From selling box lunches to becoming a famous Chinese chef

After visiting Sun Decai's parents, Feng Zhengming and his companions left Rongcheng and continued to walk westward along the coast.

Passing through some counties, towns and villages under the jurisdiction of Weicheng, we can say that we ate all kinds of seafood along the way.

After several days of hiking, the group entered the island city.

Shortly after entering the island city, Feng Zhengming and his companions met a car that came specifically to pick them up.

When the car door opened, Feng Zhengming saw his third uncle getting out of the car with a smile on his face.

Then I saw Luo Qing getting out of the car.

Feng Zhengming was a little surprised: "Uncle San, how did you know we had entered the island city?"

Feng Jiandong replied with a smile: "Because your third uncle can tell the future, and he predicted that you should enter the island city."

Luo Qing listened and laughed.

Feng Zhengming naturally didn't believe what his third uncle said.

However, since Uncle San drove all the way to pick them up, Feng Zhengming and the others got on Uncle San's van.

After getting in the car, Feng Zhengming asked Luo Qing beside him.

"When did you come here?"

Luo Qing replied: "I have been here for more than a month. I have been helping Uncle San to negotiate with others."

"Negotiate?" Feng Zhengming looked at his third uncle who was driving in front of him.

"Didn't you come to an agreement on the foreign trade deal?"

Feng Jiandong answered while driving: "It's not that we didn't reach an agreement, but we are still struggling over some details. No matter what, we have to ensure the profits of our farmers."

After hearing what his uncle said, Feng Zhengming probably guessed that his uncle was probably trying to help Shouguang negotiate the deal.

Then Luo Qing beside him smiled and praised Feng Zhengming for finding a good way for his uncle's company.

"The idea you gave Uncle San is great. Uncle San's foreign trade resources happen to be well connected with the vegetables in Shouguang. In addition, with the help of Grandpa Situ, we have contacted some foreign buyers."

Feng Zhengming listened to his uncle and Luo Qing’s introduction to the situation.

It was discovered that he had been in Yancheng and Weicheng for more than a month.

Uncle San and Luo Qing did a lot in the island city.

In particular, Uncle San traveled back and forth between Shouguang and the island city several times.

The efforts have facilitated several overseas trade deals.

It immediately helped open up a huge market in Shouguang.

After listening, Feng Zhengming also gave some suggestions of his own.

"Uncle San, foreign countries will definitely have their own requirements and standards. We can do it according to their standards and requirements, but we cannot compromise on the price.

Although making some price compromises is indeed a good way to open up the market in the beginning.

But if we want to create our own brand, we cannot compete for the market by offering low prices from the beginning.

We want to do better than they ask and use our quality to justify our price.”

After hearing what Feng Zhengming said, the third uncle who was driving looked a little strange.

"Is this okay? Now that we have just started to open up the outside market, we should make small profits but quick turnover, right?"

Feng Zhengming shook his head: "No, small profits but quick turnover can indeed help sell more in the short term. It seems that you have made a lot of money, but in fact, after deducting various costs, you can't make much money.

Moreover, in the long run, the path of small profits but quick turnover is not conducive to building your own brand.

Once you give people the impression of being cheap and low-quality, it will not be easy to reverse it later.

So from the beginning, we must ensure that the quality is good enough and build a brand so that others know that this brand is good.”

In fact, Feng Zhengming dared to give such advice to his uncle.

It was because he heard from his Third Uncle and Luo Qing that this time his Third Uncle and his team were selling vegetables overseas with some guarantees given by Grandpa Situ.

Although Grandpa Situ’s overseas company is not a big company, it is easier to gain overseas recognition because its overall operations are all overseas.

With the endorsement of Grandpa Situ’s company, overseas acceptance of vegetables exported by Uncle San’s Trading Company will also be very high.

At times like this, we cannot follow the old path of small profits but quick turnover that is commonly used in China.

We must rely on the endorsement given by Grandpa Situ’s company.

Build up a certain reputation overseas as soon as possible.

In short, the vegetables exported by Sanshu Company are not very cheap, but there is absolutely no problem with the quality.

This also coincides with the slogan put forward by Shouguang.

That is, I have what others don’t, and I am better than others.

Aren’t there quality requirements for overseas exports?
Then I will not only meet your basic export quality requirements, I will even make my products better than your own country's quality.

Feng Zhengming's ideas were indeed quite advanced, but his uncle and Luo Qing, as well as Ding Yuan, Gao Yongfu and Hou Dong who had traveled with him, had already become accustomed to his strange ideas.

So when people hear what he says, they won't find it surprising.

Uncle San nodded and agreed directly: "Okay, let's do as you said, Zhengming. I will talk to Shouguang and overseas parties later. The price cannot be reduced, but we can improve the quality."

The car drove into the central urban area of ​​the island city. Along the way, Feng Zhengming and his companions saw the more prosperous construction of the island city.

It has to be said that the island city is more prosperous than the spring city in some aspects of construction.

Uncle San drove Feng Zhengming and his friends around the city.

I also took them to the beach.

Finally, we arrived at a hotel by the sea.

"Zhengming, I have booked your rooms. This hotel is very close to the beach, and you can see the beach scenery anytime."

Feng Zhengming looked at the situation inside and outside, and couldn't help but sigh that the hotel his uncle booked for them was somewhat luxurious.

"Uncle San, isn't this too extravagant? This hotel should be very expensive, right?"

Feng Jiandong smiled and waved his hand: "Don't underestimate your uncle's ability. Your uncle can still afford to let you stay in this kind of hotel."

Feng Zhengming quickly explained with a smile: "It's not that Uncle San doesn't have the ability, but I think there is no need to stay in such a good hotel."

Ding Yuan, Gao Yongfu and Hou Dong also agreed.

The three of them also felt that staying in such a high-end hotel was a bit of a luxury.

Feng Jiandong comforted the people: "Don't worry, the price for one night's stay here is not bad, you can stay here with peace of mind. Third Uncle also has property in the island city. After all, you are the champion of the national cooking competition, so we will definitely treat you well."

After hearing what his uncle said, Feng Zhengming had no choice but to smile at the three people he was traveling with.

"Okay, since we are at Third Uncle's place, we will all follow his arrangements."

Ding Yuan, Gao Yongfu and Hou Dong naturally smiled and nodded in agreement.

The group just stepped into the hotel lobby.

Feng Zhengming saw a familiar figure waiting for him.

"Hahaha, our top scholar has finally come to Island City."

When Feng Zhengming saw the other person turn around, he immediately recognized him.

"Senior Brother Gao, I didn't expect to see you here."

The person waiting for Feng Zhengming in the hotel was named Gao Fengyi.

He is a master chef who was born in the island city.

Moreover, the other party is now the director of the technical training center in the island city.

He is the vice president of the Island City Culinary Association.

All chefs in Daocheng need to pass the exam through the other party. Gao Fengyi stepped forward and shook hands with Feng Zhengming warmly.

"Hahaha, number one scholar, you are finally here."

Feng Zhengming was also quite excited: "I feel really bad for asking Senior Brother Gao to come and greet me in person despite his busy schedule. I plan to stay in the island city and visit Senior Brother Gao tomorrow."

Feng Zhengming and Gao Fengyi had a lot of exchanges at the meeting of the Provincial Cooking Association before he came out.

The two of them hit it off immediately when it came to innovative ideas for Shandong cuisine.

Before Feng Zhengming went out on this trip, he contacted several master chefs from all over the country with whom he had a good relationship.

There is also a high peak meaning among them.

Gao Fengyi learned that Feng Zhengming was going to walk all over Shandong and explore the roots of Shandong cuisine. He was very impressed by Feng Zhengming and thought his idea was really great.

So before Feng Zhengming arrived, Gao Fengyi had already contacted Feng Jiandong and asked about the time of Feng Zhengming's arrival.

In fact, Feng Jiandong didn’t know the exact time, but he still went to the intersection to wait every day.

I finally got in touch with Feng Zhengming today.

Gao Fengyi did not come to the hotel today specifically to welcome Feng Zhengming.

"Hahaha, you clearly misunderstood. I didn't come to the hotel specifically to greet you today. I came here to inspect the kitchen."

Hearing that Gao Fengyi was here to inspect the hotel kitchen, Feng Zhengming asked in a low voice: "Is there something wrong with the kitchen?"

When Gao Fengyi heard Feng Zhengming ask this, he nodded to him quietly.

Then Feng Zhengming said something to his uncle, Luo Qing and the three people who were accompanying him, and he followed Gao Fengyi directly to the kitchen.

This scene surprised Ding Yuan, Gao Yongfu and Hou Dong.

Feng Jiandong smiled and asked the three of them to go register and get the room keys first.

"Don't be surprised. The man's status in Daocheng is almost equal to Zhengming's in Quancheng. He is now the superior of the entire Daocheng catering and chefs. There must be something wrong with the hotel kitchen, so he came here specially."

Feng Zhengming and Gao Fengyi walked towards the hotel kitchen together.

When they reached a place where there were not many people around, Gao Fengyi spoke frankly about the problems in the hotel kitchen.

"I also received a complaint yesterday, saying that there was a problem with the dishes served by the hotel kitchen. It seems that a businessman from Hong Kong ordered a dish, but the hotel kitchen did not prepare it correctly, so I came to take a look today."

Feng Zhengming asked, "Brother Gao, is it the cooking method that is wrong, or is it the ingredients that are wrong?"

Gao Fengyi was stunned at first when asked this question, and then looked at Feng Zhengming in surprise.

“Senior Brother Gao, you should know that if they are merchants from Hong Kong City, they may order dishes made with more expensive ingredients, and those ingredients are very likely to go wrong in the kitchen.

There are explanations for the poor performance. Maybe the chef made a mistake, or the chef was away and asked the apprentice to take over temporarily.

But if there is a problem with the raw materials, that would be a big problem.”

Gao Fengyi looked serious, he knew that what Feng Zhengming said was right.

If the dish is cooked badly, it might be a mistake.

But if there is something wrong with the ingredients, it is not the chef’s fault.

Especially in port cities like Daocheng, most of the customers who come here come to eat seafood.

There are too many problems with seafood.

In recent years, the seafood market can be said to be the hardest hit area for selling inferior products as good ones.

The key is that seafood prices are often very high.

If inferior products are sold as good ones, or different varieties are exchanged, there may be a huge difference in price.

If it is discovered that the food is inferior or the seafood selected by the diners has been replaced.

This is not just a hotel kitchen problem.

It is very likely that the reputation of the island city’s catering industry will be collectively affected.

Thinking of this, Gao Fengyi did not dare to delay and hurried to the kitchen with Feng Zhengming.

The two came to the kitchen and immediately saw that the hotel's chef was already waiting there.

The chef had obviously received the message.

When he saw Gao Fengyi, he quickly took the initiative to step forward and greet Gao Fengyi.

When he walked forward, the hotel chef saw Feng Zhengming next to Gao Fengyi.

"Teacher Gao, who is this?"

Before Gao Fengyi could answer, the other party had already recognized Feng Zhengming.

"Isn't this our top chef?"

Gao Fengyi saw that the other party recognized Feng Zhengming and smiled at him: "It seems that you are more famous than me now."

When the hotel chef heard this, he was so grateful and excited that he extended his hand to Feng Zhengming.

"Hello, Chef Zhuangyuan, my name is Fang Manfu, and I'm the head chef of the hotel. I didn't expect you to come to our hotel. I'm really flattered."

Gao Fengyi couldn't help but give a reminder when he heard what the other party said.

"If he comes now, I'm afraid you won't feel flattered, but frightened."

Gao Fengyi's words stunned the hotel chef Fang Manfu.

Then he realized the problem.

The excited smile on his face disappeared instantly.

Feng Zhengming saw the other person's expression change, and smiled to comfort him: "I came in with Senior Brother Gao to take a look, Chef Fang, don't be nervous."

Fang Manfu could only force a smile.

Gao Fengyi asked in a deep voice: "Fang Manfu, tell us the truth, did you change the raw materials for the merchants who came to Gangcheng the day before yesterday?"

Being asked so directly, Fang Manfu looked even more flustered.

After a brief silence, Fang Manfu nodded helplessly.

After nodding, Fang Manfu hurriedly tried to make up for the explanation.

"Teacher Gao, Zhuangyuan, we overlooked this matter. We must have made a mistake at the time. We didn't expect that there were merchants from Hong Kong City among the guests at that table."

Gao Fengyi immediately frowned: "Even if there are no merchants from Hong Kong City, you shouldn't pass off inferior goods as good ones."

Feng Zhengming stood aside without saying a word.

After all, this is the island city's business. Gao Fengyi is the manager of the island city, and he should handle such matters.

Fang Manfu lowered his head after hearing what he said. He was obviously very regretful for having done that yesterday.

Gao Fengyi continued to reprimand him seriously: "You are such a big hotel, are you short of that little money? If something like that gets out of hand, it will not only damage the reputation of your hotel, but also the reputation of the entire island city's catering industry."

Faced with Gao Fengyi's reprimand, Fang Manfu did not dare to make any rebuttal.

After scolding him, Gao Fengyi gave him a serious warning.

"You must conduct an internal audit as soon as possible to completely put an end to the practice of selling inferior products as good ones. In the future, not only must all seafood be selected in front of customers, but your cooking process must also be transparent.

Let the guests know that the seafood they choose is the seafood they eat.”

After saying this, Gao Fengyi also knew that Chef Fang Manfu could not make complete decisions.

He then asked, "Where is your manager?"

Fang Manfu quickly took Gao Fengyi and Feng Zhengming to meet their hotel manager.

Feng Zhengming didn't say a word the whole way, just listened to Gao Fengyi asking Fang Manfu about the hotel situation. (End of this chapter)