From selling box lunches to becoming a famous Chinese chef

Feng Zhengming's sudden words startled everyone in the small noodle restaurant.

Ding Yuan, Gao Yongfu and Hou Dong held back from saying anything.

Several elderly people who came in to eat noodles began to look at Feng Zhengming one by one.

But Lao Zhang waved his hand and said, "No, I can't make money with this skill. Instead of learning this from me, you might as well learn some other skills or find a good job in the city."

Old Zhang's words made Ding Yuan, Gao Yongfu and Hou Dong want to say something.

But he was stopped by Feng Zhengming's gaze.

After hearing what Lao Zhang said, several elderly people at the next table actually agreed with him.

"Old Zhang is right. It is really hard to make money by learning how to roll noodles or learn how to make braised chicken like Old Zhang."

"You can see it if you go to the streets outside. There are so many shops selling roast chicken."

"Besides, their factories are all producing roast chicken in large quantities."

"Nowadays, they all produce the kind that are packaged. It's very difficult to make money if you learn Lao Zhang's craft."

After Feng Zhengming and the other elders finished speaking, he smiled and expressed his thoughts.

"I learned the craft from Grandpa Zhang not to make money, but because I don't want Grandpa Zhang's craft to be lost."

These words stunned Lao Zhang and several other elderly people.

But Lao Zhang still refused: "The craft has been lost, which means it is outdated. In the past, crafts were a means of making a living. If you don't learn it to make a living, why do you still want to learn it?"

Feng Zhengming was a little surprised. He didn't expect that Lao Zhang would think this way.

And judging from Lao Zhang's expression, he seemed to be very indifferent to the fact that his skills had been lost.

Seeing that Lao Zhang seemed unwilling to pass on his skills, Feng Zhengming stopped forcing him.

"If Grandpa Zhang doesn't want to pass it on, I won't force you. My previous words may have been a bit presumptuous, Grandpa Zhang, please don't take it to heart."

Old Zhang and a few other elderly people didn't expect that Feng Zhengming would give up just like that.

And Feng Zhengming remained polite.

An old man asked with a smile: "Mr. Zhang, I think this young man is very good, don't regret it."

The other elderly people also agreed and helped to persuade Lao Zhang.

But Lao Zhang remained very determined.

"You old guys are eating your noodles. I don't have much to teach you about my skills. I'm not the only one who can make Da Liu noodles. Aren't there people making braised chicken all over the street?"

After talking to a few old men, Lao Zhang looked at Feng Zhengming again.

"Young man, it's not that I'm stubborn, and this isn't some secret skill passed down from my family. I'm doing this for your own good. My skills aren't really worth learning nowadays."

After a brief pause, Lao Zhang stared at Feng Zhengming and the other three people.

"You all look quite young. I think you should go to Quancheng and look for our Shandong cuisine champion. He is also young. You can learn the craft from him. That is the real craft. With his craft, you can make money in the future."

It has to be said that although Lao Zhang and Feng Zhengming were just chance acquaintances.

But every word Lao Zhang said really seemed like an elder teaching the younger generation.

He seemed to treat Feng Zhengming and the others as his own juniors.

Then tell them what they should learn?
What should you learn that can become a means of making a living in the future?

Feng Zhengming nodded seriously: "Thank you, Grandpa Zhang, for your advice."

The four of them finished the noodles and the braised chicken together.

When paying and preparing to leave.

When Lao Zhang gave Feng Zhengming the change, he handed him a small notebook.

"This is for you. I can see that you were not joking when you told me you wanted to learn a skill from me. You really wanted to learn it. This notebook shows my skills.

If you become successful in cooking and find that my skills are useful, you can use them.”

Feng Zhengming and the other three were stunned again. They didn't expect that Grandpa Zhang would actually show off his skills.

In fact, for Feng Zhengming, Grandpa Zhang’s craftsmanship may not be a skill that he must learn.

Just like Grandpa Zhang said, there are many people making Dalui noodles and braised chicken outside.

And compared with those commercial ones, Grandpa Zhang’s craftsmanship is indeed difficult to make money.

Feng Zhengming reached out and took the small notebook given by Grandpa Zhang.

Then he bowed to Grandpa Zhang very respectfully.

“Thank you, Grandpa Zhang, for giving me your skills. Although you don’t want to take me in as your apprentice and teach me your skills, in my heart, Feng Zhengming, you are my master.

Don't worry, I won't let your craft be lost. It won't be long before I open a branch in Texas, and then I'll invite Grandpa Zhang to be the chef in my branch.

I will also select suitable apprentices for you and let them learn from you in the store so that your skills can be passed down."

Hearing what Feng Zhengming said, Grandpa Zhang was a little surprised.

At the same time, several elderly people in the small noodle shop suddenly stood up.

An old man looked at Feng Zhengming in surprise and asked, "You, what did you say your name was?"

Feng Zhengming answered the other party seriously: "My name is Feng Zhengming."

Another old man exclaimed: "Feng Zhengming? You, you are the national champion of Shandong cuisine?"

These words surprised the other elderly people, including Grandpa Zhang.

Feng Zhengming once again carefully introduced himself to the elderly people.

"Yes, I'm Feng Zhengming, the all-around champion of the 3rd National Cooking Skills Competition."

This might be the first time that Feng Zhengming introduced himself to others so formally along the way.

Grandpa Zhang was stunned for a while, then he came to his senses and quickly wanted to take the notebook back.

"You, you are the top scholar in the country, so I can't give you my skills. This skill is really not worthy of you, the top scholar."

Feng Zhengming quickly protected the small notebook in his hand.

"Grandpa Zhang, how can you take back something you gave away?"

Feng Zhengming smiled, "Don't worry, I'll keep my word. I'll definitely come to Dezhou again next year. I'll open a dry rice shop in Dezhou and use your Da Liu noodles and braised chicken as the main dishes."

Several old people were stunned.

If someone else said these words, the elderly people might think it was a joke.

But when Feng Zhengming said this in person, who would dare to laugh at him?
Grandpa Zhang came to his senses and quickly postponed the offer: "No, no, with my skills, I can only run a small noodle shop on the street. I can't be the chef for your dry rice shop."

Feng Zhengming encouraged Grandpa Zhang with a smile: "You can do it. We ate your Da Liu noodles today and thought you cooked it very well."

Grandpa Zhang continued to be modest: "But what I make cannot be considered authentic. My skills are just family methods."

"It has to be done the way you would at home," Feng Zhengming explained very seriously.

"My dry rice shop is like giving everyone the feeling of coming home and having a home-cooked meal after a busy day."

Hearing this, Grandpa Zhang and several elderly people were a little surprised.

They had seen interviews with Feng Zhengming in the news before.

So everyone has always thought that Feng Zhengming should be the kind of master chef who is in charge of cooking in a big restaurant.

But I never thought that I would hear Feng Zhengming talking about his dry rice shop today.

It immediately gave the elderly people a sense of familiarity.

But the old people thought about it and it seemed that this was what a dry rice shop should be like in the past. It was not a proper restaurant.

A dry rice shop is a place where peddlers and ordinary people can have a hot meal after a hard day's work.

Isn't that what Feng Zhengming said, to give everyone a home-cooked meal without having to go through any trouble?
Grandpa Zhang and several other elderly people were convinced by Feng Zhengming's few words.

However, Grandpa Zhang's expression clearly showed hesitation.

Feng Zhengming suddenly smiled and asked, "Grandpa Zhang, are you hesitating because you're worried about losing money on my branch? Don't you have any confidence in your craftsmanship?"

Hearing Feng Zhengming say this, Grandpa Zhang felt somewhat dissatisfied.

An old man next to him leaned in and whispered, "Mr. Zhang, you are working for our top scholar. This is such a great thing. Why are you still hesitating?"

Feng Zhengming smiled and said, "If Grandpa Zhang doesn't have confidence, then I can only find someone else."

After a short pause, Feng Zhengming looked bitter again: "But I originally thought that with the help of Grandpa Zhang, my second branch outside Quancheng should be opened in Dezhou. Grandpa Zhang is unwilling to help, so I can only open it to other places first.

I will open a branch in Texas only after I find the right person there."

Sure enough, after these words were spoken, several elderly people became a little anxious.

The old people are well aware of Feng Zhengming's reputation. They have also heard that Feng Zhengming's dry rice shop is doing good business. Not only are the ingredients sufficient, the taste is also very good, and most importantly, the price is reasonable.

So the old people still have some expectations that Feng Zhengming can come to Texas to open a branch so that they can also try the braised pork in his store.

Several elderly people quickly persuaded Grandpa Zhang, hoping that he would agree to Feng Zhengming.

After being persuaded by his old friends, Grandpa Zhang finally nodded in agreement.

"Okay, since the top scholar thinks highly of an old man like me, I will help him start up the Texas branch first, and when a suitable person takes over in the future, I will step down."

Feng Zhengming smiled and nodded: "Okay, let's do as you say, Grandpa Zhang."

After talking to Grandpa Zhang, Feng Zhengming and his friends said goodbye to the elderly people and left the noodle restaurant.

After Feng Zhengming and his friends left, several elderly people praised Lao Zhang one after another.

"Old Zhang, you have met a noble person."

"Yes, Lao Zhang, I never thought that your small noodle shop could attract our top scholar."

"Lao Zhang, if you want to eat noodles next time, you have to go to the Zhuangyuan dry rice shop branch."

"Let me make this clear first. Old Zhang, you can't just raise the price. We are all old friends, and you have to make sure we can afford the food."

"I'm really curious, what would the Zhuangyuan's pork with your Dalui noodles taste like?"

This made several elderly people very excited.

Old Zhang himself was really surprised.

I didn't expect that when I gave away some of the experience I had summarized over the years, I would meet the country's top chef.

He also wanted me to be the head chef in his branch.

This was truly a surprise that came out of nowhere for Mr. Zhang.

Although Mr. Zhang is over sixty years old this year, he is still in good health.

On the surface, he seemed indifferent. He just ran a small noodle shop in the alley and served some old friends from the neighborhood.

In fact, he still has a desire in his heart, a desire to pass on the skills he inherited from his parents.

It’s a pity that Lao Zhang’s own son and daughter look down on this craft.

And with the rapid development of society.

Lao Zhang also saw that a large number of roast chicken shops in Dezhou closed down.

And the remaining roast chicken restaurants have basically become industrialized and scaled up.

As for Daliu noodles, they are gradually becoming less popular among young people in Texas.

It can be said that Lao Zhang was indeed hit by reality before and was somewhat disheartened.

That's why he told Feng Zhengming and others before.

He felt that his skills were no longer enough to make money.

Persuade Feng Zhengming and others to learn a skill that can make money.

But if the craft fell into Feng Zhengming's hands.

In Lao Zhang's opinion, it is completely different.

Feng Zhengming is the national champion in cooking.

He was very famous, and he brought Lao Zhang's skills into the dry rice shop.

Lao Zhang believes that his skills can definitely be passed down.

Thinking of this, Lao Zhang said to his old friends: "I must work hard, I can't let the top scholar suffer any loss, and I can't let him down for the trust he has in me."

Seeing Lao Zhang’s renewed fighting spirit made the elderly people very happy.

"This is our Lao Zhang."

"Yes, that's the kind of drive we need."

“We are a little older, but we are still as motivated as young people.”

"Old Zhang, your craftsmanship can surely be passed down well with the help of the top scholar in selecting apprentices for you."

When Lao Zhang and several elderly people were imagining the future.

Feng Zhengming and the others walked out of the alley.

On the way back to the hotel, Ding Yuan thought for a moment and asked, "Brother Feng, do you think Grandpa Zhang's cooking skills are authentic?"

When Feng Zhengming heard this, he looked at Ding Yuan in surprise.

"Why do you think that I think Grandpa Zhang's craftsmanship is the most authentic?"

Ding Yuan expressed some of his thoughts.

"If it wasn't because Grandpa Zhang's cooking skills were the most authentic, why did you insist on letting Grandpa Zhang join the Dezhou Dry Rice Shop branch? And why did you let him be the chef in the back kitchen of the dry rice shop at such an old age?"

Feng Zhengming asked first: "Do you think that Grandpa Zhang's cooking skills are not enough to make him a chef?"

Ding Yuan quickly said that he didn't think so.

"Grandpa Zhang's cooking skills are really good. The noodles he rolls are really delicious, and the braised chicken tastes especially delicious, so I was wondering, is Grandpa Zhang's cooking skills the most authentic?"

Feng Zhengming smiled and shook his head: "Look at you, you are still obsessed with whether it is the most authentic."

As he spoke, he looked at Gao Yongfu and Hou Dong again.

Then he asked the three people directly: "Do you really think that authenticity is important?"

When asked this question, the three of them didn't know how to answer.

Feng Zhengming then went on to express his views on authenticity.

“As for me, authenticity is not important at all. The only key point of food is whether it tastes good or not. Look at this street. How many shops sell Dezhou Braised Chicken?

Many restaurants claim that they have a history of more than a hundred years and are the most authentic Dezhou Braised Chicken.

But if it is not made according to the old methods, and even the seasoning spices are cut corners, even the chicken used is not the chicken used in the old Dezhou Braised Chicken.

So what’s the point of just having an authentic sign?”

After hearing what Feng Zhengming said, all three of them were speechless.

Feng Zhengming took out the small notebook that Grandpa Zhang had given him: "The techniques and recipes in this book may not be authentic, but this records the craftsmanship that an old man has been adhering to for half his life. We should pass it on." (End of this chapter)