From selling box lunches to becoming a famous Chinese chef

After listening to his little apprentice's words, Master Yan was silent for a while before he couldn't help laughing.

"You little brat, Master was just saying a few words to you, but you said so much all at once. What's the matter? Do you think Master doesn't know as much as you do? You were the top winner of the national cooking competition, and Master was just a winner, right?"

After hearing what his master said, Feng Zhengming quickly apologized to his master with a smile.

"Master, how could that be possible? You will always be our Master.

This time I want my fellow apprentices and I to go together because we hope that when we get there, we can show the cooking skills of our former fellow apprentices from Yan Xi Lou to the top chefs in the country and prove our strength to them. "

How could Master Yan and Feng Zhengming's two senior brothers not understand his thoughts?
Everyone knows it well, it started from the day Yan Xilou closed down.

Feng Zhengming has been working hard towards this goal.

He was unwilling to follow his master and leave Quancheng.

I don’t want to follow my master to culinary school.

I would rather stay in Quancheng to make steamed meat dumplings, run a canteen with my eldest brother, and go to the countryside with my eldest brother to cook banquets for people.

Just to get a chance.

We must prove to everyone that all the chefs from Yan Xilou are skilled chefs.

Understanding his young apprentice's thoughts, Master Yan has been watching him grow step by step.

Watch him setting up a street stall selling boxed lunches, steamed pork with dumplings, and running a food stall.

Until he opened his first dry rice shop.

Then he took charge of the cooking at Huiquanlou, and eventually he passed the National Cooking Skills Exchange Competition and became the national champion in cooking skills.

How could Master Yan not be excited? How could he not be proud of having such an apprentice?
But seeing his young apprentice achieving more and more success, Master Yan still hopes that he can stick to the bottom line, be a humble and measured chef, and not show off too much arrogance in front of others.

So even though Master Yan showed support for his young apprentice to choose his own person in front of other masters.

But this time when he came to Huiquanlou to see his young apprentice, Master Yan was prepared to persuade his young apprentice.

At least there should be a place for each of the masters' favorite students.

In this way, the young apprentice can build good relationships with all parties in the Quancheng cooking industry.

After all, we still have to be a little bit worldly-wise.

As a result, before he could even open his mouth, the young disciple had already spoken first to stop him.

Master Yan was somewhat helpless.

"Zhengming, Master knows that you are powerful now, and also knows that you want to take advantage of the opportunity to go to the capital this time. You brothers should go together to restore the reputation of Master and Yan Xilou.

But sometimes, I still have to give some face to your uncles and uncles."

After hearing what the master said, the eldest brother Li Huidong almost immediately understood what the master meant.

He immediately expressed his opinion: "Junior brother, it is indeed not possible for us to go to Beijing together. Huiquan Tower also needs someone to look after it. I think this way, I will stay and help you look after it.

You can go with your other brothers, or you can choose a few disciples of Uncle Cui, Uncle Su, and Uncle Sun to take with you."

The eldest disciple's words made Master Yan feel a little embarrassed.

Over the years, as the eldest disciple, the eldest disciple often takes care of his younger brothers.

Even when Feng Zhengming was working in the kitchen of Yan Xilou, many things were taught to him by his senior brother Li Huidong.

Li Huidong can also best understand some of his master's thoughts.

So he would stand up and take the initiative to express his position to give his master and junior apprentice a way out.

How could Feng Zhengming not understand why his master came?
He also knew that if he followed what his master had said and brought the skills to the other masters' apprentices in Quancheng, he would completely gain the respect of all his colleagues in the culinary industry in Quancheng.

It is even possible that they will proactively allocate quotas for going to Beijing this time.

Bringing along the chefs from Jufengde and Taifenglou will make the old masters and head chefs grateful.

From now on, Feng Zhengming can really call the shots in the culinary industry in Quancheng.

But Feng Zhengming was unwilling to do that.

That really didn't fit Feng Zhengming's mind.

He'd waited so long for this opportunity.

He would not easily share this opportunity to become famous with others.

If others really have the ability and can be better than Feng Zhengming.

That would definitely be a challenge to him.

Everyone speaks with their craft.

If Feng Zhengming loses, he can give up this opportunity to go to Beijing.

But as long as no one dares to challenge him, no one can defeat him.

He must call all his senior brothers to go to Beijing together.

Feng Zhengming looked at his senior brother with a serious face: "No, you have to go with me this time, brother. I told you that we brothers will go to Beijing together this time.

Fourth brother is abroad and cannot participate in this trip to Beijing. Apart from fourth brother, none of you can be missing."

Hearing Feng Zhengming say this, the master and two senior brothers were speechless.

Without waiting for them to speak, Feng Zhengming continued to express his attitude.

"If you can spare some time, Master, I hope you can go with us."

"You." Master Yan was really surprised.

One was that he was surprised that his little disciple was so stubborn.

Secondly, he was surprised that his young disciple actually wanted him to go to Beijing with him.

Master Yan, however, was not at all angry.

After a long while, Master Yan could only sigh: "You, you are such a fool."

Li Huidong was worried that his master would be angry, so he quickly tried to comfort him: "Master, you know, Zhengming has always been like this. He will do what he has decided to do. Please don't be angry with him."

Master Yan couldn't help laughing again after being persuaded by his eldest disciple.

"You guys are pretty united, right?"

Feng Zhengming looked at his two senior brothers, then looked at his master with a smile on his face.

"Master, let's go to Beijing together this time. Don't you want to see us shine at the state banquet together?"

After hearing this, Master Yan could only nod.

"Go ahead, you can go together this time."

After getting the master's consent, Li Huidong and Cao Zhiguo also laughed.

Who wouldn’t want to follow Feng Zhengming to Beijing?

That's to attend a state banquet.

It is also a state banquet for the important event of national reunification.

For any chef, this is a once in a lifetime opportunity.

Li Huidong’s previous statement was also intended to give his master a way out.

As the eldest senior brother, Li Huidong cannot go against his master.

There was no statement from Li Huidong.

If we let Junior Brother and Master insist on their decision, it will probably end up making everyone unhappy.

Fortunately, Master Yan finally agreed to let his apprentices go together.

For Master Yan, this may be the proudest moment of his life.

He was really more proud than when he went to Beijing to participate in the first National Cooking Skills Exchange Competition and won the award himself.

Looking at the three apprentices, Master Yan smiled and said, "You are my pride. I believe you can do a good job and will not be worse than any chef in Beijing." Feng Zhengming laughed, "Hahaha, of course."

Seeing the little apprentice laughing.

Master Yan couldn't help but ask.

"Zhengming, you haven't rebuilt Yanxilou for such a long time. Do you want to drive Yanxilou directly to the capital?"

Since his master had guessed this, Feng Zhengming had no choice but to confess.

"Master, I do have that idea, but I don't just want to open a Yan Xi Lou in the capital, I want to open a Yan Xi Lou in both Shanghai and the capital.

I hope Yan Xilou can be a window for promoting Shandong cuisine outside of our province to people across the country and even the world.

And I don’t want Yan Xi Lou to only have Shandong cuisine in the future, I also want it to have other cuisines.

We want to preserve as much as possible the different cuisines in the pot, and then integrate and create some.”

Cao Zhiguo couldn't help but say, "Isn't this the same as the branches you opened in various places in the province? Each place should add some of their local characteristics."

Feng Zhengming nodded: "Hahaha, Fifth Brother, you are right, that's it."

Li Huidong frowned slightly: "Aren't you a little too ambitious?"

Feng Zhengming smiled and asked, "Is this considered big?"

"Although?" Li Huidong said helplessly, "Your size is already very big."

Feng Zhengming nodded: "But this is my ambition. Since I am the national culinary champion, I must shoulder the responsibilities and identity of the champion and promote our own cooking skills as much as possible."

After hearing what his little apprentice said, Master Yan had to nod.

"Zhengming's idea is indeed very good. Of course, this road is difficult to walk. Zhengming, you must think it through and then walk it step by step."

Feng Zhengming agreed: "Master, don't worry. Look, I'm not anxious at all now, right?"

Master Yan felt that he had said everything that needed to be said.

He said goodbye to his apprentices and refused Feng Zhengming's offer to drive him away.

Master Yan walked out of Huiquanlou and went back alone.

After the master left, Feng Zhengming and the others naturally became busy.

Huiquanlou's business is still very popular, and there are basically enough customers every night.

In this regard, perhaps only Huiquanlou, Jufengde and Taifenglou in Quancheng can do it.

Some other restaurants and hotels, big and small, are now unable to maintain stable business.

Of course, Feng Zhengming's dry rice shop is still doing a booming business.

Whether it is the three stores in Quancheng or the three stores opened in other places.

It can be said that business is booming.

One of the important reasons is that the food in the dry rice shop has always been of good quality and low price.

Don’t underestimate Feng Zhengming, he did put a lot of thought into the decoration.

A lot of money was also spent on renovation costs.

But Feng Zhengming didn't think about making the money back in a very short time.

He wants a steady and long-term outcome.

Because he knew very well that dry rice shops were the stores that were closest to ordinary people, and as long as the price was right, there would be no lack of business at any time.

So why do we have to think about making back our investment in one or two months, starting to make a profit in half a year, or earning back the investment in a store in a year?

Feng Zhengming never thought about this short-term idea.

Of course, it’s also because he is the champion of the National Cooking Skills Competition and is already famous.

As long as he has a good reputation, there will be a lot of people willing to patronize his store.

After the busy work at Huiquanlou ended in the evening, Feng Zhengming cleaned the kitchen with everyone.

Then let the apprentices go back first, leaving the young chefs behind.

"You should already know that I will be going to Beijing soon to attend the return state banquet. This time I will go with several of my senior brothers, so maybe your Master Li and Master Cao will also go to Beijing with me."

Everyone present was a little surprised.

They knew that Feng Zhengming was invited to Beijing to attend the state banquet.

But they really didn't know that Feng Zhengming was going with his senior brothers.

Li Huidong and Cao Zhiguo also went together, which means that Huiquanlou’s kitchen will need to rely on the remaining chefs.

Gu Zhicheng also returned to the island city. The people left in the kitchen of Huiquanlou were: Qi Jiale, Bao Feng, Guan Wei, and Xia Hui.

Although they had worked with Feng Zhengming, and later with Li Huidong and Cao Zhiguo for a long time.

It can be said that they are already very familiar with various processes in the kitchen.

But this time Feng Zhengming, Li Huidong and Cao Zhiguo will all go, and even Yang Bin will go to Beijing with them.

That is, until the state banquet is over and they return.

The kitchen of Huiquanlou can only rely on these four.

Feng Zhengming could see that the four people were in a difficult situation.

He then told the four people: "I will transfer Sun Hai and Sun Decai here. I believe that with the two of them together with you, we should be able to hold out against Huiquanlou."

Li Huidong was a little worried at this time: "Zhengming, otherwise I..."

Feng Zhengming interrupted the eldest brother without waiting for him to finish speaking.

"We have agreed that we will go to Beijing together this time."

Xia Hui stood up at this time.

"It's okay, uncle, you guys can come with us. We can keep Huiquanlou going. We will try our best to prepare dishes for every guest of Huiquanlou."

Xia Hui was the first to step forward and express her opinion, and the others also said that they would work together to make every dish well.

Feng Zhengming said in a serious tone, "After we leave, Bao Feng will be the chef of Huiquan Restaurant. You must cooperate with him as much as possible. If there is no problem with the order he issues, you must execute it unconditionally.

If he makes any mistakes, you can point them out later and remember to communicate every day.

I don’t want you to have any conflicts with each other, I want you to remember that you are a team.”

Feng Zhengming's prestige was still great enough, and his words made everyone nod in agreement seriously.

Li Huidong followed suit and said a few words.

“Don’t rush when cooking. Make sure to do the preparations well in advance. Also, you have to believe in yourself. Don’t get anxious and deny yourself just because one or two dishes go wrong.”

Li Huidong's words were quite heartfelt and he explained a lot of things very carefully.

Li Huidong didn’t say much about the specific work as it was a little late today.

It will probably be a few days before they leave, so Li Huidong can continue the talk tomorrow.

Cao Zhiguo had already finished speaking to his senior and junior brothers.

He thought about it and scratched his head.

"I won't say anything more. Just remember, after we leave, Huiquanlou will be your world. You are the top chefs of Huiquanlou. Show your strength as top chefs."

Cao Zhiguo's words immediately made everyone laugh, and the atmosphere suddenly became relaxed.

Everyone really feels like they can become a top chef.

After cleaning up, Feng Zhengming asked the young chefs to go back and rest.

Naturally, he was going to the old shop with his eldest and fifth brothers.

I still need to chat with the third brother for a few more words, and then wait for the second and sixth brothers to arrive in Quancheng. (End of this chapter)