From selling box lunches to becoming a famous Chinese chef

Near noon, Feng Zhengming and Luo Qing took their daughter and accompanied the two grandfathers to pick up their eldest uncle's younger brother from school.

Feng Yucheng was very happy when he saw his brother and sister-in-law bringing their little niece to pick him up from school.

"Hello, brother and sister-in-law, why are you coming together to pick me up from school?"

Feng Zhengming smiled and said, "Uncle San is coming today, so we came together to see Grandpa. Grandpa said he would come to pick you up, so we came together to pick you up."

Feng Yucheng was a little embarrassed: "Actually, it's very close to home from here, so it's okay if Grandpa and Grandpa Situ don't come to pick me up."

Grandpa Situ smiled and said, "We didn't come here just to pick you up. We just wanted to go out for a walk before lunch."

Grandpa: "Yes, the main thing is to go out for a walk. Otherwise, it's not good to sit at home all day."

Feng Yucheng asked: "Grandpa, didn't you play chess today?"

Grandpa: "No, your uncle, brother and sister-in-law are here."

Feng Yucheng saw his little niece sitting in the stroller and went up to her.

"Hehehe, Youyou, you're here to pick me up too? Hello, Youyou."

Feng Nuanyu obviously had almost forgotten about this uncle.

The little girl tilted her head and looked at her uncle carefully for a while, with confusion written all over her face.

Luo Qing squatted down and introduced him to her daughter: "This is my little uncle, my great-grandfather's little uncle. Youyou should call him uncle."

Feng Nuanyou listened to her mother's introduction, then looked at the young uncle in front of her, and the little girl suddenly smiled.

Then he started shouting: "Ba, Ba..."

Luo Qing corrected with a smile: "It's not dad, it's uncle, uncle..."

After her mother corrected her for a long time, the little girl could only utter one word: "Vertical..."

Feng Yucheng looked puzzled when he heard this: "Why do you seem to call me 'Tree'?"

Grandpa: "She can't speak very well yet. The only words she can clearly call now are mom and dad."

Hearing what his great grandfather said, Feng Nuanyou seemed to want to show off, and immediately shouted clearly: "Dad, Dad, Mom, Mom."

Feng Yucheng: "Dad and Mom really call it clearly."

Feng Zhengming greeted everyone: "Okay, let's go back first."

The group walked back from Feng Yucheng's school.

At the gate of the family compound, I happened to meet my uncle and aunt who were returning from get off work.

Uncle and aunt got out of the car and were very happy to see Feng Zhengming, Luo Qing and Feng Younuan's family of three.

Aunt: "Zhengming finally has time to come over? Xiaoluo, you usually do the same. Zhengming doesn't have time, so you can bring the children over by yourself."

Luo Qing responded: "I was afraid of disturbing your work, uncle and aunt."

Uncle: "It's okay, you can come over on the weekend, we'll be resting too."

Feng Zhengming: "That's my fault. It's mainly because my shop is busy, especially on weekends. She and her daughter wanted to be with me, so they were also in the shop on weekends.

How about this, next weekend I will ask her to bring the kids over to see her great-grandfather and grandparents."

My aunt suddenly laughed and said, "I really became a grandmother after coming back from abroad. I feel old."

Luo Qing: "No way, Auntie, you don't look old at all, you look more and more beautiful."

The aunt was naturally very happy to receive the praise, and she and Luo Qing pushed the cart inside first.

Feng Yucheng followed his brother, while Feng Zhengming walked behind with his two grandfathers and uncle.

The uncle asked, "I heard your store has expanded? It's becoming more and more famous now."

Feng Zhengming: "Yes, the two shops next to mine happened to be transferred, so I took them over and then expanded my shop."

Uncle: "It's good. Your previous store was indeed a bit small."

Then Feng Zhengming said that he wanted to buy an old villa and open a restaurant.

The uncle was a little surprised when he heard this: "You're going to open a new store so soon? You're going to buy an old house? You're going to open a high-end private restaurant, right?"

Feng Zhengming: "Yes, I want to use my restaurant as a benchmark for high-end Chinese restaurants."

The uncle nodded and said, "You are very ambitious. Several meetings in Shanghai have indeed mentioned this issue recently. They want to rectify the catering industry in Shanghai and investigate and punish those that are not in compliance with regulations and have poor hygiene conditions."

Feng Zhengming is quite supportive of this aspect.

However, he also said that some relaxation should be given to some small vendors.

"Uncle, I know that cleanliness and hygiene are definitely the minimum guarantee for food safety, but for some small vendors, especially some street stalls, I think the standards should be relaxed appropriately.

After all, it is not easy for them to do business in Shanghai, and it can be said that the money they earn is hard-earned.

As long as the food safety is guaranteed, there is no need to demand that the stalls be kept clean."

The uncle nodded: "Shanghai has also considered this, but in order to ensure the hygiene of the city, it may be necessary for small vendors to clean up their stalls after closing."

Feng Zhengming: "I agree with this. This kind of cleaning is also a respect for customers."

Uncle: "This time, stores like yours will be the focus of the investigation. You must ensure the hygiene of your four stores. This time the inspection will be very strict."

Feng Zhengming: "Thank you for letting me know, uncle. I will ask each store to check themselves when I get back. I will also check myself to ensure the hygiene inside and outside the store, especially the kitchen."

On this point, my uncle still has absolute trust in Feng Zhengming.

"Yes, hygiene is our priority. Your store is a benchmark for many stores in Shanghai. You must set a good example."

Feng Zhengming said seriously: "I will definitely do it well."

Then they started talking about Feng Zhengming's plan to buy an old villa and open a restaurant.

"Which old house are you going to buy?"

Feng Zhengming told the specific address and the old villa he had taken his wife to see before.

Before my uncle could speak, Grandpa Situ spoke first.

"That family's surname should be 'Rong'?"

Feng Zhengming looked at Grandpa Situ in surprise: "Do you know him?"

Grandpa Situ: "I know the elders of their family. Before I went abroad, I went to that old house. It was the old man of the Rong family who received me at that time."

My uncle also remembered the specific location of the old villa and the situation of its original owner.

"Oh, it's the one belonging to the Rong family. That house and yard should be more than a hundred years old."

Grandpa Situ: "Yes, older than your father and I combined."

Uncle: "That old house is a protected building. If you want to buy it, you are not allowed to destroy the entire building. You can only renovate the inside."

Feng Zhengming: "I know, uncle. I am planning to renovate the whole place and use some rooms as private rooms."

Uncle: "That's going to cost you a lot of money."

Then the uncle asked: "Are you confident that you can make a profit?"

Feng Zhengming is very honest with his family.

"I am definitely confident that I can make a profit, but when I picked up my uncle today, Luo Qing and I did some calculations with him on the way. Even if a store like this makes a profit, it will only be 20, and it will be difficult to make more." Uncle: "Then it should be worse than the four stores you have now, right?"

Feng Zhengming: "Yes, it is far less than the four stores I have now."

Uncle: "You still want to do it? You want to promote your recommendation guide and set a standard rating for high-end Chinese restaurants and hotels in Shanghai?"

Feng Zhengming: "Yes, uncle, did you hear this from the Chefs Association?"

The uncle smiled and said, "You guessed it right. The Chefs Association has responded more than once, saying that you are acting recklessly in Shanghai and that you are relying on your reputation as the top scholar in the country to act arbitrarily in Shanghai.

You also set your own standards and force them to follow them, saying that you are intentionally suppressing your competitors. "

After hearing what his uncle said, Feng Zhengming couldn't help but burst out laughing.

He had long guessed that some people in the Chefs Association must be plotting against him behind his back.

I just didn't expect that their rhetoric was so ridiculous.

"Hahaha, then let them unite to boycott me. They don't actually need to ask for my recommendation guide."

After a short pause, Feng Zhengming smiled and said, "Or they can destroy my four stores, making it impossible for me to gain a foothold in Shanghai and force me to leave Shanghai."

Uncle: "I guess they can't do it, and they don't dare to do it."

Grandpa and Grandpa Situ also laughed.

Grandpa Situ: "If they had that ability, they wouldn't have to put on such a smear campaign against you."

Grandpa: "Don't be afraid of them. We are upright and honest. Our skills are better than theirs. Why can't we set standards for them to follow?"

Uncle: "You still need to unite everyone. If you want to be a role model and set the standard, you need others to support you."

After hearing what his uncle said, Feng Zhengming thought about it for a while and roughly understood what his uncle meant.

As the uncle, he hopes Feng Zhengming will unite the people in the Chefs Association.

At least he needs to get the majority of people in the Shanghai Chefs Association to support him.

Feng Zhengming nodded and agreed: "I know, uncle. I will visit several old masters and chefs in Shanghai and try my best to maintain a good relationship with them."

Uncle: "You don't have to kowtow to them. You are the top scholar and you are qualified to be on equal footing with them."

Feng Zhengming: "Uncle who knows."

When we returned to my uncle's house, my uncle was also very happy to see my third uncle.

At noon, we all had lunch together at my uncle's house.

Although not all the people were there, the two grandfathers were very happy.

So at noon, the two grandfathers drank two more glasses of wine.

After drinking, Feng Zhengming helped the two grandfathers to take an afternoon nap in their respective rooms.

Then he had a long talk with his uncle and third uncle.

Feng Zhengming plans to buy an old villa, renovate it, and open a benchmark high-end private restaurant in Shanghai.

My eldest uncle and third uncle are both quite supportive.

My uncle also came back from overseas, and he also knew that there is a set of restaurant rating standards overseas.

"It won't be long before the overseas standards are introduced into China, so you don't have much time left. You must get more people to support your standards before their standards enter China and cause an impact."

Uncle San couldn't help but complain: "Many people in China still prefer other people's standards and always take them as the standard."

Uncle: “We are still in the learning stage for some things and we do need to cater to other people’s standards.

But for some things, such as food and some cultural areas, if we completely accept other people's standards, our own culture will be impacted."

Uncle San: "That's right, not all of their standards are correct."

The uncle looked at Feng Zhengming and said, "You must seize the opportunity to promote your standards and let more people accept them."

Feng Zhengming: "I'm already doing it, just like the restaurant recommendation guides I've launched in Qilu and Shanghai, which are rated according to our domestic standards."

Uncle San: "Don't say that. It's obvious that your standards are very good. I've been to many of the restaurants in your recommended guides, and they all tasted really good."

Uncle: “The book you published in Shanghai mostly recommended small restaurants and snack bars, and it really gained a lot of people’s likes and support.

But there still needs to be a guide to Shanghai’s restaurants and fine dining establishments.”

Uncle San laughed: "So he wants to open a high-end restaurant first, and then set a set of standards."

Uncle: "You are right about this. If you can't run a standard restaurant yourself, how can you expect others to do so?"

Uncle San suddenly asked: "Brother Hucheng, won't you give Zhengming some support?"

Uncle: "What kind of support do you think should be given?"

Uncle San: "At least give some investment?"

The uncle shook his head: "That's impossible. Besides, Zhengming probably doesn't want to invest in Shanghai."

Feng Zhengming nodded: "I really don't hope so. It will have an impact on me."

Uncle San: "Then can you give me some support in terms of loans?"

Uncle: "I can ask for your help. I think I can get some discounts."

Feng Zhengming smiled: "It's not too important whether it's a discount or not. I'm confident in my abilities. Besides, I have so many stores, so I should be able to handle it."

Uncle San asked, "Are you planning to mortgage all your stores together?"

Feng Zhengming: “I have this plan.”

Uncle: "It shouldn't come to that, right? Just by mortgaging your four stores in Shanghai, you should be able to get a loan for the old house."

Uncle San nodded: "That should be enough, right?"

Feng Zhengming: "It is indeed enough, but I still need the renovation fee later."

Uncle San suddenly asked, "Have you paid off the apartment you live in now?"

Feng Zhengming: "Soon. I think if I work hard, I can pay it off next year."

Uncle San was a little surprised: "So fast?"

Feng Zhengming: "Not so fast, Third Uncle, you know, the profits of my four stores in Shanghai are there, and there are also profits from my stores in the province.

I said I would pay it off next year because I wanted to set aside some funds this year to invest in a new store."

Uncle: "Zhengming, you really maximized the value of your craftsmanship and fame."

Feng Zhengming: "Only when I make enough money can I do more things."

Uncle: "Okay, don't worry, Shanghai is still willing to see you grow bigger and stronger. After we join the WTO in the future, more overseas catering companies will move in, and the competition will be more intense."

Uncle San: "There will always be some people who think that other people's things are better than ours."

Feng Zhengming: "Hahaha, I will prove to everyone that our own food is definitely better than others."

At this moment, Feng Zhengming's words were so powerful that both his uncle and third uncle smiled.

They now have great confidence in their nephew Feng Zhengming. (End of this chapter)