From selling box lunches to becoming a famous Chinese chef

After New Year's Day, Feng Zhengming invited the Kaufmans to visit several of his stores in Shanghai.

This visit gave Kaufman some completely new insights.

During his previous visit, Kaufman thought these stores were similar to Western fast food restaurants.

But this time, Kaufman discovered that Feng Zhengming had made some upgrades to these stores.

The essential elements were retained, and some upgrades were made to the interior of each store to improve the environment and make customers more comfortable.

At the same time, these restaurants have also made further improvements to their dishes.

The food you can order in these restaurants now is better than some street-side eateries.

Two stores left the deepest impression on the Kaufmans.

One is a children's kitchen and children's restaurant run by Luo Qing.

When I arrived at this family's restaurant, I saw so many children eating such healthy and delicious food.

Mrs. Kaufman truly felt that Luo Qing's design and management were superb.

Especially the children's kitchen at the back, which has very sophisticated facilities and is completely open, allowing parents to see with their own eyes how the chefs cook.

This design is not yet available abroad.

Mrs. Kaufman was even more amazed when she saw it.

"Wow, this is amazing! It lets kids see how their food is made, and it also lets parents see clearly what ingredients they used."

That would be really popular with kids and parents, Luo, your idea is excellent.

Luo Qing smiled at her husband: "This isn't exactly my idea; it's more like our idea."

Feng Zhengming: "Haha, so this is your idea? You created a safe kitchen for our children, and I only provided some technical support."

Seeing Feng Zhengming and Luo Qing's conversation made the Kaufmans exchange a smile.

They genuinely love this children's kitchen and children's restaurant.

I think this kind of place is perfect for children to eat.

Besides the kitchen, the various facilities in the children's restaurant also impressed the Kaufmans.

This is a design that probably no one abroad would have thought of.

Mrs. Kaufman: "This place is like a paradise for children. They can play games, read books, and enjoy delicious food."

Koffman exclaimed, "This design is truly fantastic; it solves so many problems for children and parents!"

Feng Zhengming: "These additions are all things that she believes should be designed for children."

Mrs. Kaufman hugged Luo Qing: "Luo, you are such a good mother."

Luo Qing was naturally very happy to receive such praise.

"As long as the children like it, I think such a design should be meaningful, so that the children can have a good place to play and taste more delicious food during holidays, instead of having to stay at home on weekends."

Mrs. Koffman: "Yes, yes, these designs are fantastic."

The visit to the children's kitchen and children's restaurant gave the Koffmans a completely new understanding of Feng Zhengming and his wife.

Realizing that the couple was no longer just doing business, but had begun to take on more social responsibility.

Kaufman quietly gave Feng Zhengming even greater affirmation.

"Feng, you guys are really great. I believe that what you've done will make even more people like and support you."

Feng Zhengming: "Haha, I'm not doing this to get support from others. I just hope to do more things within my capacity, which is also a way of giving back to society."

Mrs. Kaufman: "It seems our Chef Feng loves his country very much."

Feng Zhengming: "Of course, I deeply love my motherland."

Then Feng Zhengming added, "Moreover, with my motherland protecting me, I can focus more on making good food and running my restaurants well."

After listening to Feng Zhengming's words, the Kaufmans nodded in agreement.

Another restaurant the couple really liked was Feng Zhengming's "Home Flavor" restaurant.

The various decorations here truly make you feel like you're back home.

The Koffmans once again praised Feng Zhengming's design.

"Feng, your restaurant design is even better."

"Yes, this place makes me feel like I'm back home, nestled in my own home, enjoying delicious food."

"The children's restaurant is a home for children, just like a home for all adults, where everyone can relax and enjoy the warmth of home."

"Feng, you are simply a genius."

Feng Zhengming was all smiles upon receiving such praise from the Kaufmans.

"Thank you for your praise, I'm almost embarrassed. This restaurant is indeed the place I hope to provide for everyone in such a bustling metropolis, a place where they can enjoy the warmth of family life."

As he spoke, Feng Zhengming introduced some of the dishes at the restaurant to the Kaufmans.

"The dishes in our restaurant are all common home-style dishes that are often found on the dining tables of many families in China."

These home-style dishes will remind every guest who comes here of the culinary skills of the elder who cooked for them since childhood.

Kaufman: "Great idea, that's fantastic."

Mrs. Kaufman: "I think we could open a small restaurant like this when we go back, just the two of us, to serve customers who make reservations in advance."

Kaufman smiled and said, "Haha, Feng, my wife is impressed by you. She also hopes that we can run a restaurant like this."

Feng Zhengming: "Sure, I think what you said is very good, a restaurant just for you two."

Kaufman: "If that's the case, I'll probably have a very tough time."

Mrs. Kaufman immediately said, "Oh, how could that be? We only accept reservations from friends."

Feng Zhengming and Luo Qing exchanged a glance; in fact, they had a similar idea.

Opening a small family-run restaurant like that, accepting only reservations from friends and essentially not open to the public, would allow Feng Zhengming to better enjoy cooking while also having a regular customer base.

Of course, that's just an idea from Feng Zhengming and his team right now, and it may not be fully implemented yet.

Feng Zhengming still has some heavy responsibilities to resolve first.

The Kaufmans and Feng Zhengming had a meal together at the Jiawei Restaurant.

Feng Zhengming also invited the Koffmans to join him in the kitchen.

Then each of them cooked one of their own home-style dishes.

The chefs in the kitchen found it quite incredible to see two internationally renowned top chefs cooking home-style dishes with their wives.

Zhang Lei and Zhu Xu, who were in charge of the restaurant, also quickly and secretly took photos of the two couples cooking.

After they took the photos, Feng Zhengming immediately told them with a smile.

“Once they’re developed, we can put them on your family photo wall to show them that our internationally renowned Chef Kaufman can also cook home-style dishes.” Luo Qing translated her husband’s words to the Kaufman couple.

The couple immediately agreed with a smile.

Kaufman: "Remember to tell everyone to love food, but even more importantly, to love your family."

Everyone in the kitchen and the restaurant nodded in agreement.

Watching two top chefs and their wives preparing home-style dishes in the kitchen.

This made many of the waitresses in the restaurant extremely envious.

Everyone genuinely felt that this scene was incredibly dreamlike.

Feng Zhengming made several very ordinary home-style dishes. The first was scrambled eggs with tomatoes, a dish that is found in almost every household across the country, and another dish that is also very common in his family: braised fish.

Kaufman cooked a few dishes from his hometown, but with some modifications.

It was really just a home-style dish from his hometown, and it probably wasn't something he could present to others.

Feng Zhengming was aware of this, so he naturally didn't point it out.

The two chefs, having prepared their dishes, decided to gather everyone in the restaurant to share them.

Although people still prefer Feng Zhengming's cooking in terms of taste, after all, his home-style dishes are common in every family and are more in line with the tastes of Chinese people.

However, the dishes that Kaufman made were very delicious, and everyone ate quite a lot.

This visit truly moved the Koffmans.

Kaufman even started to consider whether he should open a restaurant in China.
Upon hearing Kaufman's thoughts, Feng Zhengming immediately extended an invitation.

“Great, Mr. Kaufman, we welcome you to open a restaurant here. I can help you find a storefront anywhere.”

Kaufman and his wife exchanged a glance, and then Mrs. Kaufman expressed their wishes.

“We might hope to open a small shop like Feng’s old villa restaurant. It can’t be that big, but we hope to open a restaurant in a small building like that.”

Feng Zhengming smiled: "Haha, this is even simpler. There are many restaurants like that in Shanghai, some of them are very small."

The Kaufmans were very interested and expressed their willingness to visit the old houses.

Feng Zhengming's purpose in accompanying the Koffmans on their visit was finally achieved.

He hopes to invite Koffman to open a restaurant in China.

Kaufman still has a great influence among Western chefs.

If he could open a restaurant in China, Shanghai's status as an international culinary capital would be further solidified.

Especially if Feng Zhengming wants to take the lead in organizing an Asian Master Chefs Exchange Conference in Shanghai, it should be easier to invite Asian master chefs if Koffman is involved.

That evening, the Koffmans also went to Feng Zhengming's old-style restaurant.

This time, Kaufman didn't go into the kitchen. Instead, accompanied by Luo Qing and her daughter Feng Nuanyou, he waited for Feng Zhengming's feast that evening.

The Kaufmans were quite looking forward to seeing what kind of dishes Feng Zhengming would serve them.

Feng Zhengming did indeed prepare some special dishes for the Kaufmans tonight.

It wasn't the expensive dishes; those weren't exactly a surprise to the Kaufmans.

Because it was still the season for hairy crabs, Feng Zhengming specially dismantled several hairy crabs.

I made crab roe tofu for the Kaufmans, along with a crab roe lion's head meatball and a crab roe soup dumpling.

These are all seasonal dishes, and Feng Zhengming has also made some clever improvements.

For example, to make the crab meat lion's head meatballs more palatable to the Kaufmans, he made them into very small lion's head meatballs and mixed in some diced cod meat.

Crab Roe Tofu is not just ordinary tofu. Feng Zhengming first deep-fries the tofu, then makes an opening in the tofu, stuffs it with filling, and then cooks it with crab roe.

The arrival of these dishes truly surprised the Kaufmans.

Feng Zhengming also specially prepared several simply steamed hairy crabs for the Kaufmans to see.

"These hairy crabs are considered the finest river delicacies we have here this season. Please, both of you, have a taste."

The Kaufmans looked at the steamed crabs. They had seen sea crabs before, but this was the first time they had tasted river crabs.

Feng Zhengming personally opened one for them and let the two of them taste it.

The Koffmans found it to be very fresh and sweet.

Then we ate the dishes that Feng Zhengming made with crab roe, and we couldn't help but find them quite delicious.

"Feng, these dishes you made are really delicious."

"It's delicious. I love this bun. It's perfect with my bottle of white wine."

Feng Zhengming: "If you like it, that's good. I can teach Mr. Kaufman how to make it so he can cook it for you when he gets back."

Mrs. Kaufman looked at her husband: "Oh, are you going to learn for me, my dear?"

Mr. Kaufman smiled and said, "Of course I'll study for you."

The Kaufmans even kissed each other.

Feng Nuanyou quickly covered her eyes with her hands.

Feng Zhengming smiled and said to his daughter, "It's okay. Uncle Kaufman and Auntie Kaufman are a couple. They can kiss. It's how they express their love for each other, just like Mom and Dad."

Feng Nuanyou then lowered her little hand.

"Hehehe, then Daddy, you have to kiss Mommy!"

Listening to his daughter, Feng Zhengming walked over to his wife and kissed her as well.

The Kaufmans smiled when they saw this.

Madam: "Feng and Luo, you two really don't seem like traditional couples in your country. Couples in your country usually don't show this kind of affection when they're out in public or with their children."

Luo Qing was still a little embarrassed: "I, I actually feel embarrassed like this too."

Feng Zhengming, however, did not care: "I don't think we need to hide things from our children. As long as we guide them correctly, I believe they will understand. This intimacy between parents also allows children to understand true love."

The Kaufmans immediately applauded Feng Zhengming's words.

Madam: "Feng, your idea is correct. Children need to understand what true love is from a young age, so that they will know how to love themselves and how to love others."

Feng Nuanyou is also learning foreign languages, but she still can't understand many of them.

So I still need my mom to translate for me.

However, Feng Nuanyou can already say some simple words.

The Kaufmans felt very comfortable being with Feng Zhengming's family, and there was no barrier between them in their communication.

This further solidified Kaufman's idea of ​​opening a small restaurant in Shanghai. (End of Chapter)