moreover, when Feng Zhengming opens a branch there, it certainly won't follow the same small and exquisite route as the old villa restaurant.

If Feng Zhengming opens a big store there then.

Feng Zhengming's shop alone would probably be enough to attract a large number of diners to that area.

With that thought in mind, someone in the room quickly spoke up, saying they were also willing to open a shop there.

The meeting yielded a satisfactory result for everyone.

Feng Zhengming offered several solutions, which satisfied both the catering association and the chefs' association.

In particular, Feng Zhengming recommended that they open a shop in the newly planned food street in advance.

This idea was indeed very good, according to everyone present.

Instead of waiting passively for foreign stores to enter the market, it's better to prepare in advance.

After the meeting ended, the city officials spoke privately with Feng Zhengming for a few more minutes before leaving.

The city's suggestion is that Feng Zhengming should make plans as soon as possible, acquire a suitable shop there in advance, and then open his branch there.

Feng Zhengming also took the opportunity to sound out whether there was a chance to buy the shop there.

The city officials did not budge, but they also did not indicate that they could not discuss it.

As for how to negotiate? And who to negotiate with?

The people from the city didn't know either, so Feng Zhengming would have to find out for himself.

Feng Zhengming knew that asking the other party about this was pointless, so he expressed his gratitude.

When I got home, the first thing I did was call my uncle, Feng Guofeng.

I told my uncle about it, and he replied, "Wait for my news." (End of Chapter)