From selling box lunches to becoming a famous Chinese chef

Feng Zhengming actually said that he listened to his master more than Cheng Guosheng.

These words left Zhu Xu speechless.

You don't look like an obedient person at all.

Feng Zhengming looked at the expression on Zhu Xu's face and roughly guessed what he was thinking.

"Hahaha, do you think I don't look like someone who would listen to Master?"

Without waiting for Zhu Xu to answer, Feng Zhengming continued, "Actually, you all misunderstood me. I have always listened to Master and I have always done everything Master taught me very seriously.

The reason I was able to run this dry rice shop was because the recipe for the braised pork was given to me by my master.

I have always used the recipe given by my master, and I have never changed any of the seasonings."

After hearing what Feng Zhengming said on the phone, Zhu Xu was speechless.

Zhu Xu thought about it carefully and had to admit that Feng Zhengming was telling the truth.

Looking at the sudden emergence of Feng Zhengming, he has caused a stir in the culinary industry in Quanzhou.

He really has never abandoned the tradition of Shandong cuisine.

Zhu Xu still remembers the evaluation his master once gave to Feng Zhengming.

Including the sentence that Feng Zhengming has preserved the roots of Shandong cuisine.

In contrast, after Master Wang left, Jubin Garden underwent a comprehensive Western-style transformation.

Including in the kitchen, Cheng Guosheng's cooking and plating are closer to Western cuisine.

It can only be said that Cheng Guosheng is the one who really has forgotten his roots.

Feng Zhengming brought the topic back to Zhu Xu himself.

"You came to me to leave Jubin Garden, so the choice I give you is to work in my dry food shop for a year first."

Zhu Xu smiled bitterly after hearing this: "It's exactly the same as what Gu Zhicheng said."

Feng Zhengming was a little surprised when he heard this: "Oh? You actually went to see Lao Gu?"

Zhu Xu nodded and was very frank with Feng Zhengming.

"Before I came to you, I went to see Gu Zhicheng, and he told me that if I wanted to work in the kitchen of Huiquanlou, you would definitely arrange for me to work in the kitchen of the restaurant for a year first."

Since Zhu Xu already understood, Feng Zhengming didn't bother to explain anything.

"How is it? Why are you still willing to follow me now?"

When asked this, Zhu Xu did not hesitate too much and nodded.

"Okay, I'm willing to work in the kitchen of the restaurant for a year."

As soon as he finished speaking, another voice sounded beside the table.

"You said you'd work for a year, so you'll just work for a year? Do you think anyone can just walk into the kitchen of the Feng Family Restaurant?"

Hearing this, Feng Zhengming knew it was his third senior brother Yang Bin without even looking up.

Zhu Xu looked up in surprise, but when he saw Yang Bin, he quickly stood up respectfully.

"Hello, Uncle Yang."

Yang Bin pressed Zhu Xu's shoulder and sat down with him.

"I don't want to talk about your master either. He has his own choices. Let's talk about you. You left Jubin Garden. It seems that with your level, you should have a lot of choices, right?"

Zhu Xu nodded. He did have many places to choose from.

With Zhu Xu's ability, he can basically get into any restaurant or hotel of any size in Quancheng.

If Zhu Xu didn't want to be embarrassed when meeting his master in the future, he chose to leave Quancheng. It should be easy to find a suitable restaurant or hotel in other places.

Yang Bin continued, "You came to us because you know that if you go to other restaurants or hotels in Quancheng and your master gets angry, they might kick you out.

Only we, or rather only your Uncle Feng, can withstand the pressure from your master and keep you in our kitchen."

These words also revealed some of Zhu Xu's little thoughts.

Perhaps some of the things that Jubin Garden is doing now are looked down upon by many people in Quancheng.

But Cheng Guosheng is a master chef after all, and he still has a certain status in the culinary world of Quancheng.

In the past, Zhu Xu's departure would have been considered an act of betraying his master.

Although maybe no one cares about this now.

But Cheng Guosheng couldn't possibly not care.

He originally stopped Zhu Xu and Feng Zhengming from running Huiquanlou together.

Now if Zhu Xu leaves Jubin Garden, he still chooses to join Feng Zhengming.

Maybe to Cheng Guosheng, this was equivalent to Feng Zhengming provoking him.

Yang Bin said these words very bluntly: "Your master has always had a bad relationship with your uncle Feng. If you come to our side this time, your master may really break up with you completely."

Zhu Xu was silent for a while, and then he said seriously and sincerely: "I will make it clear to Master that I cannot accept the current management method of Jubin Garden. I am leaving Jubin Garden on my own."

Yang Bin nodded: "Okay, if that's the case, then if you want to work in the kitchen of the dry rice shop, you have to go through public recruitment and trial."

This time, Zhu Xu did not hesitate much and answered very confidently: "I do."

Seeing Zhu Xu agreed so straightforwardly, Yang Bin clapped his hands and said, "Then the matter is simple. Go back and explain to your master first, resign from Jubin Garden, and then come here to apply for the job."

Zhu Xu stood up and respectfully filled Yang Bin and Feng Zhengming's glasses with beer.

He raised his glass and said, "Thank you, Uncle Yang and Uncle Feng, for giving me a chance. I offer a toast to you two."

Feng Zhengming looked at his third senior brother, exchanged glances, and the brothers raised their glasses together.

After drinking the glass of wine with Zhu Xu, I ate something.

After saying goodbye to Feng Zhengming and Yang Bin, Zhu Xu left alone in the night.

After Zhu Xu left, Yang Bin looked at Feng Zhengming and said, "You are really courageous. The matter between you and Cheng Guosheng has not yet been decided. Although Master and the others are on your side, Cheng Guosheng is obviously not convinced.

Now his apprentice comes to you and says he wants to leave Jubin Garden to work with you, and you dare to accept him directly?"

Feng Zhengming understood what his third senior brother meant. He was worried that Zhu Xu was sent here intentionally by Cheng Guosheng.

"Actually, there's nothing to be afraid of. Zhu Xu does have the skills, but he just didn't get the opportunity.

What's more, the current situation in Jubin Garden will no longer give Zhu Xu the opportunity to display his abilities.

Rather than letting him sink into an environment like Jubin Garden, why don’t we help him out so that the skills he has learned for so many years can be put to good use.”

Yang Bin looked at Feng Zhengming: "Have you ever thought that Zhu Xu might be an insider sent by Cheng Guosheng?

Even if you are not an insider, Cheng Guosheng will be even more hostile to you if he knows that you accepted Zhu Xu."

Feng Zhengming disagreed and said, "I didn't ask Zhu Xu to be my disciple. He is still Cheng Guosheng's apprentice. If Zhu Xu can really show his skills and achieve greater success in the future, wouldn't Cheng Guosheng be proud of it?"

Yang Bin didn't know whether to laugh or cry: "If everyone can think like this, then the world would be really peaceful."

Feng Zhengming continued, "So let him stay at the restaurant for the time being. I'm afraid Cheng Guosheng won't be able to say anything."

Yang Bin also agreed with this point.

"Given Cheng Guosheng's character, if he knew that Zhu Xu resigned from Jubinyuan and was arranged by you to work in Ganfanpu, he would probably laugh at Zhu Xu for asking for trouble." In fact, Feng Zhengming and Yang Bin knew Cheng Guosheng's character quite well.

He was a completely timid guy.

Ever since Feng Zhengming went to Jubin Garden to compete in cooking, he had already known that he was no match for Feng Zhengming.

But he was unwilling to admit it and always showed a contemptuous and strong attitude towards Feng Zhengming.

So Yang Bin also knew that even if Zhu Xu went directly into the kitchen of Huiquanlou.

Most likely, apart from cursing Feng Zhengming behind his back, Cheng Guosheng probably doesn't dare to confront Feng Zhengming head-on in public.

Especially now, Feng Zhengming is running Huiquanlou very successfully.

Not only is its fame rising steadily in the City of Springs.

More importantly, it has won unanimous recognition from both the province and the city.

In addition, there is the signboard of the Overseas Chinese Shandong Cuisine Tasting and Exchange Base.

Cheng Guosheng is no longer qualified to be an opponent.

Based on Feng Zhengming and Yang Bin's understanding of him, he would only vent his anger downwards.

Then he learned that Zhu Xu had left Jubin Garden and joined Feng Zhengming.

As a result, Feng Zhengming arranged him to work in the kitchen of the dry rice shop.

I'm afraid Cheng Guosheng will definitely regard Zhu Xu as a joke.

Yang Bin sighed helplessly: "It's bad luck for Zhu Xu to follow such a master."

Feng Zhengming suddenly said, "I heard that when Zhu Xu was an apprentice in the kitchen of Jubinyuan, he was led by Uncle Wang most of the time. Later, when Uncle Wang retired, he became Cheng Guosheng's apprentice."

Yang Bin suddenly realized: "So that's how it is? I was wondering, Cheng Guosheng doesn't look like someone who can teach a disciple like Zhu Xu."

Feng Zhengming smiled and said, "Never mind him. Zhu Xu resigned from Jubin Garden and came to Ganfanpu to apply for a job. I'll have to trouble you, Third Brother, to handle it. I don't want to worry about these things."

"Don't worry, I will definitely evaluate him fairly and impartially, and I will test him well during the probation period."

Then Yang Bin asked Feng Zhengming: "The provincial selection for the National Cooking Skills Competition is about to begin. Are you confident?"

Feng Zhengming answered more confidently: "Don't worry, I'm ready."

Yang Bin thought for a moment and said, "You've seen it with Master before. You should know that the cooking skills competition has very high requirements for knife skills, fire skills, and spoon skills. Don't be careless."

This time, Feng Zhengming nodded seriously.

National Cooking Skills Exchange Competition, this is a national cooking skills competition.

A skills competition is not as simple as seeing whether a chef can cook a dish.

As in previous years, the competition will include very professional comprehensive assessments of the chef's knife skills, fire skills, spoon skills, and even how the chef slaughters and cleans ingredients, as well as some common sense knowledge.

In a competition involving knife skills alone, it is not as simple as cutting and slicing.

For example, in general competitions, the chef may only be required to cut the food into uniform and even sizes.

However, at the National Cooking Skills Exchange Competition, there will be requirements for the size of the cubes.

And during the live competition, there will be professional judges to measure the size of the cut cubes.

The size of the dice required must be the same as the size of the dice that you must cut in the competition.

The error must be controlled within a certain range.

At the same time, it is also necessary to ensure that all the cut pieces are roughly the same size.

It can be said that the National Cooking Skills Exchange Competition is an extremely rigorous and comprehensive competition that tests every chef’s basic skills and cooking skills.

Many master chefs who have been in the industry for many years may perform poorly in the competition and may even lose.

More importantly, there will be some corresponding theoretical assessments on site.

This aspect may be a big challenge for some master chefs who have been in the industry for many years.

There is nothing wrong with the craftsmanship of some master chefs.

But when it comes to this kind of theoretical competition, the masters really will not be able to pass it at all.

Therefore, the National Cooking Skills Exchange Competition has extremely high value.

The chefs who stood out in the previous two sessions have already become true masters in the culinary industry across the country.

The chefs who won awards in the first session are now basically old masters and are truly leading figures in the culinary industry in various places.

The chefs who won awards in the second session are now probably all master chefs in various places, and many of them are the backbone of the culinary industry in various places.

This year is the third session.

The new generation of chefs from all over the world are naturally eager to try it.

In Yang Bin's opinion, Feng Zhengming is very likely the youngest chef participating in the national competition.

So Yang Bin is really looking forward to his junior brother.

If Feng Zhengming can shine in this third competition.

With the blessing of the award, Feng Zhengming's name will spread beyond the Spring City and Shandong Province, and he will truly become a famous chef in the national culinary industry.

Feng Zhengming saw the expectation in his third senior brother's eyes as he stared at him.

He smiled and said, "Third brother, don't have such high expectations of me. It will put a lot of pressure on me."

These words brought Yang Bin back to his senses, and he couldn't help laughing.

"Hahaha, you also feel stressed?"

Feng Zhengming sighed: "It is definitely stressful, after all, this time is different from before.

The time I went to Jubin Garden for exchange and discussion was just for exchange and discussion. Later, in the provincial young chef cooking exchange competition, my opponents were all young chefs. I was about the same age as them, and since we were all young people, I could be more relaxed.

This time, I will first compete with many master chefs in the province, and then represent the province to compete with nationally renowned chefs.

If I say there is no pressure, then I am really heartless."

Yang Bin patted Feng Zhengming on the shoulder to encourage him.

"Don't be afraid. Take the pressure as motivation. As long as you show your skills, I believe you will shine in the national competition."

Seeing that his third senior brother had full trust in him, Feng Zhengming smiled and shook his head.

"Third brother, this is a national competition. Our country is so big, with so many chefs from all over the world. Who dares to say that he can definitely beat all the chefs in the country?
Just like in the first session, the top scholar was a chef from Liaoning Province.

So across the country, real masters may be very low-key at ordinary times, but they will show their terrifying strength at critical moments. "

Yang Bin fell silent and thought carefully for a while.

Finally, Yang Bin said seriously: "So you must go, you have solid basic skills, your understanding of Shandong cuisine is deeper than ours, and you also have the ability to innovate.

When I talked to my senior brother, we both thought that you were the one who had the ability to create unlimited possibilities."

After hearing what his third senior brother said, Feng Zhengming felt even more stressed.

Then I heard the third brother say: "Don't feel pressured, just show yourself well when you go. Even if you don't win the prize, you are still good enough."

At this moment, Feng Zhengming did not expect that his third brother was quite good at comforting people. (End of this chapter)