The boss cooks, and the bankrupt company opens a state banquet restaurant

Chapter 246 Su Chen: Let’s just play for real
In traditional Chinese cuisine, people always like to use the words "color, aroma and taste" to describe an extremely delicious dish.

And "color" ranks first among them, which is enough to show how important the first impression of a dish's appearance is.

The twelve steamed chestnut-brown pears on Su Chen's plate are the best example.

After twenty minutes of steaming, the peeled pears have become soft and the pear flesh has taken on a chestnut color. The rock sugar water inside has soaked the jujube paste, which is then attached to the surface of the pear flesh through the thickened soup, wolfberries, and green beans.

"This rock sugar pear looks like it can clear the lungs and relieve coughs."

"I can't even imagine it. If a heavy smoker like me can eat a pear like this every day, I can live at least ten more years, right?"

Liu Guochu actually wasn't interested in this dish of whole pear in honey sauce.

When he first looked at the menu, he thought the first seven dishes were interesting, but the eighth dish felt like it was just there to make up the number.

Because beets have always been a weak point in Hunan cuisine.

Hunan Province has very limited beets to offer, and this whole pear in honey sauce can hardly be called a Hunan dish.

It’s just that a few old brands made it better back then, and this dish has been passed down in the Hunan cuisine.

At this moment, when Su Chen put the big plate on the table, everyone was first given a whole pear.

Su Chen put his hands on his hips and asked, "What were you talking about just now? So excited?"

Lu Yongliang opened his mouth to speak, but suddenly realized something.

Damn, after all this talk of a deification plan, now others don’t dare to say anything. At least what are these few people who are trying to become gods doing?
I'm working for Su Chen at Delicious!
If one day in the future the best candidate for this god-making plan emerges from among those present here, who is the most qualified?
Is it the little-known Hubei cuisine national chef Lu Yongliang?
Or is it Cui Yufen who has worked in the International Hotel for his entire life?

Or the Jiang brothers who couldn’t even get into the state banquet?

It can't be the currently weak Hunan national chef Liu Guochu, right?

Taking all this into consideration, who could be the final qualified person?
The words that Lu Yongliang was about to say came to his lips, but he suddenly couldn't say them. He felt a little bitter inside for a moment, and hurriedly scooped some pear with a spoon and put it in his mouth. It tasted sweet.

This eased the bitterness in my heart.

It turns out that the clown is actually me?

Lu Yongliang was not the only one who thought of this.

Everyone who was about to start a conversation with Su Chen now just lowered their heads and ate their pears in silence without saying a word.

Su Chen looked at everyone's silence, feeling a little confused, so he just sat down next to Cai Sirong.

"Teacher Liu, how was the conversation with Wang Tai?"

Wang Jianguo did not belong to their circle of chefs. After slurping down two snow pears, he felt his lungs were much clearer.

"I thought about it seriously while eating just now. Mr. Ling's theme of combining state banquet with civilian banquet is definitely a good idea! But I feel that it would be unreliable if we don't invite a celebrity."

Su Chen stretched out his hand to interrupt Wang Jianguo's words, "Now it's not a question of whether you have the plan or not, but whether you can invite a celebrity. When I was just starting to cook, Shu Yu contacted me and said that the decoration team would be able to enter the site in the afternoon. Wang Tai, please hurry up on your side, because by the time the famous cuisine department is ready, the teachers and I will have no time to play with you."

Wang Jianguo nodded with a sad face.

He decided to try one last time, and his target was the evergreen in the entertainment industry: Liu Yifei.

In fact, Wang Jianguo had thought of this candidate before. Compared with other stars, Liu Yifei does not have an agency behind her, and recently, apart from the endorsements of several world-class brands, Liu Yifei has basically no other dramas to prepare.

In addition, this goddess has hardly ever filmed any serious variety shows. If she could be invited, the gimmick of "Sister Fairy's first variety show" alone would be enough to make people imagine.

"Three million is not enough, let's add another million to the budget! At worst, we can get some money from other places."

For Jingzhou TV Station, this program is a bit of a last-ditch effort.

Cheng, eat meat during the Chinese New Year.

Failure, no salary for the New Year.

"Thank you, Boss Su, and Teacher Liu, for your hospitality today. In this case, I won't stay any longer. I'm going back to the station to contact them about this matter. Let's try to start recording the show as soon as possible!"

Su Chen nodded, "Go slowly on the road."

Wang Jianguo was about to leave in a hurry with his briefcase, but he turned back halfway and pointed at the last pear on the table, "Can I pack it up if no one wants to eat it?"

The teachers at the table were all dumbfounded.

You're a freeloader, not only do you eat here, but you even want to pack up before you leave?
Is there anyone who does things the way you do it?
Seeing that no one said anything, Wang Jianguo shamelessly took a bowl, put the pear into the bowl, and grinned, "I'll return this bowl to you next time I come over!"

Then, without waiting for others to say anything, he hurriedly took the bowl and left.

At this time, the people left at the dinner table, except Cai Sirong and Zhang Maolin, were basically employees of the Delicious headquarters, and Liu Guochu was considered a new employee.

Mr. Mao Lin rubbed his belly contentedly, "Boss Su, the association is waiting for you to take the assessment. When can you find time to register?"

Su Chen was still the same as before, waving his hands in panic, "Don't do that. I don't like those things. What's the point of registering for them? I don't pay for them."

If you pay, you can still register.

After all, the vending machine is now placed in the practice room, and the price of that thing is ten times that of the market price. It’s really a bit unbearable to eat this and that every day.

A serving of fried rice with egg only costs ten yuan for others, but Su Chen's costs a hundred yuan!

Not to mention that when you are craving for something, you can secretly get some expensive ingredients from it, such as Cordyceps, the price of which goes up to tens of thousands of yuan.

Zhang Maolin didn't say much, just smiled and said, "But let's be honest. Master Liu, there's a reason why Hunan cuisine is declining. Look at these eight dishes today. To be honest, although they are delicious, the overall experience is not as good as the Sichuan cuisine that Master Wang prepared a few days ago."

This is Hunan cuisine.

It is definitely delicious, but its characteristics are not distinct enough to make people think it is Hunan cuisine at first glance.

However, the delicious Hunan dishes that are well-known to the public are too homely.

For example, stir-fried beef and stir-fried pork with chili peppers are very popular dishes on the third floor.

Liu Guochu also knew this truth. "Well, thanks to Boss Su cooking in person, I am lucky enough to eat these dishes today. When the famous cuisine restaurant is ready, I will do my best to formulate the menu for our Hunan cuisine restaurant!"

In this case, Su Chen would be more satisfied.

In fact, although Su Chen's selection of dishes this time seemed random, it was actually the result of repeated thinking for a long time in the practice room.

Some things are too painful to say: Hunan cuisine is not included in Su Chen’s system’s “Fragments of Famous Chinese Recipes” at all.

Therefore, all the dishes selected by Su Chen were found in "A General History of the World of Gourmet Food". They are dishes that are more in line with local tastes and cater to the tastes of the general public.

"Then welcome Mr. Liu to join us!"

Su Chen shook hands with Liu Guochu seriously. This handshake, together with the entry of the decoration team, officially announced the establishment of the Delicious Lai Ming Cuisine Restaurant!
After instructing Aunt Fang to arrange accommodation for Liu Guochu, Su Chen started his other job.

Aunt Fang's husband has submitted several plans for the banquet hall. Ling Shuyu said that this matter is too big and it is no longer something she can decide on her own.

Therefore, Su Chen still needs to go and finalize the design plan with Ling Shuyu in person.

Unconsciously, the leisurely days passed quietly and Su Chen began to return to a busy life.

The entire Jingzhou TV station is equally busy.

A week had passed since the day when Wang Jianguo had eaten Boss Su's Hunan cuisine, and the business cooperation proposal he had sent to Liu Yifei's team had fallen on deaf ears.

At this moment, the old director, who is over fifty years old, finally realized that times have changed.

If this was thirty years ago, when he first started working at the TV station, let alone the salary of four million per episode.

Even if there is no money, as long as the TV station produces the program, countless celebrities will join in!
But now.

Those celebrities would rather go to some internet celebrities' platforms to do shows than come to local traditional TV stations to do shows.

Inviting a celebrity will ultimately come to nothing.

In this case, Wang Jianguo can only adopt the plan proposed by Ling Shuyu and use only amateurs for the recording of this program!
Among them, the one with the most fans is the long-legged girl He Shuting, who has more than 100,000 fans. However, those fans are all perverts. Judging from the responses in the comment section, they are all there to cheer for him. Wang Jianguo has no idea whether this can be converted into ratings.

Once the plan is finalized, the next step is to organize people to start recording.

Because there are no celebrities involved, this matter is much easier to handle.

Wang Jianguo and Cai Sirong are already familiar with the employees and boss of Meiweilai. In addition, due to the recent discussions and research on the program plans (and eating out), many employees of the TV station have also become familiar with Meiweilai.

Wang Jianguo immediately called the TV station program team to the conference room for a brief meeting.

The name of this variety show was named according to Ling Shuyu's proposal: "State Banquet and People's Banquet".

The first program in the plan will be conducted in the form of a competition.

This is a common and relatively stable plot mode in variety shows. Both sides form their own teams and the winner is determined through a competition.

After the meeting, Wang Jianguo assigned Cai Sirong to coordinate with Meiweilai and set the recording time for the program on Monday morning.

Development Zone, delicious food coming.

"Am I really going to be on TV?" He Shuting scratched the back of her head hard, feeling like she was dreaming.

Although it is not a large local satellite TV station like the toilet channel, Jingzhou TV still has some weight in the hearts of Jingzhou locals.

Moreover, in the minds of many people born in the 1990s, there is a mysterious and dreamy feeling about "appearing on TV".

When the post-90s generation was young, television had just become popular, and being able to appear on TV was a big deal!

He Shuting saw Su Chen nod, and immediately said in confusion, "Is it still a variety show?"

Su Chen continued to nod.

"Oh my god! Boss, why didn't you tell me earlier? You guys chat first."

After saying that, everyone just saw He Shuting holding the phone to make a call, and they could vaguely hear her saying something like "I'm going to be on TV, remember to watch it when the time comes."

On the contrary, several state banquet chefs remained relatively calm.

Firstly, they have known about this for a long time, and secondly, they have done many activities in front of the camera, this is just a different way of doing it.

"Boss, I'm just a driver, can I participate in the show?" Zhang Jiayi was a little unconvinced.

Ling Shuyu explained, "Although the program plan is like this, in fact, to produce a program, it does not mean that everyone needs to know a certain skill. Some people are responsible for [not knowing] it."

It is impossible for all of a group of people to be expert cooks when they make a show.

At least there has to be someone responsible for being funny and entertaining, someone has to be good-looking, and someone has to act like they are extremely smart.

This is the only way to build a team and achieve better program results.

After informing everyone about the recording of the program, the employees of Delicious were still a little overwhelmed.

Zhang Li and Zhang Jiayi even took a leave and went home, saying that they needed to prepare something in advance.

However, the veteran national chefs still went back to rest and think about the menu as usual.

After everything was arranged, Su Chen returned to the office and began to think about it.

Now everyone has a script in their hands.

So many viewers like to take variety shows on TV seriously, but in fact they are all plots. Of course, some content is unexpected situations that occurred during the recording, which all depends on the post-editing skills.

The first episode that Su Chen got was a very simple competition.

The participating teams are divided into four groups.

Su Chen and Jiang Wusheng each led a group to represent the people's banquet.

Jiang Wensheng regretfully went back to his hometown to arrange work in the restaurant. In his heart, he still wanted to join the famous cuisine of Delicious. After all, this was his only chance in his life to be included in the state banquet!

On the state banquet side, Lu Yongliang and Cui Yu led a group respectively.

Originally Liu Guochu wanted to be the leader, but Cui Yufen said that the leader would have to bear certain responsibilities if the competition failed.

Liu Guochu thought about it and felt that he could not take on this responsibility.

Su Chen is the boss, Lu Yongliang and Cui Yufen are both veterans of Delicious, and they have a good personal relationship with Boss Su. All the responsibilities are just talk in the end. But it is different for me. If I really lose in the competition with the state banquet team, who knows what will happen to me.

I simply became a member of Lu Yongliang's team.

After an afternoon of preparation, the Delicious team arrived at the TV station early the next morning.

He Shuting held up her mobile phone, recording a short video and talking to the phone from time to time.

"See? We're already at the TV station!"

"Aunt? Hey, we just started recording today, and we don't know when it can be broadcast. Don't worry, I will notify you in the group when the time comes."

"Hey, Third Uncle? What big star? How can you be a big star? Hey, no, no, I have to go and get busy. I'll talk to you later!"

After putting away her phone, He Shuting still walked around the TV station building curiously, looking at some equipment she had never seen before, feeling like Granny Liu entering the Grand View Garden for the first time.

The TV station has been prepared for this a long time ago.

Because Cai Sirong has always been in charge of coordinating these matters, even though recording a program has nothing to do with her as a reporter, the station still let Cai Sirong be fully responsible for the coordination of this project.

Not only that.

In order to make the connection more convenient, Cai Sirong directly became a guest of this program. It is hard to say that this is not Wang Jianguo's intention to secretly train a host and reporter with traffic for the TV station.

Cai Sirong led everyone into a room.

"This is the studio. We can just record our opening remarks on the stage later."

The crowd, who were originally somewhat curious, became inexplicably nervous after seeing several recording devices placed below the stage.

Zhang Jiayi, a lady from a wealthy family, couldn't help but take out her makeup mirror and tried to relieve her tension by touching up her makeup.

"Let me introduce you. This is the chief director of our show, Sun Xiaoting, Director Sun."

Sun Xiaoting smiled and shook hands with Su Chen, "Boss Su, I've heard of your great name for a long time! A few days ago, I brought my family to your company for dinner. My family knew that I was recording a show with you, and they kept asking for your autograph. When you are not busy, please take a photo with me and sign your autograph!"

Su Chen was a little flattered.

Aren’t directors usually very impressive in our imagination? How could this Director Sun be so polite to me and even ask for my autograph?

If you didn’t ask me to cook a meal for you, I would think it’s normal. Why do you want an autograph?

Sun Xiaoting added, "We have a lot of tasks today." Letting go of Su Chen's hand, he faced everyone and said, "Don't be nervous, just ignore these machines. There will be a host to guide everyone, and you can just play together as usual."

Su Chen looked around.

The recording scene of this program is really different from what I imagined.

Cai Sirong led everyone to stand on the stage. After several lights nearby were turned on, a girl in a pink dress walked onto the stage.

"Boss Su! Hello, my name is Liu Meng, and I am the host of our show.

Last time when you were at the highway service area, my wife was also stuck in traffic. When she came back, she praised the delicious knife-cut noodles you made. Now my family and I are frequent customers of your place. I just don’t know when we will have the honor of eating the dishes you personally cook!”

Su Chen smiled and shook hands with the host, "Not really. I'll treat everyone to a meal after the recording of the show is over."

Liu Meng blinked, "Really? Then I have to work hard."

After that, Liu Meng led everyone to find their positions on the stage. "Everyone, don't be nervous. Director Sun, shall we start?"

Sun Xiaoting nodded.

Liu Meng's expression instantly changed, revealing a very professional yet sweet smile.

"Hello, viewers! What you are watching now is provided by Jingzhou TV."

Liu Meng stood there and spoke for a minute. After he finished speaking, Sun Xiaoting waved his hand and said, "Continue."

Liu Meng came to the opposite side of the delicious group.

"Today is the first episode of our National Banquet and People's Banquet. Before the National Banquet and People's Banquet collide, we must first prove our strength to our audience friends!"

"Now let's start drawing lots! Players with the same color drawn will compete in the same group."

Cai Sirong quickly brought a cardboard box onto the stage.

Su Chen was still a little curious. When he looked down, he found that the inside of the cardboard box was actually divided into compartments with small partitions, and a name was written on the side of each compartment.

'My goodness, this is so fake.'

However, everyone still drew their own lots according to the host's guidance, and then looked at the colors one by one and finally divided into groups.

Sun Xiaoting watched the performances of the guests with satisfaction from the audience.

As expected, when recording a show with ordinary people, one has to prepare some inexplicable surprises. In fact, before coming here, Su Chen and the others only knew that they would be divided into groups, and they also knew who the leader of each group would be.

But no one knows how to divide it specifically.

Now you get your own sign according to your name.

When He Shuting discovered that her color was the same as Su Chen's, she jumped up on the spot excitedly.

When Zhang Jiayi found out that her stick was in the same group as Cui Yufen, she stood beside Teacher Cui with a sad face.

Cui Yufen even asked coldly: "Have I wronged you together with you?"

Zhang Jiayi was so scared that she quickly waved her hands and shook her head, and the show effect was instantly maximized.

Su Chen and his team were only responsible for recording these clips, and the rest of the content was basically completed independently by Liu Meng on the stage.

After the grouping is completed.

The indoor recording is temporarily over.

"Boss Su, now we have to set off according to the plan. Do you have any other arrangements?"

Su Chen thought about it and said, "I actually have an arrangement."

Sun Xiaoting stopped packing and said, "Go ahead."

"Isn't the first episode about four teams using their own abilities, no matter what method, for three days and then the winner is determined by turnover?"

Sun Xiaoting nodded.

Only the first plot can be played like this. When the subsequent plots begin, these amateurs will be recognized by some viewers because of the broadcast of the program.

By then, it will be difficult to record such "anonymous" program content.

Su Chen continued, "Since this is the case, I personally suggest that we just make the fake play real. We agreed on a hundred dollars, so let's take a hundred dollars!"

After that, Su Chen looked at Cui Yufen, Lu Yongliang, and Jiang Wusheng in a sly way, "What do you think? Do you dare to play this game with me?"

Lu Yongliang took a breath and frowned, "You mean, let's really compete? According to the program team's rules?"

Su Chen nodded.

According to the rules, before the competition, each team can receive one hundred yuan in starting funds from the program team.

Then you can choose five tools from a wide variety of kitchen utensils.

The original plan was that on the surface everyone only had 100 yuan, but in reality it didn't matter if they spent a little more than that when buying things. It felt more like everyone was putting on a show.

But when Su Chen said this, Lu Yongliang was a little stunned.

After reading the plan, Lu Yongliang's idea was to take out his best steamed sea bass and apply for a job at the hotel, then discuss with the hotel owner about working for only three days to see how to get a commission or something.

But if Su Chen is serious.

This method doesn't work.

It was just a show, but now he's suddenly getting serious. Who knows how Su Chen will win the game?
When we lose, it won’t just be an act, it will be a real loss!

Old Lu frowned as he thought about this problem.

Cui Yufen was more straightforward. "Interesting. I think we should do as Xiao Su said. We only have 100 yuan as start-up capital. We will rely on this 100 yuan for food, drink, and toilet in the next three days. It all depends on our ability! Old Lu, you are not afraid, are you?"

"Afraid?" Lu Yongliang, who had frowned, suddenly glared, "Why would I be afraid? Just have fun, who's afraid of who?"

Jiang Wusheng quietly hid at the back of the crowd.

One hundred dollars and three days.

Not only does money have to make money, but it also has to be made around food. This is not the point. The key is that the money also includes food and accommodation for these three days.

hiss!
It seems a bit tricky!
Sun Xiaoting suddenly clapped his hands, "Very good, this is even better. If this is the case, everything that will happen is unknown! Of course, you can raise any difficulties you encounter during the recording of the program."

Su Chen waved his hand, "Since we are going to play it for real, we can't rely on the production team to solve the problems. If everyone has no objection, let's get started?"

A group of people looked at each other.

A moment of silence.

“Let’s get started!!!”

Cui Yufen, in particular, was secretly thinking in his heart, I have lost to Su Chen in the kitchen several times. This time, everyone is relying on their own abilities. How can I lose to you?
When I was in my hometown, I often set up stalls on the street with my master. I am good at it!

Lu Yongliang felt vaguely uneasy.

He taught himself to cook, first in a state-owned restaurant, then after the reform he worked in a large hotel in Hubei Province, and later he began to take part in competitions and become a professor and lecturer.

This kind of grassroots entrepreneurship is really tricky!

No one knew what Jiang Wusheng was thinking, but he looked very ambitious.

Sun Xiaoting happily directed everyone to move things, and said to a young man, "In the later stage, cut this part in as well! It's so real, so real!"

The group quickly got on the bus.

The first episode was recorded in Qinzhou City, 100 kilometers away from Jingzhou City. It is an ordinary third-tier city with a lower population density than Jingzhou.

While on the bus, everyone had already begun to discuss strategies for the competition in a low voice, for fear of being overheard by other groups.

The current grouping is:

Group A, team leader Su Chen, team members He Shuting and Ling Shuyu.

Group B, team leader Jiang Wusheng, team members Zhang Li and Liu Shengnan.

Group C, team leader Cui Yufen, team members Zhang Jiayi and Bai Xiaobo.

Group D, team leader Lu Yongliang, team members Liu Guochu and Cai Sirong.

As the staff got the tracking equipment ready, the bus drove onto the highway.

"State Banquet and People's Banquet" officially starts recording!
(End of this chapter)