From selling box lunches to becoming a famous Chinese chef

Song Jinsheng and Feng Zhengming met and saw that the people from the Texas Chefs Association were already on Feng Zhengming's side.

He could only return home in disappointment.

As soon as he entered the door, Song Jinsheng saw Liang Xiaocheng and his parents were waiting for him.

Seeing Song Jinsheng coming in, Liang Xiaocheng stood up impatiently.

"Uncle, today Mr. Feng came to visit your Chefs Association. Did you not treat him well? Did you try to dampen his arrogance?"

When Song Jinsheng heard what his nephew said, he couldn't control his anger anymore.

"You big fool, you keep calling him the number one, you know he is the number one in the national cooking skills competition, right?

Since you know the other person's identity, skills and abilities, how can you think you can be his opponent?
Do you really think you can become a national champion like him in the future?"

Song Jinsheng's roar shocked everyone in the family.

His wife and daughter looked at him in disbelief.

This might be the first time that his wife and daughter saw Song Jinsheng lose his temper at home like this.

It was Liang Xiaocheng's mother who was stunned for a while before speaking first to comfort her brother.

"Jin Sheng, don't be so angry. Cheng Cheng is still young and doesn't understand many things. You should teach him more. You are his uncle and it was you who brought him into the chef industry."

When his sister spoke, Song Jinsheng's anger immediately subsided by half.

It can be said that Song Jinsheng was raised by his sister.

Especially when he was young, when his cooking skills had not yet really come to the fore, he relied on his sister and brother-in-law for help.

Even when Song Jinsheng got married, his sister and brother-in-law took care of everything and gave him a lot of money for his wedding.

In fact, Song Jinsheng's daughter has always been taken care of by his sister.

Because Song Jinsheng is now a famous chef in Texas, he is usually very busy and does not have much time to take care of his family.

His wife works in the same unit as him and is also responsible for some reception work in the city.

As the couple were very busy, Song Jinsheng's parents had passed away long ago.

My wife's parents also have to take care of the children of my wife's two younger brothers.

In the end, Song Jinsheng's daughter was still taken care of by his sister.

It can be said that Song Jinsheng and his wife have hardly ever worried about their daughter's food and clothing expenses since she was a child.

They were all bought by Liang Xiaocheng's mother, and almost all of them were the best.

It’s because my sister’s family takes such good care of my family.

Song Jinsheng has tried his best to help his sister's family over the years.

For example, helping my brother-in-law expand his small restaurant.

Later, my sister and brother-in-law expanded the small restaurant into a restaurant, and many of the chefs in the kitchen were found by Song Jinsheng through his connections.

Even a lot of the restaurant's business was introduced by Song Jinsheng.

When his nephew Liang Xiaocheng wanted to learn how to cook, Song Jinsheng used his connections to send his nephew to a vocational school to learn how to cook from the best teacher.

When Liang Xiaocheng applied for a job at Huiquanlou, Song Jinsheng was against it for a while.

At that time, Feng Zhengming was not yet the champion of the National Cooking Skills Competition.

So Song Jinsheng still looked down on Feng Zhengming.

Later, Feng Zhengming won the first prize in the National Cooking Skills Competition. During the Chinese New Year, Song Jinsheng praised his nephew Liang Xiaocheng for his vision.

This time, Liang Xiaocheng was sent back to Texas to prepare for the branch.

Song Jinsheng placed even higher hopes on his nephew.

One night, I privately told my wife that I felt that my nephew would definitely achieve much more than his uncle in the future.
Song Jinsheng also knew that Liang Xiaocheng was trying to win over some investments by using various connections.

And in fact, Song Jinsheng also supported it at that time.

He also had his own selfish motives, thinking that he could use Feng Zhengming's reputation as the top scholar to help his nephew gain a real reputation in the Dezhou culinary industry.

Song Jinsheng also wanted to wait until his nephew opened a branch of Zhuangyuan in Texas.

They can also use the reputation of the top scholar to directly replicate some similar branches.

But Song Jinsheng didn't expect that he would be caught by the top scholar.

Then Feng Zhengming directly and publicly announced that the branches of Bazirou would not accept any investment and would not allow others to participate in the investment for the time being, which directly put an end to the idea of ​​others wanting to use his reputation as the top scholar to open a store.

Next, even Liang Xiaocheng was directly fired by Feng Zhengming.

Today, Song Jinsheng had been thinking about joining forces with the Texas Chefs Association to put a little pressure on Feng Zhengming.

Feng Zhengming should not underestimate the Texas Chefs Association and should also share some of the benefits with them.

As a result, Feng Zhengming did give some benefits.

But all the benefits were taken by others, and Song Jinsheng didn't get any benefit at all.

He told the whole story again.

Song Jinsheng's anger had almost subsided.

"Not to mention in Texas, right now there is no one in the entire Qilu who can be a rival to Feng Zhuangyuan. Xiaocheng, being fired by him may be the worst move you have ever made in your life."

After hearing what Song Jinsheng said, Liang Xiaocheng's parents looked at each other.

Then Liang Xiaocheng's mother asked, "Uncle, don't you have any solution? Can you go talk to the number one scholar again and ask Chengcheng to apologize to him and then let Chengcheng go back?"

Song Jinsheng looked at his sister helplessly.

"It's impossible. I've already been expelled from the top scholar. How can I go back?"

Liang Xiaocheng was still very tough at this time.

"If I don't want to go back, then don't go back. Shandong cuisine has long been out of fashion. Who doesn't know that Cantonese cuisine is the most popular?
I have long stopped wanting to learn Shandong cuisine. I have already mastered all the cooking techniques, but in the kitchen of Huiquanlou, I can only do miscellaneous work every day.

I don’t want to go back to Huiquanlou.”

When Song Jinsheng heard what his nephew said, he became annoyed again.

"You don't want to go back to Huiquan Tower, so what do you want to do?"

Liang Xiaocheng replied without flinching: "I am going to the south to learn Cantonese cuisine. When I have mastered Cantonese cuisine, I will come back and I will definitely defeat Feng Zhengming by then."

Song Jinsheng was a little surprised: "You want to learn Cantonese cuisine?"

After hearing this, Liang Xiaocheng's father chose to support his son.

"I think Xiaocheng's idea is very good. A good man has great ambitions. Even if he goes to Feng Zhuangyuan to apologize, even if Feng Zhuangyuan can take him back, he will probably be sent to the branch in Texas.

Let him stay at home and work in a branch of a restaurant selling braised pork, what future can he have even if he can become the head chef?
Moreover, Shandong cuisine has long been eliminated by the outside world. Now people eat Cantonese and Sichuan cuisine.

So I support Xiaocheng to go south to learn Cantonese cuisine.”

Hearing his father's support, Liang Xiaocheng was very happy: "Thank you, Dad. I will definitely study hard."

The father patted Liang Xiaocheng on the shoulder and said, "As long as you are willing to learn hard, Dad believes you can do it. When you have mastered the Cantonese cooking skills, come back and we will open a Cantonese restaurant and take away all the business from Feng Zhuangyuan's branch." At this moment, the father and son really formed a united front quickly.

When Song Jinsheng saw the looks of his brother-in-law and nephew, he ended up saying nothing.

Although he is a Shandong cuisine chef, Song Jinsheng felt uncomfortable when he heard his brother-in-law and nephew say that Shandong cuisine is out of fashion and that Cantonese and Sichuan cuisine are the most popular nowadays.

But Song Jinsheng was also very clear that what his brother-in-law and nephew said was right.

The era when Shandong cuisine dominated the North has long gone.

Song Jinsheng was also known in Texas.

In Beijing, the eight big restaurants that once dominated Shandong cuisine are now on the decline.

On the contrary, Cantonese cuisine is becoming more and more popular.

It has become the representative of high-end banquets.

In addition, Sichuan cuisine has been gradually catching up with Shandong cuisine from low-end to high-end.

The most intuitive point is that the salary of Cantonese chefs in Beijing is now much higher than that of Shandong cuisine chefs.

So in this case, the nephew's choice to go south to learn Cantonese cuisine is indeed an option that conforms to the development of the times.

Song Jinsheng sighed: "Forget it, Shandong cuisine is indeed declining nowadays, it is a good idea for you to learn Cantonese cuisine. If you want to go, then go ahead, and remember to learn it well."

Liang Xiaocheng became more confident when he saw that his uncle also supported him.

"Don't worry, uncle. I will work hard to learn. I will definitely learn Cantonese cuisine well and come back in the future. When the time comes, you will just watch. I will open our own Cantonese restaurant in Texas and take over the Zhuangyuan branch."

At this time, both his father and uncle were very supportive of Liang Xiaocheng's decision.

Only the mother was present, and she was thinking about her son going south to make a living and learn Cantonese cuisine.

It's inevitable that I feel a little reluctant.

"I'm really worried about you going south alone to learn Cantonese cuisine."

Seeing his mother's worried look, Liang Xiaocheng smiled and comforted her.

"Mom, didn't I also work at Huiquanlou in Quancheng for a long time before? I just went a little further this time. Don't worry, I will definitely learn Cantonese cuisine well. I will call you back after I get settled in the south."

Seeing how determined her son was, the mother was also happy to see that her son was so responsible and willing to fight for a goal.

So the mother nodded and agreed: "Okay, if you want to go, then go ahead."

Seeing his sister so worried, Song Jinsheng quickly spoke up.

"Don't worry, sister. I have friends in the south. When I was young, I went to other places for exchanges and got to know many Cantonese chefs in the south. I will contact them and recommend Xiaocheng to them.

Based on my friendship with them, Xiaocheng will definitely be taken care of when he gets there, and nothing will happen to him."

When Liang Xiaocheng's mother heard her brother say that he also had friends in the south who could help, she finally felt relieved.

Feng Zhengming returned to Grandpa Zhang's small restaurant from the Chefs Association.

Share what happened today at the Texas Chefs Association with Second Brother and Grandpa Zhang.

Grandpa Zhang couldn't help but laugh when he heard this: "Our top scholar is really smart. He knows how to win over some people and attack the person who mainly instigated the incident."

Feng Zhengming also laughed: "When I saw Song Jinsheng, I knew that he should be the one who supported Liang Xiaocheng behind the scenes. He is Liang Xiaocheng's uncle, and I'm afraid he wants to use my name to open his own branch."

The second brother nodded in agreement: "He is Liang Xiaocheng's uncle, so it must be him."

Grandpa Zhang suddenly sighed.

"Song Jinsheng used to be a chef with aspirations."

Feng Zhengming and his second senior brother looked at each other in surprise when they heard this.

"Grandpa Zhang, do you know him?"

Grandpa Zhang nodded: "How could I not know him? He used to learn cooking from me."

This time, Grandpa Zhang finally told some stories about his youth.

When Grandpa Zhang was young, he was also the chef in Song Jinsheng’s current unit.

Song Jinsheng was recruited after Grandpa Zhang had worked in the position for twenty years.

So Grandpa Zhang can indeed be considered Song Jinsheng's master.

"At that time, all the new apprentices in the company had to start from the bottom. To be honest, it was very tiring because there were no good stoves like today. The stoves at that time still burned coal.

The first thing an apprentice has to learn is how to burn coal, how to add coal to the stove, and how to control the fire.

At that time, Song Jinsheng was considered the most hardworking among his group of apprentices. "

Because Song Jinsheng was willing to learn and work hard, he naturally won the favor of the masters.

Grandpa Zhang also gave him some guidance at that time.

However, Grandpa Zhang never accepted a disciple in his life, so naturally he did not accept Song Jinsheng as his disciple at that time.

But although he did not accept any apprentices, Grandpa Zhang treated all his apprentices equally and taught them his skills without reservation.

Grandpa Zhang saw at that time that Song Jinsheng would definitely become a good chef in the future.

Sure enough, when Grandpa Zhang retired, Song Jinsheng had already become the head chef.

"Alas, it's a pity that people's hearts are never satisfied, especially in this era, when everyone is always looking at money. Song Jinsheng, the good chef who once studied cooking, has changed."

Feng Zhengming saw that Grandpa Zhang looked distressed, and he could probably understand how he felt.

"At present, making money is what most people pursue, but I believe that one day in the future, everyone will understand the importance of inheriting traditional craftsmanship, and everyone will love traditional craftsmanship again."

Hearing this, Grandpa Zhang looked at Feng Zhengming and said, "Do you really think that Shandong cuisine can get better in the future?"

Feng Zhengming nodded: "I believe it can be done, and besides, don't I have you now?"

The second brother immediately agreed: "That's right, old man, who said that our Shandong cuisine is no longer good? We even have a national champion in Shandong cuisine."

Grandpa Zhang couldn't help but laugh: "Hahaha, yes, we still have the top scholar."

Feng Zhengming then discussed the selection of young chefs with his second senior brother and Grandpa Zhang.

Grandpa Zhang was a little surprised after listening to this. "Zhengming, you are recruiting apprentices recommended by the chef association. Are you sure they will work well in your branch?"

Feng Zhengming smiled and said, "I didn't say to let them stay in the Texas branch."

Not only Grandpa Zhang, but also Second Senior Brother Chen Zezhi felt somewhat puzzled by this.

Feng Zhengming explained: "I asked them to recommend young chefs, and then I would transfer the young chefs they recommended to Quancheng in the name of training, so that a group of people from the Quancheng store could be replaced in the Dezhou branch."

When Second Brother and Grandpa Zhang heard what Feng Zhengming planned, they were stunned.

They originally thought that Feng Zhengming wanted to hire a local young chef to be in charge of the Texas branch.

Unexpectedly, Feng Zhengming did not plan to use those young chefs directly.

He planned to bring young chefs from Texas back to Quancheng, and then send people from Quancheng to take charge of the Texas branch.

In this way, Feng Zhengming directly completed his plan to win over the younger generation of chefs in Texas. (End of this chapter)