Siheyuan: Starting as a Chef Apprentice

In addition to the problem of wall color, there were many other small incidents during the decoration process.

For example, the Chinese screen that was originally ordered was damaged during transportation, and it was necessary to contact the manufacturer to reissue it; and some local decoration materials in France were not supplied in a timely manner, which led to the delay of part of the project progress.

Wang Jianye and his team actively coordinated resources from all parties, solving one problem after another to ensure that the renovation work could proceed smoothly.

In this way, with everyone's joint efforts and after several months of hard work, the decoration of the hotel was finally completed.

The originally old and dilapidated store has been completely transformed into a unique space full of the charm of the fusion of Chinese and French cultures.

Chinese-style screen partitions are scattered throughout the hall. Through the gaps in the screens, you can see antique Chinese tables and chairs placed inside. Above the tables and chairs hang exquisite Chinese palace lanterns, emitting soft light.

The French vintage wallpaper on the walls echoes the exquisite carved decorations on the ceiling, creating an elegant and romantic atmosphere.

Wang Jianye stood at the entrance of the hotel, looking at the hard-earned results before him, his heart filled with emotion and satisfaction.

He seemed to have already seen the satisfied smiles of the customers and the lively dining scene after the restaurant opened, and was full of confidence in the future.

Next, we will start to prepare for the opening of the business in full swing, and this will be a new journey full of challenges and expectations.

As the opening day approaches, the team members become increasingly busy, and everyone is making final preparations for this important moment.

……

After the renovation, Wang's Hotel is like a carefully carved pearl, quietly located in the old neighborhood of Paris, exuding a unique charm of the fusion of Chinese and French.

However, for Wang Jianye, this is only the first step. The subsequent stage of recruiting employees is related to whether the hotel can truly take root in this foreign land and operate smoothly. Its importance is self-evident.

In order to attract talents, the hotel has posted recruitment information on major local recruitment platforms, community bulletin boards and related catering industry forums.

The recruitment positions covered several key positions such as chefs, waiters, front desk receptionists, buyers, etc. The information emphasized the hotel's unique Chinese-French fusion style and its expectation for talents with diverse cultural backgrounds, which attracted the attention of many applicants. For a time, resumes came in like snowflakes.

The interview was carried out tensely and orderly in the hotel's lobby which had not yet officially opened for business. Several tables and chairs were temporarily placed in the lobby to form a simple interview area.

Although the overall atmosphere was still a bit simple, it did not affect the enthusiasm of the applicants and the seriousness of the interviewers at all.

Among the many applicants for the chef position, Pierre, a native of France, stood out.

He was tall, wearing a neat chef's uniform and a tall chef's hat, and he walked into the interview area with confident and steady steps.

In his hand, he was carefully holding a carefully prepared lunch box, which contained several classic French dishes he had made himself. The overflowing aroma seemed to be telling of his superb cooking skills in advance.

After politely greeting Wang Jianye and other interviewers, Pierre gently placed the lunch box on the table, opened the lid, and while showing his work, he enthusiastically introduced:
"Boss Wang, interviewers, here are some of the dishes I made. For example, for this beef stew in Burgundy red wine, I used the best beef and slow-cooked it for several hours with the local red wine. The rich aroma of the red wine fully penetrated every texture of the beef. It melts in your mouth and is very memorable.

As for this French baked snail, I added some secret spices of my own blend based on the traditional method, and the taste is unique. "

As he spoke, he picked up the cutlery, divided each dish into small portions, and handed them to the interviewers to taste, his eyes revealing full of confidence and expectation.

After everyone had tasted the food, Pierre continued:

"Boss Wang, although I know a little about Chinese cuisine, I think French cooking also has its own unique charm. If our restaurant can incorporate some French dishes, it might be more popular.

After all, in France, everyone has a deep affection and a high sense of identity for French cuisine. If we can combine them to satisfy the taste habits of local people and bring new freshness, it will definitely attract more customers.”

Wang Jianye frowned slightly. He knew very well that the hotel's positioning was to focus on Chinese cuisine and to deliver the most authentic Chinese flavors to French customers. This was an unshakable foundation.

But he did not want to easily discourage Pierre's enthusiasm. After all, his cooking skills were indeed remarkable, and he had a deep understanding of French cooking. If he could incorporate some of the advantages of French cooking, it might help the restaurant's dish innovation.

So, with a gentle smile on his face, Wang Jianye patiently explained: "Pierre, I have to say that your cooking skills are really great. The taste of these French dishes is very authentic. Your professionalism and dedication can be seen from the selection of ingredients to the production process." As he spoke, he also gave a thumbs up to give affirmation.

"However, all of our Wang's hotels focus on Chinese cuisine. Our core goal is to bring the most authentic Chinese flavors to French customers, so that they can taste authentic Chinese cuisine and appreciate the unique charm of Chinese catering culture. This is the foundation of our hotel, and it is also our original intention to come to France from faraway China to open a store." Wang Jianye said as he tapped the table lightly with his hand to emphasize the importance.

After hearing this, Pierre lowered his head slightly, with a look of disappointment on his face, but he still listened attentively to Wang Jianye's continued speech. "However, we also welcome you to incorporate some of the exquisite plating and control of the freshness of ingredients in French cooking into our dishes.

You see, Chinese cuisine often focuses on color, aroma and taste, while French cuisine has a high level of attainment in the art of plating. If we can combine the two to make our Chinese cuisine more international, it will undoubtedly be a big highlight.

Moreover, in terms of controlling the freshness of ingredients, the rigorous attitude of French cooking is also worth learning from, which can not only ensure the quality of the dishes, but also enhance the overall dining experience. What do you think?" Wang Jianye looked at Pierre sincerely, looking forward to his response.

After hearing this, Pierre nodded thoughtfully. The disappointment in his eyes was gradually replaced by thinking and recognition. He raised his head, looked at Wang Jianye and said:
"So that's how it is. I understand, Boss Wang. I am willing to learn Chinese cooking and combine the two styles. I think this is indeed a very interesting challenge. It can not only give full play to my expertise, but also allow me to be exposed to and learn about the brand new Chinese catering culture. I believe I can do it well."

Pierre's tone was full of expectation and enthusiasm. Wang Jianye smiled with satisfaction and said, "Very good, Pierre, then welcome to join our team. I hope you can get familiar with the preparation of Chinese dishes as soon as possible, and we can create unique dishes together."

Compared with the recruitment interview for the chef position, the interview for the waiter position presents a completely different picture.

A French girl named Lucy walked into the interview area with brisk steps. She had golden curly hair, big blue eyes that sparkled with enthusiasm and cheerfulness, and a bright smile on her face, which made her look very friendly at first glance.

After Lucy sat down on the chair, she first made a brief self-introduction, and then frankly expressed her doubts: "Boss Wang, I know that the service method in French restaurants is usually to maintain an appropriate distance, so that customers have their own space and can enjoy the dining process quietly.

But I heard that Chinese service seems to be more enthusiastic, and the waiters will take the initiative to care about the needs of customers, such as refilling tea for customers in time, introducing the characteristics of dishes and so on.

I'm a little unsure about what to do. I'm worried that I won't be able to strike the right balance. If I'm too enthusiastic, I'm afraid it will make the customers feel uncomfortable. If I'm too cold, it won't meet the requirements of our hotel. Can you tell me how to strike a balance?"

Wang Jianye looked at Lucy's sincere expression, nodded slightly, and replied in a clear and steady tone: "Lucy, the question you raised is very crucial. It is indeed as you said, Chinese service emphasizes enthusiasm and thoughtfulness, which is a very important part of Chinese catering culture.

We hope that waiters can take the initiative to pay attention to customers' needs. For example, if they see that a customer's teacup is empty, they should go forward and refill the tea in time. If a customer has doubts when ordering a dish, they should introduce the characteristics, taste and ingredients of the dish in detail so that the customer can make a better choice. "

At this point, Wang Jianye paused for a moment, drank some water to moisten his throat, and then continued: "However, we also understand that in France, customers are used to having a certain amount of personal space, so we don't have to completely abandon the French service style. We can find a balance point and provide them with considerate service on the basis of respecting customers' personal space.

For example, when customers first sit down, you can first smile and hand over the menu, briefly introduce today's special dishes or recommend some popular dishes, and then give customers a few minutes to browse the menu, and don't keep asking them what they need right away. When customers indicate or ask actively, then provide further help.

During the meal, observe the customer's expressions and movements. If they seem to need any help, go up to them and ask them at the right time. This will not disturb the customer too much, but also show our enthusiasm and thoughtfulness. Do you understand?"

Lucy listened attentively, nodded from time to time, and wrote down some key points in her notebook. When Wang Jianye finished speaking, she smiled and said:

"Boss Wang, I understand. I will work hard to find this balance. I think this is very interesting and challenging. I am looking forward to working in our hotel and learning and experiencing this unique service method."

Wang Jianye smiled and responded, "Well, Lucy, I can see that you are a very enthusiastic and attentive girl. Welcome to join our team. I hope you can adapt to this job as soon as possible and provide high-quality services to customers."

In this way, after several days of interviews and through layers of screening, the hotel finally formed a multicultural team of employees. This team includes chefs like Pierre who are proficient in French cooking, waiters who are familiar with local French culture and service habits, and other personnel who have professional capabilities in purchasing and management and have a strong interest in Chinese catering culture.

After the personnel were determined, intensive training work began.

On the first day of training, all employees gathered in the hotel lobby. Everyone was talking to each other in low voices, either out of curiosity or a little nervousness. The whole hall was filled with a buzz of conversation.

Wang Jianye stood in front and clapped his hands gently, signaling everyone to be quiet, and then said: "Dear colleagues, welcome to join the big family of Wang's All-Series Hotels! We come from different cultural backgrounds and have different professional skills, but we have a common goal, which is to run our hotel well and make it stand out in the catering market in Paris.

In the coming period, we will conduct a series of trainings to let everyone learn about Chinese cuisine, service standards, and the integration of Chinese and French catering culture. I hope everyone can study hard and actively participate. "

The first thing to be conducted was training on Chinese cuisine knowledge, with senior chefs invited from China as lecturers.

The chef stood on a makeshift podium. The large screen behind him displayed beautiful pictures of various Chinese dishes. He picked up a pointer, pointed at the pictures on the screen and said:

"Everyone, today we will first learn about the basic classification and characteristics of Chinese cuisine. Chinese cuisine is profound and can be roughly divided into eight major cuisines. Shandong cuisine, for example, has a mellow taste and emphasizes freshness, saltiness, crispness, and tenderness; Sichuan cuisine is famous for its spicy, fish-flavored, and strange flavors, and is good at using three peppers. Each dish has its own style and hundreds of dishes have different flavors; Cantonese cuisine focuses on the original flavor, and its characteristics are freshness, tenderness, smoothness, and refreshing..."

The chef spoke vividly and the employees in the audience listened attentively, with some raising their hands to ask questions from time to time.

Pierre raised his hand, and after getting permission, he asked, "Chef, you just said that Sichuan cuisine makes good use of three peppers. Which three peppers are you referring to? What are the different roles they play in the dishes?"

The chef smiled and replied, "Pierre, you asked a good question. The three peppers refer to Sichuan peppercorns, chili peppers, and peppercorns. Sichuan peppercorns are mainly used to give dishes a unique numbing taste, making the taste richer and more layered; chili peppers, of course, bring spiciness, stimulate the taste buds, and increase appetite; peppercorns can remove fishy smells and enhance the overall flavor of the dishes. When they are combined in different Sichuan dishes, they can create a variety of unique flavors."

Pierre listened, nodded in sudden realization, and carefully recorded it in his notebook. (End of this chapter)