From selling box lunches to becoming a famous Chinese chef

The creativity displayed by young chefs in the three competition areas is indeed very eye-catching.

But in fact, everyone is more looking forward to the performances of Feng Zhengming and the old masters.

This is Feng Zhengming's performance again with the Shandong cuisine masters.

Not to mention audiences from all over the country, many chefs who came to participate in the competition were also looking forward to this performance.

Everyone is guessing what dishes Feng Zhengming and the chefs will cook this time?

When everyone was wondering whether Feng Zhengming and the masters would use their best skills to compete with each other.

In fact, Feng Zhengming was also discussing the dishes to be prepared with several master chefs.

"Master, fellow uncles and uncles, since this is a performance, should we each cook a classic Shandong dish?"

The old masters all looked at Feng Zhengming.

Master Cui, as the oldest, spoke first.

"Zhengming, how do you want to distribute it?"

Feng Zhengming smiled and said, "I have prepared a few cards of classic Shandong dishes. When we perform live, we will draw a card first, and we will cook the dish we draw."

After saying this, Feng Zhengming looked at the masters: "Master, uncle, and uncle, what do you think?"

The old masters looked at each other and found Feng Zhengming's arrangement very interesting.

Master Wang, who had come back from the capital specially, spoke first with a smile this time.

"Zhengming, are you planning to turn our performance into a variety show?"

Feng Zhengming smiled and nodded: "That's right, Uncle Wang, there is no need for me to compete with you. We are just going to do a Shandong cuisine cooking show on the spot. The key point is to show you our Shandong cuisine techniques."

Hearing this, the old masters all smiled and nodded in agreement.

In recent years, the old masters have been helping Feng Zhengming to recommend restaurants and make recommendations in the guide.

So I traveled around the province and saw the conditions in different parts of the province.

The old masters are generally still a little dissatisfied.

It is still the basic skill of chefs.

Although there are top scorers like Feng Zhengming who emphasize the importance of improving basic skills.

There are also the Zhengluxing branches under Feng Zhengming, which strictly adhere to the solid basic craftsmanship.

But many other restaurants and hotels are somewhat lax in their basic skills.

Perhaps it is because many restaurants and hotels are not in Quancheng.

The province of Qilu is quite large, and traveling between many places is not very smooth.

Some restaurants and hotels have relatively low requirements for basic skills of chefs.

In the eyes of the old masters, this can be understood just by looking at it.

Neither slicing nor shredding can guarantee uniform thickness and coarseness.

The masters have also seen that the shredded meat is still attached to the knife.

The pork kidney was cut into pieces in a messy way, and some of the tenderloin couldn't even be cleaned.

The old masters feel somewhat uncomfortable with these basic skills issues.

Feng Zhengming's proposal for him and the master chefs to perform was actually to pay tribute to the performance made by the master chefs at the Shandong cuisine provincial youth chef competition.

In recent years, people's hearts have been unstable, and it is natural that some people are no longer willing to practice basic skills seriously.

It is not difficult to see this problem from the previous 4th National Competition.

Feng Zhengming also wanted to use the performance opportunity this time to demonstrate his and the master chefs' basic skills again, so that more people can realize the importance of basic skills to chefs.

Master Su said, "Zhengming, why don't you tell us first what dishes you are going to have us cook? So we can prepare for it."

Before Feng Zhengming could answer, Master Sun joked, "How's Lao Su? You're old now, and you haven't been cooking for a while. You must be unsure, right? So let Zhengming tell you the questions first, so you can practice them when you go back."

"Let go..." Master Su almost burst into curse.

But realizing that his junior Feng Zhengming was still there, he swallowed back the words that were about to come out of his mouth.

"Old Sun, don't be so cocky. If you draw a dish you're not good at, I'll see how you'll end it."

Master Sun laughed: "If I draw something I'm not good at and mess up, it's because I'm not as skilled as others."

Master Su: "Okay, then Old Sun, don't look at it in advance, just wait until the day and draw it randomly."

Master Sun's face changed: "That won't work. You all know the question, but I don't. Am I at a loss?"

Seeing Master Su and Master Sun bickering, Feng Zhengming forced himself not to laugh.

But the other masters had already laughed.

Master Cui said with a smile: "Old Su, Old Sun, the two of you are over a hundred years old in total, and Zhengming is still here. Are you two arguing like two elementary school students?"

Master Sun and Master Su looked at Feng Zhengming together.

Feng Zhengming, who had a smile on his face, almost instantly put away the smile.

"I will definitely tell everyone the topic. We are performing, so we naturally want everyone to perform well. Otherwise, wouldn't the effect of the performance be lost?"

Master Su was very happy: "Look, what Zhengming said is right."

Master Sun couldn't help but make a teasing remark.

"Isn't it because I want to take care of certain people?"

Master Su glared at Master Sun.

But the latter was not panicked at all, and even glared back at Master Su.

When Feng Zhengming saw this situation, he realized for the first time what it meant to be an "old child."

"How about this, Master and all the uncles and uncles are here, let's brainstorm together and discuss a few classic Shandong dishes to see which ones are suitable for live performance."

The chefs quickly came up with several dishes suitable for the performance.

The most important dishes include sweet and sour carp.

This dish was once a performance dish, and it can be said that it is very good in terms of technique, shape and meaning.

The second thing is to have a dish of fried double crispy, which is a dish that really tests the chef's skills.

Another dish is to add scallion-fried sea cucumber, which is also a classic Shandong dish.

Then the Nine-Turn Large Intestine is a must, after all, it is one of the most famous Shandong dishes.

There is also the hibiscus crab, a beautiful dish that also requires the right amount of cooking time.

Since we have crab in lotus leaves, we naturally have to have chicken slices in lotus leaves as well.

Then there is the grilled fish fillet, which is also a classic Shandong dish and has been very popular in several restaurants in recent years.

There are also stir-fried kidney and bag chicken.

In order to make ten dishes, we strive for perfection.

This is because including Feng Zhengming and the old masters, there are exactly ten people performing.

Finally, at the suggestion of Master Xia, a dish of Kongfu red braised imitation bear paw was added.

After adding this dish, the other chefs also started to make fun of Master Xia.

"Old Xia, did you deliberately add your own ingredients to this dish?"

"This dish may really be what Lao Xia is best at making."

"The bone-removing skills of the Kong family are truly extraordinary." "This is giving us a difficult problem."

Master Xia was not angry, and responded with a smile: "Aren't all your dishes not simple? Budai chicken, stir-fried kidneys, and lotus root chicken slices, which one is simple?"

Master Li from Boshan looked at Feng Zhengming and said, "I hope Zhengming can win this dish."

Master Xia: "Why? Old Li doesn't trust my craftsmanship?"

Master Li shook his head: "It's not that I don't trust your cooking skills, Old Xia. Old Xia, you have studied Confucius Mansion cuisine for many years, your cooking skills are definitely trustworthy."

After a brief pause, Master Li looked at Feng Zhengming and said, "But I think if Zhengming were to do it, he would definitely come up with some innovations."

These words made all the masters look at Feng Zhengming at once.

Feng Zhengming was stunned by the gazes of the masters.

"Master, uncle, or uncle, why are you looking at me like that? Didn't we agree that this time we'll focus on the basics? I will definitely do it step by step."

The old masters stared at Feng Zhengming with smiles on their faces.

"Zhengming, if you do everything according to the plan, won't your ability as the top scholar not be reflected?"

"Yes, you are the top scholar in the country, you have to show your level."

"Zhengming, I heard that your restaurant in Shanghai has a dish called stuffed pig's trotters that you learned to make from Kofman. It's very famous."

"Stuffed pig's trotters? Isn't this dish similar to the one in Confucius Mansion cuisine, imitation braised bear's paw?"

"Yes, why don't you combine some of the stuffed pig's trotters with the Confucius Mansion cuisine?"

"Oh, I don't think we need to worry. Zheng Ming's cooking skills will definitely make a great dish when the time comes."

The old masters all said so.

Finally, the master gave Feng Zhengming a finishing blow.

"Zhengming, the dish you cooked in the national competition was very innovative. You also had a dish imitating bear paw in the national competition. I remember it was a braised braised dish. I think it's very suitable for you to cook this imitation bear paw this time."

After hearing what the master said, the old masters present all agreed to let Feng Zhengming come up with the Kongfu imitation red braised bear paw dish.

Feng Zhengming was really helpless and could only agree.

"Okay, Master, Uncle and Uncle, you all said so, so I will take over this dish, and I promise to make something new."

Suddenly the masters all burst into laughter.

"That's right. It's clear that you, the top scholar, are going to bring us something new."

"That's right, Shandong cuisine also needs innovation, so you can innovate."

"I heard that Cheng Guosheng Jubinyuan has introduced many innovative dishes. Zhengming, you are here too. Let them see what real innovation is."

"Zhengming, you have to do a good job and come up with some new ideas, but you can't lose the roots of Shandong cuisine."

Feng Zhengming had no choice but to nod in agreement.

Then I realized that I seemed to be designed by the masters.

In the end, they still have to give their best performance.

Or it should be said that the old masters are not confident in making something new.

Let Feng Zhengming shoulder the responsibility of innovation.

It should be said that this can also be considered a kind of inheritance.

The master chefs have adhered to the traditions. Feng Zhengming, the national champion of Shandong cuisine, is responsible for inheriting the traditions of the master chefs while also having innovations in the new era.

After almost agreeing with the masters, Feng Zhengming said goodbye to them first.

After sending several masters back to the hotel, he drove back home.

After returning from Yancheng as a judge, he was busy discussing the details of everyone's performance with the masters.

It's really busy non-stop.

When I got home, my daughter was already asleep.

His wife Luo Qing is still waiting for him to come home.

Feng Zhengming hugged his wife who was waiting for him: "Why aren't you asleep yet? Didn't I tell you that I might chat with Master and the others until very late tonight?"

Luo Qing held her husband's hand and said, "You've worked so hard."

Feng Zhengming sat down: "It's not hard, just running back and forth, it's still a lot easier than busying around in the kitchen cooking."

Luo Qing asked: "You and Master and their masters have all returned from various places. Are the competitions in the three sub-divisions over?"

Feng Zhengming nodded: "It's over. What's left is for them to calculate the final scores and then announce the 20 winning chefs."

Luo Qing couldn't help but sigh: "It's not easy to select only sixty people from so many chefs."

Feng Zhengming smiled: "Wasn't I also selected from the whole province? And then I had to compete with the best chefs from all over the country?
It is like this in any industry. Only a few people can stand at the top, but other talents are the real cornerstone of the industry. There are no young chefs who have not won.

Our chef industry will decline sooner or later, and we still need young chefs."

Luo Qing nodded: "That's true. Any industry not only needs the best at the top, but also every practitioner at the grassroots level."

Feng Zhengming: "So this time, when the old chefs and I perform, we will invite all the young chefs to watch, hoping that they can learn something from it."

Luo Qing smiled: "Aren't you afraid that someone will learn your skills and defeat you in the future?"

Feng Zhengming: "That's great. I look forward to someone defeating me."

Luo Qing knew that her husband's words came from the heart.

My husband never cared about being surpassed by others, he just wanted to make the entire culinary industry better.

Feng Zhengming did so many things in Qilu and Shanghai.

In fact, the most fundamental purpose is to make everyone recognize the value of chef’s skills.

Instead of just focusing on what materials were used as before.

If expensive ingredients are used, the dish can be sold at a high price.

If no expensive ingredients are used, no matter how difficult and laborious a dish is to make, it cannot be sold at a very high price.

This is actually extremely disrespectful to the chef's skills.

It has also become the reason why many apprentices are unwilling to learn the basics from scratch.

Everyone feels that after working so hard to learn the basics and finally using the best knife, fire and spoon skills to make a dish, it cannot sell better than fish fillets that are casually cut with a knife.

Feng Zhengming is trying to change everyone's perception in his own way.

Let everyone recognize and respect the skills of each chef.

Of course, we must also respect real good craftsmanship.

It is not about respecting those who are seeking fame or engaging in marketing.

Especially at the 4th National Cooking Skills Competition last year, the individual competition almost became a place for some guys to gain fame.

There are too many people who just want to use the national competition to hype themselves up.

There are also those team competitions and banquet competitions.

In fact, to put it bluntly, it is just praising certain brands.

This also became a scar in Feng Zhengming's heart.

If a chef’s skills cannot be respected even in national competitions, how can the public be expected to respect the chef’s skills?
So Luo Qing knew about this International Shandong Cuisine Master Chef Challenge.

The husband made such a big fuss because he wanted to challenge the bad atmosphere of the national competition, so that good chefs could get more exposure and their good skills could be seen by more people. (End of this chapter)