From selling box lunches to becoming a famous Chinese chef

The countdown to the opening of Yanxilou Restaurant in Beijing has begun.

Feng Zhengming took his eldest daughter, Feng Nuanyou, back to Jinan.

The father and daughter arrived at their master's house together.

When the master saw the father and daughter standing in front of the door, he almost immediately guessed their purpose.

Even if you bring Youyou here, I still won't go to the capital.

Feng Nuanyou looked up at her father.

I saw my dad smile and nod at me.

The little girl bypassed her master and went into his house to find her master's wife.

"Hehe, Grandma, let me tell you, the building that Dad renovated is so beautiful. Everyone says it looks like a palace. Grandma, why don't you come with us to take a look?"

As the little girl spoke, the master's wife smiled and looked up at the master and disciple facing each other at the door.

Feng Zhengming's attitude was very clear: he wanted to invite his master and mistress to go to the capital together.

He wasn't trying to use his master's reputation; he just wanted his master to be able to witness Yanxilou reopen.

The master and apprentice stood in front of the door, looking at each other without saying a word.

Feng Zhengming's attitude was very clear: if his master didn't go with him, he wouldn't leave and would just stand at the door of his master's house and wait.

The master looked at his young apprentice and felt somewhat helpless.

It's not that Master doesn't want to go to the capital to see the world.

Master also really wants to see Yanxilou reopen.

Moreover, my youngest apprentice is now capable enough to open Yanxilou in the capital.

This is something that generations of managers and chefs at Yanxilou have dreamed of, but have never been able to truly accomplish.

How could Master not want to witness such a grand occasion with his own eyes?
But there was still a hurdle in Master's heart that he couldn't overcome.

He always felt that Yanxilou went bankrupt under his watch.

If it weren't for the young apprentice who preserved the old plaque, even if Yanxilou wanted to reopen, it might not be able to find that old plaque now.

Thinking about all this, Master felt a sense of helplessness and regret.

The master felt that perhaps if he had been able to stick to his principles and not let the manager of Yanxilou arbitrarily change the menu or buy back some random, substandard products, he would have been better off.

Perhaps Yanxilou will not eventually go bankrupt.

This sense of guilt towards the chefs of Yanxilou over the years has tormented my master all these years.

This made the master even unwilling to face his disciples.

Because of this, his master has never offered any advice, not even on his own son's restaurant, over the years.

The master once felt that he might not be suited to cooking in the kitchen at all.

Feng Zhengming could actually understand his master's feelings at that moment.

It's not that Master doesn't want to go to the capital, it's not that he doesn't want to see the grand reopening of Yanxi Restaurant.

The master still felt guilty, feeling that he was not worthy to witness the opening.

Feng Zhengming and his master looked at each other for a long time before he smiled and spoke.

“I know you feel guilty. You feel that Yanxilou went bankrupt under your leadership as the head chef, and you must bear some responsibility for it.”

But Master, think about it. Now that I'm reopening Yanxilou in the capital, isn't that the same as you reopening Yanxilou again?
If you don't show up, wouldn't people think that I only bought the old plaque of Yanxilou?

I have not gained your approval, nor have I inherited the mantle of the chefs who have been in charge of cooking at Yanxilou for generations.
Master, do you really want your disciple to be talked about behind your back like that?

Feng Zhengming's words moved his master deeply.

The master hadn't expected his youngest disciple to say such a thing.

But upon closer examination, in terms of tradition and the emphasis on etiquette by the people of Shandong, the young apprentice is absolutely right.

If his master doesn't go, then in Qilu, people will indeed think that Feng Zhengming, the one who reopened Yanxilou, is like someone who stole the old plaque of Yanxilou but did not obtain the identity of the successor of Yanxilou.

Master did feel that he should make a trip there.

At this moment, the master's wife spoke up.

"Go ahead, it's been a full ten years. Ten years ago, Yanxilou closed down under your management, and ten years later, it has reopened under your apprentice's management."

You witnessed the decline of Yanxi Tower. As its master, shouldn't you go and see your apprentice off one last time?

This will allow them to reopen Yanxilou with dignity, proving to everyone that they have inherited the legacy of Yanxilou over the past century.

Hearing his wife's words behind him, the master finally sighed.

"Okay, I should go. I really should go this time."

When Feng Nuanyou heard that her grandmaster had agreed to go, she was overjoyed.

"Okay, okay, let's go, let's go together."

The two sons were very happy for their father when they learned that he was going to the capital.

They had always hoped that their father could move on from the past.

Now that my father is finally willing to go to the capital and witness the reopening of Yanxilou, it shows that he is truly ready to move on.

Although they said they were going, Master and Mistress still needed to make some preparations.

Feng Zhengming then took his daughter to inform his father-in-law and brother-in-law.

Have your brother-in-law arrange everything, and take your father-in-law with them to the capital.

The reopening of Yanxilou in Beijing this time is a truly big event, and Feng Zhengming wants more people to witness this moment.

Master craftsmen from all over Shandong were invited by Feng Zhengming, who also made special arrangements for them to travel to the capital.

Even the master chefs from several large restaurants in Jinan organized themselves and went to the capital with the president of the Chefs Association, all wanting to witness the opening of Yanxilou.

After arriving in the capital, Cheng Guosheng made a special trip to visit his master.

When Cheng Guosheng saw his master again after many years, he felt that he had let his master down.

Master Wang didn't blame Cheng Guosheng; instead, he encouraged him to cook well in the future, to uphold the traditions of the old crafts, and not to simply innovate.

Cheng Guosheng also received special training at his master's shop in Beijing.

And with his master's introduction, he also had a chat with some of the top chefs in Beijing.

It can be said that Cheng Guosheng benefited greatly from this trip.

He realized that perhaps he had indeed gone down the wrong path in the past.

Over the years, Cheng Guosheng has been obsessed with innovation, trying to surpass Feng Zhengming with creative dishes.

In reality, much of what he calls creativity and innovation is nothing more than castles in the air.

It lacks any real foundation and appears overly exaggerated.

Looking back at Feng Zhengming, Cheng Guosheng realized that the gap between them was enormous. It turned out that Feng Zhengming, with his steady and pragmatic approach, consistently adhered to the fundamentals of culinary learning, and was the one who truly gained wider recognition and was able to break through the limitations of different cuisines.

In the kitchen of his master chef in Beijing, Cheng Guosheng truly settled down and spent several days cooking diligently.

Feng Zhengming picked up his master and mistress and returned to the capital together.

He also arranged for his master and mistress to stay in the courtyard house he rented.

Upon arriving here, the master discovered that Feng Zhengming's two grandfathers lived here.

And his apprentices also lived in the front yard.

Now almost everyone has gathered, the only one missing is Feng Zhengming's fourth senior brother.

Wang Jialiang had already learned of the news while abroad.

He immediately instructed his wife, Zhang Lili, to arrange a time to return to China to attend the reopening of Yanxilou Restaurant.

Zhang Lili understood her husband's thoughts, and she knew that he had wanted to return to China more and more in recent years.

The reason is simple: in recent years, my husband's junior fellow apprentice has become increasingly famous internationally.

This made Wang Jialiang wonder if coming abroad was a mistake.

He began to have some self-doubt.

This also made his wife somewhat worried.

So this time, when Wang Jialiang was going back to China, his wife was truly willing to go with him. Even if they stayed in China together afterward, she would still be willing, as she only hoped that her husband would be happy.

Wang Jialiang was slow to realize what his wife was thinking.

At this moment, Wang Jialiang finally understood his wife's feelings for him.

The wife didn't want to confine herself abroad; she just wanted to be with him.

Having understood his wife's thoughts, Wang Jialiang smiled and expressed his feelings to her.

"Don't worry, after I go back and see Yanxi Restaurant reopen, I'll come back with you."

These words puzzled Zhang Lili greatly: "You, you don't want to stay in China? Your junior brother has reopened Yanxi Restaurant, isn't that the place you've always dreamed of, where you can go back and be the head chef?"

Wang Jialiang smiled and hugged his wife: "I really want to go back, and I also want to go back to Yanxilou to be the head chef."

But I'm not alone now. I still have you. We have our own restaurant. Your father entrusted the restaurant to us. How can we abandon our own restaurant?

When I go back this time, I want to bring my mom over too, and learn from my junior colleague about joining his catering company.

Our restaurant also needs to introduce more things, so let's make it our junior branch's first overseas location.

Hearing her husband say that, Zhang Lili was stunned for a long time.

Suddenly, she hugged her husband with a look of surprise and delight.

"Haha, this is a great idea! How come I didn't think of that? It's perfect! As our junior brother's first overseas branch, our restaurant is sure to shine!"

Wang Jialiang hugged his wife, his face also beaming with smiles.

He believed that with his own skills, plus his junior apprentice's reputation and his junior apprentice's design of some dishes, he could succeed.

If we take over Feng Zhengming's first overseas branch, he and Zhang Lili will definitely be able to make a name for themselves overseas.

As for bringing his mother abroad, Wang Jialiang had already planned this for a long time.

I told my mother before, but she was always reluctant to come.

The mother felt that she would be unfamiliar with the place and people abroad, and wouldn't even be able to understand the language, so she was unwilling to go abroad with her son.

However, this time Wang Jialiang was confident that he could get his mother to come abroad with him.

Because his wife, Zhang Lili, is pregnant again.

Wang Jialiang felt that with this reason, his mother would definitely go abroad with them.

With everything prepared, Wang Jialiang and Zhang Lili visited Zhang Lili's parents again before returning to China.

Wang Jialiang also shared his thoughts with Zhang Lili's father.

Zhang Lili's father also agreed with his idea.

"Great! Now that the restaurant is in your hands, it's up to you two to run it. How you run it is entirely up to you."

Haha, Dad is getting old and can't help you anymore. I hope you can run the restaurant even better.

This is also a way of preparing a substantial inheritance for my little grandson.

Wang Jialiang's mother-in-law also agreed with his idea and said that if Wang Jialiang brought his mother abroad, she could help take care of her and let her get used to the foreign environment.

After talking with his parents-in-law, Wang Jialiang and his wife bought plane tickets and returned to China.

Upon receiving the news, Feng Zhengming personally went to the airport to pick up his fourth senior brother and his wife.

The two brothers met at the airport and almost simultaneously opened their arms to hug each other.

"Fourth Brother, you're finally back! I've been waiting for you to come back. We've prepared everything and are just waiting for you to return so that our Yanxi Restaurant can reopen in the capital."

Wang Jialiang: "Zhengming, it's all thanks to you. You're the one who got Yanxilou back to open."

Feng Zhengming: "Fourth Brother, don't say that. Without your help, I wouldn't have been able to accomplish this."

Looking at the two fellow students embracing each other, Zhang Lili could feel the brotherly affection between them.

On the way back with his fourth senior brother and his wife, he heard his fourth senior brother suggest that he be the first overseas branch.

Feng Zhengming smiled and agreed: "Sure, even if you hadn't brought it up, I was planning to talk to you about it when you came back this time. I have a lot of things to do here because Yanxilou is about to open, so I can't open a branch overseas."

I do want to open branches overseas and recommend our products to people abroad.

Fourth brother, sister-in-law, you don't need to rush back. After Yanxilou opens, you can take a look at it, or come with me to check out the old-style restaurant in Shanghai.

I will demonstrate the cooking techniques for some dishes, as well as various ingenious design ideas, to you, Fourth Brother.

Wang Jialiang chuckled and made a joke.

"Those are all your secret recipes, and you just showed them all to me like that?"

Feng Zhengming: "Hahaha, what secret recipe? If we want to pass on the tradition, I think we can't have any sectarian prejudices, and we can't distinguish between different cuisines. We have to integrate them together."

Upon hearing Feng Zhengming's words, the fourth senior brother, Wang Jialiang, was immediately taken aback.

Then he exclaimed, "You're really different now. You truly have the demeanor of a master, willing to share your knowledge so that more people can progress with you."

Feng Zhengming: "I want to promote Chinese cuisine more and help it truly reach the world."

Wang Jialiang: "Alright, then let's work hard together, fellow apprentices. By the way, if you have any apprentices or students who are willing to try going abroad, you can let them come with me."

Zhang Lili also chimed in, "That's right, junior brother. If we join your branch, we will indeed need some manpower."

Feng Zhengming smiled and agreed: "Don't worry, sister-in-law. Besides the people from Yanxilou, I'll arrange for some people to be selected by Fourth Brother. You can take the best ones abroad."

Hearing Feng Zhengming agree so readily brought a smile to Zhang Lili's face.

Wang Jialiang was deeply grateful for his junior brother's support. (End of Chapter)