From selling box lunches to becoming a famous Chinese chef

Zeng Zhichang first served Feng Zhengming and his group several cold dishes.

Several cold dishes were quite characteristic of Sichuan cuisine.

For example, a classic Sichuan cold dish is pickled pepper chicken feet.

This dish can be described as quite groundbreaking.

Nowadays, they are processed, packaged in vacuum and sold all over the country.

Zeng Zhichang's pickled chicken feet are prepared in the most traditional way.

The chicken feet are completely deboned.

The pickled peppers don't have a strong flavor, and their unique sour and spicy taste is very appetizing.

Besides pickled chicken feet, there's also spicy beef.

The beef was marinated in a special sauce beforehand and then soaked in a unique spicy broth.

The beef was sliced ​​so thinly that it was almost transparent, and the pattern of tendons on it was beautiful.

The spicy and savory flavors blend perfectly with the first bite.

In addition to these two dishes, there are several other cold dishes.

The tenderest parts of the white asparagus are carved and arranged into a white lotus flower in a cold dish, presenting a unique salty and sour flavor.

The preserved eggs from Sichuan and Chongqing are even more translucent and are seasoned with a garlic sauce.

They even made a cold dish with bell peppers, which had a very unique sweet and sour flavor.

As everyone tasted each dish, they were truly amazed.

Because every dish here tastes different.

My second aunt was a little surprised: "With so many dishes here, how do you manage to make each one taste different?"

Feng Zhengming: "This is the most impressive aspect of Sichuan cuisine. It has a variety of flavor combinations that can create different tastes, making the taste experience of Sichuan cuisine the most diverse."

Mother-in-law: "It's a really different taste. These dishes look very ordinary, but they all taste different."

Feng Nuanyou: "Delicious, everything is delicious."

Feng Zhengming asked with a smile, "Can Youyou eat spicy food now?"

Feng Nuanyou quickly shook her head: "No, no, spicy food, Youyou doesn't eat spicy food."

The little girl's appearance made everyone burst into laughter.

Chu Huijuan: "It's good that children don't eat spicy food, but eating too much spicy food is also bad."

Hu Jin: "Yes, eating too much spicy food might affect the perception of taste."

Feng Zhengming: "She's just too young. Maybe when she grows up, she'll also fall in love with the taste of chili peppers."

Chu Huijuan: "That's true. When I was a child, I also thought chili peppers didn't taste good, but as I grew up, I gradually started to like spicy food. Now, I can't eat a meal without chili peppers."

Hu Jin: "Haha, that's because you're from Chengdu, so you'll gradually be trained to eat spicy food."

Feng Zhengming: "Spicy food can stimulate the taste buds and also make the food more appetizing."

I think that more and more people will enjoy spicy food in the future, so Sichuan cuisine may gradually become a very popular cuisine, and many restaurants from other places will start serving Sichuan food.

Hu Jin and Chu Huijuan were both somewhat surprised to hear Feng Zhengming say this.

"Will many restaurants try to cook Sichuan cuisine?" Hu Jin found it somewhat unbelievable.

Feng Zhengming: "Yes, dishes like shredded pork with garlic sauce and Kung Pao chicken are actually very suitable for people from all over the country, so they have been widely spread now."

Hearing Feng Zhengming's words, everyone couldn't help but feel that there wasn't much difference between different cuisines.

Many flavors are actually acceptable to most people.

As Hu Jin listened to Feng Zhengming's words, she sensed the difference between him and her husband.

Her husband focuses more on Sichuan cuisine.

Feng Zhengming is an all-around chef who draws on the strengths of many different schools of thought.

It seems that Feng Zhengming is very knowledgeable about all cuisines.

Moreover, he seems to have a very clear and detailed grasp of the characteristics of different cuisines.

Just like when eating, Feng Zhengming can clearly explain the specific methods of making each dish.

In this regard, Hu Jin felt that her husband probably didn't know as much about other cuisines.

After the cold dishes, several braised dishes were served first.

The braised dishes served by Zeng Zhichang also have a distinct Sichuan flavor.

Not all of them are spicy; some are sweet and sour, and others are spicy.

Large dishes such as Dongpo pork knuckle were also served together.

This time, Feng Nuanyou ate very happily, and the little girl's face was full of smiles as she ate.

After the stir-fry, there are various classic Sichuan dishes.

Kung Pao Chicken, Shredded Pork with Garlic Sauce, Boiled Sliced ​​Pork, and Sichuan-style Stir-fried Pork Kidney.

After these dishes, the elaborate main courses of Sichuan cuisine will begin.

Zeng Zhichang served Feng Zhengming a dish of crispy sea cucumber with fish-fragrant sauce.

Upon seeing the dish, Feng Zhengming smiled and said, "Senior Brother Zeng is also experimenting with this kind of dish?"

Zeng Zhichang: "This dish was taught to me by Junior Brother Feng."

Feng Zhengming: "I'll teach you, senior brother?"

Zeng Zhichang smiled and reminded Feng Zhengming.

"At the cooking competition, your dish 'Dragon Playing with a Pearl' combined the cooking methods of Shandong and Cantonese cuisine, didn't it? I also tried it when I got back, combining Shandong and Sichuan cuisine to make this Fish-Flavored Crispy Sea Cucumber."

This dish uses the Shandong-style braised sea cucumber with scallions method, where the sea cucumber is marinated in advance to enhance the flavor.

Then coat the marinated sea cucumbers with a crispy batter and deep-fry them.

After deep-frying, it is then braised in a fish-fragrant sauce.

It is indeed a fusion of Shandong and Sichuan cuisine.

Feng Zhengming picked up a piece with his chopsticks, tasted it, and nodded: "It tastes great. The sea cucumber inside has the aroma of scallions, and the crispy outer shell and the fish-fragrant sauce add a unique flavor."

As he spoke, Feng Zhengming picked up a piece of food for his daughter.

"Here, try this. It's not spicy."

When Feng Nuanyou saw the food her father had given her, she noticed the chili peppers on the plate, so she initially pouted and was reluctant to eat.

Hearing her father say it wasn't spicy, Feng Nuanyou scooped it up with a spoon and slowly put it in her mouth.

I tasted it, and it really doesn't seem spicy.

Feng Nuanyou ate it. The outside was a crispy shell, soaked in the sweet, sour, and spicy flavor of the fish-fragrant sauce, while the inside was a soft and bouncy sea cucumber with a familiar scallion-braised flavor.

"Dad, this is delicious."

Feng Zhengming: "Is it delicious? Your Uncle Zeng's cooking is excellent."

"Yes, yes, Uncle Zeng's cooking is excellent."

Hearing the little girl's praise, Hu Jin smiled and said, "What a sweet-talking child." This was after the creation of this innovative version of crispy sea cucumber with fish-fragrant sauce.

Next, several more dishes featuring fusion and innovation were served.

Zeng Zhichang served a lobster noodle dish. The noodles were made in various colors and topped with a broth made from lobster brains, giving it a rich lobster flavor.

When eaten with lobster meat, this noodle dish has a Chinese-style lobster pasta feel.

Feng Zhengming tasted it and said, "It's really good. Senior Brother Zeng's innovative dish is also excellent."

Next are some very classic Sichuan dishes.

Boiled cabbage in clear broth and chicken tofu.

The two soup dishes were served to my mother-in-law and second aunt, who were both amazed.

Wow, this cabbage can be prepared like this? It's so beautiful.

Feng Zhengming: "Boiled cabbage in clear broth is a dish that has been served at state banquets. The key to this dish is the soup."

Second Aunt: "Is this tofu pudding?"

Feng Zhengming: "It's made with minced chicken."

"Made with chicken?"

Feng Zhengming nodded: "Yes, for this dish, the chicken is pounded into a paste with the back of a knife, and all the tendons and membranes are removed. The fine chicken paste is then mixed with a certain proportion of egg white and cornstarch, stirred together, and then sieved through a sieve of about 60 mesh."

Next, add the prepared minced chicken to the broth. Do not let the broth boil; simmer over low heat until it sets and floats to the surface.

After hearing Feng Zhengming's description, his mother-in-law, second aunt, and Luo Qing were all quite surprised.

I never imagined that chicken could be used to make this kind of tofu-like shape and texture.

Feng Zhengming: "There is a similar dish in Huaiyang cuisine, which is also made with minced chicken. However, in Huaiyang cuisine, it is made into porridge, with the minced chicken shaped like rice grains in porridge."

One classic dish in Huaiyang cuisine is chicken congee with pork tendon, where the congee is made with minced chicken.

Just then, Zeng Zhichang walked in; most of the dishes for the day had already been served.

He came to keep Feng Zhengming and the others company.

Upon hearing Feng Zhengming's words, Zeng Zhichang smiled and replied.

"I remember during the cooking competition, the Huaiyang cuisine chef made a chicken porridge with pomegranate buns."

Feng Zhengming: "Yes, yes, we didn't use tendons, but egg whites to make the wrapper, and made a pomegranate bun. That dish was indeed very innovative, and it was also delicious with chicken porridge."

Feng Nuanyou quietly sidled up to her father and asked, "Dad, can you make this for me?"

Feng Zhengming picked up his daughter: "Okay, when we get back, Dad will make it for you to try."

Feng Nuanyou's face immediately lit up with joy.

Zeng Zhichang sat down and first offered Feng Zhengming a glass of wine.

Feng Zhengming quickly stood up: "Oh dear, Senior Brother Zeng, how can I let you toast me? You've been treating us like this today, I should be the one toasting you."

Zeng Zhichang: "There's no need for formalities between us. Since you've come to my place today, I will certainly do my best to be a good host."

The two men clinked their glasses.

After drinking the glass of wine, Zeng Zhichang sat down.

"Junior Brother Feng, are you satisfied with the dishes served tonight?"

Feng Zhengming smiled and looked at his family: "This shouldn't be my opinion. Let my family judge it tonight. But it seems they don't need to say anything. Just look at how little food is left on the plate, and you know it must be delicious."

Feng Nuanyou immediately raised her little hand: "Delicious!"

Upon hearing this, Zeng Zhichang looked at the little girl and smiled.

"Haha, thank you for liking it, our little darling."

Luo Qing: "My senior brother's cooking skills are really good. Tonight's dishes are all very delicious, with many different flavors. Many of these flavors are ones we may not have tasted in other places."

Mother-in-law: "Yes, it tastes really good."

Second Aunt: "I used to think that Sichuan cuisine was just spicy, but after eating here, I realized that Sichuan cuisine is not just spicy."

Zeng Zhichang: "Haha, everyone always remembers the most prominent feature, just like the spiciness of Sichuan cuisine, the sticky texture of Shandong cuisine after thickening, the seafood in the impression of Cantonese cuisine, and the light flavor of Huaiyang cuisine."

Feng Zhengming: "Yes, people always have some preconceived notions, but when they actually go to eat there, they may find that it is quite different from what they had in mind."

Zeng Zhichang: "So in this respect, Zhengming did a better job. You integrated many cuisines and no longer stuck to the things of a certain cuisine."

Feng Zhengming: "Haha, Senior Brother Zeng, your praise makes me feel embarrassed."

Then Feng Zhengming expressed his views again.

"I've been thinking for years about whether we should integrate the cuisines from different regions."

We shouldn't have such strong regional and culinary prejudices, and we shouldn't always emphasize that I am Shandong cuisine, you are Sichuan cuisine, and other cuisines.

Nowadays, China's economy and road construction are very good, making it convenient for many people to travel all over the country.

In the past, the differences in tastes between different regions were often due to the inconvenience of transportation.

But now, like in your Chengdu, Senior Brother Zeng, you can also buy sea cucumbers from Shandong.

You can also buy all kinds of seafood from coastal areas.

And your various mountain products, as well as your unique seasonings, will actually be distributed to our side as well.

Zeng Zhichang: "Yes, transportation is really convenient now. You can buy things from many places. For example, these lobsters tonight were specially transported here and are still very fresh."

Feng Zhengming continued, "So we don't need to pay too much attention to the cuisine; we should integrate the characteristics of different regional cuisines more."

Just like the various techniques of Shandong cuisine, combined with the seasonings of Sichuan cuisine, the ingredients of Cantonese cuisine, and finally the knife skills and exquisite plating of Huaiyang cuisine, a truly magnificent banquet can be presented.

"Haha, Junior Brother Feng, your idea is really great. It encompasses the characteristics of the four major cuisines at once."

Feng Zhengming: "I believe these are things that every good chef must be able to do."

Zeng Zhichang: "Yes, a good chef should learn from many sources in order to truly make good dishes."

At this point, Zeng Zhichang glanced at Wang Hanwen.

"Hanwen has made significant progress since his trip back from your place. He is no longer like some of his fellow apprentices who are still fixated on the distinction between Sichuan cuisine and Shandong cuisine."

Feng Zhengming: "It's probably because I didn't really distinguish between these things in detail in my various stores in Shanghai."

He then added, "Perhaps Brother Zeng wouldn't expect that some of my restaurants in Shanghai also serve some local Shanghainese dishes."

Zeng Zhichang was somewhat surprised: "Oh? Your restaurant also serves local Shanghainese cuisine?"

Feng Zhengming: "We've also made some improvements, reduced the amount of sugar, and incorporated some of the flavors from Shandong cuisine. Now I think we can actually incorporate more of the flavors from Sichuan cuisine."

Zeng Zhichang: "Hahaha, is Junior Brother Feng learning from various cuisines?"

Feng Zhengming didn't hide anything: "It really is a case of learning from others, making use of the characteristics of different cuisines."

"Great idea, only Junior Brother Feng could come up with something like this."

Zeng Zhichang said this with a hint of helplessness, "If it were us doing it, we might not be able to gain the approval of many people. They would think that we don't do our own cuisine well and insist on trying things we don't understand."

Some people might even directly accuse us of pretending to know what we don't.

Feng Zhengming sighed: "Alas, what I fear most is that everyone has too deep-rooted regional and culinary prejudices against each other."

Hearing Feng Zhengming's sigh, Zeng Zhichang also sighed. (End of Chapter)