From selling box lunches to becoming a famous Chinese chef

After listening to the various cooking details of Feng Zhengming's fried snails in vinegar and pepper fish soup.

The chefs of the Capital Hotel did not hide anything and introduced some of the Capital Hotel's famous dishes.

Among them, Zheng Chengsheng introduced the Jade Shrimp Balls of Beijing Hotel.

“Maybe many people make jade shrimp balls, but the most difficult part is how the green color on the outside of the shrimp balls comes from?”

Zheng Chengsheng was not at all secretive and shared the details of the Jade Shrimp Balls at the Capital Hotel.

“The green color is actually spinach juice. However, it is not spinach juice. Instead, the spinach is chopped into puree, diluted with water and boiled in a pot.

After boiling, a layer of dark green foam will float on the surface of the water. Skim it out.

Then use it to dye the shrimp balls, and the resulting emerald shrimp balls will be beautiful green in color.

It looks like shrimp balls carved from jade beads.”

Just saying this, naturally no one is very satisfied.

So next, Gao Fengyi asked the restaurant to provide good ingredients and let Feng Zhengming and Master Zheng cook them respectively.

Feng Zhengming chose a sea bass.

In order to show his sincerity, Zheng Chengsheng also uses freshly peeled shrimps.

Then, in the kitchen of the Island City Seafood Restaurant, a scene appeared that might have been unexpected to many people.

He is considered a master chef in every restaurant in Beijing.

Together with Feng Zhengming and Gao Fengyi, I did some counter work in the kitchen.

You know, most of these things are usually done by apprentices and young chefs in the kitchen.

But today, everyone was obviously interested.

Perhaps it’s because Feng Zhengming, the all-around champion of the national cooking competition, is here.

Therefore, the chefs of Beijing Hotel also want to show off their basic skills.

Everyone worked together, and there was a little bit of "competitiveness" between them.

While Feng Zhengming was taking action, he was also quietly observing Zheng Chengsheng over there.

He found that Master Zheng, now in his forties and in his prime, was very skillful in his work at the counter.

In his previous life, Feng Zhengming watched Master Zheng’s videos and learned cooking from Yun.

I was deeply impressed by Master Zheng's standard workmanship.

However, when shooting the video, Master Zheng was already old and also had illnesses, so many small details could not be done very well.

But even so, in the video, Master Zheng still looks quite skillful.

Whether it is cutting or cooking, Chef Zheng is definitely an expert.

Now, Master Zheng is in his prime, and his basic skills are obviously very powerful.

For the first time, Feng Zhengming felt pressure on basic skills.

At this age, Master Zheng is indeed at his peak.

Whether it is the basic skills in cooking or the accuracy of seasoning.

For the first time, Feng Zhengming witnessed the skills of a truly top chef.

Chef Zheng can complete a dish by himself without any help from others.

This is truly the ability that a top chef should possess.

Quickly peel the fresh prawns.

Take out the shrimps, cut open the back with a knife on the chopping board, and remove the shrimp thread.

The whole set of movements is done smoothly and in one go.

The spinach leaves over there are also cooked.

Put the shrimps into the bottom first, then apply a thin layer of batter, and then mix the green foam from the prepared spinach juice into it, evenly coating the surface of each shrimp ball.

This way you get green shrimp balls.

The following cooking method seems simple.

In fact, it requires a good grasp of the heat, precision in seasoning, and especially the technique of thickening.

There are quite a lot of details hidden in each step.

If there is a step that is not done well.

It may be impossible to present the dish of Jade Prawn Balls perfectly.

Feng Zhengming watched from the side and could hardly find any fault with Master Zheng's skillful techniques.

After seeing Master Zheng’s emerald shrimp balls, Feng Zhengming quickly started cooking his own.

Remove the two slices of fish meat and slice off almost all the parts with fish bones.

The remaining fish meat was sliced ​​into quite thin fillets by Feng Zhengming.

Then add the bottom opening and sizing.

Coat the fish fillet with a thin layer of batter.

Then cook all the fish bones into milky white fish soup.

After filtering out the soup, take out the conch meat at the end.

Clean the snail meat, slice it into very thin slices, and freeze it with ice cubes.

Everything is ready, Feng Zhengming then starts the formal operation.

The first thing to do is to blanch the fish fillets.

The conch slices are almost always fished out after being boiled in water.

Because if you scald it for a little too long, the conch slices will become very old.

Next, it’s time to give the dashi a final seasoning.

The vinegar to pepper ratio is key to this dish.

You need to keep tasting to determine the final taste.

Especially pepper powder, it cannot be put directly into the soup, it must be dissolved separately first and then added to the soup.

After adjusting the taste, place the fish fillets in the soup bowl, and then place the fish fillets on top one by one.

Finally, after the fish soup has boiled, pour it directly on the conch and fish fillets.

Garnish with some coriander and the dish of fried snails in vinegar, pepper and fish soup is ready.

Master Zheng's emerald shrimp balls are finished first.

So if you have time, come and take a look at Feng Zhengming’s cooking details.

Seeing Feng Zhengming cooking the dish calmly while everyone was watching.

It also made Zheng Chengsheng appreciate Feng Zhengming even more.

When the dish was ready, the chefs present applauded Feng Zhengming.

Zheng Chengsheng clapped his hands and praised with a smile: "You are worthy of being our national champion. Your skills are really good and you can grasp all the details very well."

Feng Zhengming responded with a smile; "Thank you Master Zheng for the compliment. I still need to learn more from you all."

Hearing Feng Zhengming still being modest, the other chefs said there was no need to be so modest.

"Mr. Feng is too modest. How can we teach you anything with your skills?"

"Yes, Mr. Feng has solid basic skills, and his grasp of seasoning, especially the control of the heat, all of which make us admire him very much."

“This dish may seem like just a hot soup at the end, but there are so many details involved.”

"Yes, base and batter the fillets."

“Also, the thickness of the conch slices has a great influence on the dish.”

"The key is to blanch the conch slices before boiling them in the soup, which requires a very high level of control over the heat."

"Yes, if it's a little too late, the crispness of the conch slices will really not be preserved."

Zheng Chengsheng reminded with a smile: "You can slice the conch slices a little thicker, so that it will be easier for you to control the heat when blanching."

Feng Zhengming nodded and said, "Yes, I was probably a little nervous today, so I didn't pay attention when slicing the conch, and the conch slices were indeed a little too thin."

The chefs present all laughed. Everyone knew that Feng Zhengming had made the conch slices thinner and more colorful, which further demonstrated his strength.

Next, everyone tasted the emerald shrimp balls and the fried snail slices in vinegar and pepper fish soup.

The chefs from the Capital Hotel included several leaders from the island city who were present, as well as the chefs from the port city in the kitchen of the big restaurant.

Everyone was instantly amazed when they tasted the vinegar and pepper flavor that Feng Zhengming personally seasoned.

Feng Zhengming is quite confident in his tone.

This is the flavor he has been researching for a long time, and it has been praised by his own master, many old masters, and even many top domestic chefs.

The vinegar and pepper flavor will definitely make anyone speechless after taking a sip.

Wait until everyone finishes their small bowl of vinegar and pepper fish soup.

The chef from Hongcheng of Daocheng Seafood Restaurant was the first to speak.

“It’s really delicious. I didn’t expect fish soup to be so delicious.”

As soon as the chef from Gangcheng started speaking, the other chefs began to praise him.

For a moment, everyone in the kitchen was full of praise.

Zheng Chengsheng tasted the fish soup in the bowl carefully again.

"This vinegar and pepper flavor is really hard to adjust. You must have spent quite a long time trying, right?"

Feng Zhengming nodded and said, "That's right, Master Zheng. In the past, vinegar and pepper fish was not cooked this way, and the taste is different from mine. I spent a lot of time researching the flavor myself to come up with this flavor."

Chef Wang of Tan’s Cuisine said: “This taste is indeed very special. I am not sure I can make it taste this way just by drinking it like this.”

At this point, Master Wang praised earnestly: "But this taste is really delicious, and it makes people feel comfortable drinking it."

Zheng Chengsheng smiled and asked, "Old Wang, did you suddenly realize that you have met a rival in making soups for your Tan family dishes?"

This made Master Wang laugh too.

"Hahaha, I have met my match. Now I am truly convinced that our national champion is truly worthy of the title."

The Tan family is really good at making soup.

The earliest Tan family dishes were cooked by a private chef from Jiangnan in the Tan Mansion.

At that time, the master of the Tan Mansion was not fond of prostitution or gambling, but he loved food.

Even when that master took a concubine, he would give priority to those with good craftsmanship.

Later, the Tan family gradually declined along with the dynasty.

The master of the Tan Mansion felt at the time that the private chef in the mansion would leave sooner or later.

Because he was worried that the chef would not be able to eat the delicious dishes without him.

So he simply arranged for his concubine to help the private chef.

In the past, private chefs in the homes of high-ranking officials and nobles would often not easily pass on their skills in order to keep their jobs.

But the private chef of the Tan family did not expect that the master would arrange for his concubine to help him.

Out of respect, the private chef passed on some of his skills to the concubine in the Tan mansion.

Later, the master of the Tan family learned that his sister had also learned to cook.

She even won the title of "Female Yi Ya" in a cooking competition organized by dignitaries.

So the master of the Tan family arranged for his concubine to learn cooking from her sister.

Since the Tan family originated in Lingnan, the foundation of Tan’s cuisine is more like today’s Cantonese cuisine. Spices such as peppercorns and aniseed are rarely used in cooking, and even onions and ginger are not used much.

The main goal is to preserve the original flavor of the ingredients.

The taste is half salty and half sweet.

Also, most of the court officials who were invited to the banquet at the Tan Mansion at that time were elderly.

Therefore, Tan’s cuisine is usually based on soft and rotten dishes and soups.

Therefore, it can be said that Tan cuisine has its own unique method of making soup.

So when it comes to making soup, the chefs of Tan’s cuisine will definitely not give in easily.

Today I tasted Feng Zhengming’s vinegar and pepper fish soup.

This unique spicy and sour taste.

It really convinced Chef Wang of Tan’s cuisine.

Feng Zhengming took the opportunity to taste the emerald shrimp balls made by Master Zheng.

I have to say that the taste made Feng Zhengming quite satisfied.

It’s a simple, salty and fresh taste, which is also the most common flavor in Shandong cuisine.

But the emerald shrimp balls are still crispy, tender and chewy, and the taste is quite light.

Even if there is no clear soup prepared in advance.

Master Zheng still commented on the precise taste, making this jade shrimp ball still delicious.

After tasting the dish, Feng Zhengming expressed his respect to Master Zheng respectfully.

"Master Zheng, your Emerald Shrimp Balls are really delicious. Although it may seem like a simple dish, it is not easy to master the heat, seasoning, and the final sauce."

Zheng Chengsheng smiled and responded to Feng Zhengming's praise: "Feng Zhuangyuan, you are exaggerating. Compared with your fried snail slices in vinegar and pepper fish soup, my jade shrimp balls can only be regarded as a simple side dish."

Faced with Master Zheng's modesty, Feng Zhengming did not quite agree with his statement.

“Master Zheng, I think even if it’s just a side dish, as long as it’s cooked and customers like it, it’s a good dish.

No matter how many techniques we use to make a dish, or how fancy the plating is, in the end, food still has to return to its deliciousness, so Master Zheng, your dish is the ultimate in simplicity. "

Zheng Chengsheng was a little stunned by what Feng Zhengming said.

He already felt that Feng Zhengming seemed to have special respect for him.

This respect comes from the heart, a natural respect.

Zheng Chengsheng couldn't help feeling a little strange. When he thought about it, it seemed that he and Feng Zhengming had never met before.

Why does Feng Zhengming respect himself so much?

Before Zheng Chengsheng came here, he heard other chefs in Beijing who had come into contact with Feng Zhengming talk about him.

The general impression of Feng Zhengming is that he is a rather polite but excellent young man with great cooking skills and who is undoubtedly the best when it comes to cooking.

From the time they met yesterday to today, Zheng Chengsheng has already felt it.

He also likes Feng Zhengming very much.

He felt that being with Feng Zhengming made him look much younger.

But Zheng Chengsheng still feels a little strange?
Why would Feng Zhengming respect himself more?
Of course, Zheng Chengsheng didn’t have more time to think about it, because what followed was a communication between some other chefs.

The first to come was naturally the Cantonese chef from the Beijing Hotel, who would learn from the Hong Kong chef from the Seafood Restaurant.

The chef from Gangcheng Seafood Restaurant had tasted Feng Zhengming and Zheng Chengsheng's dishes before, and he felt a little bit of pressure.

But now that he is competing with the Cantonese chef, he suddenly feels more confident.

In the opinion of the chef from Hong Kong City, he might not be as good as Feng Zhengming and others in cooking other dishes, but when it comes to cooking Cantonese cuisine, he has not met many rivals since he came from Hong Kong City.

Both sides made some preparations.

Because there was no advance preparation, neither side could cook any big dishes.

So I just made some simpler stir-fried dishes from Cantonese cuisine.

While the two chefs were preparing.

Zheng Chengsheng came to Feng Zhengming's side.

"Zhuangyuan, have we met before?"

Feng Zhengming was still quite respectful towards Master Zheng.

"Master Zheng, you don't have to call me the top scholar. You can call me Xiao Feng, or just call me by my name."

Zheng Chengsheng smiled and said, "Okay, then I'll call you Zhengming."

Feng Zhengming nodded and smiled in response: "This should be the first time that Master Zheng and I have met. I have never been to Beijing. Perhaps if I have the chance in the future, I would like to go to Beijing and communicate with the chefs there." (End of this chapter)