From selling box lunches to becoming a famous Chinese chef

After the province sent people to look for Feng Zhengming, people from the city soon came to find him.

Moreover, the people from the city came with people from the city’s cooking association.

The group went directly to Huiquanlou.

Li Zhifeng, the president of the Municipal Cooking Association, has not returned yet, so the person who came from the Municipal Cooking Association is Zhang Lei’s cousin, Zhang Liqiang.

Feng Zhengming was originally in the kitchen of Huiquanlou, working with everyone to research some new dishes.

I heard that people from the city and the City Cooking Association came to my door.

He could only wipe his hands and let others in the kitchen continue with their research.

He walked out of the kitchen wearing a chef's uniform.

Seeing Feng Zhengming coming out, Zhang Liqiang was the first to step forward with a smile.

"Oh, Zhengming, you are the champion of the national cooking competition, but you still cook every day?"

Feng Zhengming smiled and responded, "Although I am the top scorer in the national competition, I am still a chef. If a chef doesn't cook in the kitchen, then he is not considered a chef, right?"

Zhang Liqiang's face changed slightly after hearing these words, and for a moment he didn't know how to respond.

Fortunately, Zhang Liqiang knew how to adapt to the situation and reacted quickly, taking the initiative to introduce the people who came with him to Feng Zhengming.

"Oh, Zhengming, let me introduce you, this is Director Wang."

Feng Zhengming took the initiative to extend his hand and shake hands with the other party: "Hello, Director Wang."

Director Wang said with a smile: "You're welcome, Chef Feng. We took the liberty of coming to see you this time because we want to discuss a few things with you in advance."

Feng Zhengming simply invited the two to sit down in the private room upstairs and had some snacks served.

After entering the box and sitting down, Director Wang began to explain his purpose in detail.

"It's like this. Based on your outstanding performance in this national cooking competition, the city has decided to recommend you to participate in the selection of the city's model worker."

Hearing this, Feng Zhengming was actually a little excited.

In his previous life, Feng Zhengming's understanding of the title of model worker was just a title.

When I see the award ceremony for model workers on TV, I always feel a little envious.

I never thought that I would have the opportunity to become a model worker.

And he became a model worker in the city.

This really made Feng Zhengming feel a little happy and proud.

Although he was very excited, Feng Zhengming remained humble on the surface.

"Director Wang, am I not qualified enough to be a model worker? There are so many outstanding people in our city, so many excellent chefs who stick to their posts."

After hearing what Feng Zhengming said, Director Wang and Zhang Liqiang both laughed.

Director Wang said: "Xiao Feng, you don't have to be so modest. Everyone knows your ability, not to mention that you successfully won the first place in the national competition this time.

It is this Huiquanlou that has gone from being on the verge of bankruptcy to being run successfully under your management in just over half a year. This is a reflection of your ability.

We have all seen your innovations in some Shandong dishes.

So you are absolutely qualified to be this model worker.”

Zhang Liqiang smiled and said, "Yes, you are absolutely qualified. The city even wants to recommend you to participate in the provincial model worker selection."

Feng Zhengming can only say: "I still have a gap, and I really need to work harder."

Director Wang said: "Your becoming a model worker is also a kind of urging for you, urging you not to slack off, and you still need to work harder and improve your cooking skills so that we can pass on and promote our Shandong cuisine."

It must be said that Director Wang's speech was quite eloquent, and it really made Feng Zhengming's blood boil.

Then Director Wang talked about some other things.

The rest of the things were roughly similar to what Chen Zhiheng said when he came to see Feng Zhengming.

The city also hopes that Feng Zhengming can go to the city to provide some training to the chefs responsible for reception.

Unlike the province, the city even hopes to set up Feng Zhengming's Huiquanlou as a training point for chefs in the city's hospitality departments in the future.

Feng Zhengming thought about it and finally refused.

"Director Wang, I can communicate with some chefs in the city and learn from each other, but I can't say that I can teach those chefs.

As for placing the chef training center for the city's hospitality departments in Huiquanlou, I think it's really not feasible.

Now, in the final analysis, I am the only one in my team at Huiquanlou, and the rest are young chefs from our province.

They may have a lot to learn from many masters in the city.”

What Feng Zhengming said is the current reality of Huiquanlou.

These are also some of the difficult problems that Feng Zhengming will need to face next.

Although he did win first place in the national cooking competition and became a true national champion.

But the kitchen of Huiquanlou is still mainly staffed by young chefs.

It’s not that the young chefs in Huiquanlou’s kitchen are not skilled.

But now, except Feng Zhengming and several of his senior brothers, other young chefs are not able to stand on their own.

For example, after Feng Zhengming came back, the number of daily reservations at Huiquanlou increased significantly.

And there are also queues for several banquets.

Whether it is the banquets that are booked in private rooms every day, or the banquets that come to the door.

Everyone came here for Feng Zhengming's title of top scholar.

Naturally, I had higher expectations for the dishes at Huiquanlou.

Faced with everyone's higher expectations, Feng Zhengming now even prepares the ingredients himself.

We must carefully and meticulously direct everyone in the kitchen to strictly follow the requirements.

In this case, if other chefs are asked to come to Huiquanlou’s kitchen for training.

It obviously adds burden to Feng Zhengming.

Especially the young chefs in the kitchen now, they may not be able to catch up with the master chefs in cooking skills, but they have enough tacit cooperation with Feng Zhengming.

For many things, Feng Zhengming only needs to demonstrate them and hand them over to young chefs who are suitable for doing the job, and the other party will be able to master them quickly.

The key point is that young chefs now have more admiration for Feng Zhengming.

This admiration will be a great inspiration for young chefs.

Let them show a positive and motivated spirit in the kitchen.

The kitchen is filled with an atmosphere of progress, which makes Feng Zhengming very satisfied and comfortable.

In this situation, he didn't want anyone to break it.

Feng Zhengming's direct refusal caught the two visitors by surprise.

The atmosphere in the private room suddenly became a little awkward.

Before coming, the city government and the City Cooking Association discussed it and both felt that Feng Zhengming would agree directly.

After all, the city asked Feng Zhengming to receive training, so they would definitely not let him do the training for nothing.

Moreover, with the endorsement from the city, Huiquanlou's reputation in Quancheng will definitely be better. They did not expect that Feng Zhengming would actually refuse to allow Huiquanlou to be a training site.

The three of them were silent for a while.

Feng Zhengming still spoke and explained the situation frankly.

"Director Wang, Vice President Zhang, the thing is, Huiquanlou's kitchen is indeed full of young chefs. Vice President Zhang knows this. During the time I was participating in the national competition, I asked my senior brother to take my place in cooking."

When Feng Zhengming mentioned his senior brother, Zhang Liqiang immediately introduced Li Huidong in a low voice.

When Director Wang heard Li Huidong's name, he suddenly understood.

"I know Li Huidong. He is Master Yan's senior apprentice. He is now working in the brewery cafeteria. His cooking skills are really amazing. I've eaten in the brewery cafeteria before. Li Huidong's cooking skills are really extraordinary."

At this point, Director Wang also said: "Earlier we talked about transferring your senior brother to the city cafeteria."

Hearing this, Feng Zhengming thought that it would be a good thing if his senior brother was transferred to the city.

But obviously, the eldest brother was not transferred to the city in the end.

Feng Zhengming continued with his topic.

"So the kitchen of Huiquan Restaurant actually has limited capabilities. It's basically just me and a group of young chefs working hard to maintain the restaurant. We have really tried our best as long as we can avoid making mistakes and cook our traditional classic Shandong dishes without being scolded by the chefs and old masters."

Feng Zhengming was quite direct in sharing his difficulties and some of the shortcomings of Huiquanlou's kitchen.

Without hiding anything, he told Director Wang and Zhang Liqiang everything clearly.

After listening to Feng Zhengming's story, Director Wang fell into deep thought.

Zhang Liqiang said nothing, just looked at Feng Zhengming.

In fact, Zhang Liqiang came here today because he had a little selfish motive. He wanted to bring his nephew Zhang Lei to Huiquanlou.

Although Zhang Lei became Li Huidong's apprentice, it was Zhang Liqiang who recommended him.

But now Feng Zhengming is in the limelight and has surpassed his senior brother.

Zhang Liqiang naturally also hopes that his nephew Zhang Lei will have a better opportunity.

I was able to enter Huiquanlou and learn better skills from Feng Zhengming.

In the future, Zhang Liqiang can also use some of his own connections to arrange his nephew to other places, so that his nephew will have better development in the future.

But now Feng Zhengming rejected the city’s request to use Huiquanlou as a training center.

He again listed various difficulties faced by Huiquan Tower and himself.

Zhang Liqiang found himself completely unable to speak about his nephew Zhang Lei.

Director Wang was silent for a long time, and then a smile appeared on his face.

"Xiao Feng, I understand your difficulties. I will go back and discuss with the city to see if we can make other arrangements.

Also, if Huiquanlou really needs help in the kitchen, you can tell the city government, and they will definitely arrange suitable staff for you to help you run Huiquanlou better."

Feng Zhengming showed a grateful expression on his face: "Thank you so much, Director Wang. If Huiquanlou really needs it, I will definitely propose it to the city."

At this point, Feng Zhengming added, "Oh, the province also sent someone to look for me a few days ago, but they didn't ask me to come to Huiquanlou's kitchen to learn, they just asked me to communicate with some chefs."

Feng Zhengming's additional words stunned Director Wang and Zhang Liqiang.

The two looked at each other.

The smile on Director Wang's face seemed more sincere.

"Hahaha, Xiao Feng, you are now the top scholar in the country, so it's no surprise that the province found you. Since the province has made a decision to let you communicate with the chefs and not interfere with the management of your Huiquanlou, the city will listen to the decision of the province."

Feng Zhengming said sincerely: "Thank you for the city's understanding."

Zhang Liqiang was watching and listening from the side. He had completely given up the idea of ​​proposing to Feng Zhengming that his nephew Zhang Lei come to Huiquanlou.

I also chatted with Director Wang and Zhang Liqiang.

Feng Zhengming finally invited the two to have dinner at Huiquanlou.

But they were rejected by both.

Both of them said they would rush back to report some situations.

Feng Zhengming did not try to persuade them to stay any longer and sent them away from Huiquanlou together.

After the two left, Feng Zhengming returned to Huiquanlou and He Yunqing immediately came to meet him.

"How is it? Someone from the city came to see you. Are they planning to name you a city model worker?"

Feng Zhengming was a little surprised: "Uncle He, you actually guessed it?"

He Yunqing smiled and said, "That's not hard to guess. You're the champion of the national cooking competition."

Then Feng Zhengming told He Yunqing a brief account of what the visitor from the city had said.

He Yunqing was silent for a moment, then he said: "It seems that many people are jealous of you as the top scholar, and they all want to borrow your name."

Feng Zhengming immediately smiled and said, "What's so good about borrowing my name?"

He Yunqing shook his head: "You have a big reputation, but you don't even know the value of it."

Feng Zhengming could probably think of some situations.

"It's nothing more than hoping to use my name to set up a training school, or to turn Huiquanlou into a training center. This will also increase the weight of Quancheng in the province and attract some tourists from other places."

He Yunqing whispered: "These are just some of them, there are some you may not have thought of."

After hearing this, Feng Zhengming actually already had some ideas in his mind.

But he still pretended not to understand and asked, "What else?"

He Yunqing smiled and asked: "Think about it, if you, the top scholar, accept a disciple, wouldn't the status of being your disciple be completely different?
Also, some chefs come to Huiquanlou to work for a period of time, and then open their own restaurant, saying that they learned from you, the top scholar. Will their restaurant do good business?

In addition, there are two people who came today. Would any of their children or nephews want to learn cooking?

Do they want to arrange for their nephews and nephews who are learning cooking to work in Huiquanlou?

Following you, the national champion, will it also increase the room for advancement for their children and nephews?"

After telling He Yunqing this, Feng Zhengming was a little surprised.

Some of them were thought of by Feng Zhengming.

There were some that he hadn't expected.

At this moment, Feng Zhengming suddenly felt that winning the top spot would really bring a lot of trouble.

Especially in the future, I may have to deal with all kinds of people.

The province, city and cooking association are relatively easy to deal with. After all, Feng Zhengming is still needed as a role model to promote Shandong cuisine.

But for some people who only care about business, it might not be easy to deal with them if they come to you.

There are also some friends and relatives who want to use their connections to help.

Feng Zhengming thought about this and couldn't help but sigh to He Yunqing and said, "Now I feel like as a top scholar, there are really too many things that I can't control."

He Yunqing smiled and said, "Don't worry too much. After all, you are the champion of the national cooking competition. Everyone will have some concerns. You just need to stick to your own opinion. They can't do anything to you."

At this time, Feng Zhengming suddenly thought of Chang Zongfu, who had helped him invest in Huiquanlou.

I'm afraid he will come to Huiquan Tower soon. (End of this chapter)