From selling box lunches to becoming a famous Chinese chef

On the day of the winter solstice, the Qilu Province Young Chefs Cooking Exchange Competition, the competition for the top 100 young chefs officially began.

In order to give young chefs sufficient time to prepare ingredients, the competition venue allows young chefs to enter in the morning.

When one hundred young chefs changed into their chef uniforms, they came to the ingredient selection area one after another.

What surprised them was that Feng Zhengming was actually standing here waiting for them.

The young chefs were still quite excited to see Feng Zhengming.

In terms of age, Feng Zhengming is of the same age as the young chefs.

Even many of the young chefs participating in the competition are older than Feng Zhengming.

But in terms of seniority among Shandong cuisine chefs, Feng Zhengming is definitely of a high rank.

Many young chefs present called him "Uncle Master".

Of course, most young chefs admire Feng Zhengming more.

Feng Zhengming set an example for young chefs.

That is the expectation that one can become the top student in the country step by step by relying on one's own abilities.

So when the young chefs saw Feng Zhengming appear in the ingredient selection area, they were very excited and all wanted to take the opportunity to ask Feng Zhengming for advice.

Feng Zhengming spoke first without waiting for everyone else to speak.

"My fellow chefs, today is your chance to showcase your cooking skills. I hope you can show your abilities and let everyone know that even young chefs of Shandong cuisine have great cooking skills."

Feng Zhengming started with encouragement and then changed the subject.

“I am here to remind everyone that today’s competition judges are divided into two groups, one is professional judges, and the other is non-professional judges.

Professional judges will judge your cooking skills from a professional perspective. They will observe you from the selection of ingredients to the processing of raw materials, including your knife skills, fire skills, spoon skills, seasoning, and plating.

Non-professional judges will not look at it from a professional perspective. They will only judge based on the five aspects of your dish: color, aroma, taste, and shape.

So in this competition you are not competing with anyone around you, you are competing with yourself.

You must be skilled enough in cooking techniques and at the same time make the dishes look good, smell good, and look great.”

Feng Zhengming made a special trip to the place where the ingredients were selected to wait for the young chefs.

This is to serve as a reminder to everyone so that young chefs can be prepared for the competition.

So that you don’t fall into a state of confusion and ignorance during the competition and can only cook based on your own imagination.

Finally, Feng Zhengming also told all the young chefs.

"As for me, I personally cooked a meal for the judges to taste first. The judges may ask you to follow my standards, so you must show your true abilities.

Don’t make mistakes that you shouldn’t make, otherwise it will be difficult for you to get high scores in the game.”

After hearing what Feng Zhengming said, all the young chefs present were a little confused.

Many young chefs felt bitter.

You are the top scholar in the country, and you still demonstrate the standards to the judges in advance?
How can we young chefs compare with your cooking skills as the national champion?

At this moment, even some young chefs began to back out.

The main reason is that Feng Zhengming’s strength is there, which really puts a lot of pressure on young chefs.

Feng Zhengming noticed that some young chefs looked embarrassed.

He finally encouraged: "Okay, don't feel pressured, do your best, and don't forget that you have stood out from thousands of people. You are already the best 100 young Shandong cuisine chefs."

These words really gave great encouragement to young chefs.

Everyone who had been looking embarrassed, unconsciously felt a sense of fighting spirit rising in their hearts.

Yes, I have stood out from thousands of people.

He is already among the top 100 best young chefs in the province.

How can we give up and retreat here?

Among the young chefs, Xia Hui, the only female chef, suddenly shouted.

"Let's work hard together. We must try our best to catch up with the top scorer and let the judges know that although we are young, our cooking skills are not bad either."

The only female chef started shouting, so the other young chefs naturally could not back down.

Then everyone shouted almost in unison: "Come on."

Feng Zhengming glanced at Xia Hui and at the other people around her.

Didn't say anything.

Feng Zhengming just made way to allow the young chefs to go in and select the ingredients.

"work hard."

Young chefs filed into the ingredient selection area.

The next moment, the entire selection area was filled with busy young chefs.

In fact, the venue for this competition was open to all young chefs in the morning.

This is to allow young chefs time to prepare the soup.

The chef’s soup. Cooking a good pot of soup is very important for Shandong cuisine chefs.

So now the young chefs who have entered the material selection area are choosing ingredients for making soup.

At the same time, the test for young chefs has begun.

The process of selecting materials not only tests their eyesight, but also requires them to choose the materials that they need most and are most suitable.

More importantly, young chefs need to think carefully about the selection and quantity of ingredients.

The soup they make today will be used for three dishes over the next three days.

So they can't cook too much soup, but also not too little.

The amount of materials used must be controlled and not wasted too much.

This can be said to be a great test for young chefs.

But when Feng Zhengming finalized the competition plan, he discussed it with the masters.

Since he is the best young chef in the province and is the one to be chosen as the top young chef of Shandong cuisine, how can he be qualified to be the best young chef of Shandong cuisine if he can't even control the amount of soup?
This statement naturally won the approval of all the masters.

Because there will be the same stringent requirements in national cooking competitions.

The entire process of preparing ingredients is completed independently by the participating chefs.

When preparing materials, it is also a requirement not to waste them.

What Feng Zhengming is doing now is to use some of the requirements of the National Cooking Competition to demand young chefs across the province.

It may seem demanding, but it is also a test of the comprehensive abilities of young chefs.

If you can cook just one or two dishes well, you can become the top young chef of Shandong cuisine in the province.

Then the weight of this top scholar will actually be greatly reduced.

Feng Zhengming watched quietly as the young chefs selected ingredients.

Various seasonings and ingredients are indispensable, and then various main ingredients are the focus when young chefs choose.

Basically, every young chef will choose the most important ones.

Large bones and old chickens are definitely indispensable.

When Feng Zhengming saw that most of the young chefs chose old chickens, he couldn't help but shook his head and felt a little disappointed.

In fact, if Feng Zhengming were allowed to compete, he would choose the old chicken.

He would definitely choose the chicken breast and take more chicken fat. How to make a pot of soup have a rich flavor?

The key to using old chicken is to make the soup have the flavor of old chicken.

If you want to better highlight the flavor of old chicken, the simplest and most direct way is to stir-fry the chicken pieces in chicken oil and then put them in the soup pot to stew together.

Doing this can better bring out the flavor of the old chicken.

Of course, this is actually a trick.

A truly rich broth must be made with multiple old chickens, which are stewed in turn to ensure that the broth is more flavorful.

But there certainly isn’t that much time for young chefs to do that in a competition.

So this will test the young chef's adaptability.

You need to know how to better bring out the flavor of the ingredients.

Cook the soup to your desired taste in a short time.

However, after looking at it for a while, Feng Zhengming couldn't help but smile at himself.

I understand that my requirements are a bit high.

After all, if there is no guidance from a master, I am afraid few people can figure it out on their own.

This shows the importance of having a master.

There is a master to lead, and a master to teach and explain.

It is fundamentally different from studying by yourself.

If you study by yourself.

Often in recipes, there are many details that are not written in detail.

Even the amount of each seasoning should be clearly marked.

But they still won't tell you in detail what method to use to marinate before cooking a dish? And what state should the paste be adjusted to when applying starch?
Also, the recipe will say to use stock, but it will not tell you in detail how to cook the stock.

These can be achieved with an experienced master.

He explained in detail everything that he had inherited and his many years of experience as a chef.

This can save you a lot of detours in exploring on your own.

After inheriting what my master taught me, I took it a step further.

Only in this way can the inherited classic dishes be better revitalized with something new.

Feng Zhengming observes young chefs selecting ingredients.

A voice sounded behind me.

"Mr. Feng, it's so early? Are you already grading the young chefs?"

Hearing the voice, Feng Zhengming knew without turning around that the person coming was Luo Jinliang.

"Boss Luo came here specially to see me?"

Luo Jinliang was stunned for a moment, then continued laughing.

"It's easier to talk to a smart person like Feng Zhuangyuan. You guessed it right. I came here specifically to see you."

Feng Zhengming then asked, "It seems that Boss Luo has already decided? To invest and build a factory in Quancheng?"

Luo Jinliang responded: "Yes, I have considered it. It is indeed a very cost-effective thing to cooperate with you, Feng Zhuangyuan, to open a factory in Quancheng. I am willing to invest in building a factory."

Feng Zhengming nodded: "Okay, thank you Boss Luo for your trust."

Feng Zhengming then added: "Don't worry, Boss Luo, I won't let you invest alone. I will also contribute part of the money to build the factory, which is considered as a share."

Luo Jinliang quickly said, "No need. Feng Zhuangyuan, you are willing to endorse us, which is already the largest investment."

Feng Zhengming laughed: "Hahaha, Boss Luo, you are so polite. Building a factory in our Qilu not only gives us a huge investment in Quancheng, but more importantly, it can also drive local employment.

I am endorsing a company in my province, that is what I should do, how can I use endorsement as a stake in it? "

Luo Jinliang said very seriously: "No, no, Feng Zhuangyuan, you are too polite. Your endorsement of our brand is really the greatest support for our brand. I have thought about it. I have decided to give you 70% of the shares of the branch factory in Quancheng."

Feng Zhengming was really surprised when he heard that the other party gave him 70% of the shares.

"Boss Luo, please don't joke with me. You're giving me 70% of the shares of the Quancheng branch? Are you going to give the Quancheng branch to me?"

Luo Jinliang smiled and said, “Feng Zhuangyuan, I have already calculated that as long as you endorse our brand, our brand of condiments can be easily promoted throughout the country in the future and be recognized by many people across the country.

So, how much profit will our company make across the country next?

Even if I give the entire Quancheng branch to you, Mr. Feng, I still think this is a very good deal."

After hearing what Luo Jinliang said, Feng Zhengming was a little hesitant to take on this endorsement.

"Boss Luo, if you say that, I don't dare to accept this endorsement."

Luo Jinliang was stunned: "Why? We can be good partners?"

Feng Zhengming smiled bitterly: "You are going to give me a factory. I am really worried that after I endorse your products, your company will not be able to guarantee the quality. Then I will be implicated."

"No, absolutely not. You can rest assured about this, Mr. Feng."

Luo Jinliang was also obviously a little nervous and kept reassuring Feng Zhengming.

"Mr. Feng, don't worry. Our brand has been in Hong Kong for many years. Many restaurants in Hong Kong use our brand of condiments. I really want to enter the national market.

I can really guarantee that our brand of condiments are of guaranteed quality and are the same as those used in Hong Kong.”

Seeing Luo Jinliang's repeated assurances, Feng Zhengming still did not directly agree to the other party.

"How about this, Boss Luo? After this game is over, we can discuss it carefully. Maybe after the New Year, I can go to Hong Kong City in person and take a look at your factory.

After I have carefully inspected it, we will discuss the details of the final cooperation. Do you think it is okay?"

Luo Jinliang didn't think it was inappropriate and agreed readily.

"Okay, welcome Feng Zhuangyuan to our port city, and also welcome Feng Zhuangyuan to visit our factory. I hope that after the inspection, we can truly cooperate."

Feng Zhengming extended his hand to Luo Jinliang: "Thank you, Boss Luo, for your understanding. I hope we can cooperate."

Luo Jinliang also extended his hand and shook hands with Feng Zhengming with full of anticipation.

“I am looking forward to working with Feng Zhuangyuan.”

Luo Jinliang now understood that Feng Zhengming was indeed different from other celebrities in the mainland.

He really cherishes his reputation.

And as a chef, he would be more cautious when endorsing condiments.

Feng Zhengming feels that he should be responsible to all his colleagues and all diners.

He decided that he would go back and ask Grandpa Situ about it. It would be best if Grandpa Situ could help him to check it. In addition, Feng Zhengming also planned to find some knowledgeable people to help with the investigation.

Since Luo Jinliang is indeed intending to open a factory in Quancheng.

Feng Zhengming also wanted to make this happen.

On the one hand, it attracts investment from Hong Kong to the local area.

On the other hand, Feng Zhengming also had a little selfish desire, which was that in the future, his restaurants would have safer condiments to use.

And if he records some cooking programs on TV in the future, he will teach people how to cook.

Having our own condiment factory also allows people who are willing to learn cooking to buy suitable condiments at low prices.

While Feng Zhengming and Luo Jinliang were chatting, most of the young chefs had already finished selecting their ingredients. (End of this chapter)