From selling box lunches to becoming a famous Chinese chef

With the deliberate hype from television stations and newspapers, the Qilu Youth Chef Cooking Competition did attract a lot of attention.

At this moment, Shandong cuisine seems to have returned to its peak.

It has become the cuisine that once dominated the capital, can be regarded as the first of the four major cuisines, and the source of Chinese cooking.

This attracted nationwide attention, which made everyone in the province and the Chefs Association very happy.

Of course, whether it is the province or the Chefs Association which has now been renamed by Feng Zhengming.

Everyone knows that it has received such high attention.

It is still inseparable from the reputation of Feng Zhengming, the national top scholar.

More importantly, Feng Zhengming proposed a plan for the young chef competition.

Including the idea of ​​tracking filming that he gave to the TV station.

However, Feng Zhengming did not expect that the TV station would take the opportunity to use him to hype up their products.

He was determined to create a folk master, and it seemed like he was forcing Feng Zhengming to accept him as a disciple.

Under such circumstances, Feng Zhengming was arranged to meet with Lin Haobo before the official competition.

Lin Haobo was very excited to see Feng Zhengming.

He almost knelt down on the spot and asked to become Feng Zhengming's disciple.

Feng Zhengming grabbed him before he could make a move.

"Don't kneel down to me now. I have publicly said more than once that I will not formally accept a disciple before I am forty years old. As for your wish to become my nominal disciple, you are not qualified for the time being."

Feng Zhengming's words were very blunt, making Lin Haobo and the people who accompanied him look embarrassed.

Moreover, Lin Haobo discovered that when Feng Zhengming held him, no matter how hard he tried, he was unable to break free.

At this time, Lin Haobo had witnessed Feng Zhengming's firm attitude.

Lin Haobo had no choice but to give up his plan of becoming a disciple in public.

"Master Feng, I really admire you. I watched you cooking in the national competition on TV. I think you are really my idol and the person I want to be like."

Feng Zhengming nodded: "I understand, I know that many people will admire me and think that I am the top chef in the country and the most dazzling one among all the chefs in the country.

But I want to say that no matter whether I am the national number one scholar or not, I am just a chef.

As a chef, I just make every dish well so that every customer can taste the delicious food here.

So being the top scholar in the country is not that important to me. I would rather be called Chef Feng."

Feng Zhengming's words made many people who were interviewed on the spot feel his different temperament.

Then, Feng Zhengming said to Lin Haobo: "Let me tell you a story."

Although he said he was telling the story to Lin Haobo, Feng Zhengming was actually telling it to everyone present, especially to the reporters from TV stations, newspapers, and magazines who were present.

"In the past, there were two shops selling braised pork on the old street of our Quancheng.

Both shops make braised pork with pork chops. There is no difference in the meat used, the cooking time, and even the basic spices. However, one of them does extremely good business while the other does very poorly.

Later, the boss of the store with worse business started to send people to learn from the store with better business.

But to his surprise, the person sent to steal the skills came back with another family's recipe not long after.

Then the boss started to make it according to the recipe, but the taste was still not right. "

After hearing this, some people couldn't help but whisper.

"I definitely didn't get the real recipe."

"That's right, how can a real secret recipe be so easy to steal?"

Feng Zhengming ignored the discussions and continued to tell the story.

“The boss felt that he had not stolen the real formula, so he sent people to steal it again. He sent three or four waves of people in succession, but the recipes they brought back were all exactly the same.

In the end, even every step of making braised pork next door was learned from them.

But no matter what the boss of the restaurant with bad business does, he can't make it taste as good as the one with good business.

Finally, the boss of the store with the worst business came in person and knelt down to ask to be the old man of the store with the best business to be his teacher.

The old man who runs the butcher shop with good business refuses to accept apprentices."

Someone else couldn't help but sneer: "You definitely can't accept a disciple? People in the same profession are enemies."

This is also what most people think when they hear this.

Feng Zhengming still ignored him and continued speaking.

"The boss refused to give up. He kowtowed to the old man and was willing to give him all his wealth. He was even willing to give half of his future earnings to the old man."

After hearing this, everyone vaguely felt that this story was a little strange.

Then everyone heard Feng Zhengming say.

"The old man was begged so hard that he had no choice but to sigh and tell the boss the truth.

In fact, every time the boss sent someone to his store to learn skills, the old man knew that it was the boss who sent that person, and the old man taught the person seriously every time, and even taught the other person every step of the method later.

Then the old man told the boss that he had taught everything he could, and that was how he cooked pork belly every day.

But the old man went on to say: He has been cooking Baozi Rou all his life, and he is always very focused when cooking meat. Then one day he seemed to have developed some kind of connection with Baozi Rou.

The pork belly seemed to tell the old man how to do each step, how much ingredients to put in, and when to cook it.

Feng Zhengming stopped talking here.

Everyone present was a little confused and didn’t understand the meaning of Feng Zhengming’s story for a moment.
Feng Zhengming looked at everyone quietly for a while, especially at Lin Haobo.

In the end, it seemed that no one understood his story.

He gave the answer directly: "In fact, the old man does not have any secret recipe. He is just more focused when making braised pork. He has never smoked or drunk in his life and has no bad habits. It can be said that he puts all his thoughts on making braised pork.

The old man felt happy sitting by the stove every day, watching the pork simmering in the pot and the flames dancing in the stove.

That is what his life is all about, he truly enjoys the process of making braised pork.

That’s why he can concentrate on making the braised pork with a different flavor.”

At this point, Feng Zhengming looked at Lin Haobo and said, "I want to use this story to tell you that if you really want to cook well and improve your cooking skills, you must truly love cooking and be able to put aside the distractions of the outside world and concentrate on studying cooking."

Facing Lin Haobo's still somewhat confused look, Feng Zhengming gave his final warning.

“This road is long. If you don’t really love it, sooner or later you will get bored.

But if you really like it, and you endure all the boring and tedious hardships, one day you will find that cooking will become easy in your hands, and you will naturally become a famous chef. "

Feng Zhengming's words made Lin Haobo fall into deep thought, and he began to wonder whether he really liked her.

After thinking for a while, Lin Haobo seemed to have made up his mind.

He asked firmly: "Chef Feng, how should I learn and improve myself?" Feng Zhengming smiled and replied: "It's very simple. Watch, learn and do from the most basic level."

It can be seen that Lin Haobo really loves cooking.

Feng Zhengming once again pointed out a way for him.

“After the competition, you can sign up for Master Cui’s cooking school and learn the basics there first. Then, if you want, you can start working in the kitchen of my dry rice shop.

As for whether you can enter the kitchen of Huiquanlou, it depends on your own efforts. "

This time, it wasn't Lin Haobo who asked, but the reporter from the TV station who asked.

"Feng Zhuangyuan, if Lin Haobo entered the kitchen of Huiquanlou, could he become your apprentice?"

Feng Zhengming certainly knew the other party's intention in asking this question.

Seeing the anticipation on all the reporters' faces, I knew how everyone was expecting him to answer.

But Feng Zhengming was still very straightforward: "No, entering the kitchen of Huiquanlou only shows that he is hardworking enough. To become my apprentice, he may need to continue to work hard."

Feng Zhengming's answer naturally disappointed everyone, even Lin Haobo seemed disappointed.

Finally someone couldn't help asking, "If he is good enough and can become a famous chef himself, then doesn't he need to have you as his teacher?"

Feng Zhengming smiled and nodded when he heard this: "Yes, if you are confident that you can become a famous chef, why do you want to take me as your master?"

This question immediately stumped everyone.

It can be said that Feng Zhengming's question blocked everyone.

Since you can learn by yourself, why do you have to become an apprentice?
Feng Zhengming saw that everyone was very uncomfortable with his words.

He said to Lin Haobo seriously: "So you should think clearly, why do you want to be my apprentice? Just to learn cooking skills, there are so many old masters and master chefs in Quancheng, are their skills worse than mine?
Why don't you become their disciples?

Or do you have to become my apprentice just because I'm the country's top culinary talent?
Do you think being the top scholar's apprentice will bring you more fame?"

It can be said that Feng Zhengming made his words quite clear in public.

This way, it would be difficult for anyone to force him to accept a disciple.

Feng Zhengming continued to emphasize to Lin Haobo.

"The question is still back to the beginning. You have to think clearly about why you want to learn cooking. Once you have thought it through, you don't have to worship me as your master. You can worship other old masters and master chefs as your masters. In the future, your achievements may surpass mine."

Lin Haobo came to see Feng Zhengming today. He had already made up his mind before coming. No matter what, he would insist on becoming his disciple.

But after Feng Zhengming's lecture, Lin Haobo felt that there was no point in persisting.

He was indeed convinced by Feng Zhengming's words.

Since I really want to improve my cooking skills and become a great chef, why do I have to take Feng Zhengming, the national number one chef, as my teacher?

As long as I learn the skills well and hone my cooking abilities, I might be able to surpass Feng Zhengming in the future.

With this belief in mind, Lin Haobo suddenly felt relieved about the matter of becoming a disciple.

“Thank you, Chef Feng, for your teaching. I will remember it and try my best to compete. After the competition, I will listen to your advice and go to Master Cui’s cooking school to learn from scratch.

If I have the chance in the future, I hope to work in the kitchen of your restaurant and start from the bottom step by step."

Feng Zhengming smiled and nodded: "Welcome to join us. Starting next year, I will officially open branches in various parts of the province under the name of Zhengluxing Company. By then, you may not have to stay in Quancheng and can go back to your hometown.

There you will have the opportunity to compete for the position of branch chef, and if you pass the assessment, you will have the opportunity to be directly transferred to the back kitchen of Huiquanlou to be the chef.”

Feng Zhengming's words were an encouragement to Lin Haobo.

But the reporters present immediately caught a glimpse of information that interested them even more.

"Feng Zhuangyuan, you said you will open branches in various places in the province starting next year? What are you going to sell in your branches? Are you going to sell the braised pork in your store to all parts of the province?"

When asked, Feng Zhengming frankly spoke about his plans for next year.

“Yes, I will open branches in various places in the province starting next year. The main product of the branches will definitely be Baozirou. However, the branches in various places will not only serve Baozirou, but also add local special snacks and some unique local dishes to the menu of the branches.

I hope my branches can become a business card for different cities and contribute to promoting the special cuisine of each city.”

Feng Zhengming had previously said these words in private to the people closest to him.

But this time, he said it in public.

And he said it in front of reporters from TV stations, newspapers and magazines.

This means that he took this opportunity to directly announce his next plan to everyone.

His plan really surprised the reporters present.

Lin Haobo was listening on the side and was also surprised by the plan.

Thinking carefully about Feng Zhengming's plan made Lin Haobo admire him even more.

The idea of ​​adding local specialties to branches in various places to inherit and promote local specialties is not just a plan to open branches in various places.

Just as Feng Zhengming himself said, his approach is indeed contributing to the promotion of local specialties.

Lin Haobo suddenly realized that he was still thinking about how to become Feng Zhuangyuan's apprentice.

They already have bigger plans.

He wants to support and promote local specialties.

Lin Haobo felt that he should work harder and be able to participate in it to help Feng Zhuangyuan realize his grand plan.

The reporters took careful notes, and they all felt that Feng Zhengming's plan was indeed worthy of admiration.

The controversy regarding Lin Haobo's apprenticeship was resolved by Feng Zhengming.

The next day, the official competition began. Feng Zhengming, the national champion and current president of the Qilu Chefs Association, gave a speech on the spot and encouraged the young chefs participating in the competition.

He also pointed out the direction of the competition to the participating young chefs.

"We hold a provincial cooking exchange competition for young chefs not because we want you to make some innovative dishes in the competition, but because we hope to see young chefs show off their exquisite Shandong cuisine techniques.

Let the Shandong cuisine masters sitting on the judging panel know that Shandong cuisine will have successors.

We young chefs will learn the skills well and pass them down from generation to generation.”

After he finished speaking, there was a burst of warm applause at the scene.

The old masters appreciated his speech very much.

The young chefs were also inspired by Feng Zhengming's speech.

Of course, the provincial leaders were the most satisfied with his performance.

It can be felt that Feng Zhengming has mobilized everyone's emotions, allowing this provincial youth chef cooking competition to gain more popularity and attention, which will naturally make Shandong cuisine famous.

Qilu will also gain more national attention as Shandong cuisine becomes more famous. (End of this chapter)