From selling box lunches to becoming a famous Chinese chef

After the busy lunch at the street branch of the Western restaurant ended, Feng Zhengming called everyone in the kitchen to the front store.

Sit down and have a conversation with the store staff.

"Let me say a few words first. I was in the store near the train station yesterday, and today I was in our store for a morning and noon, so I have some understanding of the situation of both stores.

I think we need to make some changes and lower the prices a little in the shops near the train station.

Then the prices in our store will increase again.”

After hearing what Feng Zhengming said, everyone was a little surprised.

Both stores have been open for less than half a year.

Now Feng Zhengming is actually going to raise the menu prices in one of the stores.

This approach is obviously intended to use the profits from the Western Restaurant Street store to subsidize part of the price reduction at the store near the train station.

The waiter in charge of the store on Western Restaurant Street was the first to express a different opinion.

"Boss, if we raise the price here, some customers may leave, and they may choose other Western restaurants here."

As soon as the waiter leader spoke, everyone else started to express their opinions.

"Yes, the reason why we attract so many customers now is because we are more economical than other Western restaurants."

"If we raise the price, people who are used to eating lunch and dinner here will choose to eat at the western restaurant next door."

"Boss, we are raising prices here, but the store near the train station is lowering prices. I'm afraid our customers will complain."

"It seems that many businesses are not doing well now, many people have been laid off, and everyone is choosing to downgrade their consumption. If we raise prices, I'm afraid many people will stop eating here."

Feng Zhengming is of course well aware of everyone's concerns.

He probably understands the situation better than anyone in the store.

Because he understands the situation better.

That's why he wanted to raise the prices at the Western Restaurant on the street and lower the prices at the store near the train station.

Feng Zhengming stated very frankly the reasons for his decision.

“In fact, most of the customers we receive in this store are those who are least affected by the domestic business crisis. Many of them work for foreign companies, or are simply overseas workers working in China.

For them, our current prices are too low. We will raise the prices, and at the same time, I will work with Chef Jiang to design a new menu to replace our original menu.

Since we are going to increase prices, we must give customers who come to our store something new.

And every six months, I will work with Chef Jiang and everyone in the kitchen to launch a new menu.”

Hearing Feng Zhengming's arrangement, Jiang Chengzhe nodded in agreement.

Originally, the two were planning to implement this plan in their restaurant in Shanghai in the future.

However, Jiang Chengzhe also feels that this round of changes in the domestic and overseas economic environment does not make it suitable to open a high-end restaurant for the time being.

The most important thing is to work with Feng Zhengming to stabilize the two stores in Shanghai.

Feng Zhengming introduced the development of this western restaurant on the street.

He then went on to talk about his idea of ​​lowering the prices at the store at the train station.

“The reason why the store near the train station has to lower its prices is, firstly, because people’s spending power is declining, and secondly, our prices were originally much higher.

Lowering the prices will attract more customers from the train station, especially those from other places.”

Finally, Feng Zhengming concluded: "So the two stores will take two different paths and screen their customers.

The railway station adopts the principle of small profits but quick turnover, and on the basis of ensuring quality, we aim to provide a place for people from other places who come to Shanghai to eat that is of good quality and low price.

The main target group of our restaurant is those working in foreign companies and overseas, as well as some white-collar workers who pursue a certain quality of life. The dishes should be more refined and the menu should be updated in real time. "

After hearing what Feng Zhengming said, everyone in the store stopped objecting.

Because everyone understands that their vision is still not as good as Feng Zhengming's.

He really has to look further ahead than everyone else.

Identify the different customer groups that the two stores target.

Making some changes is a more appropriate coping strategy.

Jiang Chengzhe said, "As expected of the head chef, you have thought of many things for us in advance."

Jiang Chengzhe's words of praise came from the bottom of his heart.

Because Jiang Chengzhe really hadn't considered many things.

He just saw that this store on Western Restaurant Street was doing a booming business.

It has completely crushed the surrounding Western restaurants.

It can also attract a large number of overseas people working in China.

So Jiang Chengzhe simply wanted to run this store well.

If Feng Zhengming had not gone to another store, he would have gone to the flood control embankment to cook for people and witnessed many people and things on his way back.

Maybe if you just stay in this restaurant on the Western Restaurant Street, you won’t be able to feel the changes outside.

In Jiang Chengzhe's eyes, Feng Zhengming is now not just a top chef, but is beginning to transform into a real boss.

We must be able to sense market changes in advance and make timely adjustments.

After finalizing the plans for the two stores, Feng Zhengming and Jiang Chengzhe then led the kitchen to conduct some research and development.

Feng Zhengming and his team's research and development is not like that of many high-end restaurants and hotels.

You can ignore the cost and simply pile up the ingredients for research and development.

Feng Zhengming would consider the cost of various ingredients in detail, and would often go to the farmers' market with Jiang Chengzhe and others, or even go to the seaside to inspect the fishing boats that were docked at the port.

Just to know the cost price of ingredients in real time.

Then, based on the cost price of the ingredients, consider what new menus should be introduced.

Although they are going to raise prices, they still want people to feel that the products in their store are of good quality and low price.

This can be said to be a process that tests the patience and all aspects of the chef's abilities.

Feng Zhengming and Jiang Chengzhe considered many aspects.

Even Luo Qing and her aunt helped with the cost accounting.

Finally, a completely new menu was decided upon.

Keep some low-priced dishes on the menu.

The prices of braised pork belly, pork elbow and four-happiness meatballs have not changed.

But the price of stuffed pig's trotters has increased a bit.

This dish is now a very popular dish in restaurants.

In particular, many people from overseas like to order this dish in the restaurant.

Feng Zhengming added some seafood to the menu.

Although no precious seafood is added directly, the addition of small seafood is also liked by many overseas people and white-collar workers in foreign companies.

Finally, some of the previous stir-fried dishes were replaced from the original pork and offal dishes to beef and chicken, as well as some stir-fried dishes with a more Western flavor.

And at Jiang Chengzhe's own initiative, Feng Zhengming also added Western dishes such as oxtail stewed in red wine to the menu. Once the new menu of this restaurant on Western Restaurant Street was launched, it quickly attracted a lot of attention.

Once the attention is high, it will naturally cause some controversy.

What made Feng Zhengming and others laugh and cry the most was that someone actually wrote a letter to the Shanghai Chefs Association and the Catering Association to report them.

The report letter said that Feng Zhengming was clearly a Shandong cuisine chef, but he opened a Shandong cuisine restaurant, but most of the items on the menu were not Shandong cuisine, and he even added a lot of overseas watercress.

Feng Zhengming originally opened two stores in Shanghai, and his booming business made some people jealous.

Now someone has written a letter of complaint to the Chefs Association and the Catering Association.

Naturally, it is a handle that some people with ulterior motives can catch.

So soon, people from the Shanghai Chefs Association and the Catering Association came to the door.

When Feng Zhengming saw them coming to his house, he didn't take them seriously at all.

He didn't even bother to ask the other person to sit down, have a drink of water, and try the food in the restaurant.

Feng Zhengming was quite assertive: "Everyone, don't you think that what is said in the so-called report letter is completely nonsense?"

Without giving the other party a chance to speak, Feng Zhengming rushed to continue speaking.

"I run a restaurant and I'm in the catering business. As a chef, I can't decide what I can and can't sell in my store?
What’s more, it’s not written on the sign of my store. I think this is a store that only serves Shandong cuisine, right?

Does that mean that if I cook dishes that customers like in order to attract customers, we are breaking the law?"

People from the Chefs Association and the Catering Association looked at each other.

Feng Zhengming spoke first in a very powerful way, leaving them speechless.

This report was ridiculous in itself.

As long as a restaurant is clean and hygienic, and uses legal ingredients, it is their freedom to cook whatever dishes they want.

It does not make sense that someone who has just emerged now should be forced to cook only Shandong cuisine.

But people from the Chefs Association and the Catering Association came.

They felt it was a bit too embarrassing to let them go back without saying a word.

The person from the Chefs Association spoke first: "Chef Feng, we are here this time in response to some people's reports. If this is really a Shandong cuisine restaurant, you should serve more Shandong cuisine."

People from the catering association also spoke up.

"Yes, yes, you advertised it as an authentic Shandong cuisine restaurant, so it must focus on Shandong cuisine."

"It seems that the popular dishes in your restaurant are no longer Shandong cuisine, right?"

"Feng Zhuangyuan, you are the champion of Shandong cuisine, shouldn't you also forget your roots?"

When Feng Zhengming heard the person from the Catering Association say this, his face suddenly changed.

"Have I forgotten my roots? I'm the champion of a national cooking skills competition. Are you trying to tell me that you know how to cook better than me and that you know Shandong cuisine better than me?"

Seeing that Feng Zhengming's words became more impolite, he almost turned hostile.

This shocked the people from the catering association.

The Chefs Association also wanted to step forward and help mediate.

Feng Zhengming interrupted again: "I'm telling you, you have no right to tell me anything. If you want to tell me whether what I cook is Shandong cuisine or not, you can all come and teach me a lesson by getting a national champion.

The main dishes in my restaurant are braised pork with pork belly, four-happiness meatballs, pork elbows and pig’s trotters. Can you tell me, which one of them does not belong to Shandong cuisine?
Even if it’s seafood, the most classic dish in my restaurant, lotus crab, isn’t that an authentic Shandong dish?”

Faced with Feng Zhengming's blunt questioning, the people from the Chefs Association were speechless.

Feng Zhengming then asked someone to bring out his menu.

"Come on, let me show you the main dishes on my menu. Tell me, which one of them cannot be considered Shandong cuisine?"

Looking at the menu, everyone from the Chefs Association and the Catering Association was speechless.

This matter was originally fabricated out of nothing.

So when they saw the menu in front of them, they really couldn't find any fault with it.

Jiang Chengzhe stood up at this time. He noticed that the atmosphere was a little wrong.

Feng Zhengming's dominance made the Chefs Association and the Catering Association somewhat embarrassed.

He stepped forward to smooth things over.

“Everyone, this is indeed a false accusation. As a Cantonese chef from Hong Kong, I can prove that most of the dishes on our menu are Shandong cuisine.

Some dishes that look like Western food have actually been modified by our chef to follow Shandong cuisine style.

There are also some dishes that are made in the style of our Hong Kong Cantonese cuisine, and I am the one who cooks those dishes.

I am a Cantonese chef in Hong Kong, so there should be nothing wrong with me cooking Cantonese food, right? "

Jiang Chengzhe stood up and said these words, which gave the Chefs Association and the Catering Association a way out.

Besides, he came from Hong Kong, so everyone had to be more or less polite to him.

The leader of the Chefs Association said, "Two chefs, this may indeed be a misunderstanding. It is mainly because someone who doesn't know you well has written a letter of complaint to us. We must investigate and give them a reasonable explanation."

Someone from the catering association also agreed: "That's right, we are here today just to get an explanation."

Without waiting for Feng Zhengming and Jiang Chengzhe to speak, someone from the catering association said.

"We have already made our statement. When we return, we will help you make the announcement and let everyone know that there is nothing wrong with what you are doing and there is no so-called false propaganda."

Feng Zhengming's tone also became calm: "If you still have any objections, you can stay for lunch and further investigate the quality of our dishes."

After hearing this, people from the Chefs Association and the Catering Association said that it was not necessary.

Afterwards, Feng Zhengming and Jiang Chengzhe sent the people away.

After everyone left, Feng Zhengming still felt a little annoyed.

"Some people really have too much free time. We are busy making dishes and conducting various research and development every day, but we are misunderstood. Why do we let a group of people who don't even go into the kitchen investigate us?"

Jiang Chengzhe quickly tried to comfort her: "It's okay, some things should just be explained clearly."

Xia Hui also helped to persuade him: "Uncle Master, don't be angry. It's not worth getting angry with them."

Others also advised Feng Zhengming not to take it too seriously.

But Feng Zhengming naturally couldn't give up just like that.

He quickly contacted TV stations and newspapers in Shanghai, and even found some other media, to show them the conditions in the kitchens of his two stores and introduce some of his ideas and dishes.

Facing the TV station's camera, Feng Zhengming spoke frankly without being humble or arrogant.

"My two stores are now taking different paths. In order to cater to more out-of-towners who have left their hometowns, we have chosen to operate the store at the railway station in a way that does not raise prices as much as possible.

My other restaurant is the one that many people say does not live up to its reputation and does not serve Shandong cuisine well.

We have been integrating different cuisines, and we try to present other dishes in the style of Shandong cuisine.”

Feng Zhengming gave a very solemn explanation.

Related interview reports were quickly broadcast on TV and published in newspapers and magazines.

This incident further enhanced Feng Zhengming's popularity.

It also makes his two stores more popular among different groups of people. (End of this chapter)