From selling box lunches to becoming a famous Chinese chef

When Feng Zhengming returned to the old-style restaurant, the moment he stepped into the kitchen, he could clearly feel that everyone in the kitchen, who had been tense, instantly seemed to breathe a sigh of relief.

Seeing this, Feng Zhengming couldn't help but laugh.

"Haha, what's wrong? Everyone's so nervous?"

As he spoke, Feng Zhengming's gaze swept over Deng Huaichuan, Wang Hanwen, Huang Yunliang, Li Yao, and Han Rui.

"What? Didn't you five always say that you should become my style? I've only been gone for a short time, and you can't hold on anymore? You're already backing down?"

Hearing Feng Zhengming's words, the five young chefs looked at each other in bewilderment.

Then they all slumped their heads in despair.

It can be said that before they came to Feng Zhengming's side, all five of them truly believed that they were the future Feng Zhengming of their respective cuisines.

They dared not imagine that they could achieve the same level of success as Feng Zhengming, but at least within their respective culinary specialties, they believed themselves to be among the best, with their skills certainly leading the pack.

Later they arrived at Feng Zhengming's shop, at the branch on the Western restaurant street.

They still don't feel much pressure?
Although they often couldn't keep up with Feng Zhengming and Jiang Chengzhe's pace.

But they still feel that they just haven't adapted to the rhythm.

Also, the branch on the Western restaurant street specializes in a cuisine that is not their forte.

In short, it's not that I'm incapable, it's that I haven't entered the areas I'm good at.

This time, Feng Zhengming went to Hongcheng to prepare for the opening of a new store.

This was after his wife, Luo Qing, had gone ahead to pave the way and had already taken care of most of the arrangements.

Even after finding a local chef for Feng Zhengming.

While his wife was scouting ahead, Feng Zhengming meticulously arranged the kitchen of the old villa restaurant.

In particular, it wasn't just Xia Hui and her three apprentices who were fully committed to helping the five young chefs.

He even invited his fifth senior brother, Cao Zhiguo, to be his last line of defense.

However, before he left, in order to give young chefs the opportunity to showcase their skills, he organized a special tasting week featuring different cuisines.

In total, Feng Zhengming was only away for about ten days.

It hasn't even been two weeks yet.

This put immense pressure on the young chefs.

Deng Huaichuan was the first to speak.

“I’m truly impressed by the head chef. During the days you were away, every morning when I woke up and thought about cooking at the Old House Restaurant, I couldn’t help but start to worry.”

Feng Zhengming laughed: "What are you worried about?"

Deng Huaichuan was both amused and exasperated: "What else is there to worry about? I'm worried that I'll cook the food badly."

Feng Zhengming looked at the others: "Do you share the same concerns?"

The other four people also looked up at Feng Zhengming and then nodded.

Xia Hui also spoke up: "Master, we are really scared when you're not here. Every time I cook, I check it very carefully over and over again to make sure there are no problems."

Feng Zhengming: "Isn't my senior brother still here?"

Xia Hui looked at her senior brother Cao Zhiguo: "Senior brother is here, but he doesn't interfere. He just lets us do it."

Feng Zhengming looked at his fifth senior brother, Cao Zhiguo.

Cao Zhiguo smiled and said, "It was you who specifically told me before you left that you should let the young people get more experience and that I should not interfere if I can avoid it. I will only step in if there are any problems."

Feng Zhengming was overjoyed after hearing what his fifth senior brother said.

"Thank you, Fifth Brother. You did a great job. They should be given some proper experience."

Cao Zhiguo: "Haha, although their efficiency in serving dishes was a bit low when you weren't there, their overall performance was quite good. It's clear that they are indeed capable to have been chosen by you, Zhengming."

Feng Zhengming: "I think it's all thanks to you, Fifth Brother, for making this trip. Otherwise, they might have been even more afraid without you."

This statement was unanimously agreed upon by all the young chefs, including Xia Hui.

Seeing this, Cao Zhiguo chuckled and said, "Alright, don't flatter me. Your people are really capable. Now that you're back, I'll go back. Senior Brother is having a hard time all by himself at Huiquan Tower."

Feng Zhengming: "It should be fine. Big Brother is still amazing. Fifth Brother, you can have some fun in Shanghai. Or should I have Luo Qing drive you around and buy some things to take back?"

Cao Zhiguo hesitated for a moment: "Won't this affect you? Xiao Luo helped you pave the way for the new store this time, and she worked very hard. Let her get some rest."

Feng Zhengming: "It's alright. How about I arrange for someone else to drive you? Or I can drive myself."

Cao Zhiguo thought for a moment and said, "How about this, you can take a day to show me around, and we can buy some things to take back with us."

Feng Zhengming agreed: "Okay, then tomorrow will be fine."

Cao Zhiguo: "You just got back, why don't you rest for a bit?"

Feng Zhengming glanced at the kitchen: "Fifth Brother, I'll go shopping with you tomorrow, then I'll rest."

Cao Zhiguo also turned his head and glanced at the people in the kitchen: "Hahaha, it's true."

Feng Zhengming then announced: "We will be closed at noon tomorrow and will reopen in the evening. Xia Hui, you should issue a notice that reservations will only be accepted in the evening tomorrow."

Xia Hui immediately agreed and ran out to prepare to issue the notice.

Cao Zhiguo: "Won't this arrangement cause complaints from our customers?"

Feng Zhengming: "Don't worry, Fifth Brother, the customers have no complaints. I just got back and need to rest. Besides, there aren't many customers at noon anyway."

Cao Zhiguo wanted to say something, but then he remembered they were in the kitchen and didn't.

That evening, with Feng Zhengming's return, everyone in the kitchen of the old-style restaurant felt much more relaxed.

Cao Zhiguo could also sense that the kitchen with Feng Zhengming was completely different from the kitchen without him.

When Feng Zhengming was in the kitchen, he was like a powerful commander.

He could always lead his kitchen soldiers to victory in any fierce battle.

Even Cao Zhiguo, who had been observing the kitchen, had to admit that his junior apprentice was becoming more and more impressive.

This is not to say that Feng Zhengming's skills are better.

In terms of skill, Feng Zhengming is indeed still making progress.

But for a head chef in the kitchen, there's something even more important than skill.

That means knowing how to direct and coordinate everyone in the kitchen.

To get the kitchen staff working together as a cohesive unit and to be able to direct and coordinate effectively, you first need to understand the situation of each person in the kitchen, and secondly, you need to have a clear understanding of the details of each dish.

In this respect, Feng Zhengming did a very good job.

Cao Zhiguo felt that if they really got serious, the senior brother might not be able to do better than the junior brother.

With just a word from Feng Zhengming, everyone in the kitchen could get moving.

Everyone is like a cog in a machine running in the kitchen.

All processes are interconnected.

The process for each dish is almost flawless.

This is something Cao Zhiguo couldn't do even when Feng Zhengming wasn't in the kitchen.

When he's not in the kitchen, it's often not that the young chefs lack skill, but rather that they lack confidence and worry about their abilities.

They simply couldn't command everyone in the kitchen like Feng Zhengming could, and get everyone to cooperate fully with them.

It's like a machine that's missing its main core shaft; each gear can only operate independently.

It appears to be still running, but in reality, it can only operate entirely by the power of a single gear. Although it keeps the machine running, each gear works extremely hard.

Now that Feng Zhengming is back, he's still cooking the same dishes.

Efficiency has been significantly improved, and the unique characteristics of each dish have become extremely prominent.

On a simple basis, Cao Zhiguo couldn't pinpoint any specific differences.
But you just can't help feeling that under Feng Zhengming's command and coordination, every dish that comes out of the kitchen looks different.

Similarly, there are also some wealthy gourmets from Shanghai who frequently dine at Feng Zhengming's restaurant.

The taste was different tonight.

"Oh? The taste tonight... it seems our Scholar Feng should be back."

"It must be back; the taste is noticeably different."

These gourmets usually come to the restaurant alone.

They didn't want a private room; they just wanted to find a spot in the first-floor restaurant with a view of the courtyard outside.

They all know each other, but they never eat with other gourmets.

It's basically one small table for each person, and everyone eats at their own pace.

At first, the appearance of these gourmets puzzled everyone in the restaurant.
How can there be someone who insists on sitting at a table by themselves?
But Feng Zhengming wasn't surprised at all. He knew that these gourmets in Shanghai were no ordinary people; they had a lot of money in their hands.

When they come to their own restaurant, it's as if they're treating it like their own canteen.

I don't want to sit at the same table with others because I don't want to be influenced or disturbed by them, and I don't want them to make fun of me.

Sometimes these gourmets might even show up in their pajamas.

At first, the waiter was quite surprised and hesitated whether to kick the person out.

Fortunately, Feng Zhengming was in the restaurant at the time and personally came forward to invite the person in.

Furthermore, Feng Zhengming specifically instructed everyone not to judge people by their appearance.

Even if someone eats the food and doesn't pay, you can call the police afterwards.

You should not refuse someone entry, and you should never ask someone to pay first.

Feng Zhengming's respect for the gourmets' quirks, coupled with his truly excellent cooking skills, made these gourmets treat his restaurant like their own canteen.

Every night, several gourmets would inevitably come, and they would order different dishes each day.

You say they like Sichuan food? Then maybe they'll order Cantonese food the next day.

You said they don't really like Shandong cuisine? Well, maybe they'll eat Shandong cuisine on the third day.

These gourmets really do whatever they want.

They might even be in a good mood one day and spend several thousand dollars on a single meal.

After getting used to seeing these gourmets pay their bills, the restaurant staff went from being shocked at first to now taking it for granted.

Now that Feng Zhengming has returned, he still wants to give some gifts to the gourmets.

So, through the waiter, they learned that several gourmets had found him when he returned.

Feng Zhengming personally prepared a dish of braised abalone with three-cup chicken, a recipe he had developed with Yu Fuxiang in Jiangxi Province, and served it to the gourmets as an extra dish.

"You all recognized me immediately, which shows your trust in my cooking skills. This Three-Cup Chicken with Abalone is a special treat for you all tonight."

The moment Feng Zhengming lifted the lid, the aroma made all the gourmets widen their eyes.

"Wow, this tastes authentic, especially the chicken, it's really different."

"Scholar Feng, you must have brought this chicken back from Jiangxi Province, right?"

Feng Zhengming nodded with a smile: "Yes, it was brought back from there, but it came back a little earlier than me. I contacted them in advance to have it shipped over."

The gourmets immediately burst into laughter.

"Haha, so I like eating here, Feng Zhuangyuan? You're always so humorous."

"The key is that Feng Zhuangyuan always manages to give us a little surprise."

"Once you get used to Feng Zhuangyuan's dishes, other restaurants just don't quite live up to the experience."

"Wow, Scholar Feng, you're really honest! Such a big abalone?"

Feng Zhengming smiled and served the dishes to the gourmets.

"To ensure the flavor, I used boneless chicken thigh meat for this dish, and the abalone is South African dried abalone. I hope you all don't mind sharing it like this?"

The gourmets exchanged glances and immediately smiled, indicating that they didn't mind.

"Good things should be tasted by those who know how to appreciate them, so I let a few of you try them as soon as possible."

These words immediately pleased the gourmets.

This is recognition from the nation's top culinary expert.

Feng Zhengming has made it clear that they are all good eaters and know how to enjoy good food.

The abalone was soaked in water beforehand, then specially braised by Feng Zhengming, and finally sliced ​​and placed at the bottom of the Three Cup Chicken.

Then the whole dish is cooked in a clay pot, completely enclosed.

This ensures that the fragrance will not leak out before the lid is opened.

At this point, the chicken has the aroma of abalone, while the abalone also has the umami flavor of chicken.

The delicious flavors intertwine, along with a touch of chili peppers unique to Jiangxi Province and the seasonings of authentic Jiangxi Three-Cup Chicken.

The overall flavor completely won over the several gourmets.

Their faces were filled with happiness.

This dish features the unique aroma of Three Cup Chicken, combined with the fragrance of Jiangxi chili peppers and abalone. The key is the blend of abalone sauce and chicken broth, creating a smooth, non-greasy texture that requires no thickening.

After savoring the food, a gourmet raised his hand and said, "Waiter, give me a bowl of rice."

The waiter immediately brought over a bowl of rice and handed it to the person.

After taking the rice, the gourmand smiled and looked at Feng Zhengming, who was standing in front of the casserole.

"Hehehe, Scholar Feng, could you give me a spoonful of soup?"

The flattering words almost made the waiter burst out laughing.

Feng Zhengming glared at the waiter, then scooped up the broth from the bottom of the casserole and poured it carefully over the rice that the gourmand was holding.

At this moment, the gourmand felt as if he were holding a bowl of sacred food.

After drizzling a spoonful of broth, the gourmand quickly stirred it with the spoon.

It wasn't even fully mixed, but the gourmand couldn't wait to scoop up a spoonful and put it in his mouth.

The rice grains are chewed slowly in the mouth, and the soup soaked in the rice grains spreads in the oral cavity.

At this moment, the aroma of the finest rice from Feng Zhengming's restaurant wafts through the air.

The gourmand was completely satisfied.

"It's delicious! It's really tasty. This rice must be from Jiangxi Province."

Feng Zhengming replied, "Yes, it was delivered along with the chicken. It's rice from Shangrao, though not the best."

A gourmand standing nearby chuckled, "Scholar Feng, that's not right. It's not like we can't afford it. Why don't you give us the best rice?"

Feng Zhengming laughed: "Because I can't buy it." (End of Chapter)