From selling box lunches to becoming a famous Chinese chef

Feng Zhengming specially rented a bus and took all three groups of judges, as well as his wife and daughter, on board.

At the same time, Feng Zhengming contacted the people who had been dispatched in advance in various places and organized an evaluation team locally.

This time, Feng Zhengming made very sufficient arrangements and contacted various cities in advance.

Arrange all the itinerary and accommodation when arriving at the local area.

Such detailed travel arrangements are made, on the one hand, to ensure that the review is conducted seriously enough.

On the other hand, because there will be old masters and my two grandfathers participating in the judging, I still have to ensure the health of the elderly.

The first stop is not to go directly to Jeju Prefecture where Qufu is located.

Instead, he first went south from Quancheng to Taicheng.

Taicheng is located at the foot of Mount Tai and has a restaurant with a similar heritage.

The current head chef of this restaurant is Master Cui’s apprentice.

So we chose to go to Taicheng first to give face to Master Cui.

After arriving in Taicheng by bus, the group checked directly into the hotel arranged by Feng Zhengming.

Just arrived at the hotel, Taishan Restaurant's head chef, Li Taifeng.

He had been waiting at the hotel for a long time.

Seeing the bus driving into the hotel parking lot, Li Taifeng immediately led his men to hold up banners and sound drums and gongs to welcome it.

Before getting off the car, the other masters couldn't help but look at Master Cui with a smile when they saw the scene outside.

At this moment, Master Cui's face looked really bad.

It is obvious that Li Taifeng was able to make such preparations, which meant that someone leaked their itinerary to Taicheng.

There is no need to guess who it is. It must be one of Master Cui’s other disciples.

It is not surprising that there is secret communication between these brothers.

But this kind of thing was done behind the master's back, which made the master angry.

Feng Zhengming smiled and comforted Master Cui: "Master Cui, don't be angry. This is actually nothing. Do you believe it? We will be welcomed like this wherever we go next time?"

Master Cui looked at Feng Zhengming, hesitated for a moment, and could only sigh.

"Okay, Zhengming, don't worry. I will never show any favoritism."

Feng Zhengming smiled: "It's okay, Master Cui, didn't I say that I would include all the big restaurants in the province in the recommendation guide this time? It's just that everyone's rating is different."

After hearing what Feng Zhengming said, Master Su asked, "If all of them are included, then doesn't that mean that rating is not important?"

Feng Zhengming shook his head: "It's more important to have a rating. A five-star rating is more recommended than a four-star rating, right?"

This made the judges from each group on the bus nod in approval.

What Feng Zhengming didn't tell everyone was that before the three groups came, he had already asked the local group of judges to conduct a review first.

And after they leave, he will ask local judges to review it a second time.

We need to see whether these restaurants from all over the country can maintain the same serious attitude when facing the three groups of judges from Quancheng?

After the bus stopped and the door opened, Li Taifeng and several local leaders came out to greet us.

Feng Zhengming first let the veterans and the other two groups of judges get off the car one after another.

He was the last one to get off the bus with his wife and daughter.

After Feng Nuanyou got off the car, she heard the sounds of gongs and drums, and her little face was full of curiosity.

In her father's arms, she turned to look this way and then to look that way.

Far from being frightened by the loud gongs and drums, the little girl found it very interesting.

Luo Qing couldn't help laughing when she saw her daughter's look: "Look at your daughter. There are so many people and the sound of gongs and drums, but she is not scared at all and even went to see others."

Feng Zhengming was very satisfied with his daughter's performance: "This is good. She has seen the world since she was young, and she won't suffer any loss in the future."

As he was speaking, Feng Zhengming saw Li Taifeng leading a few people towards him, so he gave his daughter to his wife first.

"Oh, Mr. Feng, your presence here really brings honor to our humble city of Tai."

Feng Zhengming smiled and shook hands with Li Taifeng: "Senior brother, you are too polite. You don't have to call me Feng Zhuangyuan. Just call me Junior Brother."

Then, under the introduction of Li Taifeng, Feng Zhengming shook hands and got to know the local leaders and people from the Chefs Association respectively.

Then there was a welcoming ceremony.

There were also leaders from Taicheng present who gave speeches.

Feng Zhengming was originally invited to speak on stage, but he refused.

Master Cui did go on stage and said a few words.

“We are not here to be guests this time, we are here to rate the restaurants and eateries in Taicheng and recommend them to others.

Thank you for your welcome, but we will not change our judging criteria because of your welcome.

If they do not meet the requirements, we will not recommend restaurants in Taicheng.

So I hope everyone in Thailand can prepare well and truly show everyone some of Thailand’s characteristics.”

Master Cui's speech still gave face to Taicheng.

But Li Taifeng, the apprentice, could still hear that his master was dissatisfied with his arrangement.

After the speech, everyone checked into the hotel.

Li Taifeng still gritted his teeth and went to find his master.

Master Cui saw Li Taifeng coming to the room to find him.

"It just so happens that if you didn't come to find me, I would have gone to find you. I don't care who gave you the news that made you make such a big fuss to welcome us.

I can tell you clearly that your behavior makes me very unhappy.

This time we want to recommend the good restaurants and eateries from all over Qilu to others, especially to outsiders.

Do you think you can escape our review by doing this? Let me tell you, we will be more strict. "

Li Taifeng already knew that he had arranged the welcome ceremony on his own, which made his master very unhappy.

But I didn't expect that before I could even open my mouth to explain, the master had already made plans to be more strict.

"Master, we are here to express our respect to you and the other senior brothers, and to show how much we value this review."

Master Cui said seriously: “We should attach great importance to this review.

You should have heard about it a long time ago, right? Zhengming has done a lot to promote Shandong cuisine over the years, especially the fact that he has helped Shandong cuisine regain its fame across the country.

Why did he create this recommendation guide? Was it for himself?
He wants to let more people know about your restaurants in various places, and he is helping you promote and attract business."

Upon hearing this, Li Taifeng could not help but mutter: "Hasn't he gained a better reputation himself? Aren't all those small restaurants recommended in the previous guide every year his stores in various places?" Upon hearing his apprentice's words, Master Cui was not angry at all.

"You also know that he can get a better reputation through this? You also know that his branches were listed in the recommended guide every year, right?
Then why can't you think about why he can get a better reputation?
Why are his branches in various places able to successfully enter the recommended guidelines in every annual review?

You have a branch of his store in Taicheng. Do you think that if you have a store in Taicheng, it will be a competitor to his branch?"

Li Taifeng was really speechless after being asked questions repeatedly by his master.

Li Taifeng was very clear that Feng Zhengming's branch in Taicheng was definitely the best-performing store in Taicheng.

Especially since Taicheng is at the foot of Mount Tai, there are quite a lot of people traveling to Mount Tai now.

In the past, people who traveled here would probably just find a random restaurant to eat at.

Among the restaurants at the foot of the mountain, there are naturally many that take the opportunity to deliberately raise prices to attract business from tourists.

Not only are the prices in those stores higher, but the taste is also hard to describe.

In the past, many tourists have been cheated, and most of them can do nothing about it.

But since Feng Zhengming opened a branch in Taicheng, all tourists have a unified choice.

That is if you are not sure which restaurant in Taicheng is good.

There will definitely be no problem if you choose Feng Zhengming's branch in Taicheng.

To the extent that, in order to accommodate more customers, Feng Zhengming's Taicheng branch has expanded its store this year.

From a small shop, it has now become a large fast food restaurant.

Li Taifeng is the president of the Taicheng Chefs Association and also serves as the vice president of the Catering Association.

He had heard complaints from many chefs and bosses who attended meetings more than once.

They all felt that Feng Zhengming's branch had taken away their business.

But they only dared to complain verbally.

No one dared to challenge or even exclude Feng Zhengming's branch.

After all, everyone understands that Feng Zhengming is now the representative of Shandong cuisine and is a truly nationally recognized top scholar.

What's more, the dishes at Feng Zhengming branch do have very good quality control assurance.

Many other shop owners were surprised.

I don’t understand why there are such good chefs in the kitchen of Feng Zhengming’s restaurant?

It’s obvious that the chefs in the kitchen are not very old.

How come I can’t find such a young and skilled chef?
Master Cui listened to Li Taifeng's introduction to Taicheng.

After hearing what Li Taifeng said, many restaurant owners in Taicheng were puzzled, why Feng Zhengming could find such a good young chef?
Master Cui immediately laughed: "Hahaha, do you really not know, or are you pretending not to know? Which of the chefs in Zhengming's restaurant was not trained by him?"

These words suddenly woke Li Taifeng up.

"Yes, Master, you have enlightened me. I was thinking wrongly. The young chefs in Junior Brother Feng's stores in various places have all received training in Quancheng. It seems that they have to go to Quancheng to participate in the internal competition at the end of each year."

Master Cui nodded: "Yes, this is the guarantee of the chefs' skills in all of Zhengming's stores."

Li Taifeng sighed: "Junior Brother Feng is really amazing. We should all learn more from him in this regard."

After hearing what Li Taifeng said, Master Cui's expression immediately eased a lot.

"It's great that you can recognize your own problems and the shortcomings of yourself and others. I hope your restaurant can be well prepared this time."

Li Taifeng immediately agreed seriously: "Master, don't worry, I will definitely prepare well."

When Master Cui saw his apprentice's serious look, he smiled with relief.

“Many times, if you really make the dishes well and let the customers feel your dedication, it will naturally help you win customers.

On the way here, Zhengming emphasized more than once that the recommendation guide is not intended to find fault with you, but to urge you to make Shandong cuisine better.

Let those who come to our Qilu region also be able to eat authentic and delicious Shandong cuisine in your restaurant."

Li Taifeng had to admit after hearing this: "My mindset is too narrow."

Now he finally understood why his master and other old masters admired Feng Zhengming so much?
Compared with what Feng Zhengming did, the other chefs were indeed narrow-minded.

Or rather, other chefs are not qualified to do those things.

After all, if you can't even do your own job well, how can you be qualified to judge whether others are good or bad?
Feng Zhengming is different. He can really do it very well himself, and he can also make the young chefs under him do well too.

That is why he is qualified to make recommendation guides and judge whether other people’s stores are doing well or not.

"Master, are the criteria for this review the same as those announced before?"

Master Cui nodded: "That's right, the standards are the same for all your restaurants, we won't show any favoritism, as long as you can do well, you will get high scores."

Li Taifeng couldn't help but ask, "Have all the four major restaurants in Quancheng been confirmed as five-star?"

Master Cui looked at his apprentice and said, "Do you think our judging is not fair enough?"

Li Taifeng: "No, Master, I'm just curious."

Master Cui is very frank.

"I can tell you that the four major restaurants in Quancheng, Jufengde, Taifenglou, Jubinyuan and Huiquanlou, all have a five-star recommendation index based on the scores."

Li Taifeng: "I understand, Master. After this review, I will take some time to go to Quancheng to study hard."

Hearing his apprentice say this, a gratified smile appeared on Master Cui's face.

"You are thinking of going to Quancheng to study after the review is over, which shows that you have indeed realized some gaps."

Master Cui warned his apprentice, "It's okay to have a gap. We can catch up slowly through learning. Never be discouraged at any time.

Don’t be jealous of others and start to resent them. Instead, see the excellence of others, learn from them and catch up with them.”

Li Taifeng nodded seriously: "Master, don't worry, no matter what the final score is, I can accept it calmly."

In fact, most of the masters know the character of their apprentices very well.

Unlike some other professions, being a chef can be said to be a very hard job.

If many people are not able to endure loneliness and are not truly willing to endure the hardship, they may not be able to persevere at all.

Li Taifeng organized this welcoming event because he really wanted to give his master face.

He even wanted to use the welcome ceremony to get the judges to give his restaurant more points.

But Li Taifeng has not yet thought about asking his master to help him raise his score.

Because he knew very well that the master would not help him.

What kind of score can he get in the end? It all depends on him. If he does a good job in all aspects of the restaurant, he will naturally get the high score he deserves.

This is also a reward for customers who come here because of our reputation. (End of this chapter)