Siheyuan: Starting as a Chef Apprentice

He often visits here, and every time he comes, he tastes every dish with a very focused and professional attitude, carefully observing the color and presentation of the dishes, savoring their taste and layers, trying to analyze from all angles the unique charm of this restaurant from the far East.

On this day, Mr. Jacques, as usual, dressed in a well-fitting suit and walked into the Wang's Hotel with steady steps.

Lucy, the waitress in the store, recognized him at a glance. She immediately smiled warmly and politely, bowed slightly, and said in fluent French:
"Mr. Jacques, welcome again. The old seat is reserved for you. Please follow me."

Mr. Jacques nodded slightly and followed Lucie to the table by the window where he usually sat.

After sitting down, Mr. Jacques took the menu handed to him by the waiter, his eyes wandered among the names of the dishes, and finally he chose a few improved special dishes, including the highly acclaimed "Wang's Braised Pork".

After ordering the dishes, he sat quietly in his seat, his eyes revealing a hint of anticipation and professional scrutiny, waiting for the dishes to be served.

Soon, the waiters began to bring the dishes to the table one after another.

Every time a dish is served, the waiter will quietly introduce the name of the dish and some of its special features, and his movements are light and standard when placing the dish, showing his professionalism.

When the plate of "Wang's Braised Pork" was brought to Mr. Jacques, his eyes were instantly attracted to it.

The braised pork on the plate was bright red in color, with an attractive luster. Each piece of meat was cooked to perfection, evenly sized, and neatly arranged on the plate. There were also a few green vegetables dotted around it, making the whole dish look more refreshing and refined visually.

Mr. Jacques picked up the cutlery and first smelled it closely. The rich meaty aroma mixed with a faint sweet fragrance filled his nose, which made him raise his eyebrows slightly.

Then he picked up a piece of braised pork with a fork, put it into his mouth, and chewed it gently.

As the teeth bite, the soft and glutinous texture of the braised pork is immediately revealed, melting easily in the mouth, and the rich meaty aroma instantly fills the entire mouth.

Then, the improved sweetness is released just right, blending perfectly with the meaty aroma, forming a rich and memorable taste.

An expression of satisfaction gradually emerged on Mr. Jacques' face. He tasted a few more pieces in succession, nodding slightly as he ate, as if he was making a detailed evaluation of the dish in his mind.

After tasting all the dishes, Mr. Jacques did not leave immediately, but sat in his seat, thoughtfully recalling the dining experience just now. He knew very well that the dishes presented by this restaurant were not just simple food, but also a manifestation of the transmission and integration of a culture. After returning home, Mr. Jacques sat at his desk, turned on the desk lamp, took out a pen and paper, and began to write a review article about Wang's entire series of restaurants.

His expression was focused and serious, the pen in his hand rustled on the paper, and every time he wrote a sentence, he would pause and think for a moment to ensure that the words were precise and could accurately convey his feelings about the hotel.

At the beginning of the article, he wrote: "Wang's full range of restaurants has brought a fresh oriental style to the Paris dining scene."

He then described in detail each dish he tasted, emphasizing the dishes' clever attempts and successes in fusing Chinese and French flavors, writing:

"Their dishes retain the essence of Chinese cuisine while cleverly catering to the tastes of the French. For example, the 'Wang's Braised Pork', after being improved in sweetness and soft texture, is unforgettable.

The elegant environment inside the store combines the cultural elements of China and France. I strongly recommend you to give it a try.”

After writing the article, Mr. Jacques read it carefully several times, polished and adjusted some sentences. After confirming that it was correct, he submitted the article to an influential local newspaper.

Not long after, the review article was published in the food section of the newspaper. On the morning of the day when the newspaper was published, many people in the streets and alleys of Paris bought the newspaper and opened it to read.

When seeing Mr. Jacques's high evaluation of Wang's entire restaurant chain, many people who didn't know much about the restaurant became very interested. In a short time, the restaurant's popularity increased significantly, and customers came to dine in an endless stream.

At the entrance of the hotel, you can often see this scene: many people stop outside the store, looking up at the hotel's signboard and unique exterior decoration that is a fusion of Chinese and French styles, with expressions of curiosity and expectation on their faces, and they will whisper to each other about the introduction to the hotel they have read in the newspaper.

The store is bustling with activity. The waiters are shuttling between the tables, their steps hurried but orderly, and they always have warm smiles on their faces, greeting every customer who comes to dine.

During lunch time, the restaurant was almost full. In the kitchen, the chefs were busy in an orderly and tense manner. The flames on the stoves were whirring, and the dishes in the pots were emitting bursts of fragrance as the chefs skillfully stir-fried them.

The Chinese chef, Master Zhang, who was in charge of cooking, quickly shook the wok to heat the food evenly while shouting to the assistant chef next to him, "Pass me the seasoning over there. Hurry up. The dishes ordered by this table of guests need to be served quickly."

Upon hearing this, the kitchen helper quickly picked up the seasoning and handed it over, saying, "Okay, Chef."

In such a busy and vibrant atmosphere, Chinese and French employees work together to cope with the influx of customers. In the daily exchanges at work, they are constantly learning from each other, inspiring each other, and sparking innovation.

French chef Pierre is a man who is passionate about cooking and very innovative.

Since he started working at Wang's All-Round Hotel, he has developed a strong interest in Chinese cooking. Whenever he has time, he asks Chinese chefs for advice on various cooking techniques and learns how to make Chinese dishes.

After a period of study and practice, Pierre began to try to integrate his French cooking techniques with Chinese cuisine, attempting to create unique new dishes.

On this day, Pierre was sitting at the kitchen counter, concentrating on preparing a new dish he had developed - "Chinese-French Baked Lobster".

He first picked a fresh lobster from the water tank, cleaned it with skill, took the shrimp meat out of the shell intact, and set it aside. Then, he began to prepare the sauce, mixing the soy sauce, oyster sauce, and a little sugar in a certain proportion in Chinese sauces, adding some of his own special spices, and then simmered it slowly over low heat, stirring constantly to fully blend the flavors of the various seasonings.

He stared at the sauce in the pot, frowning slightly, concentrating on controlling the heat and thickness, muttering to himself, "The heat is critical. The sauce must have a rich and mellow taste."

After the sauce was ready, Pierre put the processed lobster meat into a baking dish, poured the prepared Chinese sauce on it, sprinkled some French cheese crumbs on it, and then put the baking dish into the preheated oven.

While waiting for the lobster to be baked, he was not idle, but carefully observed the situation in the oven, and from time to time looked through the glass door to check the color changes of the lobster. His hands unconsciously crossed in front of his chest, and his face revealed an expression of nervousness and anticipation.

Soon, an alluring aroma wafted out of the oven. Pierre quickly put on his heat-insulating gloves and took out the baking tray. The cheese on the lobster had already turned an alluring golden color. The aroma of baking and the aroma of Chinese sauce blended perfectly together, filling the entire kitchen. The other chefs around smelled the aroma and cast curious glances.

Pierre carried the new dish and walked briskly towards Wang Jianye who was inspecting the restaurant. He came to Wang Jianye with a confident smile on his face, bowed slightly, handed the dish to Wang Jianye, and said, "Boss Wang, please try this dish. I added some Chinese elements to it. I think the effect is very good. Maybe it can become another signature of our restaurant."

Wang Jianye stopped and his eyes fell on the plate of "Chinese-French fusion baked lobster", and a hint of surprise flashed in his eyes.

He saw the attractive color of the baked lobster on the plate, the golden and crispy cheese, the plump and tender lobster meat, and the unique mixed aroma. He smiled and said to Pierre:

"Pierre, this looks very tempting. Thank you for your hard work. Let me try it." As he said this, he picked up the cutlery, cut off a piece of lobster meat, put it in his mouth and chewed it slowly.

Pierre stood aside, his hands slightly clenched into fists, his eyes revealing a hint of nervousness and anticipation. He stared at Wang Jianye's expression, waiting for his evaluation.

Wang Jianye first closed his eyes slightly, as if savoring the taste in his mouth, then his brows gradually relaxed and a look of satisfaction appeared on his face.

He swallowed the food in his mouth, looked at Pierre, nodded approvingly, and said:
“Pierre, this is a great idea, it’s really delicious.

The lobster meat has a fresh and tender texture of its own, and is blended with the mellow flavor of Chinese sauce, plus the rich milky aroma of cheese. The combination of these flavors is very harmonious, leaving people with an endless aftertaste.

We can promote this dish and let customers taste this unique fusion flavor.”

When Pierre heard this, a bright smile suddenly appeared on his face, his eyes were full of excitement and pride, and he quickly said:

"Boss Wang, thank you very much for your approval. I was worried that the taste might not fit in with the overall style of our restaurant.

Since you think it’s good, I will improve the production process of this dish and determine the standard so that other chefs can quickly make it.”

Wang Jianye patted Pierre on the shoulder and said, "Okay, your idea is right. We must ensure the quality and stability of the dishes. This dish has great potential. If it can be liked by customers, it will also be a new highlight for our restaurant."

While French chef Pierre was actively exploring the fusion of Chinese and French dishes, Chinese chefs were also busy. They learned a lot of practical skills from their French colleagues and skillfully applied these skills to the preparation of Chinese dishes, making the presentation of Chinese dishes more beautiful and fresh.

On the other side of the kitchen, Chinese chef Master Li is preparing a traditional Chinese steamed fish.

In the past, this dish was usually simply sprinkled with some shredded green onions and ginger, and drizzled with hot oil and steamed fish soy sauce.

But today, inspired by his French colleagues, Chef Li decided to use some French plating art to give this traditional dish a new lease of life.

Master Li first carefully took the steamed fish out of the steamer and placed it on an exquisite oval porcelain plate.

Then, he picked up a sharp knife and cut the fish several times with skillful and delicate movements, making the texture of the fish meat clearer and more beautiful.

Then, he began to arrange the dish carefully, placing finely chopped carrots, cucumbers and some brightly colored vegetable leaves around the fish in a certain pattern and order, creating a sense of refinement similar to that commonly seen in French cuisine.

After arranging the side dishes, he used tweezers to gently decorate the plate with some edible flowers, making the whole dish look like a fine work of art.

When preparing to pour hot oil, Chef Li remembered the way French chefs preserve ingredients. He first covered the fish plate with a clean wet cloth, leaving only the middle part that needed to be poured with oil. This prevented the hot oil from splashing while maintaining the temperature and freshness of the dish to the greatest extent.

When the hot oil is poured on the fish, making a "sizzling" sound, the aroma instantly spreads. The steamed fish, which has been carefully arranged and preserved, is not only delicious in color, aroma and taste, but also eye-catching in appearance.

Louis, the French chef next to him, saw what Master Li was doing and couldn't help but come forward with admiration in his eyes. He said in not very fluent Chinese:
"Master Li, your presentation is so beautiful. This dish looks like a work of art from France. And the preservation method is also very good. I want to learn from you."

After hearing this, Chef Li smiled and responded, "Louis, your French plating art is really amazing. It can make the dishes look more upscale. I also learned it from you. Let's learn from each other so that we can make better dishes."

In this atmosphere of mutual learning and exchange, the entire kitchen is like a laboratory full of creativity and vitality. Chefs from China and France are constantly trying new cooking methods, plating techniques and ways of processing food, incorporating their respective cultural elements into the dishes, making the restaurant's menu more and more diverse. Each dish combines Chinese charm and French sophistication.

As time went by, the new dish "Chinese-French Baked Lobster" was officially added to the restaurant's menu. Once launched, it was warmly welcomed by customers. After tasting it, many customers praised this novel and unique dish. (End of this chapter)