From selling box lunches to becoming a famous Chinese chef

The Feng family of three inspected the children's lunch kitchen before leaving together.

The next stop is the restaurant on the street where Xia Hui works, which is in charge of Western restaurants.

As you drive closer to the Western restaurant street, you can see many vehicles heading towards that street from a distance.

In Shanghai, the Western restaurant street has become a very famous restaurant street.

Unlike other planned food streets.

This street of Western restaurants is arguably the most distinctive neighborhood.

The street is lined with all kinds of Western restaurants.

In the past, many Western restaurants here were suspected of "selling dog meat under the guise of mutton".

But now it's completely different; the Western restaurants on this street are now all legitimate Western restaurants.

Of the other nine restaurants that were named one of the top ten restaurants of the year along with Feng Zhengming last year, four have opened their own branches on this street.

Although the head chef himself is not here most of the time, the chefs in charge of this restaurant are all the prized students of those top overseas chefs.

Therefore, some people who know this street jokingly refer to it as "the street of famous chefs' apprentices".

Because, including Xia Hui, there are already five apprentices of top international chefs on this street who are in charge of their branches here.

As for the other Western restaurants, they are all opened by young chefs who have actually studied overseas.

Therefore, this street also has another name: "Young Celebrity Chef Street".

In addition to the branch opened by the four chefs' apprentices who were named one of the top ten restaurants of the year along with Feng Zhengming last year.

Another store is a branch opened here by one of Kaufman's students.

Coming to this street, you'll see all kinds of top-of-the-line vehicles that you'd find in Shanghai.

And all the cars will be parked neatly and uniformly.

Although there are many people coming and going on the street, it seems that everyone who steps into this street will be infected and will suddenly pretend to be elegant.

Feng Zhengming drove his wife and daughter onto the street, looking at the shops on both sides.

Luo Qing: "The environment here is really getting better and better."

Feng Zhengming smiled and said, "After all, so many of these are internationally renowned restaurant branches here, so we definitely need to make sure the environment is nice."

Luo Qing: "These shops are all decorated in a very unique way."

Feng Zhengming: "When they came, they all wanted to decorate their shops according to the characteristics of their past shops."

Luo Qing was a little puzzled: "The city allows them to renovate as they please?"

Feng Zhengming: "Why not? Haven't you noticed? This street has become a very distinctive area now. The key is that the city doesn't have to spend a penny to develop its unique features. Why can't we let them do it?"

After hearing this and looking at everything outside, Luo Qing thought about it carefully and realized that it made perfect sense.

The city didn't have to spend any money; a unique street of Western restaurants was spontaneously built here.

Moreover, it seemed as if the two Western restaurants had agreed in advance, with their storefronts and signs being almost identical.

I suppose everyone hopes that this street can maintain this neat and uniform appearance.

So strolling along this street, you really feel like you're walking through a street full of international cuisine.

Feng Zhengming found a parking space and parked his car there.

After getting off the bus, he and his wife held their daughter's little hand and the family of three walked towards the branch store that Xia Hui was in charge of.

Now that Xia Hui is in charge of this branch, it's no longer the only popular store on this street.

After all, there are several young chefs on the street who are comparable to Xia Hui in terms of skill and status.

Moreover, some overseas workers in Shanghai, given the option of Western restaurants, will likely still prioritize them, as they are more familiar with and accustomed to them.

Feng Zhengming and Luo Qing strolled along the street with their daughter, and the tranquil atmosphere made the family of three feel very comfortable.

Feng Nuanyou was also very quiet, seemingly happy to be walking hand in hand with her parents.

Walking past one Western restaurant after another, you can see that there are quite a few customers sitting in front of the door.

Most of them were foreigners.

Occasionally, some young men and women would sit inside.

It's clear that these are some young people who want to experience the charm of Western food.

When Feng Zhengming makes eye contact with those customers, he also smiles.

Many foreigners, upon seeing Feng Zhengming smile at them, would happily return the smile, and some would even wave and greet him.

Many of the Chinese people sitting in the Western restaurant who recognized Feng Zhengming were very excited.

However, seeing that Feng Zhengming was just passing by, they did not come out to greet him.

In particular, Feng Zhengming smiled and nodded to them, and they all smiled and waved back.

They arrived at the store where Xia Hui was now in charge.

This store has expanded a lot now.

The Western restaurants on both sides were swallowed up.

Although this street is now full of authentic Western restaurants, and other famous chefs' apprentices have opened branches here.

But the store that Xia Hui was in charge of still did very well.

Feng Zhengming and Luo Qing led their daughter through the door.

The waiter at the door saw them and immediately put on a smile.

"Scholar Feng, you've arrived! Sister Qing has arrived too! Oh my, our little boss has come along as well."

Feng Zhengming smiled and said, "No need to be so polite. Everyone is working hard. There aren't many customers at this time, so please take a rest. There's no need to entertain us."

Luo Qing nodded: "Yes, yes, there are no guests. Everyone should rest and not bother us."

Soon the store manager came out to greet them: "Brother Feng, Sister Qing, you've arrived."

Luo Qing smiled and said, "You're doing a great job at this store. I see that you manage the staff very well."

Store Manager: "Thank you for your affirmation, Sister Qing. As the store manager, this is what I should do."

Feng Zhengming: "With you as the store manager, we all feel at ease."

Xia Hui soon came out of the kitchen as well.

"Master, Sister Qing, you've arrived."

Upon seeing Xia Hui, Luo Qing immediately let go of her daughter's hand and went forward to tidy Xia Hui up.

"Huihui, look at you! Have you been working really hard lately? You've gotten so thin!"

Xia Hui smiled and said, "No, Sister Qing, I wasn't fat before. I haven't been very busy lately. The apprentices of famous chefs like Master have opened their own shops, which has diverted a lot of our customers."

Feng Zhengming: "Haha, it's okay. The fact that your business is still doing so well even though they're here shows that you're better than them."

This affirmation from her master can be considered the best reward for Xia Hui.

It's a recognition of her work as the head chef in this restaurant.

Xia Hui's smile widened instantly, and she seemed to radiate sunshine all of a sudden.

Seeing this, Luo Qing said, "As expected, your master knows how to praise people. He hit the nail on the head with just one sentence." Xia Hui was a little embarrassed, "Thank you for your affirmation, Master. I will continue to work hard."

Then Feng Zhengming and Xia Hui went into the kitchen.

Luo Qing, holding her daughter's hand, strolled around the store with the shop manager.

Upon entering the kitchen, Feng Zhengming did not conduct a thorough inspection.

Instead, they first gathered everyone in the kitchen.

"Excellent. Seeing everyone's spirit and energy, I know that even when facing the branches of those internationally renowned chefs, you will definitely not be at a disadvantage."

These words not only excited Xia Hui, but also filled everyone else in the kitchen with enthusiasm.

Anyone can see that all those international celebrity chef branches on this street are now coming for Feng Zhengming's restaurant.

Since the opening of those Western restaurants this year, it has indeed put a lot of pressure on Xia Hui and the kitchen staff.

However, Xia Hui and her team ultimately withstood the pressure.

Thanks to what Feng Zhengming taught them, Xia Hui led everyone to maintain their high standards and retain most of their customers.

This can also be seen from the fact that the store's turnover has not decreased significantly.

Of course, Xia Hui was still not entirely satisfied.

After all, this shop was the first store that Master and Jiang Chengzhe jointly opened in Shanghai.

It was through this store that Feng Zhengming and Jiang Chengzhe became famous in Shanghai.

This restaurant is now being squeezed out of the market by the surrounding Western restaurants.

This was indeed a considerable humiliation for Xia Hui.

Feng Zhengming naturally understood his apprentice's thoughts.

"Don't be discouraged. You've done a great job. You need to understand that when Ah Zhe and I were here, the external pressure we faced was much less than what you're experiencing."

"I'm so proud of you, Master, for managing to keep this shop doing so well despite all the pressure from the outside world."

Upon hearing her master's words, Xia Hui's eyes immediately became clear.

"Master, I will continue to work hard. Sooner or later, I will let the other shops know what makes our shop better than theirs."

Feng Zhengming: "Haha, good, that's ambitious. There might be a competition between restaurants in Shanghai at the end of the year. I hope you will bring your team to participate."

"We'll register you for the competition under your restaurant's name, and you absolutely have to get me a good ranking."

Xia Hui was even more excited after hearing this: "Master, don't worry, we will definitely prepare well."

Everyone else in the kitchen was also looking forward to it, and everyone wanted a chance to show themselves.

Then Feng Zhengming told everyone else to go about their business, while he chatted with Xia Hui for a few minutes alone.

"You and Sun Hai are supposed to get married next year, right? Have you thought about what to do after the wedding? Will you go back to Jinan together?"

Xia Hui: "No, I've discussed it with him. We'll live together in Shanghai after we get married."

Feng Zhengming was somewhat surprised: "You guys are also staying in Shanghai? Sun Hai doesn't want to go to Beijing?"

Xia Hui: "I'm in Shanghai, he'll definitely come to help me."

Feng Zhengming laughed: "So you forced me?"

Xia Hui: "I didn't force him. He brought it up himself, saying he wanted to go back to Shanghai to help his uncle manage the shop there. His master is in Beijing."

Feng Zhengming thought for a moment and said, "That makes sense. My senior brothers are in the capital, so it doesn't matter whether Sun Hai goes or not."

Xia Hui: "Master, you must be going to the capital for a while, right? Sun Hai and I will help you keep watch over things here in Shanghai."

Feng Zhengming: "Okay, I feel more at ease knowing you're here to guard Shanghai."

Xia Hui laughed: "Master, you must have your own plans. I was just saying it casually."

Feng Zhengming: "My arrangements are similar to what you all thought. I originally wanted to persuade you to stay in Shanghai, and at first I was worried that you also wanted to go to Beijing."

Xia Hui: "Master, I don't want to go to the capital. I'd rather stay in Shanghai. I've already adapted to the pace of life here in Shanghai."

Feng Zhengming: "It's a bit difficult for you."

Xia Hui: "It's not difficult at all. Master, I will lead the team to participate in the restaurant competition here at the end of the year. If we win a prize, I should stay in Shanghai. I want to become a famous chef in Shanghai."

Feng Zhengming: "Good, good, you really have ambition, you haven't let me down."

“Master, Sun Hai told me that he actually wanted to come back, but he knew that you needed him to learn more, so he stayed in Quancheng to study hard under the guidance of his eldest master.”

Feng Zhengming: "Yes, I hope he can learn more and truly become a renowned chef who can stand on his own."

Then Feng Zhengming brought up Xia Hui's younger brother: "By the way, let Xia Mingye go to Huiquanlou in Quancheng next year too."

Xia Hui was taken aback, then she realized why her master had made this arrangement.

"Master, you...you want my younger brother to take over Huiquan Tower in the future?"

Feng Zhengming: "Haha, that's right. I'll feel more at ease if he's in charge of Huiquan Tower."

Xia Hui hesitated for a moment: "Me, is my brother really okay?"

Feng Zhengming: "Why not? Don't forget, he participated in the provincial youth chef cooking competition with me back then, but I progressed a bit faster than him later."

Now that he's spent two years working at that branch in Jining, he should go to Huiquanlou and properly take on the role of head chef.

After hearing what Feng Zhengming said, Xia Hui thought about it and felt that it seemed to make sense.

The family has high expectations for Xia Mingye.

Although the family hoped that Xia Mingye would return to take charge of the Xia family's Shili Restaurant, the siblings' father was still alive and in his prime.

It's impossible for Xia Mingye to go back and become the head chef right now.

Therefore, Feng Zhengming arranged for him to take charge of cooking at Huiquanlou for a period of time, which was also the best kind of experience for him.

When the senior disciples all went to the capital, Huiquan Tower was left in the care of Xia Mingye, Qi Jiale, and Yao Zhenhui.

This arrangement was something Feng Zhengming had been planning in his mind for a long time.

As for the shop managed by his third senior brother, Feng Zhengming also had his own arrangements.

At that time, I will have my third senior brother's disciples each take charge of a shop.

All the stores in Shanghai will be taken over by Feng Zhengming's other apprentices.

Hou Dong, Gao Yongfu, Sun Decai, Tang Yong, and Lu Haisheng were each in charge of one store, and Feng Zhengming felt that the manpower was just right.

As for the stores in other locations, there are people in charge of them, so Feng Zhengming doesn't need to worry about them too much.

However, once his senior brothers had all gone to the capital, the task of inspecting those branch stores fell to Feng Zhengming alone.

We may also need to select some more responsible chefs to take charge.

After careful consideration, Feng Zhengming did not put too much pressure on Xia Hui.

“Okay, I look forward to attending your and Sun Hai’s wedding banquet. When you get married next year, your sister Qing and I will definitely give you a generous gift to thank you both for your support over the years.”

Xia Hui: "Without your guidance, Master, Sun Hai and I would not have achieved what we have today."

Feng Zhengming: "Haha, we're mutually beneficial, no need to be so polite with our master." (End of Chapter)