From selling box lunches to becoming a famous Chinese chef

After Mr. Cai and Wei Ling from Hong Kong City were persuaded, Feng Zhengming and his junior uncle Huang Tao visited several masters in Shanghai City.

When several old masters in Shanghai saw Feng Zhengming, they couldn't help but sigh.

"Zhengming, we really didn't expect that the two chefs from Qilu would be the ones who could explain our local cuisine so thoroughly."

"Yes, I have read Xiao Huang's play about local cuisine many times, and it really touches me deeply every time I read it."

"And Xiao Feng, your foreign-style dishes are really an eye-opener for me."

Several Shanghai masters said so, and Feng Zhengming and Huang Tao also quickly expressed their modesty.

"You are so kind. We still have a lot to learn from you."

"Yes, that's right. Zhengming is right. We are still elementary school students in front of you."

After hearing what Feng Zhengming and Huang Tao said, several old masters looked at each other and then laughed.

"Okay, Zhengming, you don't have to be so modest."

"That's right, Xiao Huang and Zhuangyuan, your knowledge is unmatched in Shanghai."

"It's a pity that the cooking skills of our cuisine are really lacking in successors nowadays."

The feelings of the old masters in Shanghai are indeed not self-pity.

With the development of domestic economy in recent years, Shanghai has served as a bridgehead for domestic economic development.

Naturally, it has become the place where domestic and overseas contacts are the closest and most frequent.

This is the result of many Shanghai locals gradually becoming overambitious and underachieving.

Gradually get rid of the idea of ​​doing things in a down-to-earth manner.

So now almost no local people are willing to learn the craft.

Especially young people in Shanghai, many of them choose more respectable industries, and it is almost impossible to find young people learning to cook.

Almost all of the young chefs who are still being trained by the old masters are from other places.

For example, young people in some cities surrounding Shanghai are relatively close to Shanghai in terms of taste and culture.

Many young people from other regions cannot even understand the local dialect spoken by the masters.

What’s more, many times, I can’t understand Shanghai cuisine.

Just like what many people think, Shanghai cuisine is rich in oil and sauce, which means it is sweet, and it is as sweet as possible.

The local chefs are trying their best to give guidance and corrections.

But many things in our impressions are indeed not so easy to change.

In addition, many young people who are learning cooking nowadays just want to become a master as soon as possible and then find a good restaurant to start making money.

Not to mention the in-depth understanding and research like Feng Zhengming and Huang Tao.

Many young people are unwilling to even hone their basic skills.

This situation actually exists in cuisines of all places.

Therefore, a young man like Feng Zhengming is willing to spend more time and energy to study his skills. He not only studies Shandong cuisine, but also studies other cuisines.

It is something that all the old masters will envy.

The old masters who have met Feng Zhengming often can't help but think about it.

Why isn't he my disciple?
Why haven’t I met such a young person?

Feng Zhengming is also very respectful to his teachers. He is very respectful to the master chefs of Shandong cuisine as well as the master chefs of other local cuisines.

Even in some places, there are only old masters with unique skills.

Feng Zhengming always gives others enough respect.

This is also the key reason why he is liked by all the masters.

So when Huang Tao came to Shanghai and found the chef who cooked local cuisine, if he had not mentioned Feng Zhengming's name, the chef might not have given him many of his treasured items.

This time, we learned the purpose of Feng Zhengming's visit.

I want to make a restaurant recommendation guide in Shanghai.

Several old masters in Shanghai really do have some expectations.

Feng Zhengming went straight to the point and stated his design.

"Shanghai is now a place that attracts many people, whether they are going to study, work or travel.

Whether you are from China or abroad, when you come to Shanghai, you will definitely need to eat. Our restaurant recommendation guide is not like the guides that recommend high-end restaurants abroad.

I hope to create a guide to recommend some street restaurants to everyone.

Let those who come to Shanghai, they can find the restaurant that suits them through the recommendation guide. "

The masters present had to admit that Feng Zhengming's vision was indeed bigger.

He wants to make Shanghai a place that can truly embrace all rivers and seas.

The recommendation guide is a guide for all people coming to Shanghai, which can help them find restaurants that suit their taste.

According to Feng Zhengming, the recommendation guide is to recommend restaurants that are of good quality and low price.

Taste comes first, and the first thing to do is to recommend a delicious restaurant.

The second is the price of various dishes in the restaurant.

If the food is delicious, but the prices on the menu are not affordable for most people, it will not be recommended in the guide.

Hearing this, an old chef from Shanghai smiled and said, "Zhengming, if you say that, does that mean your store can't be recommended?"

Feng Zhengming did not hide anything. He said directly: "My store on Western Restaurant Street is indeed not eligible for this recommendation guide, but my other stores should still be eligible."

This made the old masters happy immediately.

"Hahaha, Zhengming, you really don't hide anything at all, do you?"

"This guy really treats this recommendation guide as a means of promoting his store."

"Zhengming, you said that, aren't you afraid that we will oppose this recommendation guide in your store?"

"Yes, if your store is included in the recommended guide, other stores will probably not be able to compete with your store, right?"

Feng Zhengming said seriously: "Everyone, the recommendation guide in my store also has to go through the same review process. The reviewers will include professionals like you, the old masters, and ordinary customers.

In addition to a few people and my junior uncle, I also invited two gourmets from Hong Kong City to conduct the notarized judging.

If the taste of my stores is not good enough, I would rather my stores no longer be included in the recommendation guide from now on.

And I will continue to support this recommended guideline going forward.”

Feng Zhengming's statement made the old masters feel impeccable.

The old masters all know that Feng Zhengming’s four stores in Shanghai now have a very good reputation.

Whether they are local Shanghai residents or people coming to Shanghai from other parts of the country, including many overseas people in Shanghai.

Everyone has given unanimous praise to Feng Zhengming's several stores.

On the one hand, the good reviews are because the dishes in Feng Zhengming’s restaurant are indeed delicious.

On the other hand, Feng Zhengming's several restaurants strictly adhere to the principle of cooking according to order.

The old chefs all admire Feng Zhengming for being able to bring together so many skilled chefs.

Each of the master chefs is an expert with many years of experience in the kitchen.

Of course, they can see that the chefs in Feng Zhengming's restaurant are good because they have solid basic skills and can cook dishes of almost the same standard. This skill may be overlooked by many restaurants and hotels.

But the old masters know very well that this is where the real skills are demonstrated.

It's not often that a chef gets away with a good performance and makes a dish that's above par in every aspect.

A chef can make a dish almost without any degradation.

This is what a chef should do most.

It’s a pity that in the current era of economic development where people are pursuing speed in everything, it has become a rare and precious thing.

When others are not as capable as you, you can say that they are cheating by recommending themselves.

But when others are better than you in all aspects, then recommending you is called "recommending the virtuous regardless of relationship."

Several master chefs in Shanghai really had no objection to Feng Zhengming recommending their own stores.

After all, Feng Zhengming also said that he would not recommend the Western restaurant on the street.

If he wants to recommend his own store.

The old chefs all know that there is currently no restaurant in Shanghai that can compare to that store.

Faced with Feng Zhengming's absolute advantage in strength, the old masters in Shanghai could only follow his plans.

With the support of the master craftsmen in Shanghai, Feng Zhengming and his junior uncle Huang Tao immediately began to prepare for the release of the recommendation guide.

Feng Zhengming and Huang Tao worked hard together to buy time.

Because at the end of the year, a new national cooking competition will be held.

By then, both Feng Zhengming and Huang Tao may have to go to the scene.

Before going to Shanghai at the beginning of the year, the Shandong cuisine chefs had already told Feng Zhengming that they hoped he could become the leader of this year's Shandong cuisine chef competition.

On the other hand, the Ministry of Labor also wants Feng Zhengming to serve as a judge for this session.

Therefore, Feng Zhengming may be very busy by then, as he will have to conduct training for the participating chefs of Shandong cuisine.

I also have to go to the competition site to serve as a judge for this session.

Therefore, Feng Zhengming plans to create a Shanghai restaurant recommendation guide together with his junior master before the end of the year.

The subsequent distribution matters can be handed over to the publishing house in Shanghai.

During this period, Huang Tao has contacted many Shanghai publishing houses, and several of them are willing to help publish the recommended guide.

To ensure that the restaurants recommended in the recommendation guide are truly recognized by everyone.

Feng Zhengming and Huang Tao, along with Mr. Cai, Wei Ling and several other masters from Shanghai, traveled through every street and alley in Shanghai.

Whether it is the street snacks with Shanghai characteristics, or some special restaurants brought to Shanghai by outsiders.

Feng Zhengming and his friends even tried some Western restaurants in Shanghai.

During this period, the group developed a good friendship through searching for delicious food.

Wei Ling even gave a suggestion: "If we conduct the store exploration selection again next year, I think we can bring a DV, or simply cooperate with the TV station to shoot some store exploration footage."

Mr. Cai also thought this proposal was very good.

"Why not just make a special store exploration program? It will definitely be very popular in the country."

Feng Zhengming smiled and said, "Wouldn't that turn it into a variety show? If there is a script, then visiting stores will lose its original meaning, and we may not be able to talk freely like we do now."

Several old masters in Shanghai agree with Feng Zhengming's statement.

"Yes, the atmosphere will be better if we have this."

"That would put a lot of pressure on some of the shops being filmed."

"If we visit and recommend restaurants, and those restaurants become famous and stop cooking well, wouldn't our reputation be ruined?"

"It's better this way. We can feel more relaxed and comfortable."

Huang Tao finally said: "We originally want to recommend restaurants to people who come to Shanghai, so it must be subjective. Instead of filming it as a program, I think it is better to write our true feelings in the recommendation guide."

After listening to Feng Zhengming and others, Mr. Cai and Wei Ling had to admit it.

Feng Zhengming, Huang Tao, and several other old masters in Shanghai have simpler purposes.

When they recommend restaurants, it really is like they think the food is delicious and then recommend it to their friends.

Mr. Cai and Wei Ling were influenced by Hong Kong City Entertainment programs.

They will always move closer to commercialization.

While Feng Zhengming and his friends were exploring Shanghai, looking for some delicious restaurants.

Feng Zhengming's four stores in Shanghai have gained an increasingly high reputation.

Sun Hai, Sun Decai, Guan Wei and Zhang Lei did not disappoint Feng Zhengming.

They really did a great job of running both new stores.

Especially Zhang Lei's progress, which even surprised Feng Zhengming.

In the past, when Zhang Lei was with the eldest senior brother, he seemed somewhat unable to take on the important task.

This time he and Guan Wei were in charge of a new store.

Zhang Lei has done a very good job in the management and operation of the new store, as well as in the cooking in the kitchen.

Especially as the store's reputation grew, more and more customers visited every day, causing some customers who had been waiting in line for a long time to complain.

Zhang Lei stepped forward and handled the situation well, also calming the dissatisfaction of customers who had been waiting in line for too long.

This incident made Feng Zhengming look at Zhang Lei with a new respect.

After knowing this, Feng Zhengming proposed to Mr. Cai, Wei Ling and the masters in Hucheng that he should go to his store to check it out, hoping that they could give their opinions on the store that Guan Wei and Zhang Lei were in charge of.

But this time, Feng Zhengming chose to retreat.

He did not show up himself, nor did he even let his junior master Huang Tao go with him to explore the store.

They simply asked several old masters from Shanghai, Mr. Cai, Wei Ling and others to disguise themselves and go in to explore the store.

Huang Tao couldn't help laughing as he waited outside with Feng Zhengming.

"Zhengming, if we film this with a camera, wouldn't it be a particularly interesting scene? You asked food critics and chefs to review your own restaurant.

Then, in order to avoid suspicion, you have to wait outside, and even hide from being seen by people in your store."

After hearing what his junior uncle said, Feng Zhengming couldn't help but laugh.

"Master uncle is right. If we were to film our current appearance and make it into a variety show, the effect would be very interesting indeed. It might even become a good TV show."

Huang Tao stared at Feng Zhengming and asked, "How about it? If you are willing to do such a program, I can contact the TV station in Shanghai next year."

Seeing that the junior master was quite excited and expectant, Feng Zhengming just said it lightly.

"Then we'll talk about it next year. We need to arrange our schedule for various aspects. The key is that our first edition of the Shanghai Restaurant Recommendation Guide must be well-known enough."

Huang Tao first nodded in agreement with what Feng Zhengming said.

But as he nodded, Huang Tao suddenly realized something.

"So you really have planned everything? First, build up your fame and authority, and then cooperate with TV stations to let more people know, right?"

Feng Zhengming didn't say anything, but the corners of his mouth that he could barely suppress had already revealed his thoughts. (End of this chapter)