From selling box lunches to becoming a famous Chinese chef

After a large number of apprentices arrived at Huiquanlou to report, the first thing they received was a registration form.

The registration form asks apprentices to fill in their name, the school they graduated from, and whether they have obtained a chef's license.

Also, on the form, they are asked to fill in where they are from?

And are they open to working outside of the Springs?

The apprentice applicants were somewhat surprised when they received such a form.

Because I have never heard of such a step in internships at other restaurants before.

However, in order to be able to enter Huiquanlou and study with the national culinary champion, they still filled out the application form carefully.

In just a few days, Huiquanlou received several groups of apprentice applicants.

Of course, Feng Zhengming also clearly informed all the apprentice applicants.

Even if they pass the assessment, they cannot directly enter the kitchen of Huiquanlou. They still need to intern in the kitchen of a dry rice shop first, and then go through training and assessment.

And only if you successfully stand out in the internal competition a year later can you enter the kitchen of Huiquanlou.

Of course, Feng Zhengming also informed all the apprentice applicants that they had four opportunities a year to study in the kitchen of Huiquanlou.

This can also be considered as some preferential conditions for apprentices.

Feng Zhengming also made it clear that each of the four study sessions would last for half a month.

This makes the conditions more attractive to many apprentices.

In fact, Feng Zhengming's arrangement is also laying the groundwork for future training for the company's branches after they open across the province.

We can try to conduct some pilot projects in Quancheng first, and make some adjustments during the trial.

Gradually make overall training more organized.

Feng Zhengming still hopes that there will be a healthy training and competition mechanism within the company.

This is the only way to ensure that the craftsmanship of each branch remains at the same level.

Word of mouth is difficult to build, and even more difficult to maintain.

Therefore, it relies solely on the self-awareness of the chefs and apprentices in the kitchen, as well as their love for cooking.

Feng Zhengming felt that it was too abstract and that the rules should be formulated in advance.

It will be more reassuring if everything is done according to the established rules.

By doing these, Feng Zhengming is actually also making some preparations for the future, so that Shandong cuisine can better go beyond Shandong and Qilu.

After several days of registration, Feng Zhengming and his team received more than one hundred registration forms.

Feng Zhengming and his three senior brothers conducted a careful review and screening.

It's not about screening people out directly.

The first step is to screen the applicants based on the application form.

Select some apprentices who are willing to be transferred.

The apprentices are then classified according to their regions.

Afterwards, Feng Zhengming and his three senior brothers formally assessed the apprentices who came to apply for the job in Huiquan Building.

The assessment first involves some very basic skills.

In this regard, although most of the applicants for apprenticeships come from various vocational schools, there are always some exceptions who do not meet the basic skills requirements.

Feng Zhengming naturally would not give any chance to apprentices who failed to meet the basic skills requirements.

After all, this is a place for advancement, not a school that teaches from the basics.

After the first round of screening, there are still more than a hundred people left.

Feng Zhengming was not in a hurry. He divided more than a hundred people into five groups and asked them to go to the kitchen for practical assessment.

During the practical assessment in the kitchen, even more apprentices will be screened out.

Under Feng Zhengming's strict rules, half of the applicants were eliminated.

Then, to everyone's surprise, Feng Zhengming simply kept the remaining half of the people.

"There are sixty-six of you left. I have decided to keep all of you."

Hearing this, all the apprentices who were left behind smiled.

But Feng Zhengming then warned them: "Don't be happy too soon. Just because you are retained doesn't mean you can really become apprentices, because after you are retained, there is still a half-month probation period.

During the trial period, you will be divided into three groups and take turns working in three stores including Huiquanlou.

As for who will stay in the end, it depends on your performance in the next half month."

After giving the warning, Feng Zhengming did not forget to add one more sentence.

"By the way, don't worry, I will pay you half a month's apprentice salary."

The news that Feng Zhengming recruited more than 60 apprentices at once quickly spread throughout Quancheng.

This surprised people in the culinary industry.

Both the Culinary Association and several other large restaurants were amazed that he would hire so many apprentices at once.

Although every year major restaurants send a certain number of vocational school graduates to intern in the kitchen.

But most of the time, that kind of internship is just doing odd jobs in the kitchen.

Only a few people can actually stay in the kitchen as apprentices.

Not to mention people like Feng Zhengming who kept more than 60 people at once and even had to pay them apprentice wages.

Other restaurants only pay a handyman’s salary at best.

Some even provide two meals without paying at all.

Even so, no big restaurant would need more than 60 people at one time.

However, Quancheng Chefs soon discovered that Feng Zhengming had planned very well to recruit so many people.

The more than 60 people were divided into three groups and assigned to the kitchens of Huiquanlou and two dry rice shops.

This way, it won’t seem like there are a lot of people.

All three stores will provide them with three meals a day.

As for accommodation? For now, I can only stay in the three stores after closing at night.

After the personnel were assigned, Feng Zhengming no longer asked too many questions.

Just every few days, when the three groups rotated, Feng Zhengming would receive a score from the three stores on the performance of each group of apprentices.

In this way, half a month passed quickly.

Feng Zhengming then obtained comprehensive scores from the three groups of people in the three stores.

Once again, a final screening of personnel was carried out.

In the end, there were a total of twenty-one formal apprentices who remained.

After selecting the final apprentices, Feng Zhengming transferred all the apprentices from the old shop and the brewery to the kitchen of Huiquanlou.

Then the new twenty-one apprentices were divided into two groups.

Thirteen of them were placed in the old shop.

The remaining eight people were assigned to the new store at the brewery.

In the following period of time, Feng Zhengming handed over the Huiquanlou side to the eldest brother and the fifth brother, while the old shop was still led by the third brother, Sun Hai, Zhu Xu, and Xia Mingye, who were all teaching thirteen apprentices.

Feng Zhengming himself started to go to the new store at the brewery every day. He personally trained eight new people together with Yao Zhenhui and Yang Peng.

Even Zhang Lei was transferred by Feng Zhengming to the kitchen of Huiquanlou, and asked him to continue following his senior brother.

This naturally made Zhang Lei very happy, even though he had to run back and forth every day.

But being able to directly enter the kitchen of Huiquanlou is the opportunity that Zhang Lei has always dreamed of.

At first, I learned that Zhang Lei was transferred to Huiquanlou.

Yang Peng's wife He Xiaona even asked him quietly, why didn't he ask for it from his junior master? Or take the initiative to find his master Li Huidong? Yang Peng replied to his wife: "I think it's good to work in the dry rice shop. I can better train myself."

He Xiaona naturally felt a little dissatisfied after hearing this, and felt indignant for her husband.

But before she could speak up for herself, she learned that Feng Zhengming would come to Xindian personally to train apprentices.

This made He Xiaona very happy.

Having the top junior master come to teach in person is better than going to the kitchen of Huiquanlou.

Yang Peng and Yao Zhenhui learned that Feng Zhengming personally came to Xindian every day to train apprentices.

They were both a little surprised.

But after being surprised and thinking about it carefully, it seemed that it was indeed very reasonable for Feng Zhengming to come personally to lead them and the new apprentice to run the new store.

After all, Li Huidong and Cao Zhiguo are in charge of Huiquanlou.

At the old shop, Yang Bin, Sun Hai, Zhu Xu and Xia Mingye were also in charge.

After Zhang Lei and the group of old apprentices were transferred away from Xindian.

Only Yao Zhenhui and Yang Peng were left in the kitchen.

With eight new apprentices coming at once, it was obvious that Yao Zhenhui and Yang Peng could not cope with them at all.

Now that Feng Zhengming is personally leading the team, I'm afraid the new store's business will be much better.

The apprentices assigned to the new store were very happy to learn that Feng Zhengming would come in person to lead the team.

The apprentices that Feng Zhengming arranged to come to the new store were also screened.

These eight new apprentices not only have solid basic skills.

The key point is that on the earliest registration form, they all filled in that they were willing to work in branches outside the city.

So Feng Zhengming came personally with eight apprentices so that they could become proficient in the kitchen as soon as possible.

When he opens branches in other places next year, eight new apprentices can be assigned to stores in various places.

Although you may not be able to become the head chef of a branch restaurant, you can at least cooperate with the head chef to manage the kitchen.

So when Feng Zhengming arrived in Xindian, the lessons he taught to the new apprentices on the first day were very simple.

"The first lesson I'm going to teach you today is that you must clean the kitchen. Always remember that the kitchen must be kept clean and tidy.

Everyone must have a clean towel in hand, and after cutting or cooking, they must wipe the chopping board and stove clean to keep them clean and tidy. "

This first lesson is something that all apprentices never learn in school.

Usually in schools, teachers directly teach students the basic knowledge. When it comes to practical operations, they also teach apprentices how to cut, marinate, starch, cook, and thicken.

It is even possible that some teachers in schools do not pay special attention to the cleanliness of their desks when teaching.

After all, many times, teachers in school may have to repeat several similar lessons in a day.

Many times I am so busy explaining the details of cooking to students that I don’t have time to clean the counter and stove.

Therefore, some apprentices who have just graduated from school often do not pay attention to the hygiene of the working table and stove.

Feng Zhengming directly distributed a clean towel to each person.

Then he started in the kitchen, starting with the cleaning of various ingredients, and led his apprentices step by step.

Even Yao Zhenhui and Yang Peng felt a little embarrassed.

They didn't expect that Feng Zhengming would actually teach them personally starting from cleaning the ingredients.

The key point is that Feng Zhengming actually personally guided his apprentices to learn while working.

This left Yao Zhenhui and Yang Peng completely unable to get involved for a while.

Feng Zhengming really was like a teacher in class, covering every detail, no matter how big or small.

Especially the cleaning of various meats and offal.

Feng Zhengming’s explanation was very detailed.

He even personally took the new apprentices to clean the large intestines.

Two of the apprentices were so sick of it that they ran out and vomited for a long time.

The two apprentices ran out to vomit, which surprised Yao Zhenhui and Yang Peng.

Feng Zhengming and the other two apprentices came back after vomiting.

"Didn't you guys ever learn how to clean this stuff in school?"

The two apprentices came back after vomiting, both looking a little unhappy, and shook their heads.

At this time, an apprentice who should have gone to the same school as them spoke up.

"Teacher, we are in school, and the things that teachers use in class are all processed in advance."

Feng Zhengming couldn't help but laugh and asked, "The teacher who teaches you is really easy. Do you think that in the future, when you are in the kitchen, someone will prepare everything for you in advance?"

This question stumped all the apprentices.

"teacher……"

An apprentice who had just vomited opened his mouth to say something.

Feng Zhengming stopped him directly: "Don't call me teacher. You are in the kitchen, just call me chef."

Then he called Yao Zhenhui and Yang Peng over.

Pointing at Yao Zhenhui, he introduced: "This is the store manager here. You can call him store manager or Master Yao from now on."

Then he pointed at Yang Peng and said, "This is the deputy store manager. You can call him the deputy store manager or Master Yang. Remember that?"

The apprentices immediately called out to the two of them in unison, and took note of it.

Then Feng Zhengming continued to warn his apprentices seriously.

"Remember, if you want to work in the kitchen and become a chef, you have to start from the basics. Today I will guide you through it, and starting tomorrow, these jobs will be yours."

The apprentices looked at each other in bewilderment; no one dared to agree directly.

Feng Zhengming couldn't help but smile and asked, "What's wrong? Are you backing out now? How about you all not come tomorrow? I'll recruit a new batch of apprentices."

These words suddenly woke up all the apprentices.

The two apprentices who ran out to vomit were the first to express their opinions.

"Got it, Chef. We will work hard tomorrow."

"Yes, we will definitely clean it carefully tomorrow according to the chef's instructions."

These two people took the lead in expressing their opinions, and other apprentices also expressed their opinions one after another.

Feng Zhengming did not show much joy and just responded calmly.

"Okay, there's no need to say these nice words in the kitchen. The kitchen is a place where you work with your hands. Physical diligence is more important than the diligence of your mouth. Hurry up and continue working."

It can be said that Feng Zhengming was quite dissatisfied with his first day in the new store training a new apprentice.

When Feng Zhengming recruited them, he thought these apprentices had decent basic skills.

As a result, I did some very basic stuff this morning.

He found that these apprentices had learned too much dogmatism in school.

In the kitchen, the students from their school were like wooden stakes.

There are many things they have never done themselves.

So when teaching them, I can only teach them little by little from the beginning.

After a busy morning, I finally managed to prepare all the ingredients.

Of course, Yao Zhenhui and Yang Peng also joined in later, which accelerated the preparation process.

Then Feng Zhengming divided the apprentices into two groups and asked them to take turns to take charge of some waiter jobs in the restaurant in front.

At noon, when the business was open, the apprentices finally saw how popular Feng Zhengming's dry rice shop was. (End of this chapter)