From selling box lunches to becoming a famous Chinese chef

Time seemed to pass very slowly. After returning from Jiangxi Province, Feng Zhengming was busy in the kitchen of the old-style restaurant every day.

Most of the time he is engaged in the research and development of new dishes, and also teaching his only apprentice, Xia Hui.

Of course, the three apprentices who stayed at the restaurant in Shanghai also took classes with their senior apprentice, Xia Hui.

Even the young chefs who take turns working at the restaurant will take the opportunity to learn from Feng Zhengming.

Even when Jiang Chengzhe was on shift here, he learned some things from Feng Zhengming.

Feng Zhengming once asked Jiang Chengzhe if he should simply transfer to the old villa restaurant.
To Feng Zhengming's surprise, Jiang Chengzhe refused instead.

"Haha, I think it's better to stay at that restaurant on the Western restaurant street. I was the head chef there, but here I can only be your assistant."

Feng Zhengming: "Didn't you agree to be with me in the first place so that we could open this restaurant together?"

Jiang Chengzhe: "Yes, I originally wanted to run a top-notch restaurant in Shanghai with you, but now I think that the shop on the Western restaurant street can also be run as a top-notch restaurant by me."

Hearing Jiang Chengzhe's words, Feng Zhengming fell into deep thought.

He really didn't expect that Jiang Chengzhe would turn his branch into a top-tier restaurant.

But upon closer reflection, it doesn't seem that turning that branch into a top-tier restaurant would be difficult.

The original purpose of opening that branch was to compete with the surrounding Western restaurants and to attract many white-collar workers and overseas people working in Shanghai.

Feng Zhengming made special designs for the store's decoration and interior design, including all kinds of tableware.

Later, they even made many adjustments to the menu at that restaurant.

That store can no longer be considered a fast food restaurant overall.

In many people's eyes, that restaurant is probably a more affordable alternative to Feng Zhengming's Old House Restaurant.

Often, some white-collar workers in Shanghai might not be able to afford to eat at the old-style restaurant, but would instead choose to go to the restaurant on the Western restaurant street.

Jiang Chengzhe earnestly made a formal request to Feng Zhengming.

"Master Feng, Chef Feng, our head chef and boss, I'm asking you this time, I hope you can slightly improve some of the dishes you make here and put them in our branch."

Feng Zhengming was both amused and exasperated by Jiang Chengzhe's earnest request.

"You actually gave up your higher aspirations and are willing to help me run that little shop?"

Jiang Chengzhe: "Hey, hey, hey, how can that be considered a small shop? I think once that shop is run well, we can replicate its model on a large scale."

Feng Zhengming looked at Jiang Chengzhe with some surprise.

The latter smiled and said, "Didn't expect that, did you?"

Feng Zhengming: "Indeed, I didn't think of that if you hadn't said it."

Jiang Chengzhe: "If you put all the stores you currently have together, there should be a total of three store models."

Huiquanlou and the restaurant in your old villa are examples of this type of high-end establishment, which are not suitable for mass replication. There may only be one such restaurant in a city or even a region.

The second type is the fast food restaurant model like your dry rice shop. That type of restaurant mainly wins by having a large number of customers and takes a more approachable and mass-market approach.

The third type, I think, should be the earliest Feng Family Rice Shop in Jinan, the one on our Western Restaurant Street. This type is not yet fully formed, but I think we can make this model take shape.

It's a budget-friendly alternative to your old-style house restaurant; while it's not suitable for banquets or large gatherings, it's a great place for families and friends to get together.

After listening to Jiang Chengzhe's words, Feng Zhengming's expression turned serious.

Jiang Chengzhe's words were something Feng Zhengming hadn't expected.

In the past, he thought more about opening branches of his dry rice shop to consolidate and develop the affordable Chinese fast food route.

On the other hand, we need to take a high-end approach, like Huiquanlou and the old-style villa restaurant.

They operate on two legs, developing their own unique catering structure in parallel.

Now, Jiang Chengzhe has added a transitional route between the beginning and the end.

Or rather, this middle route allows more people to enjoy delicious food at a reasonable price.

Feng Zhengming: "Your idea is indeed very good, but have you considered that adding the third model you mentioned would require us to invest more, especially more chefs?"

Jiang Chengzhe: "I know, but you've trained so many young chefs in so many restaurants, isn't this the time to put them to good use?"

They couldn't all have the opportunity to enter Huiquanlou, or come to the kitchen of your old villa restaurant.

But they certainly wouldn't be content to stay in the kitchen of a fast food restaurant forever.

Don't you want to give them a better future? To give them the opportunity to showcase their abilities?

Hearing Jiang Chengzhe's words, Feng Zhengming fell into a brief silence.

He quickly turned to Jiang Chengzhe: "Did you already have this plan in mind? You want to break away from me and do it on your own, right?"

Jiang Chengzhe: "How could that be? We're still partners. That restaurant on the Western restaurant street is still yours. I just hope that I can run that restaurant in the future and make it a more affordable alternative to your old-style house restaurant."

Feng Zhengming laughed: "You kid, you're really not content to be my deputy forever."

Jiang Chengzhe: "How about this, next time you go out, I'll come over and keep an eye on the kitchen of the old-style restaurant for you, okay?"

Feng Zhengming: "I promised Xia Hui that once she has enough ability, I will hand over the restaurant on the Western restaurant street to her to manage."

Jiang Chengzhe looked helpless: "No, Scholar Feng, I've always been in charge of that shop. Are you going to hand it over to your apprentice?"

Feng Zhengming: "I feel more at ease handing it over to my apprentice; I'm a little worried about handing it over to you."

Jiang Chengzhe was even more dumbfounded: "We've worked together for so long, and you still doubt me?"

Feng Zhengming: "It's not that I doubt you, it's that you disrupted my original plans and arrangements."

I really didn't expect that Jiang Chengzhe would suddenly want to focus on running that restaurant on the Western restaurant street.

Jiang Chengzhe: "I hadn't thought it through before. I've worked for you for so long, especially at that restaurant on the Western restaurant street. I really have a stronger attachment to that place, so I don't want to change places."

Seeing how sincere Jiang Chengzhe was, Feng Zhengming called Xia Hui over to discuss it together.

After listening to Jiang Chengzhe's description, Xia Hui agreed with his idea.

“Master, Chef Jiang’s idea is very good. Our Old House Restaurant has limited capacity and the prices of our dishes are relatively high. Most people will not easily choose to dine at the Old House Restaurant.”

If we follow Chef Jiang's suggestion and turn that restaurant on the Western restaurant street into a more affordable alternative to our old-style house restaurant, it should attract a considerable number of customers.

Feng Zhengming: "So you're willing to give up the positions of head chef and store manager of that restaurant to him?"

Xia Hui: "Master, I want to continue learning from you. There is still so much I need to learn from you. Maybe in the future, once I have mastered my skills, I can help you open a new shop."

Jiang Chengzhe immediately smiled: "You see, Xia Hui still wants to stay by your side."

Feng Zhengming glanced at Xia Hui, then at Jiang Chengzhe.

"Alright, since you're willing to run that restaurant on the Western restaurant street, then you'll be in charge of that restaurant."

Jiang Chengzhe chuckled, "Thank you, Chef. I will definitely run that restaurant well."

With this arrangement made for the time being, Feng Zhengming also provided Jiang Chengzhe with some support.

Jiang Chengzhe did not disappoint Feng Zhengming's trust.

He quickly rearranged and expanded the shop on the Western restaurant street. He acquired the two adjacent Western restaurants and expanded the interior space once again.

In addition to the existing fast food and some home-style dishes, he also added banquet catering services.

In terms of dishes, there are also many new options, especially some of the original dishes in Feng Zhengming's old villa restaurant that have been downgraded and made more affordable.

After this renovation, the businesses on the Western restaurant street really did become much better.

After obtaining Feng Zhengming's permission, Jiang Chengzhe officially became the store manager and head chef.

He also followed Feng Zhengming's example and promoted the restaurant on the Western restaurant street after the renovation.

In addition, Feng Zhengming himself came forward and accepted interviews from television stations and newspapers.

They indicated that they indeed plan to develop this restaurant on the Western restaurant street into a more affordable alternative to their old-style house restaurant in Shanghai, allowing more diners to enjoy the food.

With Feng Zhengming's endorsement and Jiang Chengzhe, a young chef from the port city, promoting the product, the company has a strong presence.

Naturally, this attracts many younger diners.

Especially under Jiang Chengzhe's design, this store has incorporated more fashionable and Hong Kong-style bourgeois elements.

This has made the restaurant on the street a popular spot for fashionable white-collar workers.

The Western restaurants on the street are seeing their business getting better and better.

Luo Qing was a little puzzled: "How could you let that shop steal business from your old-style house restaurant?"

Feng Zhengming laughed: "Why would you think that store can steal my business?"

Luo Qing: "Isn't that right? Many young white-collar workers prefer to go to that place now."

Feng Zhengming: "But those people weren't regular customers of the old villa restaurant to begin with."

Luo Qing was left speechless after hearing this.

But she still felt that Jiang Chengzhe's way of running the branch stores might pose a threat to Feng Zhengming.

“My wife, what are you thinking? That shop is ours too. Zhe has a share and can get dividends, but even if he leaves, I can have someone take over the shop immediately.”

Luo Qing: "With his experience and reputation, he can open a similar store even if he leaves you."

Feng Zhengming: "It seems you still don't quite trust him?"

Luo Qing nodded: "He is not your apprentice, nor is he the apprentice of your senior brothers. After all, he is a chef from Hong Kong, and he was already famous in Hong Kong before you met him."

Feng Zhengming could understand his wife's concerns.

He earnestly explained to his wife, "Don't worry, Zhe won't leave. Think about it, if he really wanted to leave and go it alone, he wouldn't need to run that restaurant on the street; he could just leave."

With his reputation and connections in Hong Kong, he could easily assemble a team quickly by going to the restaurant himself.

Feng Zhengming's words calmed his wife down.

Luo Qing thought about it carefully and realized that her husband was right.

If Jiang Chengzhe really wanted to leave, he could simply walk away.

He didn't leave; in fact, he did a lot more to promote and advertise the restaurant on the street.

Just as Feng Zhengming said, Jiang Chengzhe really had no intention of leaving.

If you want to leave, you don't need to do any of this.

In fact, Jiang Chengzhe had no intention of leaving Feng Zhengming.

But he also wanted to go it alone and achieve something.

Therefore, he suggested to Feng Zhengming that a third type of store be added between high-end restaurants and rice shops.

Then Jiang Chengzhe can prove his value as a mainstream pioneer of this type of store.

Feng Zhengming had already seen through his intentions.

That's why Feng Zhengming agreed to his choice.

He even helped promote the restaurant, directly pointing out that the model of this restaurant on the Western restaurant street could serve as a more affordable alternative to his old-style house restaurant.

This is why this store attracts more customers, especially young white-collar workers.

Feng Zhengming also put in some effort.

We are sharing part of the menu from the old-style house restaurant.

After working with Jiang Chengzhe to make improvements, it was added to the menu of the branch restaurant on the Western restaurant street.

In addition, Jiang Chengzhe designed some Western and Hong Kong-style dishes.

In the eyes of some young white-collar workers, this restaurant on the Western restaurant street is more fashionable than Feng Zhengming's old villa restaurant.

Of course, no one would think that a restaurant like this on the Western Restaurant Street could truly replace Feng Zhengming's old villa restaurant.

The most crucial point is the selection of raw materials.

Jiang Chengzhe's side cannot use the ingredients used by Feng Zhengming's restaurant.

Because the price is simply unaffordable.

Of course, Jiang Chengzhe also has his own clever tricks. When he looks for low-priced alternative ingredients, he will try to select some good ones or add more technical cooking and processing techniques.

Or Jiang Chengzhe might simply substitute some Western food or other Cantonese dishes.

This also differentiates the shop from Feng Zhengming's old villa restaurant.

It can be considered his own unique style, and it has also received some positive reviews.

Feng Zhengming's shop in Shanghai was thriving.

This made some people in Shanghai increasingly envious of him.

In the eyes of some local chefs, Feng Zhengming has usurped the position that should have belonged to them.

They would feel that it was Shanghai that gave Feng Zhengming the platform and opportunities.

As a result, you, Feng Zhengming, are not grateful at all. Instead, you've used so many stores to steal some of the business from local restaurants and eateries.

When Feng Zhengming only had four stores, the local chefs didn't feel the pressure.

After all, all four stores at that time followed a fast food model, which was considered a low-end approach that was not respectable by many local chefs.

Things are different now. Feng Zhengming's old villa restaurant has become a top restaurant in Shanghai and even the whole country.

It has outshone many of the previously well-known high-end restaurants in the area.

Following that, Jiang Chengzhe renovated the branch on the Western Restaurant Street, which then became a restaurant that attracted a large number of urban white-collar workers.

Feng Zhengming has completely filled all three price ranges: high, medium, and low.

A group of chefs in Shanghai began to get together and brainstorm ways to deal with Feng Zhengming. (End of Chapter)