From selling box lunches to becoming a famous Chinese chef

Chapter 838 Feng Zhengming's Concerns
Hangzhou welcomed Feng Zhengming and his family of three with great enthusiasm.

Not only the chefs who had previously participated in the National Cooking Skills Competition with Feng Zhengming were present.

Almost all the master chefs from the four major factions of Zhejiang cuisine were present.

Zhejiang cuisine is generally divided into four schools: Hangzhou cuisine, Ningbo cuisine, Shaoxing cuisine and Ou cuisine.

However, most of the four factions are limited to their respective regions, so naturally they are not well-known nationwide.

But in fact, the four schools of Zhejiang cuisine also have their own characteristics.

Most of the four schools mainly use river fish and seafood, and make river fish and seafood have their own unique characteristics.

However, nowadays, impacted by other local cuisines, the four schools of Zhejiang cuisine are gradually declining, and there are even rumors that Hangzhou is a food desert.

So this time Hangzhou applied to become one of the three major competition areas for the individual selection of the National Cooking Skills Competition.

It is also obvious that they want to use this competition to make the four schools of Zhejiang cuisine more familiar to more people.

Feng Zhengming, his wife and their daughter, accompanied by the people who greeted them in Hangzhou, first stayed at the hotel where the competition was held in Hangzhou.

After putting away the luggage, Feng Zhengming asked his wife and daughter to rest in the room.

He first walked around the hotel to take a look at the situation of the competition venue.

While riding the elevator, Feng Zhengming happened to meet the female host invited to the Hangzhou competition.

When the female host saw Feng Zhengming, she was immediately very excited.

"Hello, Mr. Feng. I didn't expect to see you here. Are you going down to see the competition venue?"

Feng Zhengming smiled and nodded: "Yes, let's go down and take a look at the venue for this competition and some preparations for the competition."

The female host immediately volunteered to introduce Feng Zhengming.

Feng Zhengming nodded again without refusing.

This female host is considered a well-known host on the TV station in Hangzhou.

Her name is Feng Lanyun.

Feng Zhengming couldn't help but laugh when he heard the name: "I didn't expect that we are actually related."

Feng Lanyun also smiled cheerfully: "Yes, when I saw you, Feng Zhuangyuan, won the national cooking competition, I was so excited, and my family was also very excited."

Once Feng Lanyun starts talking, she is really good at speaking.

"Also this time, my family knew that I would be the host of the Hangzhou Individual Trials and that I would meet Feng Zhuangyuan, so they were all very happy."

Feng Zhengming smiled: "I am also honored to be able to come to Hangzhou as a judge."

Feng Lanyun asked: "Is this the first time that Feng Zhuangyuan comes to Hangzhou?"

Feng Zhengming nodded: "Yes, this is my first time here, but I have often heard of Hangzhou. There is heaven above and Suzhou and Hangzhou below. I have always longed for Hangzhou and wanted to come and see it."

Feng Lanyun said, "After the competition, if Feng Zhuangyuan is free, I can accompany you to play in Hangzhou. There are many scenic spots here."

Feng Zhengming asked with a smile: "West Lake? Leifeng Pagoda? Yuewang Temple?"

Feng Lanyun also laughed: "Yes, they are all very famous scenic spots, but some of them can't be seen now, and the Eight Scenic Spots of West Lake are not complete now."

"I heard that Leifeng Pagoda has begun to be rebuilt?" Feng Zhengming did some research before coming to Hangzhou.

Feng Lanyun nodded: "Yes, the reconstruction will begin this year. The ruins below will be preserved, and a new Leifeng Pagoda will be built on top, imitating the past appearance."

Feng Zhengming: "It's still worth looking forward to. I want to see the scenery of Leifeng Pagoda at sunset."

Feng Lanyun then began to introduce.

"In fact, in recent years, the area around West Lake has been undergoing restoration and reconstruction, trying to restore the scenic spots around West Lake to their former appearance.

If you have time later, Mr. Feng, you can go to Lingyin Temple to have a look. The scenery there is also very nice. "

Feng Zhengming agreed: "Okay, after the game is over, my wife and I will take our daughter to have a look."

When Feng Zhengming mentioned his wife and daughter, Feng Lanyun's expression changed slightly.

But she quickly regained her smile.

"This time, Feng Zhuangyuan came with his wife and daughter. I have heard that Feng Zhuangyuan loves his wife and daughter very much. It seems that the rumors are true."

Feng Zhengming smiled and said, "It is my duty to love my wife and daughter. My wife and I were in a free love relationship. When I was still selling lunch boxes on the street, my wife was willing to follow me.

We can be considered a couple who have been through thick and thin together, so our feelings cannot afford to change in any way.

As for my daughter, she is the fruit of my wife and I’s love, so we naturally love her very much.”

Feng Lanyun was quite envious after hearing this.

"I really envy your wife. With a chef like you at home, every meal must be delicious, right?"

Feng Zhengming smiled and waved his hands: "I'm afraid this is where I have to apologize to my wife.

If you are looking for a husband in the future, it is best not to look for a chef."

This made Feng Lanyun a little strange: "Why?"

Feng Zhengming explained: "Because most of the time, chefs may not cook at home."

Feng Lanyun was even more puzzled: "Why don't you cook at home?"

"First, when people eat at home, the restaurant kitchen is usually the busiest, so it is impossible for the chef to abandon his work in the kitchen and go home to cook."

Feng Lanyun could understand what Feng Zhengming said.

Feng Zhengming continued to explain: "Also, chefs often feel tired after cooking in the kitchen for a long time, so naturally they don't want to cook when they get home.

Of course there is another reason. The stoves, pots and various seasonings at home are not as convenient as those in the kitchen.

Maybe when I return home, if the chef is not used to it, the home-cooked dishes he makes may not be as good as those made by an ordinary person who cooks at home regularly. "

After Feng Zhengming's explanation, Feng Lanyun felt that it did make sense.

"Yes, chefs work so hard, and when they get home things are not easy to handle, so it's right that they don't want to cook at home."

Hearing Feng Lanyun say this, Feng Zhengming immediately laughed.

“Hahaha, it seems like you’ve been convinced by these words, but let me tell you, many chefs are reluctant to cook at home, often just because they don’t want to work so hard at home.

In a restaurant, the chef has to serve all the guests, and when you go home, of course you want to be served by others. "

Feng Zhengming's words made Feng Lanyun burst out laughing.

After laughing, Feng Lanyun felt that she seemed to have lost sight of her image.

Feng Lanyun quickly suppressed her smile and looked at Feng Zhengming embarrassedly.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Feng, you made a fool of yourself."

Feng Zhengming: "There is nothing to laugh at. Laughing out loud will make you feel more relaxed."

These words immediately increased Feng Lanyun's favor towards Feng Zhengming.

Feng Lanyun usually needs to keep smiling because of her work.

After a long time, Feng Lanyun no longer knew what it felt like to laugh sincerely.
Today, in front of Feng Zhengming, Feng Lanyun felt very relaxed.

I couldn't help laughing at Feng Zhengming's words.

This kind of genuine and happy laughter made Feng Lanyun feel very comfortable all of a sudden.

The two took the elevator to the floor of the competition venue, and Feng Zhengming and the others got off the elevator together.

Under the guidance of Feng Lanyun, Feng Zhengming arrived at the competition venue.

Some staff members at the scene saw that Feng Zhengming was very excited and took the initiative to greet him.

Feng Zhengming is a very humble person. He greets everyone, shakes hands with them, and even gives answers when someone asks him about cooking.

After checking out the competition site, Feng Zhengming went to see the preparation of some ingredients for the competition. He was also invited to take a look at the hotel restaurant's kitchen.

In the hotel restaurant kitchen, I was naturally asked questions by some chefs in the kitchen.

Feng Zhengming also gave very detailed answers.

Feng Zhengming even generously taught the chefs some little cooking techniques in the kitchen.

This also made the chefs in the kitchen feel that Feng Zhengming was truly a very unique top scholar.

Feng Lanyun followed the whole process and saw that Feng Zhengming could get along well with almost everyone. She felt as if she had met a more real Feng Zhuangyuan.

In the past, Feng Lanyun just read some information and had some understanding of Feng Zhengming's experiences.

Or if you watch some of his interviews, you will feel that Feng Zhengming is a serious and good chef.

But by following Feng Zhengming and watching him talk to people from different industries.

You will find that he is really friendly to everyone.

Feng Zhengming can always maintain an equal attitude when facing anyone.

This may be something that is often not easy for some famous people to do.

Through observation, Feng Lanyun felt that Feng Zhengming, the top scholar, was truly charming.

This charm is not his craftsmanship, but the charm of him as a person.

After looking around, Feng Zhengming said goodbye to everyone and prepared to return to his room.

Feng Zhengming was sent to the elevator by Feng Lanyun and expressed his gratitude with a smile.

"Thank you for staying with me for so long."

Feng Lanyun smiled and responded: "You're welcome. It's my honor to accompany the top scholar."

Then Feng Lanyun took out her cell phone: "Can we exchange phone numbers, top scholar?"

Feng Zhengming didn't think much about it and exchanged numbers with Feng Lanyun.

Afterwards, Feng Lanyun did not take the elevator because she had other things to do.

Feng Zhengming went upstairs and returned to his room alone.

When I returned to the room, I saw my wife coaxing our daughter.

Feng Zhengming walked over and hugged his wife and daughter from behind.

"I went downstairs and took a look. Hangzhou is well prepared for this competition."

Luo Qing turned her head and looked at her husband: "Since you, the top scholar, are here, they must be well prepared."

Feng Zhengming then told his wife about what happened when he went downstairs and met Feng Lanyun.

"I never expected to meet a female host with the same last name as me here."

Luo Qing pursed her lips slightly as she listened to her husband's description.

"Don't you look young and pretty?"

Feng Zhengming reached over his wife and gently held his daughter's hand.

The daughter cooperated very well and immediately grabbed her father's fingers.

The little girl also turned her head, as if she knew she was holding her father's finger, so she wanted to look at her father.

When the little girl saw her father sticking his head out from behind her mother, she immediately smiled.

Feng Zhengming smiled at his daughter and said, "She is indeed very young and beautiful, but definitely not as beautiful as mom, right?"

The daughter saw her father smiling at her and talking to her.

Not knowing what her father was talking about, the little girl grabbed her father's hand and shook it happily.

Luo Qing felt very happy when she heard what her husband said.

But on the surface she still held back her laughter.

"Humph, Dad would definitely say that in front of Mom, but who knows what he would say behind my back in front of others?"

Feng Zhengming quickly assured: "I am absolutely telling the truth. I also said it in front of others. My wife is the most beautiful. I love my wife and daughter very much."

Luo Qing couldn't help laughing: "Okay, I'm just kidding you, I definitely believe you."

Then Luo Qing asked her husband seriously about the competition.

Feng Zhengming introduced what he saw.

In the end, he couldn't help but sigh.

“I didn’t expect so many chefs to sign up for the individual competition this year.”

Luo Qing said: "That's normal. After you won the first place in the imperial examination, you became famous all over the country, and you opened so many stores. Many people must be envious of you.

So many personal chefs want to participate in the national cooking skills competition and become famous like you."

Feng Zhengming didn't find it strange what his wife said.

He knew that many individual chefs who signed up for the competition probably thought so.

In addition, the department hosting the competition this year, in order to celebrate the arrival of the millennium and expand the influence of the entire competition, is also openly accepting registrations from individual chefs.

That's why so many individual chefs participated in the competition at once.

For this reason, Hangzhou, Wucheng and Shicheng were set up as the three venues for the individual chef competition.

Feng Zhengming doesn’t know what Shicheng and Wucheng will be like?

But judging from the size of Hangzhou, there are probably at least several thousand chefs participating in the competition.

This is very different from the national competition that Feng Zhengming participated in before.

When Feng Zhengming participated in the competition, he still competed with local cuisine.

Most of the chefs are selected from local areas to participate in the competition.

Therefore, the opponents Feng Zhengming met in the competition were all the best in cuisine from all over the place.

In this regard, it can be seen from the several chefs who came from Hong Kong that their skills are really amazing.

Including chefs from other cuisines from all over the world who were participating in the competition.

They are also the chefs of famous restaurants in various places.

This time it's completely different.

Because we accept applications from personal chefs.

Therefore, there may be many younger chefs among the participating chefs.

They may not dare to say how good their craftsmanship is.

Feng Zhengming couldn't help but feel a little worried: "If the chefs' cooking skills are too uneven, the competition might become less interesting."

Luo Qing still understood her husband's thoughts very well. She picked up her daughter and placed her in her husband's arms.

Then she slowly moved closer to her husband's arms.

"I know you're worried that this will reduce the authority of the competition and cause the National Cooking Skills Competition to be forgotten by many people, right?"

Feng Zhengming gently held his daughter with one hand and gently embraced his wife with the other.

What his wife said was indeed his biggest worry.

If the National Cooking Skills Competition loses its due authority.

So how do we select good chefs in the country in the future?
(End of this chapter)