From selling box lunches to becoming a famous Chinese chef

After Huang Yunliang's store in Xiamen opened successfully.

Feng Zhengming and his daughter only stayed in Xiamen for three days before returning to Shanghai together.

The reason for returning to Shanghai so quickly is that the new store there has also been prepared.

During the few days that Feng Zhengming was away from Shanghai, things were relatively stable in all aspects of the city.

Fu Jun and Cai Tao, along with their team, are now working on Feng Zhengming's menu at the old-style restaurant, and they're absolutely sure they won't make any mistakes.

When Feng Zhengming brought his daughter back to Shanghai.

The renovation of the new stores in the new food street in Shanghai has also been completed.

Meanwhile, the people transferred from Jinan to take over the store managed by Zhu Xu and Zhang Lei also arrived in Shanghai.

With Zhu Xu and Zhang Lei personally guiding and familiarizing themselves with the skills, the young chef from Jinan quickly got the hang of it.

When Feng Zhengming returned to Shanghai, he met with several young chefs from Quancheng who had come to Shanghai this time.

These chefs were still trained by Feng Zhengming's third senior brother.

In fact, the third and eldest senior brothers have been constantly training new talents over the past few years.

The third senior brother, in particular, recruits many new people to the old shop every year.

Then they will teach the newcomers who can stay in the old shop very carefully and seriously.

After learning their skills at the old shop, these young chefs will be assigned to other shops for internships, according to Feng Zhengming's arrangement.

In branches across Shandong, experienced staff are mentored by new employees to help them quickly accumulate experience.

Just like the four young chefs who were transferred from Jinan this time.

They are all top performers selected through assessment.

Coming to Shanghai was truly a dream opportunity for them.

So after the four of them arrived in Shanghai, they studied very diligently under the guidance of Zhu Xu and Zhang Lei.

After meeting them, Feng Zhengming personally inspected their kitchen management, coordination, and ability to handle unexpected situations.

Another thing is that Feng Zhengming will definitely test his basic skills as a chef.

In these aspects, all four young chefs performed adequately.

Feng Zhengming smiled and looked satisfied with the four people.

"Not bad, no wonder Third Brother recommended you. The four of you have solid basic skills and good experience in the kitchen. From now on, you will be divided into two groups, one in charge of Zhu Xu's shop and the other in charge of Zhang Lei's shop."

Remember this: I need you to take every dish seriously and treat every customer kindly.

You should think of every guest and every dish as if you were cooking for your own family.

do you understand? "

The four young chefs looked at each other, then almost simultaneously replied, "Understood."

Feng Zhengming looked at Zhu Xu and Zhang Lei: "Which two of you are planning to choose to be in charge of your stores?"

Zhu Xu and Zhang Lei exchanged a glance, and then, with perfect understanding, made their respective choices.

Feng Zhengming's decision to let Zhu Xu and Zhang Lei choose was out of respect for them.

This also made them understand that although they had left the branches they were previously in charge of, they would still have shares in the branches and would still receive dividends from the branches they had previously managed.

This was something Zhu Xu and Zhang Lei hadn't anticipated.

The two even considered refusing to continue receiving dividends.

But Feng Zhengming smiled and explained the whole situation to the two of them.

"The profit sharing I give to your branches is so that you can always be chefs under my command. When I need you, I can transfer you to different branches."

If you don't want this share of the profits, then I can only assume that one day you might leave my side.

These words left Zhu Xu and Zhang Lei speechless, and they had no choice but to accept the dividend.

For Zhu Xu and Zhang Lei, they really never thought of leaving Feng Zhengming's side.

This doesn't mean they lack the ambition to open their own shop.

In truth, both of them felt that by staying by Feng Zhengming's side, they could still demonstrate their culinary skills.

Moreover, even without the profit sharing from the branches, Feng Zhengming actually paid them very high salaries.

The two felt that their reason for opening a shop was simply to make money and to showcase their skills.

If both of these can be achieved in Feng Zhengming's shop.

Then why bother opening your own shop?
This time, Feng Zhengming put Zhu Xu and Zhang Lei in charge of the new store in the international food street.

In other words, it is an intentional effort to cultivate two individuals and elevate their value.

The next step is to see if the two of them can handle it.

If the two of them can run the new store successfully, they can gain the recognition of most diners both at home and abroad.

So, when this new store achieves enough recognition, it will naturally belong to Zhu Xu and Zhang Lei.

In this way, Zhu Xu and Zhang Lei's chef resumes will become even more impressive.

Even in some domestic and international competitions later on, the two of them could even jointly register for the competition using the new store.

Zhu Xu and Zhang Lei couldn't help but think about it more.

They both hoped that they could make a name for themselves in the new store.

After confirming the personnel who will take over the two people in charge of the branch.

Feng Zhengming then led Zhu Xu and Zhang Lei to discuss the menu at the new store.

At first, Zhu Xu and Zhang Lei remained silent, listening quietly as Feng Zhengming presented a menu of dishes.

Seeing that neither of them spoke up, Feng Zhengming quickly smiled and said, "I called you here to finalize the menu together. You two will be in charge of this restaurant from now on. If neither of you speaks up and doesn't come up with your own ideas for the menu, then..."

Do I really need to do all the work at this shop myself?
You two head chefs must have your own opinions.

Feng Zhengming's words served as a wake-up call for Zhu Xu and Zhang Lei.

Both of them realized that they needed to be involved in the menu design.

Next, the two of them gave their suggestions on the menu.

Gradually, Feng Zhengming began to back down, and eventually he started to offer suggestions, letting Zhu Xu and Zhang Lei discuss and decide.

Under Feng Zhengming's guidance, Zhu Xu and Zhang Lei quickly got into the swing of things.

The two of them each suggested a dish based on their own ideas.

After listening to the two men's instructions and details, Feng Zhengming explained how to cook the dish.

The final decision was made on whether or not it could be placed on the menu.

After some discussion, the three of them finalized three menus for the new restaurant.

All three menus share a common feature: they are almost all based on home-style flavors.

After carefully reviewing the three menus, Zhu Xu and Zhang Lei both felt that something was amiss.

"Uncle, are you sure this is alright, since it's all home-style cooking?"

"Why do these dishes all feel like home-style cooking? They don't match the ambiance of our restaurant's decor."

Feng Zhengming smiled and said, "There's nothing that doesn't fit. Home-cooked flavors are the flavors that are hard to forget deep in everyone's memory. So home-cooked flavors may seem simple, but they are often the most difficult to make."

Hearing this, Zhu Xu and Zhang Lei admitted it.

It's true that home-style flavors are often difficult to replicate.

Because home-style cooking doesn't have a fixed flavor.

Everyone has their own unique home-style flavor.

That taste is something that evokes in everyone's memory—the taste of a dish from home that they can never forget. Perhaps it's the state of mind they were in while eating that makes that taste unforgettable.

Even if it's the same person using the same method, the taste experience might be different.

So, while home-style cooking may seem very ordinary, it's actually not easy to make it well.

But Zhu Xu and Zhang Lei still felt that it didn't quite match the atmosphere of their new store.

Feng Zhengming saw what the two were thinking, so he simply went to the kitchen and explained a home-style dish to them.

This dish is a popular choice at all of Feng Zhengming's restaurants in Shanghai.

Moreover, this dish is very popular among locals in Shanghai, especially children.

It was none other than sweet and sour pork ribs.

"Sweet and sour pork ribs, isn't that a truly authentic home-style dish? So how can we make sweet and sour pork ribs a perfect match for our restaurant?"

Zhu Xu immediately replied, "Make the plating even more exquisite."

Zhang Lei added, "Use the best spare ribs, and ideally, even the type of pork should be the best."

Feng Zhengming: "Yes, if you two put your ideas together, wouldn't a simple sweet and sour pork ribs dish perfectly match the ambiance of our restaurant?"

After hearing Feng Zhengming's explanation, Zhu Xu and Zhang Lei immediately understood.

Feng Zhengming: "Now you should know how to cook the dishes on our menu, right?"

Zhu Xu and Zhang Lei both laughed.

"Understood, Uncle-Master."

In fact, Feng Zhengming did not price each menu set very high.

Or rather, it's the cheapest of all the shops in this international food street.

Several trendy restaurants have already opened in this area.

They are the kind of stores that look expensive.

However, some fashion-conscious people still frequent the place.

Many urban white-collar workers, in particular, will really appreciate the charming ambiance of this upscale food street.

So those stores are also catering to their needs.

Feng Zhengming's shop can be said to be catering to them.

But Feng Zhengming's approach was different from the other stores.

His shop's interior and exterior design almost entirely focus on creating a relaxed, family-like atmosphere.

The entire store, now fully renovated, even the sofas for dining are very soft, giving people a sense of security, as if they were back home and enveloped in comfort.

Although the storefronts are bright and airy with floor-to-ceiling windows, there are plenty of green plants decorating the outside, and the interior furnishings have a very homey atmosphere.

Especially around the sofa, there are some small decorations that give it a homey feel, and a table lamp like the kind used in homes.

What really stands out is that entering this store feels like coming home.

Even the interior walls were painted with a mild, household-friendly paint.

Although the kitchen is open, the various kitchen utensils inside are very similar to those in a home kitchen.

Now even the menu mainly consists of home-style dishes.

In this way, Feng Zhengming's new store is probably a format that no one could have imagined.

Zhu Xu asked, "Uncle-Master, what are you planning to name this shop?"

Feng Zhengming smiled and said, "Let's call it 'Home-style'."

The name surprised both Zhu Xu and Zhang Lei.

Zhang Lei asked curiously, "Is the name 'Uncle-Master' really acceptable?"

Feng Zhengming: "Why not? I've already registered the trademark."

Zhu Xu and Zhang Lei exchanged a smile after hearing this.

"So, Uncle-Master, you told everyone before that your new store would be a completely unique one, is this what you mean by unique?" Zhu Xu asked with a smile.

Feng Zhengming: "What do you think? I think my new store design is pretty good, right?"

Zhu Xu and Zhang Lei thought for a moment, then nodded together.

Zhang Lei sighed, "At my branch, I often receive people who come here to work in the evenings. They often complain to me about how hard it is for them here."

Zhu Xu: "I also have them in my shop. They really miss home, but they can't go back most of the time. They can only go back during holidays."

Feng Zhengming: "So this is the significance of all our branches in Shanghai: to provide a place where people from other places who are working hard in Shanghai can eat delicious food at reasonable prices and feel like they are back home."

The name of this new store, "Home Flavor," also carries this meaning: we hope that people who are working hard in Shanghai can take a break here.

"Being able to taste some of the familiar flavors of home in our shop is something they remember."

Zhu Xu and Zhang Lei listened to Feng Zhengming's words and suddenly clapped together.

"Yes, Uncle-Master, what you said is very good."

"Uncle-Master, you are so kind. Following you was definitely the right decision."

Feng Zhengming laughed: "Alright, stop flattering me. This shop is going to depend on the two of you from now on. Are you confident that you can run this shop well for me?"

Zhu Xu and Zhang Lei answered almost in unison: "Yes."

Seeing the two answer him so confidently made Feng Zhengming very happy.

"However, you two should also consider your personal matters. When you went back home for the New Year, didn't your families arrange any blind dates for you? Didn't you see any girls that you thought were good?"

We don't require her to be exceptionally beautiful, as long as she is virtuous and family-oriented. After you get married, you can stay in Shanghai, or you can bring your wife over; I'll arrange it.

Zhu Xu and Zhang Lei looked at each other, both feeling a little embarrassed.

The good news is that Zhu Xu's family has already introduced him to a girl.

Zhu Xu was planning to bring her to Shanghai for a visit soon.

Feng Zhengming: "Sure, I can take over anytime. I'll figure out how to arrange the work if needed."

Zhu Xu: "I don't need to arrange any work for my martial arts sister, she has her own job. It's just that I'm afraid she'll look down on me and think I'm just a cook."

Before Feng Zhengming could speak, Zhang Lei quickly spoke up.

"What's wrong with being a chef? We're head chefs! Let her see what kind of place you work as a chef now. Don't we look handsome in the new chef's uniforms prepared by our master?"

Zhu Xu was taken aback by Zhang Lei's words, then smiled and asked, "Why are you so excited?"

Feng Zhengming: "Haha, it's okay. Go ahead and pursue any good girl you meet. If it doesn't work out, I'll arrange for someone to take over here. You'll have time to pursue your wives first."

Feng Zhengming's words immediately made Zhu Xu and Zhang Lei laugh.

At this moment, the three people were no longer a senior uncle and two junior nephews; they were more like three peers chatting.

This conversation improved Feng Zhengming's relationship with the two men.

After the menu was finalized, news of Feng Zhengming's new store opening soon spread.

Many people who learned the name of the new store and came to the vicinity to see the interior layout were all a bit confused.

"Home-style flavor? What kind of name is that?"

"Wow, I didn't know restaurants could do things like this."

"This...this feels just like a home, so the taste of home is the taste of home?"

"Feng Zhuangyuan's shop is truly full of profound meaning."

Amidst the discussions, Feng Zhengming's new restaurant in Shanghai's new food street also officially opened. (End of Chapter)