From selling box lunches to becoming a famous Chinese chef

After attending the farewell banquet for Master Wang, Feng Zhengming, together with his eldest brother and third brother, sent the master and his entourage back to Yan's Restaurant.

After returning to Yan's Restaurant, Master Yan specifically asked his three apprentices to join his son in the kitchen.

Feng Zhengming and his two senior brothers felt that Master should be teaching them a lesson.

Yan Jianxing understood that his father wanted to take this opportunity to let his three apprentices give lessons to the chef of the Yan family restaurant.

Before entering the kitchen, Feng Zhengming and the others also changed into chef uniforms as required.

While changing clothes, Feng Zhengming had a little exchange with his two senior brothers.

"Eldest brother, third brother, do you think I talked too much today under the influence of wine, and master wants to teach me a lesson?"

Third senior brother Yang Bin was immediately happy when he heard this.

"Hahaha, you kid also knows that you talk too much, right?"

When the third senior brother said this, Feng Zhengming felt even more excited.

Senior Brother Li Huidong shook his head and said, "Probably not. Although Zhengming talked a lot today, he said it all very well."

"That's very good, but today it's Master Wang's treat, and it's in the Jubin Garden. Some of Zhengming's words are a bit too much." Yang Bin still felt that Feng Zhengming's behavior today was a bit too much.

This does not mean that Feng Zhengming should not have said those words.

Some things always have to be said.

However, Yang Bin felt that today Master Wang was specially saying goodbye to everyone and entertaining guests at the Jubin Garden.

Feng Zhengming didn't save much face for Cheng Guosheng in front of Master Wang, which was indeed a bit unjustifiable.

Feng Zhengming said helplessly: "To be honest with you two senior brothers, I have already accepted it. You said that Cheng Guosheng secretly contacted several big restaurants to target me. Do I care about it with him?"
If I really care about this matter with him, I will definitely not be so polite today. "

Seeing that the younger brother's anger was clearly rising.

As the senior brother, Li Huidong said: "Zhengming, you are so rude and unforgiving. Didn't your Huiquan Building succeed in becoming famous this time?

After all, Cheng Guosheng is the chef of Jubinyuan and a well-known master chef in Quancheng. He must not be happy to be suppressed by a young man like you. "

"Then he can also show off his skills, and everyone can compete with each other." Feng Zhengming still looked down upon Cheng Guosheng's behind-the-scenes efforts.

Yang Bin also supported Feng Zhengming's statement on this point.

"What Zheng Ming said is correct. If Cheng Guosheng feels unconvinced, then he should use his craftsmanship to speak for himself. It's really boring to hold things up behind his back."

Li Huidong has always been a relatively calm person, and he is the kind of person who has a hard time showing off his temper.

"Being friendly makes you rich. Zhengming, you are powerful, so why bother with his little tricks behind the scenes? Don't be as knowledgeable as him."

Before the two junior brothers could speak, Li Huidong continued, "Didn't you also get the support of Master and the others today? Later on, you can compete with him in the provincial national cooking skills exchange competition selection."

This time Yang Bin agreed with his senior brother: "Yes, during the selection, show your skills to convince him."

Feng Zhengming thought for a moment and asked, "Will you, Senior Brother and Third Brother, participate in this selection?"

Li Huidong shook his head and said: "I will not participate. The canteen in the factory is still very busy."

The third senior brother Yang Bin said with a smile: "Hahaha, I will participate, and I will help you when the time comes."

Hearing that the third senior brother was going to attack him, Feng Zhengming immediately couldn't bear it.

"Third brother, your skills are not bad. Don't just think about helping me. You can also participate in this selection. How about I transfer Sun Hai back to you and you lead Sun Hai and Sun Decai to participate together? ?”

Yang Bin quickly waved his hand: "Don't come here. Sun Hai is doing a good job at your place. If you transfer him back, what will he think?"

What else does Feng Zhengming want to say?
But he was stopped by his senior brother.

"Okay, Zhengming, listen to us. You must stand out in the selection this time. This national cooking skills exchange competition is the most important to you."

Yang Bin echoed from the side: "Yes, it is the most important to you."

Still not letting Feng Zhengming speak, the senior brother continued: "Don't take it seriously."

First, he warned Feng Zhengming that he must pay attention, and then Li Huidong continued to point out the importance of participating in the competition to Feng Zhengming.

"Now among our brothers, you are the only one who has taken over a large restaurant, and you have also made Huiquan Restaurant famous. If you pass the provincial selection, you can enter the national cooking skills exchange competition.

You can get a ranking in the national competition, or your dishes can win gold or silver medals.

This is a great thing for you and Huiquan House, and will once again enhance your and Huiquan House's reputation. "

Yang Bin continued: "Elder brother is right, your reputation is very important. Once you are famous, the reputation of Huiquan Tower will also rise with the tide."

The third senior brother continued: "Furthermore, in the National Cooking Skills Exchange Competition, facing chefs from all over the country, senior brother and I will not have an advantage if we go there. Only you will have an advantage if you go."

The senior brother also agreed with this point: "Yes, you will have the advantage if you go."

When Feng Zhengming heard this, he was a little puzzled: "Why should I take advantage?"

Li Huidong and Yang Bin looked at each other, and then said in unison: "You are innovative."

These words suddenly hit the point.

The key to the National Cooking Skills Exchange Competition is first of all the cooking skills competition, which is a test of a chef’s basic skills.

Except for the first session, all of them were done by the current masters personally.

In the next few sessions, the cooking skills competition will not actually widen the gap.

Chefs everywhere are paying more attention to basic skills.

In some competitions between knife skills and spoon skills, it can be said that the gap between them is very small.

The key competition lies in the innovation of dishes.

If you just cook some traditional classic dishes, you will definitely not be able to get high scores in the competition.

After all, the master chefs have made those classic dishes countless times.

The technique is already very mature.

There may even be many culinary school students who can master one or two classic dishes.

Therefore, the innovation of dishes has become the key to the competition in the cooking stage.

Nowadays, if there is a good innovative chef in Shandong cuisine, it is natural that everyone will think of Feng Zhengming.

Li Huidong said with a serious face: "Not only do you have the ability to innovate, but your basic skills are also very solid. You are familiar with a series of processes in the kitchen.

If you participate in the competition, you have a chance to compete for the top pick. "

Yang Bin agreed again: "That's right, you go and compete for the top prize and re-establish the name of our Shandong cuisine."

The words of the two senior brothers made Feng Zhengming a little bit dumbfounded.

"How can the No. 1 pick be so competitive? How many excellent chefs are there across the country? In the first year, Master and the others couldn't get the No. 1 pick. How can I compete for the No. 1 pick?"

The third senior brother continued: "You can't say that. The first session that Master attended had too many masters. It was a session where real masters gathered. Although Master was not the top pick, he was also an outstanding chef in the country at that time.

If you go to participate now, you will definitely get better results than Master, and you will try to come back as the top pick. "

Feng Zhengming was amused again: "I have better grades than my master, so I have to strive for the top prize? Third brother, you ask too much of me." Li Huidong couldn't help but laugh: "Okay, okay, I won't give you too much There’s a lot of pressure, the competition is held at the end of the year, you still have time to prepare well, if you don’t win the top prize, you have to win the gold medal dish.”

Feng Zhengming also felt a lot of pressure when his senior brothers said this, but he was still willing to challenge.

Feng Zhengming faced the ardent expectations of his two senior brothers.

He could only smile and say, "I'll do my best."

While the three brothers were chatting, the voice of apprentice Yan Jianxing sounded outside the locker room.

"Third uncles and uncles, my master asked me to come over and ask you, have you changed your clothes?"

Li Huidong quickly agreed: "After changing, I'll go right away."

The three brothers came to the back kitchen of Yan's restaurant.

I saw Master and Yan Jianxing changing into chef uniforms and waiting for the three of them.

At the same time, some young chefs in the back kitchen of Yanjia Restaurant are also there.

Naturally, Feng Zhengming and the other three greeted their master first.

Master Yan saw the three senior brothers and was not polite to them.

"Okay, I asked you three to come here today. I hope that you three can help me. It is a small test for the chef of Yan's restaurant. You three are the examiners. How is the chef's skills?"

Feng Zhengming and the three of them were stunned. They did not expect that the master asked them to come as examiners.

However, judging from the attitude of the chef at the scene, they quickly understood the master's intention.

In short, it is to conduct an assessment on the other chefs in the back kitchen of Yanjia Restaurant.

It may be that when Yan Jianxing sometimes doesn't do it himself, the workmanship of other chefs in the kitchen makes customers raise some questions.

In a restaurant or restaurant, it is impossible to rely on the chef alone to cook.

If the chef cooks each dish by himself, the chef will be exhausted if too many customers are served at once.

But if not every dish is made by the chef himself.

Then there will inevitably be uneven production of dishes.

Many things in the kitchen seem simple, but in practice, a small deviation can make a world of difference.

It is said that "the upper limit is high enough and the lower limit is low enough" is precisely due to the deviation in the skills of other chefs in the kitchen.

The only way to prevent deviations is to supervise other chefs in the back kitchen to practice more.

They must be allowed to practice strictly in accordance with the standards.

This is what the master said to Feng Zhengming when he went to the stove for the first time in Yanxi Tower.

"We must do it according to the standards, and every step must be standard.

What is a standard? Standards are the craftsmanship passed down from generation to generation of master chefs, which are the accumulated experience of many generations of chefs.

If you don't follow the standards, what you do will definitely be wrong. "

Often what seems to be the simplest standard is exactly what many people cannot strictly abide by.

The reason why a classic dish is a classic is that its standards cannot be changed.

If everyone changes it according to their own preferences when learning.

The final dish must be specious.

After Master Yan finished talking to his three apprentices, he turned to his son Yan Jianxing and said, "Okay, you can start."

Yan Jianxing looked at everyone in the kitchen: "Can you start?"

The several cooks working on the stove in the back kitchen looked at each other.

Facing Master Yan and Feng Zhengming, I would be lying to myself if I said I wasn't nervous at all.

With such a large formation, their skills must be tested.

Everyone is really a little afraid to go to the stove.

Seeing that no one dared to say a word, no one dared to take the initiative to go to the stove.

Master Yan said with a straight face: "What? You don't even dare to work on the stove? You still want to learn your craft well?"

Hearing that his father was a little unhappy, Yan Jianxing opened his mouth to say something.
However, Master Yan got the better of him: "Why do you want the three of them to come to the kitchen as examiners today to assess you personally?

Let me tell you, this is an opportunity for you. The three of them are all very skilled in their crafts. This opportunity to personally guide you is rare.

Whatever mistakes you made today are considered private mistakes and can be forgiven. You can ask them for advice on the spot.

If you don’t dare to go to the stove today and take the initiative to reveal your problems, will you still be able to cook for guests in the future? "

When Master Yan said this, everyone in the kitchen looked at each other.

Finally, an apprentice who was now working under Yan Jianxing was the first to stand up.

"Please ask the three uncles and uncles for advice. I am willing to do it for the first time."

When Yan Jianxing saw that his apprentice was the first to have the courage to stand up, a smile of relief naturally appeared on his face.

Although this apprentice did not officially become a disciple, he was already regarded as Yan Jianxing's apprentice and had been with Yan Jianxing for more than three years.

Before going to Yan's Restaurant, he had been with Yan Jianxing.

Although now this apprentice still follows Yan Jianxing more and helps him.

But Yan Jianxing also taught him a lot, and he still has a certain degree of confidence in his craftsmanship.

Feng Zhengming captured the look of relief on Yan Jianxing's face when the young chef came forward.

He said with a smile: "If you dare to be the first to stand up, you have to bear a lot of pressure if you have the courage. But don't be afraid, you will have succeeded if you dare to be the first to stand up."

Yan Jianxing stopped asking other people and said directly: "Okay, let's get ready."

He also specifically said to the first apprentice to stand up: "Don't be nervous and do your best."

Then, Chef Yan asked: "What are you going to cook?"

The apprentice named "Bao Chunyong" replied: "Stir-fried pork tenderloin."

Stir-fried shredded pork loin is a technically difficult dish.

Moreover, the stir-fried tenderloin shreds in Shandong cuisine require extremely high knife and spoon skills from the chef.

The stir-fried tenderloin must be of the same thickness. Even when it is soaked in the soup on the plate, it will feel like a plate of noodles when it is ready.

Yan Jianxing was somewhat surprised that Bao Chunyong was going to make this dish, and he was secretly sweating for him.

Master Yan had almost no expression on his face. He nodded and said calmly: "Okay, let's get started."

Feng Zhengming and his two senior brothers did not say anything, and stood aside quietly watching Bao Chunyong begin. (End of chapter)