From selling box lunches to becoming a famous Chinese chef

The noodles cooked by Liu Sao are quite simple tomato and egg noodles.

The only difference is that the eggs were poached whole and the tomatoes were stir-fried in the pan.

Although the meal was simple, Feng Zhengming and Zhang Minghai were still very satisfied.

The two brothers slurped up the whole pot of noodles.

When Sixth Sister-in-law saw her fellow apprentices finish all the noodles, a happy smile naturally appeared on her face.

Feng Zhengming smiled and praised Sixth Sister-in-law, "Sixth Sister-in-law's cooking skills are really good. When our dry rice shop opens in the future, Sixth Sister-in-law can also help out in the kitchen."

Sister-in-law Liu quickly waved her hands and said, "I can't do that. I can only cook noodles. I'm definitely not as good as you at cooking."

When Zhang Minghai heard his wife being modest, he smiled and revealed her past.

"Don't listen to your Sixth Sister-in-law's modesty. Your Sixth Sister-in-law is very skilled. I am usually busy in the kitchen of the restaurant and can't take care of the family at all. It is your Sixth Sister-in-law who cooks for the children at home."

Feng Zhengming smiled and nodded: "I was saying that the child is so well-grown, it must be because of Sixth Sister-in-law's good cooking skills."

Listening to her two fellow apprentices praising her together, Sixth Sister-in-law felt a little embarrassed.

"You two brothers, stop flattering me here."

Then the Sixth Sister-in-law accused the Sixth Senior Brother: "You are so ashamed to say that you are a chef, but you never cook at home. You only cook a few dishes during festivals."

Hearing the accusation from the Sixth Sister-in-law, Feng Zhengming saw that the Sixth Brother looked guilty.

Feng Zhengming smiled and tried to smooth things over: "Sixth sister-in-law, when our dry food shop opens, you can let the children eat in the shop at noon and in the evening, so they can eat the dishes cooked by Sixth Brother, right?"

As a result, the Sixth Senior Brother quickly refused: "No, a dry restaurant is a place for business. If the children eat there every day, won't they lose money?"

Feng Zhengming didn't know whether to laugh or cry: "Sixth brother, how much money can two children spend on meals in the shop?"

Without waiting for his sixth brother and his wife to speak, Feng Zhengming took the lead and finalized the deal.

"It's settled. I'll make the decision. From now on, Sixth Brother, Sixth Sister-in-law, you and the child will eat in the shop. The child can eat whatever he wants. Don't be reluctant. The child is growing up, so he needs to eat well."

Under Feng Zhengming's persuasion, the sixth brother and the sixth sister-in-law also agreed with his statement.

After having supper, Sixth Sister-in-law went back to sleep first. Feng Zhengming and Sixth Brother didn’t talk about anything else, and they both lay down and fell asleep.

It was a busy day and the two brothers fell asleep as soon as they lay down on the bed.

I slept till the next morning.

There was still breakfast on the dining table in the living room.

Sixth sister-in-law and the children have already left.

Feng Zhengming suddenly realized that Senior Brother Six was so busy that he had very little time to meet his children every day.

"Sixth brother, you are so busy every day and you have too little time to see your children."

Hearing this, Zhang Minghai, who was having breakfast, was stunned.

Zhang Minghai sighed helplessly, "I can't help it. You know, the restaurant is too busy. I've been doing fine these past two days. Old Hu didn't let me go shopping with him in the morning so that I could accompany you. Otherwise, I would have been leaving early and coming back late."

Feng Zhengming asked: "Sixth brother, will you take time to spend time with the children on the weekends?"

"Where is the time?" Zhang Minghai asked back without hesitation.

This question also stumped Feng Zhengming.

Yeah, where does the time come from?
Feng Zhengming is also a chef himself, so he knows very well how busy Zhang Minghai will be?

Maybe in some units, you can have weekends off and rest.

But for restaurant kitchens, weekends are often the busiest time.

So it’s not that Sixth Brother doesn’t want to spend more time with the children, it’s just that it’s really difficult for him to find enough time to spend with the children.

Feng Zhengming thought about it and found that he had no way to solve the contradictions and problems behind it.

And if Feng Zhengming and Sixth Senior Brother jointly open a new dry rice shop in Yancheng.

Maybe by then, Sixth Brother will be even busier.

Thinking of this, Feng Zhengming was a little hesitant.

Should I ask my sixth senior brother to help me open the new store?

Zhang Minghai looked at his junior fellow apprentice in silence, and he vaguely guessed what he was thinking.

"Zhengming, we work hard because we want to make more money and provide better conditions for our children, right? So we have to work harder and not spend much time with our children. There is nothing we can do about it.

Our parents all went through the same thing. When your sister-in-law and I were young in the countryside, we had to help with a lot of housework after school. Compared to today’s children, at least we don’t have to work in the fields.”

Hearing Sixth Senior Brother say this, Feng Zhengming was stunned at first, and then he understood what Sixth Senior Brother meant.

No matter what era it is, most people need to work hard to make a living.

It is normal for parents to not be able to accompany their children.

Parents also have their own helplessness.

Maybe when your child reaches rebellious age, it will be hard not to be blamed by him/her.

But what can parents do?

This is the reality that most families have to face.

Feng Zhengming came to Yancheng, hoping to open a new dry rice shop in Yancheng.

Let Sixth Brother become your partner.

But now think about it, it seems that it can help increase Sixth Brother's family income.

But it cannot solve the problem that Sixth Brother has no time to accompany his children.

Even if Sixth Senior Brother becomes a partner with me, he will definitely want to run the dry rice shop well.

Then Senior Brother Six will definitely be even busier than he is now.

Feng Zhengming finally realized that he was not a savior after all and it was impossible for him to solve all problems.

"Sixth brother, when the branch opens, don't work too hard. Don't let the business of the branch affect your life and your sister-in-law's. Rest when you need to, and take time to spend with the children on weekends."

Hearing his junior brother say this, Zhang Minghai was stunned for a moment, and then he laughed.

"Okay, I will remember to rest. You don't have to worry too much. Since we are going to open a branch store, and it is your first branch store outside of Quancheng, then we must do a good job. When we make money, we can give the children better conditions and compensate them."

Feng Zhengming knew that what Sixth Senior Brother said might be what all parents were thinking.

If you cannot be with your children all the time, then you can compensate them materially.

Feng Zhengming originally wanted to say something about educating children.

But suddenly I remembered that I am not married yet and don’t have my own children.

How can we teach Brother Six how to educate children with empty words like this?

It seems that there is really no persuasiveness.

He no longer worries about educating his children.

Let everything take its course.

If Sixth Brother can do business well in the future, even if the child cannot achieve academic success, at least he can inherit Sixth Brother's business and will not starve.

Besides, if it really doesn't work out, Feng Zhengming and his fellow apprentices have gained enough status in Shandong cuisine. In the future, their children can also continue to learn cooking, and with the help of their uncles and uncles, they will definitely not have a bad life.

Feng Zhengming thought of a sentence from the future.

"It's better to roll yourself up than roll your children up."

Today, aren’t Sixth Senior Brother and several other senior brothers trying hard to put this sentence into practice?
After breakfast, the two brothers rushed to Donglai Restaurant.

Someone was already waiting for them in the restaurant.

When Hu Feng saw the two people coming, he quickly stepped forward to introduce them to each other.

"Feng Zhuangyuan, this is the leader of our Yancheng City, this is the president of the Yancheng Cooking Association, this is the vice president of the Yancheng Vocational School, and also a highly respected master chef in our Yancheng cooking industry."

When Zhang Minghai saw the president of the cooking association and the vice-president of the vocational school, he greeted them politely.

Feng Zhengming smiled and shook hands with several people who came to see him.

"I'm so sorry. I came to Yancheng and alarmed my superiors. I really shouldn't have done that."

The leaders of Yancheng City responded with a smile: "It's okay, it's not a big deal. It's really an honor for us that Feng Zhuangyuan can come to our Yancheng."

The president of the cooking association also said: "Yes, Feng Zhuangyuan is now the representative chef of Shandong cuisine. If you can come to Yancheng, we should arrange to receive you in advance."

The vice-principal of the vocational school, who is also a local Shandong cuisine chef from Yancheng and the teacher who introduced Zhang Minghai to the school, has the surname Shen.

Master Shen smiled and looked at fellow apprentices Feng Zhengming and Zhang Minghai and sighed.

"When Xiao Zhang was learning cooking in vocational school, he learned all the basics from me. I didn't expect that after he went to Quancheng, he would be able to become a disciple of Master Yan."

Zhang Minghai quickly greeted Master Shen respectfully again.

"Thanks to Mr. Shen's strict requirements on me, otherwise I might not even be able to find a job in Quancheng."

Feng Zhengming then smiled and expressed his admiration to Master Shen respectfully.

"I have always heard from my master and senior brothers that the vocational school in Yancheng is like a Whampoa Military Academy for Shandong cuisine, and many Shandong cuisine chefs have studied in the vocational school.

Master Shen, you have been teaching in vocational schools for many years, which is really admirable. "

Having said that, Feng Zhengming bowed respectfully to Master Shen.

"In front of you, I am still a student. It is wrong for a student to ask you to come to see me. I hope you can forgive me, teacher."

Feng Zhengming performed the etiquette very well, which made Master Shen feel in a good mood.

"Hahaha, you are so polite, Mr. Champion. You are now the champion of the national cooking competition and the representative of Shandong cuisine. I am just a teacher at a vocational school. It is only natural for me to come and pay you a visit."

Seeing Feng Zhengming's great respect for Master Shen, the city leaders and the president of the cooking association in Yancheng felt relieved.

They were feeling lucky that it was the right decision to call Master Shen here today.

Zhang Minghai's performance in Yancheng has long been noticed by the local cooking association.

However, the local cooking association was a little bit hostile to him.

After all, although Zhang Minghai is from Yancheng, he was born in the countryside of Yancheng. After attending Yancheng Vocational School, he went to Quancheng to formally become an apprentice there.

Some people in the Yancheng Cooking Association feel that Zhang Minghai cannot represent the Yancheng culinary industry.

They are even more worried that improving Zhang Minghai's status in the Cooking Association will allow the chefs from Quancheng to surpass the local chefs from Yancheng.

Therefore, in the past few years when Zhang Minghai was in Yancheng, the local cooking association rarely contacted him.

He also rarely participated in any activities or meetings of the Culinary Association.

Now that Feng Zhengming has come to Yancheng, he is looking for Zhang Minghai at Donglai Restaurant in a very high-profile manner.

The Cooking Association had no choice but to come forward to look for their fellow apprentices.

But because they have rarely contacted Zhang Minghai in recent years, the people in the Cooking Association don’t know who to find who has a certain relationship with Zhang Minghai?

Finally, I remembered that Zhang Minghai graduated from a vocational school, so I simply found Master Shen from the vocational school.

Master Shen agreed to come because he also wanted to meet Feng Zhengming, the top scholar.

Maybe to others, Feng Zhengming, the top scorer, would not be that special.

But for any Shandong cuisine chef, his status as the top scholar is very important.

The National Cooking Competition has been held three times.

But Shandong cuisine chefs have never been able to win the title of number one.

Naturally, the status of Shandong cuisine in the country has declined significantly.

In addition, since the 90s, the economy in the south has been developing better and better, and chefs from port cities have begun to move north.

As a result, Cantonese cuisine is becoming more and more popular.

At this time, Feng Zhengming's winning of the top prize is really important to Shandong cuisine.

This is how Shandong cuisine has been successfully vindicated across the country.

This is especially true against the backdrop of the growing fame of Cantonese cuisine and Hong Kong chefs.

It gives every Shandong cuisine chef an incentive.

Therefore, in the eyes of all Shandong cuisine chefs in Qilu, Feng Zhengming is the hero of Shandong cuisine in their hearts.

The president of the Yancheng Cooking Association smiled and took the initiative to speak.

"I heard that Mr. Feng came to Yancheng this time to investigate Yancheng and plan to open the first dry rice shop branch outside of Quancheng in Yancheng?"

Feng Zhengming nodded: "Yes, I have been discussing with my senior brother these two days. I plan to take some time to walk around Yancheng and choose a suitable place."

When the leaders of Yancheng City heard this, they immediately expressed their support: "Then our city will definitely give its full support."

Feng Zhengming quickly reached out to the leader and said, "Thank you so much for your support."

The leader smiled and shook hands with Feng Zhengming again: "The number one scholar came to our Yancheng to open the first branch outside Quancheng. This is a trust in our Yancheng. The city must support it."

Feng Zhengming also expressed his opinion: "We don't need the city to give us any preferential treatment. We will definitely pay the rent as much as it should be. I will find someone to decorate it in the style of Feng's dry restaurant in Quancheng.

I just hope the city can help with publicity, and also hope to get support in the supply of some raw materials.”

Before the city leaders came, they had already thought about it. If Feng Zhengming asked, the city could arrange a place for him and reduce some of his rent.

I didn't expect that Feng Zhengming was willing to rent the house at the original price, and he would make all the arrangements for the decoration himself.

We just ask the city to help with publicity and ensure the supply of raw materials.

The leader naturally agreed with a smile: "No problem, if there is a need in these areas, please let us know, we will definitely support you."

Feng Zhengming then asked Master Shen for help.

"Master Shen, when the dry rice shop opens, the kitchen will definitely need help from my senior brother. By then, we may need some vocational schools to recommend some outstanding young chefs."

Master Shen smiled and nodded: "In this regard, our vocational school will definitely support it."

The president of the Cooking Association suddenly discovered that Feng Zhengming had sought help from both the city and the vocational school.

It seems that their Yancheng Cooking Association is completely unable to get involved.

For a moment, the president of the cooking association felt that his trip was a bit unnecessary. (End of this chapter)