From selling box lunches to becoming a famous Chinese chef

After helping Wang Hanwen successfully open his new store, Feng Zhengming embarked on a major shopping spree.

He borrowed a small pickup truck and drove around many places around Chengdu with his wife, mother-in-law, second aunt, and children.

They bought up almost all the unique local seasonings.

Most of them were packed up and mailed directly to Shanghai from the post office.

For the rest, Feng Zhengming bought several large suitcases, filled them with all kinds of seasonings, and prepared to ship them all back.

The whole family was astonished to see that Feng Zhengming had bought such a large quantity of seasonings.

Mother-in-law: "Zhengming, why did you buy so much stuff?"

Feng Zhengming: "Mom, some seasonings must be local to have that flavor. For example, Sichuan peppercorns and chili peppers must be local to have that flavor. Also, the local fermented bean paste must be used for seasoning."

After hearing this, Auntie understood somewhat: "Zhengming, are you planning to go back and use these seasonings to create some new flavors?"

Feng Zhengming nodded: "That's right, Auntie. Many people wonder why some dishes taste different when they're made outside the local area."
The most crucial element is these local seasonings, which we often overlook.

People always think, aren't they all the same things? Using similar seasonings from other regions will make the same thing.

The taste after making them is absolutely worlds apart.

Feng Zhengming pulled a handful of Sichuan peppercorns from the bag: "Look at these Sichuan peppercorns. The Sichuan peppercorns here are completely different from those from Shandong."

The Sichuan peppercorns from Shandong don't actually have such a strong numbing flavor; they are more characterized by a unique Sichuan peppercorn aroma.

But these peppercorns are clearly more numbing.

Therefore, when preparing the spicy flavor here, we can't use the Sichuan peppercorns from our area.

After hearing Feng Zhengming's explanation, his family immediately understood.

I've eaten too much spicy food here these days. Most of the time, the spiciness is tolerable, but the numbing sensation of Sichuan peppercorns is often hard for people to handle.

Feng Nuanyou was so numb that she almost cried many times.

Later, whenever Feng Zhengming ordered food, he would ask the chef to avoid adding Sichuan peppercorns.

This time, Feng Zhengming purchased a large quantity of seasonings from this area, intending to create a fusion of different seasonings.

He wants to experiment with seasonings from different regions to create some unique flavors.

This actually puts a great deal of skill to the chef.

In terms of seasoning, if you are not careful, the flavor you want to highlight may not be highlighted, but some unpleasant flavors may be highlighted instead, which may cause all your efforts to go to waste.

Therefore, most chefs would probably choose a more conservative approach.

That is to continue the way of seasoning that has been accumulated by our predecessors for many years.

Feng Zhengming felt that such a monotonous routine would be very boring.

This was also his idea before making this special trip to Chengdu.

It's not just about supporting Wang Hanwen and helping him successfully open his new store.

He also wanted to taste authentic Sichuan cuisine firsthand and purchase a batch of seasonings from the Sichuan and Chongqing regions to experiment with different seasonings.

It may be a long trial process, but Feng Zhengming feels he will enjoy it.

After completing his shopping, Feng Zhengming returned to Chengdu with his family.

Before heading back, they had a meal together at Wang Hanwen's shop.

Wang Hanwen personally cooked a table full of dishes for Feng Zhengming and the others.

Although he didn't have the high-end dishes found in Zeng Zhichang's restaurant, Wang Hanwen still tried his best to recreate the different flavor profiles of Sichuan cuisine.

They even presented Feng Zhengming with some of the most popular dishes since the store opened.

To Feng Zhengming's surprise, the most popular dish was Mapo Tofu.

This dish holds a very special place in Sichuan cuisine in Chengdu.

Especially in Chengdu, there are time-honored Mapo Tofu shops that have been passed down through generations.

Yet Wang Hanwen still managed to win the recognition and love of the locals for his Mapo Tofu.

On the one hand, the prices in Wang Hanwen's shop are not expensive, and on the other hand, it is also a recognition of Wang Hanwen's craftsmanship.

Mapo tofu is served in a small earthenware pot.

This helps to maintain the temperature effectively.

The Mapo Tofu should be served piping hot.

The presence of peppercorn granules on the top layer indicates that the peppercorns were roasted and crushed by the user, rather than being made from ready-made peppercorn powder.

This does indeed bring out the aroma of the Sichuan peppercorns better.

Feng Zhengming scooped up a spoonful and tasted it.

Wang Hanwen's Mapo Tofu was indeed very authentic, perfectly presenting the "numbing, spicy, fresh, fragrant, hot, tender, and crispy" characteristics of Mapo Tofu.

Sitting next to her father, Feng Nuanyou saw him eating and curiously craned her neck to try some.

Feng Zhengming smiled and reminded his daughter, "This might be a little spicy, so you should think carefully before you eat it."

When Feng Nuanyou heard her father say it was spicy, she immediately pouted and said, "I don't want to eat spicy food."

Feng Zhengming smiled and comforted his daughter: "When we get back, Dad will make you a different kind of tofu that isn't spicy. It will be delicious too, okay?"

This time, Feng Nuanyou smiled and said, "Okay, Dad will make me something non-spicy when we get back."

Luo Qing laughed and asked, "How do you make Mapo Tofu that isn't spicy?"

Feng Zhengming: "It's very simple. If you don't make Mapo Tofu, you don't necessarily have to make it so spicy. You can make Crab Roe Tofu with crab meat when you get home. It tastes delicious too."

Upon hearing this, Luo Qing exclaimed, "That's really true! It seems like tofu tastes good no matter how it's cooked."

Feng Zhengming: "Yes, tofu itself has no flavor, so whatever flavor you add can make it taste like that."

When we get back, crabs will be in season soon. I'll buy some crabs then, extract the crab meat, and make a special crab meat tofu dish for you, Mom, Aunt, and our Youyou.

When Feng Nuanyou heard her father say that, her little face immediately lit up with anticipation.

"Dad, let's go back quickly."

Hearing what the daughter said made everyone laugh.

However, it's understandable that Feng Nuanyou wants to go back quickly.

The little girl couldn't eat spicy food, but there were so many spicy dishes on the streets of Chengdu that she felt very uncomfortable.

Especially when she saw so many pretty women on the street eating so deliciously, but couldn't eat because it was spicy, Feng Nuanyou would pout the whole way.

The little girl tried to eat less spicy food, but she clearly still couldn't handle it.

Feng Zhengming and his wife also did not want their daughter to eat such spicy food at such a young age.

So after a few days, eating became a little bit of a hassle every day.

Feng Zhengming: Okay, we're going back tomorrow. You can eat lots of things when we get back.

Feng Nuanyou: "You should eat a lot when you get back."

Luo Qing immediately chimed in, "And then she turned into a chubby little girl."

Feng Nuanyou was immediately displeased by her mother's words. "Oh, Mom, I'm not a chubby little girl!"

Luo Qing: "If you eat a lot and like sweets, you'll become a chubby girl."

Feng Nuanyou pouted: "Hmph, I'm not talking to Mommy anymore."

Grandma still felt sorry for the child: "Oh dear, look at you, the mother, always arguing with your daughter. Isn't that bad? It's normal for children to like sweets."

Luo Qing smiled at her mother's words: "But when I was little, didn't you also like to tease me on purpose?"

These words left the mother speechless: "So you're blaming me now?"

Auntie chuckled and smoothed things over, saying, "Alright, alright, it's okay for Mom and daughter to bicker. It won't affect their relationship."

Because my wife, daughter, mother-in-law, and second aunt can't eat spicy food very well.

So Feng Zhengming basically ate all the Mapo Tofu by himself, and then he also mixed it with a bowl of rice.

When Wang Hanwen came out, Feng Zhengming praised him with a smile.

“Indeed, your Mapo Tofu is very delicious. To make this kind of dish, it’s best to standardize the cooking process and have other chefs in your kitchen do it. Otherwise, you might not be able to handle it all yourself.”

Wang Hanwen looked at Feng Zhengming with some surprise.

He originally thought the head chef would have him specifically focus on popular dishes like Mapo Tofu.

Unexpectedly, Feng Zhengming asked him to cook other dishes instead of focusing on Mapo Tofu, and told him to let other people in the kitchen make Mapo Tofu.

Feng Zhengming looked at Wang Hanwen's wide eyes and calmly gave him his instructions.

"Remember, if you want your restaurant to succeed, it's not enough to rely on just one or two signature dishes; you need a wide variety of dishes to attract customers."

At this point, Feng Zhengming asked, "How well have you learned the dishes I taught you before?"

Wang Hanwen: "Don't worry, head chef, I've pretty much mastered those dishes."

Feng Zhengming nodded: "Like pork intestines, the dry-fried dish I taught you, paired with your local Sichuan peppercorns and chili peppers, you can crush the Sichuan peppercorns a bit like you would with Mapo Tofu, to bring out more flavor."

Make sure to clean the pork intestines thoroughly. Before stir-frying, you can first braise them in a white broth; you have the braising sauce recipe I gave you.

Wang Hanwen nodded: "I remember the chef's instructions: first, make a white braising sauce, then stir-fry it dry. Use the kind of Sichuan peppercorns used for Mapo Tofu, and break them slightly after stir-frying."

Feng Zhengming: "That's right. Remember this: when you're cooking in a particular place, you need to adapt to the local people's tastes."

Wang Hanwen couldn't help but ask, "Chef, how have you been eating here these past few days?"

Feng Zhengming said helplessly, "What else can I do? To be honest, I'm not usually a big fan of spicy food, but I'm going all out to experience the local people's taste preferences."

Wang Hanwen was both amused and exasperated by what he said: "Chef, you don't actually need to taste it yourself. Just ask us, and my master and I will tell you."

Feng Zhengming shook his head: "Listening to you say it's different from tasting it yourself."

To understand the locals' tastes, you have to eat the same things they eat, otherwise it's hard to get the right balance. So even though it was a bit of a struggle for me, I had to try it myself.

Hearing this, Wang Hanwen truly admired Feng Zhengming.

It can be said that Feng Zhengming is definitely the chef he has ever met who is willing to personally taste the food from all over the country.

Putting aside others, Wang Hanwen knew that even his master often wouldn't go to the streets and alleys of a city just to sample the street food.

But Feng Zhengming would still eat it, even if he himself might not like the taste.

However, he will still try other people's favorite flavors.

Therefore, Feng Zhengming is always able to grasp some details of flavor.

Feng Zhengming ate here for a few days and also specially designed several dishes for Wang Hanwen's restaurant.

Like the spicy stir-fried pork intestines he just mentioned.

In addition, Feng Zhengming also designed a unique spicy boiled fish slice dish for the fish slices that people like to eat here.

The taste is also quite unique, and it is somewhat different from the local boiled fish.

However, after tasting it, Wang Hanwen knew that the locals would definitely like the flavor.

When Wang Hanwen was eating there, he almost thought Feng Zhengming was already a Sichuan cuisine chef.

After giving Wang Hanwen some more instructions, Feng Zhengming and his family left.

In front of the store, Feng Zhengming gave Wang Hanwen a final word of encouragement.

"Hanwen, you must do a good job. I hope that when I come here again next time, you can open a real restaurant with your own unique menu and a team that you have trained yourself."

Wang Hanwen was somewhat moved when he heard this.

He is now using Feng Zhengming's reputation as a top scholar to start his branch store business.

However, Feng Zhengming gave him tremendous support and hoped that he could truly create a unique restaurant of his own.

Wang Hanwen said earnestly, "I know I'm the head chef, and I will work hard."

Chu Huijuan also came out to see them off.

Over the past few days, Chu Huijuan and Luo Qing have developed a very good relationship.

Chu Huijuan also sensed that Feng Zhengming and Luo Qing were a truly unique couple.

They are already celebrities, but they never put on airs and are willing to have all kinds of exchanges with you.

Moreover, Chu Huijuan thought that the daughter of the top scholar Feng was really cute.

She was already looking forward to having such a lovely daughter someday.

Feng Zhengming formally bid farewell to Wang Hanwen and Chu Huijuan.

"Goodbye, I'm still looking forward to drinking your wedding wine. Hanwen, you should also hurry up with this matter."

Wang Hanwen and Chu Huijuan both burst into laughter.

Wang Hanwen earnestly agreed: "I know, head chef, I will work hard."

Luo Qing added, "Huijuan is a good girl, Hanwen, you can't bully her, and you can't let her down."

Wang Hanwen nodded: "Don't worry, sister-in-law, it definitely won't happen."

After saying goodbye to Wang Hanwen and Chu Huijuan, Feng Zhengming and the others returned to the hotel to pack their things.

Then we took a car from the hotel to the airport for our return trip.

Before returning home, Feng Zhengming first called Shanghai to learn about the situation of some shops there, especially his old-style restaurant.

The reply I received was that everything was normal.

The shops in Shanghai are now used to Feng Zhengming's absence.

Everyone will diligently handle all matters according to Feng Zhengming's arrangements.

Each store can be said to be operating very steadily.

Feng Zhengming was very satisfied with this, because in this way he could also try to extricate himself and go to the capital to prepare for the reopening of Yanxilou.

This is a major event that Feng Zhengming really needs to prepare for.

In particular, some arrangements need to be made for the senior brothers and the master.

And the reopened Yanxi Restaurant will require even more time and effort to design its menus. (End of Chapter)