From selling box lunches to becoming a famous Chinese chef

Chapter 648: Announcement of Opening a Branch
Hu Feng knew that it was important to keep Zhang Minghai.

On the one hand, Zhang Minghai’s own skills are good enough.

The more important reason is that Zhang Minghai is Feng Zhengming's senior.

Nowadays, Feng Zhengming’s reputation in the province is loud enough.

This time he came to Yancheng, Hu Feng released the news yesterday, and today many people have come to inquire about it.

They all wanted to meet Feng Zhengming, and they wanted to taste the cooking skills of the national cooking competition champion.

After listening to Feng Zhengming's words, Hu Feng smiled and said frankly.

"Zhengming, you are right to remind me. Let me find someone to clarify the shares of the restaurant and give all of Lao Zhang's shares to him."

Zhang Minghai felt a little embarrassed after hearing this.

I felt that my junior brother was helping me to ask Hu Feng for something directly.

"No, Lao Hu, we don't need to do that between us."

Then Zhang Minghai turned his head and looked at his junior brother: "Zhengming, there is really no need to be so clear about the relationship between me and your brother Hu. If it weren't for him, wouldn't I have nowhere to go when I returned to Yancheng?"

Feng Zhengming knew that all of his senior brothers were honest and straightforward people.

This should be what the master intended when he accepted him as his disciple.

The master hopes that his apprentices can learn the skills diligently and pass on the techniques of Shandong cuisine.

So I don’t want my disciples to always act too strong and become troublemakers wherever they go.

It is possible that Yan Xilou was later contracted out to someone else and the business began to decline.

The master should also realize that it is not good for his disciples to be too honest and straightforward.

Because at the critical moment, no apprentice could stand up.

Perhaps it was out of the hope that a disciple would stand up and establish the school.

Finally, the master chose to accept Feng Zhengming as his disciple.

Perhaps when the master accepted Feng Zhengming as his apprentice, he had already seen that Feng Zhengming was a person who could establish himself on his own.

Facts have also proved that Feng Zhengming has indeed become the master's disciple who has truly established his own school.

It can be said that several senior brothers benefited from Feng Zhengming.

Feng Zhengming knew very well that given Sixth Senior Brother's personality, he would not be willing to take the initiative to ask for more benefits.

As long as he can do well in the kitchen with the skills taught by his master and have a stable job, he will be satisfied.

What's more, Hu Feng did help him solve the housing and children's schooling problems.

No matter from which aspect, Zhang Minghai is full of gratitude to Hu Feng, and it is naturally impossible for him to ask Hu Feng for shares or something like that.

But Feng Zhengming was different. He felt that since it was the benefit that Sixth Senior Brother deserved, he must help Sixth Senior Brother get it.

I heard that Sixth Senior Brother offered to give up his share of dividends.

Feng Zhengming smiled frankly, and in front of Hu Feng, he talked to his sixth senior brother about the matter of jointly opening a branch of the dry rice shop in Yancheng.

"Sixth brother, how come you have nowhere to go? Didn't we just discuss that I want to open a branch of the dry rice shop in Yancheng? I think the seafood here in Yancheng is the specialty. In addition to the braised pork, the branch we opened in Yancheng will also add the specialty seafood of Yancheng, and we can also add the stewed meat here.

By the way, especially the Yancheng-specific sea cucumber rice, we can combine it with the braised pork with rice. I believe that the business of our Yancheng dry rice shop will definitely be good."

Hu Feng was instantly shocked when he heard Feng Zhengming's words.

"Are you brothers planning to open a dry restaurant in Yancheng?"

Feng Zhengming responded to Hu Feng with a smile.

"Yes, Brother Hu, you are a local. I heard from Brother Liu that you have been doing business here for many years. What do you think of me opening a dry rice shop chain in Yancheng?

Just use the brand I created in Quancheng, and add the blessing of my title of top scholar.

In addition to the steamed pork with dumplings, the dry rice restaurants in Yancheng specialize in Yancheng's seafood.

What do you think of my idea? "

After hearing what Feng Zhengming said, Hu Feng quickly began to think about it.

The brand of Feng Zhengming's Quancheng dry rice shop alone, coupled with his reputation as the top scholar, are enough to ensure that the business of his branch in Yancheng will definitely be good.

If we follow what Feng Zhengming said, in addition to the steamed pork with pork belly, the main dish in Yancheng is the Yancheng specialty seafood.

Hu Feng really couldn't figure out any reason why a store like this would have bad business.

Hu Feng's expression gradually became a little depressed, as if he could no longer say anything to refute.

Zhang Minghai quickly helped to smooth things over.

"Zhengming, didn't we just talk about your branch? Besides, I'm still the head chef in the kitchen here. If you open a branch, I definitely can't take your side."

Feng Zhengming smiled and replied: "It doesn't matter. When the time comes, the branch will be yours, Brother Liu, and you will be the boss. You can hand over the kitchen to someone else, or let Brother Hu find another chef to replace you."

When Hu Feng heard this, he finally couldn't hold back and spoke quickly.

"Look, you brothers, why didn't you tell me about such a big thing? Zhengming wants to open a store here, I will definitely welcome you. You can call me Brother Hu. Your brother and I are good friends. I will definitely help you when the time comes."

Then Hu Feng told Zhang Minghai that he could run the dry rice shop while continuing to work as the head chef in the kitchen of Donglai Restaurant.

"Lao Zhang, you and your junior brother are opening a shop together. It won't prevent you from being the head chef here. You are also the boss here. You are too busy over there to work in the kitchen here. With your team in the kitchen here, I believe there will be no problem."

After saying this, Hu Feng reminded: "However, if the restaurant has an important reception banquet, you must come back to cook, Lao Zhang."

After hearing what Hu Feng said, Zhang Minghai realized that Hu Feng had been forced into a corner and had to make some compromises.

This made Zhang Minghai feel even more embarrassed.

"Old Hu, don't listen to Zhengming. We have had a pleasant cooperation over the years. I will definitely make Donglai Restaurant a good one. Our reputation must not be damaged."

After speaking to Hu Feng, Zhang Minghai looked at his junior fellow apprentice again, winking at him.

Feng Zhengming thought that Hu Feng should understand what he meant and would give him the shares he promised to give to his sixth senior brother.

So he immediately smiled and changed his tone to ease the atmosphere.

"Brother Hu is very open-minded. With Brother Hu's help, there will be no problem with my branch here. Don't worry, Brother Hu, I will arrange the staff for this store and will not delay my sixth brother's work in the restaurant."

Hu Feng nodded with a smile: "It's okay, don't put too much pressure on Lao Zhang. If he needs to go to your branch, then go."

Feng Zhengming also took the initiative to invite Hu Feng.

"If Brother Hu is willing to help, we are willing to continue to cooperate with Brother Hu. After all, Brother Hu knows the market situation in Yancheng better than us."

Seeing Feng Zhengming extending his hand towards him while speaking, Hu Feng also quickly extended his hand.

"Okay, if the top scholar comes to our Yancheng to open a store, I will definitely help."

After almost finishing the conversation, Hu Feng said that he would go to the front to greet the guests and then left from the kitchen.

After Hu Feng left, Zhang Minghai couldn't help but tell his junior fellow apprentice that he had gone a bit too far.

"I know you're doing this for my own good, but you know the relationship between Hu Feng and me. Hu Feng has taken good care of me during these years in Yancheng, so you shouldn't force him like that."

Feng Zhengming saw that Sixth Senior Brother still wanted to protect Hu Feng.

He also felt somewhat helpless.

It was obvious that Hu Feng gained more from his sixth senior brother.

Sixth Senior Brother also knows this.

However, due to his gratitude to Hu Feng for helping him in the past, Sixth Brother was still unwilling to explain the issue of interests to Hu Feng too clearly.

Feng Zhengming really couldn't change Sixth Senior Brother's honesty and straightforwardness for a while.

Feng Zhengming had no choice but to change the subject. "Hahaha, Sixth Brother, let's cook. I saw so many fresh seafood here, and I'm itching to try cooking. Let me try to cook some seafood."

The topic was changed, and Zhang Minghai had no choice but to go back to the kitchen with Feng Zhengming to prepare cooking.

Donglai Restaurant welcomed a large number of guests.

Many of them came for Feng Zhengming.

So when I arrived, I asked the service staff about Feng Zhengming's news.

"Is that number one chef here with you?"

"Is it true? Are you kidding us?"

"If he is really here, he should come out and meet us all."

"That's right, let the No. 1 chef come out and meet us. We are all his adoring fans."

"If the No. 1 chef was really here, we would have eaten here at your place for lunch and dinner today."

The service staff feel awkward as they have to see Feng Zhengming every time they come.

Fortunately, Hu Feng came out at this time, and the service staff quickly reported the situation to Hu Feng.

Hu Feng saw that all the guests coming to the restaurant wanted to see Feng Zhengming.

This made him wonder if he shouldn't have released the news so quickly.

In this situation, Hu Feng felt like he had shot himself in the foot.

I was just ridiculed by Feng Zheng in the kitchen.

Feng Zhengming also asked him to clarify the equity rights for his senior brother.

Seeing this scene again, Hu Feng felt extremely depressed.

But Hu Feng also knew that as long as Feng Zhengming showed up, the business of Donglai Restaurant would definitely be good in the future. In fact, as long as he and Zhang Minghai worked harder, Donglai Restaurant would definitely be made into the best restaurant in Yancheng.

Thinking of this, Hu Feng could only ask the waiter to appease the customers first, and he turned back to the kitchen again.

This time, Hu Feng was a little humble and directly asked Feng Zhengming to show up.

After listening to Hu Feng's words, Zhang Minghai began to feel somewhat dissatisfied with Hu Feng.

In Zhang Minghai's opinion, the customers outside must see his junior brother.

It was clearly Hu Feng who released the words first.

Otherwise, how would people know that Feng Zhengming was in Donglai Restaurant the next day?
And if Hu Feng hadn't made any promises when he made the announcement.

It is impossible for someone to come to the restaurant and clamor to see Feng Zhengming.

Zhang Minghai now suddenly understood why his junior fellow apprentice wanted to help him gain sufficient benefits.

Some of Hu Feng's actions at this moment revealed his nature of pursuing profits.

Feng Zhengming did not refuse and agreed with a smile: "Okay, it's okay to go out and meet everyone. Since everyone is here for me, it means that my title of No. 1 scholar is still attractive."

Hu Feng laughed dryly and agreed: "Of course it is very attractive."

Feng Zhengming gave a wink to his sixth senior brother and followed Hu Feng out.

Seeing the look in his junior fellow apprentice's eyes, Zhang Minghai knew what he meant.

The junior brother was telling Zhang Minghai.

"Did you see that? Hu Feng is a boss who pursues profits. Sixth brother, don't just think about talking about brotherhood with him."

Feng Zhengming and Hu Feng came to the lobby of the restaurant together.

He appeared in a chef's uniform, looking thinner than on TV, and had become much darker after being exposed to the wind and sun.

But those who came to the scene because of his reputation quickly recognized Feng Zhengming from his features.

"Wow, what a great chef."

"The top chef actually came to our Yancheng."

"I really made a profit by coming to Donglai Restaurant for lunch today."

"Yes, you can eat dishes cooked by the top scholar in the country."

"I heard before that the chef of Donglai Restaurant is the senior brother of the No. 1 chef. Now it seems to be true."

"It must be true, otherwise why would someone come to Yancheng and specifically come to Donglai Restaurant?"

Feng Zhengming saw that everyone was curious about him and was looking forward to him cooking.

He greeted everyone with a smile.

"Hello everyone, so many people came to the restaurant to see me, which really made me a little panic. I didn't expect that I, the national culinary champion, would be remembered by so many people."

When the people at the scene heard Feng Zhengming say this, they all burst into laughter.

"Hahaha, Chef No. 1 is so polite."

"Yes, of course I remember the No. 1 chef."

"Chef Zhuangyuan, you are the champion of Shandong cuisine. We must remember you."

"You have brought honor to our Shandong cuisine. Everyone is very happy."

There were also some children who came with their parents who took the initiative to stand up and tell Feng Zhengming that they wanted to learn cooking from him when they grew up.

Feng Zhengming smiled and responded to the children: "Learning to cook is very hard, you still have to go to school first. If you just want to learn some cooking skills, you don't have to learn cooking specifically.

When you grow up and are sure you really want to be a chef, then you can start learning systematically. "

Then a reporter from Yancheng TV came forward.

A female host walked up to Feng Zhengming holding a microphone.

"Chef Zhuangyuan, are you here in Yancheng to exchange culinary skills?"

Facing the TV interview, Feng Zhengming first glanced at Hu Feng behind him.

I didn’t expect that Hu Feng was really good at seizing opportunities.

Even the TV station contacted them in advance and asked them to come for an interview.

This will undoubtedly increase the popularity of his Donglai Restaurant.

Facing the camera, Feng Zhengming frankly explained the purpose of his visit to Yancheng.

“I came to Yancheng this time because I was passing by. I was traveling on foot across the land of Qi and Lu. I wanted to see the scenery of various places in Qi and Lu, and also to find some inspiration for creating some new dishes for myself.

When I came to Yancheng, I had the opportunity to meet my senior brother here and discuss seafood cooking with him.

Of course, after coming to Yancheng, I was chatting with my senior brother yesterday and suddenly an idea came to my mind.

I want to open a branch of my Quancheng dry rice shop in Yancheng.

Let Yancheng eat the authentic Fengjia dry rice shop's braised pork.

I wonder if friends in Yancheng will welcome you?"

Without any politeness or concealment, Feng Zhengming stated the purpose of his trip quite frankly.

He even announced publicly that he was going to open a branch of the dry rice shop in Yancheng.

After a brief silence, the people of Yancheng who had come to see the top chefs around Feng Zhengming immediately cheered and welcomed him to open a branch of his dry rice shop in Yancheng.

(End of this chapter)