From selling box lunches to becoming a famous Chinese chef

Having made most of the arrangements in the capital, he gave his fifth senior brother and Lü Chongshan a final plea.

Feng Zhengming even summoned the current owners of the small street shops he had acquired and gave them some special instructions.

After everything was done, Feng Zhengming, along with his wife, mother-in-law, and second aunt, took the children back to Shanghai.

It was already nearing the end of the year.

The reason why Feng Zhengming returned to Shanghai at this time was...

The reason was that he received a notice from Shanghai that he was in charge of the New Year's Day banquet.

Of course, Feng Zhengming also faces a year-end review assessment by the Global Gourmet Association.

This assessment will determine whether Feng Zhengming's Old House Restaurant can continue to be among the world's top ten restaurants of the year.

Feng Zhengming didn't really care about this.

However, he received an email from Kaufman.

In the email, Kaufman reminded Feng Zhengming that this review needed to be taken seriously.

According to Kaufman, this year the Global Gourmet Association will release a new list in addition to its annual top ten restaurants selection.

That is to rank the restaurants in each continent according to their respective regions.

Fifty restaurants will be selected from each continent as representative restaurants for that continent.

Kaufman's email implied that Feng Zhengming should strive to make his old-style restaurant one of the top 50 restaurants in Asia.

Upon receiving Kaufman's email, Feng Zhengming still didn't seem to care much about it.

The main reason behind this is that Feng Zhengming did not want to grovel and pander to the judges of the International Gastronomy Association.

Feng Zhengming knew very well that it wouldn't be difficult for him to get into the top 50 in Asia.

With his culinary skills and creative dishes, he is capable of securing a place in the top fifty.

However, in addition to culinary skills and creative dishes, to get into the top 50, one will inevitably have to be criticized in all aspects, including decoration, layout, furnishings, tableware, and service.

Feng Zhengming didn't want to indulge those nitpickers from the International Gastronomy Association.

Because they will definitely demand that Feng Zhengming replace some of the products with Western brands.

This is something Feng Zhengming cannot tolerate.

In his view, many things in China have begun to surpass those abroad.

Why spend more money to choose foreign brands when domestic ones are clearly better?

Therefore, Feng Zhengming did not heed Kaufman's advice to make any changes to the restaurant's interior.

He also explained some of the circumstances in his email reply to Kaufman.

He stated directly that he would not cater to the food critics' association's review, nor would he change anything in the store; he would insist on using domestic ingredients.

After receiving the email, Kaufman laughed and shared it with his wife.

“It seems you’re right, my dear. Feng is a stubborn fellow; he’s unwilling to bow down to those guys.”

Mrs. Kaufman was very proud: "He is a very good cook, and he is not stubborn, he just doesn't want to compromise. He also loves his country very much."

Before her husband could speak, Mrs. Kaufman continued, "Besides, their products are no worse than those from other places, so why force them to use products from other places?"

After hearing his wife's words, Kaufman could only helplessly admit it.

“Okay, honey, they are indeed a bit domineering. They should respect us instead of forcing us to compromise or even be subservient to them.”

After discussing it with his wife, Kaufman replied to Feng Zhengming in an email, expressing his respect for his choice.

Kaufman also stated that he would try his best to mediate for Feng Zhengming.

This made Feng Zhengming feel somewhat embarrassed.

Then Kaufman saw Feng Zhengming's email expressing his apologies.

He then sent an email containing his wife's exact words.

Feng Zhengming and Luo Qing read the email together.

In the email, Mrs. Kaufman expressed herself very firmly.

She hoped that Feng Zhengming could stick to his own principles and retain his unique characteristics, instead of simply catering to the food critics' association and being bound by the things they set up.

Both the Kaufmans expressed their support for Feng Zhengming's persistence and hoped that he would uphold his principles.

With the support of the Koffmans, Feng Zhengming naturally stuck to his own ideas.

This was quickly criticized by some members of the International Gastronomy Association.

They said they felt that Feng Zhengming did not respect the guests enough.

There were even radical comments suggesting that Feng Zhengming should be stripped of his previous award as one of the top ten restaurants of the year.

At this moment, the power of the nation was demonstrated, and the nation spoke up for Feng Zhengming on the international stage.

They quickly suppressed some international public opinion about him.

Of course, Kaufman also joined forces with some famous overseas chefs to help Feng Zhengming suppress those negative comments.

This time, in particular, Feng Zhengming received support from several renowned chefs who were among the top ten restaurant chefs of the year.

They all firmly stood by Feng Zhengming's side, stating that the rules set by the Food Association were clearly intended to make things difficult for chefs and also contained discrimination against other countries and ethnic groups.

These words immediately silenced what had sparked an international debate about food.

The food critics' association immediately backed down.

A global announcement was issued very quickly.

This shows that they respect the food culture of any country and nation, as well as the eating habits of people from different regions, and the local design features of their respective restaurants.

Ultimately, this incident did not affect Feng Zhengming; on the contrary, it enhanced his international reputation.

More and more international diners began to travel to Shanghai specifically to taste Feng Zhengming's Oriental cuisine.

Feng Zhengming's old-style restaurant in Shanghai actually gained international recognition again at the end of the year because of his tough fight against the Food Association.

Naturally, this increase in fame not only attracted some food lovers, but also some chefs to visit.

Especially some well-known chefs from various Asian countries.

They were already well aware that Feng Zhengming had stood up to the International Gastronomy Association this time.

With his current fame, it's almost certain that his restaurant will be among the top 50 in Asia.

Therefore, chefs from other Asian countries who aspire to be among the top 50 restaurants in Asia have come to visit.

When they arrived in Shanghai, they were first impressed by the city's modernity.

In the past, people from many countries actually had no understanding of the land of China.

I always thought it was a backward and poor place.

Some of these renowned chefs from various Asian countries have never even been to China.

This time, their arrival in Shanghai finally allowed them to witness the development and changes of this giant dragon of the East.

The prosperity of Shanghai has truly exceeded the expectations of many renowned Asian chefs.

This also inspired these renowned Asian chefs to consider opening branches in Shanghai.

When they found Feng Zhengming's old villa restaurant.

What attracts them first is the surrounding environment.

The sycamore trees, especially at the end of the year when winter is approaching, with their yellow leaves covering the ground, create a unique autumnal atmosphere amidst the desolation, which really attracts people who come to the neighborhood.

Even if you're not there to eat, strolling around in a place like this is still very comfortable.

Arriving at the old-style restaurant, the chefs were once again surprised.

They found this old villa very beautiful. Inside the walls, the entire villa exuded elegance.

Even from a distance, it looks like a perfect spot for taking photos.

Many famous chefs spent a considerable amount of time just taking photos in front of the small building.

Then we entered the old villa, where the unique blend of Chinese and Western furnishings was on display, and the staff provided a very friendly welcome and service.

All of this surprised the renowned Asian chefs who had come to attend.

Some of the famous chefs who went to the old villa restaurant at noon.

They tasted the buffet offered at noon, knowing full well that it wasn't prepared by Feng Zhengming himself.

But I was still amazed by the exquisite presentation of all the dishes.

Some famous Asian chefs found it unbelievable.

Buffets can be this good; not only are the ingredients of the food of excellent quality, but the taste is also very delicious.

In addition to Chinese food, the lunch buffet also offers some unique dishes from around the world.

This further shocked many renowned Asian chefs.

They can even taste the flavors of their respective hometowns at Feng Zhengming's old-style restaurant.

It can't be said to be very authentic.

After all, Feng Zhengming has made some modifications to the flavors, making many foreign dishes more suitable for the tastes of Chinese people.

However, some renowned Asian chefs actually found the improved flavor quite delicious.

There were chefs from Southeast Asia, and I even ate a lot of their hometown's modified dishes.

These renowned Asian chefs who came specifically to explore the restaurant were truly impressed by Feng Zhengming's culinary skills.

We are all chefs, and although we have different cooking styles, we have many things in common.

After tasting the food, these renowned chefs could easily see how skilled Feng Zhengming was.

The most difficult part of cooking is actually seasoning.

Different chefs may use the exact same method to cook, but the final taste of the dishes can be vastly different.

The key lies in the different seasoning techniques used by different chefs.

Taste is a very subjective thing.

However, some flavors are ones that most people will like.

So how can we make the flavors of "sour, sweet, bitter, salty, spicy, and numbing" blend together well?

This is a huge challenge for the chef.

Why did Western cuisine later shift towards lighter seasoning?

In many cases, it can also be said that this is to reduce the burden on the chef's skills.

By making the most of the original flavor of the ingredients, the cooking process can be simplified, and it becomes less likely to result in mistakes in taste.

However, that doesn't actually reflect a chef's skill level.

If the goal is simply to preserve the original flavor of the ingredients, then why not eat them raw? What's the point of having chefs to cook them?

On this point, Kaufman and Feng Zhengming are a pair who agree with each other.

They all felt that the key to cooking delicious food lies in the cooking process itself.

The cooking process requires not only mastering the heat, but also, and perhaps more importantly, the seasoning.

Therefore, both Feng Zhengming and Kaufman are considered chefs who attach great importance to seasoning.

Feng Zhengming's old-style restaurant does have its share of top-quality ingredients.

But no matter what kind of ingredients are used, Feng Zhengming will add some unique seasonings and cook the dish before presenting it to customers.

He wouldn't skip the cooking process altogether and simply plate the food and serve it to the guests.

Or, relying on the quality of the ingredients themselves, they simply heat them up and serve them to the customers.

Feng Zhengming was unwilling to make himself, as a chef, appear useless.

His persistence has earned him the admiration of many renowned Asian chefs who come to visit him.

Only a true master chef can understand how difficult it is to achieve these flavor combinations.

It's true that if you add even a little more salt, it will be too salty, and if you add even a little less, it won't have any flavor.

A good overall balance of flavors is crucial.

Many chefs may spend their entire lives trying to achieve this balance.

But it may not be possible to achieve that in the end.

Feng Zhengming's approach is to adjust the flavor according to different ingredients, highlighting one flavor in some and another in others.

When several flavors are combined, they form a set meal on his menu.

This provides a unique stimulation and enjoyment to the taste buds.

The visiting chefs were once again amazed.

Many renowned chefs, after dining there, would agree that Feng Zhengming's Old House Restaurant truly deserved its place among the top 50 restaurants.

Feng Zhengming was unaware that he had attracted many foreign counterparts.

It was only after one dinner that he came out to thank his guests for coming.

Only after several chefs stood up to tell him did he realize that he had attracted so much attention.

After exchanging ideas with several renowned Asian chefs who had come specifically for the occasion, Feng Zhengming quickly became friends with them.

It is truly the sincerity of Feng Zhengming that makes it impossible for many people to refuse such a friend.

Because Feng Zhengming genuinely shares some techniques and recipes with others.

This is something that many chefs would never have even considered.

No matter where the chef is from, everyone always wants to hold back a little something.

After all, if you teach everything to others, it might affect your own livelihood.

But this doesn't apply to Feng Zhengming; everyone feels that he seems completely unconcerned about others learning his skills.

He would even explain the details in great detail so that others could learn it.

And so, in the last month of the year.

Feng Zhengming was preparing for the New Year's Day reception banquet.

At the same time, in the old villa restaurant, I hosted many famous chefs from various Asian countries and successfully became good friends with them.

Some of them even went back and immediately mailed some of their local specialties to Feng Zhengming.

And so, Feng Zhengming's fame rose again, both domestically and internationally.

When Kaufman learned of this, he was both happy for Feng Zhengming and also found it somewhat amazing.

In the email, Kaufman even wondered if Feng Zhengming possessed some kind of magic.
In his reply email, Feng Zhengming suggested that he might be the succubus of the culinary world.

Kaufman saw the email and laughed heartily with his wife.

Then Kaufman replied to Feng Zhengming's email, saying that he and his wife would be going to Shanghai to celebrate New Year's Day.

Feng Zhengming received an email instructing his wife to prepare for receiving the Kaufmans.

He could only apologize, as he needed to prepare for the New Year's Day reception dinner. (End of Chapter)