From selling box lunches to becoming a famous Chinese chef

Feng Zhengming returned to Shanghai and inspected all the stores.

We confirmed that the operation and kitchens of each store were running smoothly, with nothing amiss.

He also raised wages for the kitchen and service staff in each store.

This matter quickly spread throughout Shanghai.

The news spread like wildfire, naturally causing a stir among some restaurants and eateries in Shanghai.

Many restaurant and hotel staff learned that Feng Zhengming had given raises to the staff at several of his establishments.

They all started asking around, trying to find out exactly how much Feng Zhengming was earning.

Many people even started to consider whether they could switch jobs to Feng Zhengming's shop.

At first, the restaurant and hotel owners didn't take it seriously.

The shop owners felt that even if Feng Zhengming raised wages in all the shops, his shops wouldn't need many staff.

Even if the staff at his own restaurant wanted to switch jobs, they couldn't leave because there were no openings for them at Feng Zhengming's restaurant.

As for raising their wages?

The bosses felt that they weren't running a charity, and that their employees' salaries were already quite high.

What these business owners didn't expect was that the first employees to leave their restaurants and hotels were the core members of those restaurants and hotels.

These people are very capable; they not only understand many of the operational processes in restaurants and hotels.

Many of them are actually managers in restaurants and hotels.

This group of people were also the first to learn that Feng Zhengming had raised the wages of his store's staff again.

Then they began to have the idea of ​​taking the initiative to contact Feng Zhengming.

Feng Zhengming did not directly contact them, but instead left the matter to his wife.

Because the children's lunch kitchen and children's restaurant that Luo Qing is in charge of are clearly understaffed, and there is a great need to bring in a group of better business backbones.

Luo Qing was very pleased that this group of people took the initiative to contact her.

After some initial contact, she first met with several people from major restaurants in Shanghai.

The meeting place was in the children's lunch kitchen, Luo Qing's office.

Among the people who came, there were four women and two men.

Some of them were head waiters in large restaurants, and others were lobby managers.

When Luo Qing met them, she explained the situation quite frankly.

"I know why you've come. You're interested in our salary and benefits. We did raise salaries again recently, and you should all be aware of that."

However, I need to explain to you first that if you come here now, you will not be able to receive the increased salary initially.

We have many stores in Shanghai, and each store has a group of core staff that we have trained ourselves.

It's impossible for you to be given the same position as before as soon as you arrive.

Regarding salary and benefits, you will only receive your previous wages.

After hearing Luo Qing's words, the six people who had been invited to the meeting remained silent for a while.

A woman spoke first: "Mr. Luo, thank you for your frankness. I had thought about it before I came here. I knew that I couldn't directly get my original position or the salary you are currently receiving."

But I still hope to come to your store, because I feel I can improve more there.

Luo Qing smiled: "Your goal is to get into the old-style restaurant?"

The woman was taken aback, but still nodded.

"Yes, I really want to work in an old-style restaurant."

Luo Qing: "Old-style house restaurants have higher requirements for service staff. Are you really confident that you can get in?"

The woman nodded: "I will try my best, and I believe I will have a chance."

Luo Qing: "Okay, if you're so confident, what if I told you that you'd be in charge of the children's restaurant next?"

The woman was taken aback by these words.

She had considered going to any of Feng Zhengming's shops, but she never imagined she would end up in a children's restaurant.

Luo Qing smiled, not in a hurry for the other party to answer.

She looked at the others: "Do you all have anything to say? Or is your goal also to work at the old-style restaurant? Do you all want to be the manager of that restaurant?"

When asked this question, the remaining five people looked at each other in bewilderment.

Then a man who came for the interview spoke up.

"Mr. Luo, you may know that I used to be the lobby manager of a very famous restaurant in Shanghai. I think my business skills are more than enough to make me the manager of the Old House Restaurant."

Luo Qing shook her head after hearing this: "I know your previous restaurant was a long-established restaurant in Shanghai."

However, I don't think that just because you were a lobby manager at that restaurant, you'd be a good fit to be the manager of the Old House Restaurant, because the Old House Restaurant is different from other restaurants.

The man could be described as quite confident, even somewhat arrogant, from the moment he opened his mouth.

However, Luo Qing found the man's arrogance very repulsive.

No matter which big restaurant you come from, no matter what your previous business skills were.

Now that you've switched jobs to work for us, don't act like you used to.

The man was naturally unconvinced: "I think that if I become the manager of the old-style restaurant, I can use my past connections to make the restaurant's business even better."

Luo Qing laughed: "Do you think an old-style restaurant would lack customers?"

This question caught the man off guard.

The other interviewees couldn't help but laugh as well.

The first woman to speak, Lin Yao, muttered something under her breath.

"It's so hard to get a table at Feng Zhuangyuan's restaurant, do you really need to recommend customers to him?"

The man's confidence vanished instantly.

He seemed to realize that what he thought was an advantage was actually no advantage at all here.

Who is Feng Zhengming?
That is now a top chef who is famous overseas.

His old-style restaurant was even named one of the top ten restaurants of the year last year.

Why would a restaurant like that need anyone else to help attract customers?
Luo Qing smiled: "Perhaps you haven't figured out where your strengths lie? Why don't you go back and think about it again?"

The man's expression became somewhat complicated. He hesitated for a moment, seemingly realizing that he probably had no chance, and could only take the initiative to get up and say goodbye.

After the first person left, Luo Qing then explained to the remaining five people.

"The old-style restaurant is my husband's brainchild. We already have enough staff there, so there are no extra seats for you."

We might need more staff now, specifically for the children's restaurant in front. We need suitable staff to guide the children and parents, and they need to have some experience in accompanying children.

"Of course, the children's restaurant doesn't have a manager yet, but you could compete for that position."

Luo Qing had already made herself so clear, and the remaining five people understood the best positions they could get.

That means you have to go through a competition to become the manager of the children's restaurant.

The idea of ​​a children's restaurant made Lin Yao and the other four people hesitate.

They used to be restaurant supervisors and lobby managers.

Now that they've been made managers of a children's restaurant and have to compete with others, they've experienced a significant psychological letdown.

Luo Qing didn't care about their hesitation, which was within her expectations.

"This is our first children's restaurant, and there may be a second and a third one later. You have all been in Shanghai for many years, so you should know very well how big Shanghai is, how many people will flock to Shanghai in the future, and how many people may settle down in Shanghai."

So many children will love our children's restaurant.

Luo Qing's words were not just empty promises.

This strategy was devised by Luo Qing and Feng Zhengming after their first children's restaurant had achieved success.

Luo Qing also found her own career in the children's restaurant.

Next, we can build children's lunch kitchens in several districts of Shanghai, and then open children's restaurants one by one based on these kitchens.

Each children's restaurant also needs suitable staff.

In particular, the selection of store managers requires great care.

After all, we have to take care of the children.

Therefore, the manager of a children's restaurant must be meticulous, patient, and have a strong sense of responsibility.

Luo Qing didn't expect all the people who came for interviews today to be willing to work at the children's restaurant.

After some thought, Lin Yao was the first to speak again.

"I'm willing to try."

Hearing Lin Yao's words surprised everyone else present.

To everyone's surprise, Lin Yao was actually willing to give it a try.

To others, Lin Yao used to be a head waitress at a high-end restaurant, so why is she now working in a children's restaurant?
Luo Qing smiled and said, "Okay, if you're willing to give it a try, Ms. Lin, you can come here to start your new job once you've completed your resignation procedures. Don't worry, the salary and benefits at the children's restaurant will definitely not be bad."

Lin Yao nodded: "I know that the starting salary for service staff at children's restaurants is higher than that of other stores."

Luo Qing: "It seems that Ms. Lin did indeed conduct the relevant investigation."

Lin Yao: "President Luo, you don't need to call me Ms. Lin. My name is Lin Yao. You can call me Lin Yao or Xiao Lin, it's fine."

It's fair to say that Lin Yao did the most research before coming here.

One of her classmates works as a shop manager at one of Feng Zhengming's stores.

She learned about these subjects from that classmate.

That classmate told Lin Yao that if she wanted to get into Feng Zhengming's business, the best place to start was a children's restaurant.

Because children's restaurants will need more staff.

After all, there are many children to take care of.

In addition, staff at children's restaurants must have a lot of patience when dealing with children, which is indeed a significant challenge for adults.

Therefore, children's restaurants offer higher starting salaries than other restaurants.

To date, the children's restaurant does not have a manager.

On the one hand, Luo Qing was the store manager before, and on the other hand, a suitable candidate has not yet been selected.

Once you become the manager of a children's restaurant, your salary will definitely be higher than that of managers of other restaurants.

Driven by the prospect of higher pay, Lin Yao was willing to give it a try.

After Lin Yao agreed to try and enter the children's restaurant, the other four looked at each other in bewilderment.

Ultimately, two more women decided to stay and give it a try.

A man and a woman also chose to leave.

Luo Qing knew that the three people who left were all the restaurant's lobby managers.

It might be psychologically difficult for them to accept the change from lobby manager to a service staff member in a children's restaurant.

Of the three who remained, besides Lin Yao, the older woman was named Zhang Yuqin, and the younger woman was named Xue Fei.

Zhang Yuqin was willing to try it mainly because she was already quite old.

She has children of her own, who are already in middle school.

Zhang Yuqin knew that although she was a supervisor in the restaurant, she was not competitive compared to the younger staff.

That's why she thought of trying out Feng Zhengming's shop.

Even though she can't compete with younger people here, at least the salary and benefits are higher, so she can earn more money while she still has the energy.

However, now that she's heard about the opportunity to work at a children's restaurant, she's actually the most willing among the interviewees.

She felt that her age might actually be an advantage in a children's restaurant.

Of course, Zhang Yuqin didn't think that she was necessarily going to become the store manager.

Lin Yao and Xue Fei are both strong competitors of hers.

Moreover, there are other staff members at the children's restaurant.

However, Zhang Yuqin may not know that although Xue Fei is the youngest of the three, she is also confident in becoming the store manager.

She felt that being young would make her more popular with the children and give her a better chance of becoming the store manager.

Luo Qing probably didn't realize that the three people she kept in this interview were all already vying for the position of children's restaurant manager.

After chatting with the three of them for a few more minutes, Luo Qing told them to go back and prepare.

"Alright, go back and prepare first. I'll give you some time to think it over. If you're really sure you want to come here and work at the children's restaurant, you can start working next week."

The three of them said goodbye to Luo Qing and thanked her for giving them time to consider.

After seeing the three people off, the mother and second aunt came in with the children.

Auntie smiled and said, "Qingqing is becoming more and more like a boss now."

Feng Nuanyou immediately ran and rushed into her mother's arms.

"Hehehe, Mom, have you found someone yet?"

Luo Qing picked up her daughter: "Mom will give them time to consider. We don't even know if they're willing to come yet."

Mother: "Of course I'd like to come, you're offering such a high salary."

In Luo Qing's mother's eyes, she felt that Feng Zhengming and Luo Qing were paying their staff too high a salary.

Luo Qing looked at her mother: "Mom, this is Shanghai, the cost of living here is relatively high. If we don't pay our employees enough, how can we expect them to work hard?"

Mother: "You don't need to pay such a high salary. People outside say you pay the highest wages, even higher than big restaurants."

Luo Qing: "Isn't it because the big restaurants pay too low wages?"

Auntie Er laughed and chimed in, "You could say that. It's because the big restaurant paid them too little, otherwise they wouldn't have come looking for Qingqing on their own initiative."

Luo Qing's mother was speechless upon hearing this.

After all, she didn't know the approximate salary level in Shanghai.
She had only heard that her son-in-law paid a very high salary.

From her perspective, she felt that her son-in-law was being taken advantage of by paying such a high salary.

However, since her son-in-law, daughter, and son-in-law's second aunt all thought it was right, Luo Qing's mother didn't say much.

Luo Qing held her daughter and smiled as she spoke to her mother and second aunt.

“Salary and benefits are the foundation for everyone to be willing to work hard with us. With so many stores, it’s impossible for Zhengming to run them all by himself. He still needs more people to help him.”

These words were also approved by his mother.

"That's right. We need to make everyone willing to follow Zhengming and help him run those shops well."

The news of the wage increase at Feng Zhengming's shop gradually spread, and it did indeed have some impact. (End of Chapter)