From selling box lunches to becoming a famous Chinese chef

Feng Zhengming showed off his cooking skills at Huang Tao's home, making Huang Tao's daughter Huang Beibei very happy.

"It turns out that the top scholar brother's cooking is delicious, better than my father and mother's."

After hearing this, Huang Tao reached out and gently touched his daughter's forehead.

"You are so disrespectful. Can you call me brother? You should call me uncle."

Feng Zhengming smiled and corrected him: "Uncle Master, that's not right. Your daughter should really call me brother."

Huang Tao quickly stopped him: "No, no, there is a big age gap between you two. Our Beibei just started elementary school. It's not appropriate to call you brother."

Seeing Huang Tao say this, Feng Zhengming looked serious.

"Uncle Master, I call you Uncle Master. This is a question of seniority between us. Just because we are not that far apart in age, can I stop calling you Uncle Master and call you Old Huang?"

Hearing Feng Zhengming calling her father "Old Huang", Huang Beibei immediately echoed: "Old Huang, Old Huang."

Huang Tao glared at his daughter when she called him that, but it was obvious that Huang Tao loved his daughter very much, so he didn't say anything to her.

However, Huang Tao's wife still said a few words to her daughter.

"Beibei, you can't call me daddy like that."

Feng Zhengming continued to say to Huang Tao with a serious face: "So, I call you Uncle Shi. As for Beibei, she and I are of the same generation. No matter how old she is, she has to call me Brother Shi."

Huang Beibei smiled and called out, "Senior Brother."

Feng Zhengming agreed: "Hey, Junior Sister Beibei, if you want to eat again in the future, you can come to my restaurant. I will greet your other senior brothers and it won't cost you any money."

Huang Beibei's eyes lit up instantly.

"Really? I can eat at your restaurant for free, Brother Zhuangyuan?"

Feng Zhengming nodded: "Of course, Senior Brother will treat you."

Huang Beibei followed up by asking: "Can I bring my classmates to eat there?"

Feng Zhengming nodded again: "Okay."

Huang Tao quickly stopped her: "Beibei, what's wrong with you? I think you are a show-off today, right? Your senior brother asked you to go, but you still want to bring your classmates with you. Is your senior brother's shop not making money?"

My mother also started talking about Huang Beibei: "Beibei, we can't always go to eat without paying. How can our senior brother's store make money?"

Huang Beibei pouted: "I didn't say I would go there every day. I just wanted to invite my classmates to go on my birthday."

Luo Qing smiled and tried to comfort the little girl.

"Of course, Beibei, you can even take your classmates there every day."

Huang Tao and his wife quickly stopped Luo Qing from saying that.

"This won't work. This really won't work. You are also a business."

"Yeah, it's not good to always go out and eat without paying."

Luo Qing smiled and responded: "It's okay, uncle and aunt, how much does it cost for a child to eat? Zhengming has several stores, can he still be short of food for the child?"

Feng Zhengming took over the conversation: "Yes, Beibei, I can afford to treat you to a meal. Beibei, where are you studying now?"

Huang Beibei glanced at her parents and cautiously told Feng Zhengming about the school.

"Oh, that's closer to my old shop. If you don't have time after school at noon, you can go to the old shop to eat and find your senior brother Yang, he is the third senior brother. When you go in, tell him that Feng Zhengming said that Huang Beibei can eat at the old shop for free."

Feng Zhengming's words made everyone laugh.

After Huang Beibei smiled, she did not agree immediately, but looked at her parents.

Finally, under Feng Zhengming's insistence, Huang Tao and his wife agreed.

Huang Tao still warned his daughter: "You can't take your classmates there often, and you can't go there often either."

Seeing that her father agreed, Huang Beibei smiled happily and nodded.

Then she smiled and said to Feng Zhengming: "Brother Zhuangyuan, many of my classmates also like to eat the food in your restaurant. Some classmates even said that they would go to Huiquanlou for a wedding banquet.

I can tell them later that you are my brother, and they will surely envy me to death."

Feng Zhengming was amused by the little girl's words.

Looking at Huang Beibei, Feng Zhengming felt that perhaps his daughter would be like this when she grew up.

"Then when it's your birthday, invite your best classmates to go to my store. I'll ask them to prepare a big cake for you so you can show off your strength in front of your classmates."

Huang Beibei's eyes widened and she asked excitedly, "Really? Can I invite my classmates to my birthday party? Can Zhuangyuan brother prepare a cake for me?"

Feng Zhengming smiled and stretched out his little finger to the little girl: "Let's pinky promise."

Huang Beibei happily made a pinky promise with Feng Zhengming.

Huang Tao and his wife were watching from the side and were feeling a little amused.

After the big and the small made a pinky promise, Huang Tao couldn't help but say, "I didn't expect you to spoil the child like this, Zhengming."

Feng Zhengming laughed: "Girls should be pampered more."

My aunt immediately said, "I'm afraid your daughter will be spoiled to death by you in the future."

Feng Zhengming smiled and looked at the daughter in his wife's arms.

"I'll do everything I can to make her happy."

Then Feng Zhengming looked at his junior uncle and aunt: "Don't you think girls are cute?"

The aunt smiled bitterly at her daughter and said, "If you saw her being naughty, you wouldn't think she was cute anymore."

We chatted while almost finishing our meal.

Huang Tao asked his wife to clear the table, and he invited Feng Zhengming into his study to continue chatting.

After entering Huang Tao's study, Feng Zhengming heard his junior uncle ask a question.

"Zhengming, have you ever thought about writing a book?"

"Write a book?" Feng Zhengming was a little surprised when asked.

Huang Tao nodded: "With your current fame, if you write a book, it will definitely sell well, and publishing a book can also enhance your fame."

Feng Zhengming also understands this point, as many famous chefs have published their own books.

Some famous chefs in Hong Kong will even publish many books in succession.

Some famous overseas chefs, including Kaufman, who had worked with Feng Zhengming in Hong Kong, also publish cookbooks.

Feng Zhengming knew that publishing his own cookbook would indeed enhance his reputation and fame.

But even though he understood this, he still shook his head at his junior uncle.

"Thank you for your kindness, Uncle Master, but I am not planning to publish a book for the time being."

Huang Tao looked incredulous: "You are not planning to publish a book for the time being? But publishing a book will be helpful to you."

Feng Zhengming stopped his junior uncle from continuing.

“I know that publishing a book will be of great help to me. It will enhance my reputation and fame. If I publish a book with several chefs, our book may even be used as a teaching material in many cooking schools.

That way, my status in the domestic culinary industry will be different, and I can even become a truly master chef.”

Huang Tao nodded: "Yes, wouldn't that be good for your future development?"

Feng Zhengming said calmly: "But those are not what I want."

Huang Tao was stunned by what he said.

Feng Zhengming continued, "I hope that I can use my skills to run a restaurant with my own personal style, and that restaurant can become a must-eat restaurant for food lovers across the country and even the world.

When that time really comes, I can publish a recipe book based on my restaurant’s menu for everyone.”

Huang Tao continued to be in a daze. He didn't expect that Feng Zhengming's real thoughts were here.

"But you want to open a top-notch restaurant. Doesn't that conflict with publishing a book?"

Feng Zhengming smiled: "It is a conflict. I don't want to publish a book casually. Junior Master, you should know that I want to do my best in everything I do.

If I want to publish a book, I have to take care of all the details and write the book carefully.

Now I don’t have the time or energy to do it.”

Huang Tao could only helplessly say, "Okay, then I can only respect you."

Feng Zhengming then gave his junior uncle some encouragement.

"Uncle Master, you can first seriously write the manuscript of Shanghai's local cuisine. After the Chinese New Year, if you can spare some time, come to Shanghai to find me. I can introduce some old chefs there to you so that you can better understand Shanghai's local cuisine."

Huang Tao nodded and agreed: "This matter does need to be taken seriously."

Although Feng Zhengming did not agree to publish the book.

Huang Tao was not angry.

He also understood that Feng Zhengming's plan was correct.

Huang Tao also knew the importance of going to Shanghai to write an article introducing local cuisine.

It is necessary to be able to write about the details of Shanghai cuisine.

It would leave even the local cooking masters speechless.

Only in this way can you truly make a name for yourself in Shanghai.

Only then can he help Feng Zhengming carry out his plan.

A recommended guide listing all restaurants and hotels of all sizes in Shanghai has been launched.

As long as enough people agree.

Then it will be possible to promote Feng Zhengming's influence in Shanghai through the recommended guidelines.

If we can take over Shanghai, the rest of the country will naturally advance.

Huang Tao said seriously: "It seems that I need to find out a lot of information I collected before and study it carefully.

I need to understand the local cuisine first before I can ask the chefs for advice.”

Feng Zhengming reminded: "Uncle Master, remember to understand the local conditions and customs of Shanghai. Only by understanding the local conditions and customs can you write better so that the locals of Shanghai can accept it and outsiders can feel that it is real."

Huang Tao smiled and said, "This is really a lot of work. It shows that you are really ambitious."

Feng Zhengming laughed along: "So I said, we don't have time to publish a book for the time being, right?"

Huang Tao could only nod in agreement.

In the following time, Feng Zhengming and Huang Tao talked about a lot of things.

The two chatted until almost four o'clock in the afternoon, and Feng Zhengming and Luo Qing left with their daughter.

When I left Huang Tao's house, I saw Huang Beibei looking reluctant to leave.

Feng Zhengming showed his little finger to the little girl.

"Remember the agreement. When it's your birthday, tell me in advance. I will arrange time in advance and come back to celebrate your birthday."

Huang Beibei immediately smiled happily and nodded heavily.

This scene made Huang Tao and his wife feel a little embarrassed.

After leaving Huang Tao's house and on the way back, Luo Qing also talked about Huang Beibei with a smile.

"That little girl is really interesting. She's really good at talking. I think she inherited her talent from Junior Master."

Feng Zhengming looked at his daughter in his wife's arms and said, "Maybe our daughter will be able to speak like that in the future."

Luo Qing smiled: "Aren't you afraid that your daughter will be as talkative as you in the future and annoy you to death?"

Feng Zhengming: "How could that be? My daughter needs to be spoiled. I won't be annoyed to death."

Luo Qing asked: "Have you talked to your uncle? Have you asked him to go to Shanghai to help you promote it?"

Feng Zhengming nodded: "It has been negotiated. Uncle will make some preparations first, and will probably go to Shanghai later. There is no rush for that. Anyway, our two stores are now famous, so there is no need to rush to promote them."

Luo Qing shook her head: "I think that because both stores have gained some fame, we should strike while the iron is hot and promote them more."

Feng Zhengming was a little surprised. This was the first time that his wife had a different idea from his.

He immediately became curious: "Tell me how to strike while the iron is hot?"

Luo Qing first pointed out: "You should increase publicity, put out photos of celebrities that your restaurant has entertained, and then you should contact more Shanghai Chefs and Catering Associations.

Get some support from them, or even take the initiative to challenge some local stores and defeat them with your skills.”

Hearing his wife's words, Feng Zhengming couldn't help laughing.

"Hahaha, isn't your idea a little too exaggerated?"

Luo Qing said seriously: "Is it an exaggeration? I think this is the normal way of development. You should think more about the employees in the store and the people in the kitchen."

After hearing what his wife said, Feng Zhengming understood his wife's thoughts.

"You're right. I'm opening more and more stores now, and more and more people are working with me. I can't just think about myself, I have to think about them as well."

During his New Year break, Feng Zhengming had indeed been thinking about these things.

Nowadays, everyone who gathers around me has his or her own pursuits.

But we can’t just use ideals to encompass everyone.

Everyone also needs to be able to obtain enough value through their own skills.

Feng Zhengming also felt that the burden on his shoulders was heavy.

Now he not only wants to pursue his own ideals, but also wants to lead everyone to make money together.

In particular, we should give enough respect to the chefs in the kitchen who insist on improving their skills, and let their skills get the due value recognition.

"Okay, then when we return to Shanghai after the New Year, we will start to increase publicity."

Feng Zhengming figured this out and naturally agreed to his wife's request immediately.

"We need to show the group photos of those stars and celebrities, and then have TV stations and newspapers interview us. We also need to actively participate in some activities in Shanghai. It doesn't necessarily have to be me who goes every time. We can ask Azhe, Xia Hui, Sun Hai, Zhu Xu and others to participate."

Luo Qing smiled and nodded: "That's right, we need to make everyone feel that their craftsmanship is respected."

Feng Zhengming smiled and said, "Maybe next year, we can open a few more branches in Shanghai."

Luo Qing asked curiously, "Aren't you planning to open a high-end restaurant next year?"

Feng Zhengming: "The one who is not in a hurry."

Luo Qing was even more puzzled: "Why are you suddenly not in a hurry?"

Feng Zhengming explained: "Because that requires more preparation, we either don't open it or we must open a top-notch restaurant.

I told my junior uncle that I must open a world-class restaurant in Shanghai, and make it a must-eat restaurant for food lovers around the world, so as to attract people from all over the world to come to Shanghai to eat. "

Luo Qing believed in her husband: "I believe you can do it." (End of this chapter)