Siheyuan: Starting as a Chef Apprentice

Another group of members went to local vegetable markets and food suppliers to learn about the types of common ingredients in Germany, their seasonal characteristics and quality.

They walked between stalls, talked with the stall owners, and asked about the origin, freshness and suitable cooking methods of the ingredients.

Some members picked up a fresh potato, carefully examined the skin and shape of the potato, and asked the stall owner what variety of potato it was and what dish it was suitable for. The stall owner introduced it enthusiastically, and the members listened carefully and wrote down the information one by one.

Another group of members consulted a large amount of information, including German food culture books, food magazines, and related academic research reports, etc., to gain an in-depth understanding of the reasons for the formation and evolution of Germans' eating habits from a historical and cultural perspective, so as to more comprehensively grasp the taste needs of local customers.

After a period of in-depth research, the food development team came together to sort out and analyze the collected information in detail, and then began to carefully adjust the menu.

While retaining the classic Chinese-French fusion dishes, they decided to add some heavier, mellower-flavored dishes that are more suitable for German tastes, hoping to bring a new taste experience to German customers through such innovative fusion.

For example, when developing the dish "German-style beef stew in red wine with Chinese crispy pancakes", the chefs first conducted in-depth research on the traditional German method of making beef stew in red wine.

They invited several local chefs who are good at German cuisine to ask them for the authentic cooking techniques of beef stew with red wine. In a spacious and bright kitchen test site, the German chefs explained while they were cooking, from the selection of beef, cutting methods, to the selection of red wine, the heat and time of stewing, every detail was passed on to the chefs of all Wang's hotels without reservation.

The German chef picked up a piece of fresh beef and showed it to everyone, saying, "When we make beef stew in red wine, we usually use beef shoulder meat with clear texture and tender meat. It will not become too dry after being stewed for a long time, and the taste can still remain fresh and juicy."

As he spoke, he used a sharp knife to cut the beef into even-sized pieces, his movements skillful and precise. Then, he poured a proper amount of olive oil into the pan, and when the oil was hot, he put the beef pieces in and fried them. With the sound of "sizzling", the surface of the beef pieces gradually turned golden, and the aroma began to spread in the kitchen.

The chefs from Wang's All-inclusive Restaurant gathered around, watching intently, some even holding notebooks to record the key steps and points. After frying the beef, the German chef added chopped onions, carrots, celery and other vegetables in turn, and continued to stir-fry, allowing the aroma of the vegetables to fully blend with the beef.

Then, pour in a proper amount of red wine, which slowly flows down the pot wall, instantly steaming up a burst of hot steam with the aroma of wine, and the whole kitchen is enveloped by the rich aroma. The German chef covers the pot, turns down the heat, and begins to slowly stew the beef, while stewing, he emphasizes the importance of time and heat to everyone.

After mastering the basic method of traditional German beef stew in red wine, chefs from all Wang's restaurants began to make improvements and innovations.

Based on the concept of Chinese cooking, they added several Chinese spices such as star anise, cinnamon, bay leaves, etc. These spices are cleverly matched to add a unique aroma without covering up the mellow flavor of the beef and the rich aroma of the red wine.

The chefs wrap the spices in gauze, put them into the pot, and continue to simmer for a while, allowing the flavor of the spices to slowly penetrate into the beef and soup, making the taste of the whole dish more rich and complex.

At the same time, the production of Chinese crispy biscuits is also proceeding in full swing.

The chef who is responsible for making the crispy biscuits selects high-quality flour, lard, water and other raw materials, mixes them together in precise proportions, and starts kneading the dough. His hands press and knead the dough vigorously, and the dough gradually becomes smooth and elastic under his hands.

After kneading the dough, divide it into small pieces and roll it into thin pancakes with a rolling pin. Then, brush a layer of oil on the pancakes, sprinkle some sesame seeds and salt on them, fold the pancakes, and roll them flat again. Repeat this process several times to make the layers of the crispy pancakes richer.

Finally, put the finished pancakes into the oven to bake. The temperature in the oven gradually rises, and the pancakes slowly become golden and crispy inside. The aroma wafts out from the cracks of the oven and fills the entire kitchen. When the pancakes are baked and taken out, they are crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, exuding an attractive wheat aroma.

When this "German-style red wine braised beef with Chinese crispy cookies" was finally completed and presented to everyone, the red wine braised beef on the plate was bright red in color, the beef was stewed very soft, the soup was thick and mellow, and the Chinese crispy cookies were golden and crispy, complementing each other.

The chefs picked up their cutlery and started to taste the food. They first tasted a bite of the braised beef. The mellow beef flavor, the rich red wine aroma and the hint of Chinese spices intertwined and blended in the mouth, with rich layers and excellent taste.

Take another bite of the crispy biscuit, the crispy outside and tender inside taste paired with the braised beef. Dip the crispy biscuit in some of the braised beef soup and put it in your mouth, it has a unique flavor that will leave you with an endless aftertaste.

In addition to this dish, the food development team has also launched several other fusion dishes. Each dish has undergone repeated testing and adjustments to ensure that it can not only reflect the characteristics of Chinese and French fusion, but also cater to the taste preferences of German customers.

In order to ensure that the dishes can present the purest taste, the chefs actively establish partnerships with local food suppliers to ensure that they can obtain fresh and authentic German ingredients.

They personally visit suppliers' warehouses and farms to inspect the quality of the ingredients at their source.

On a sunny morning, the head chef and several chefs came to a farm that specializes in supplying fresh beef.

The farm was covered with green grass, and groups of strong cows were grazing leisurely on the grass. The chef talked with the farmer while walking around to learn about the cattle breeding methods, feed types, and slaughter and transportation processes.

The chef squatted down, checked the quality of the grass on the lawn, and said to the farmer, "The grass these cows eat is of very good quality. The beef raised in this way must be very delicious. Our restaurant has very high requirements for the freshness and quality of ingredients. I hope you can supply high-quality beef according to our standards."

The farmer responded with a smile: "Don't worry, we have always attached great importance to quality management. From breeding to slaughtering to transportation, every link is strictly controlled and we will definitely provide you with the best beef." At the same time, the chefs also introduced some special seasonings imported from China. These seasonings have undergone strict customs inspection and transportation guarantees and arrived safely in Berlin.

The chefs have set up a special area in the kitchen to store these precious Chinese spices, and put them in neat categories to ensure that they can be found quickly and easily when needed, so as to ensure that the dishes can present the purest Chinese flavor in the fusion. Service team: cross-cultural training to improve service quality
The service team also shoulders an important mission during the preparation stage. They need to receive comprehensive cross-cultural service training so that in future operations they will not only be familiar with German dining etiquette standards, but also be able to incorporate the warmth, thoughtfulness and ingenuity of Chinese service into it, so as to better meet the service needs of German customers who value privacy and have a slower dining pace.

The training course was very compact and rich in content, covering language learning, cultural etiquette, service procedures, etc. In the German learning course, professional language teachers came to the hotel to give concentrated lessons to the waiters.

In the classroom, there are blackboards, tables and chairs, as well as various German learning materials. The waiters sit neatly in their seats, each with a notebook and pen in front of them, listening to the teacher attentively.

The language teacher stood on the podium and started teaching the basic pronunciation of German. He opened his mouth wide and clearly pronounced each vowel and consonant, asking the waiters to imitate and practice.

The waiters carefully watched the teacher's mouth shape and tried hard to imitate the pronunciation. If some of them had inaccurate pronunciation, they would take the initiative to ask the teacher for help. The teacher would patiently demonstrate again and correct their pronunciation errors.

After learning the basic pronunciation, we started to learn some German vocabulary and simple conversation sentences commonly used in catering services.

The teacher wrote the German versions of sentences such as "Welcome", "How many people would like to have dinner?" and "Here is the menu, please take a look" on the blackboard, and then taught the waiters to read and understand their meanings word by word.

The waiters read along and took notes in their notebooks. They also practiced conversations with each other in German from time to time. The classroom was filled with the sound of reading aloud and communication and discussion.

In addition to language learning, cultural etiquette training is also an important part. The training teacher invited experts in German culture to explain German dining etiquette standards to the waiters.

The expert stood at the front of the conference room and displayed pictures through a projector. The pictures showed Germans' dining scenes in different occasions, the placement of tableware, their dining postures, and the etiquette of social interactions.

The expert pointed at the picture and explained in detail: "In German restaurants, customers usually put their napkins on their legs after they sit down. This is basic dining etiquette.

When serving customers, waiters should be careful not to disturb them too often and respect their privacy. Germans also eat at a relatively slow pace. They like to savor their food and have a relaxed conversation during the meal, so we should grasp the rhythm of the service during the service process and not let customers feel rushed. "

The waiters listened carefully to the experts' explanations, taking notes from time to time, and some even raised questions that might be encountered in actual service, such as how to ask in a timely manner whether customers need to add drinks when they chat for a long time during the meal. The experts answered them one by one based on German cultural habits and common practices, helping the waiters to better understand and master these etiquette norms.

In terms of service process training, the hotel's senior service manager personally explained to the waiters in detail the specific requirements and operational skills of each link, from greeting customers at the door, guiding them to their seats, taking orders, serving food, to checking out and seeing customers off after their meal.

The service manager stood in a simulated restaurant scene, played the role of a customer, and asked the waiters to practice actual service operations. When the "customer" walked into the restaurant, the waiter should smile and say in standard German: "Welcome to Wang's All-Series Restaurant, how many people are you dining with?" Then he would guide the "customer" to a suitable seat, hand over the menu, and briefly introduce the restaurant's special dishes and today's recommended dishes.

During the ordering process, waiters should listen patiently to the needs of the "customers", accurately record the requirements for dishes and drinks, and answer the "customers'" questions promptly and professionally.

When serving dishes, pay attention to the order and appearance of the dishes to ensure that each dish can be presented to the "customer" in the best state. After the meal, hand over the bill in a timely manner, politely ask the "customer" about the dining experience, and finally send the "customer" out with a smile and welcome the "customer" to come again next time.

During the rehearsal, the waiters repeated the same operations, observed each other, and pointed out each other's problems. The service manager carefully observed every detail and gave timely guidance and corrections to ensure that every waiter could master the standardized service process and perfectly combine warm and thoughtful service with German dining etiquette.

Through such comprehensive and in-depth cross-cultural service training, the overall quality of the service team has been significantly improved. They are fully prepared and look forward to providing high-quality and considerate services to German customers after the hotel opens, so that every customer who walks into any of Wang's hotels can have a satisfying dining experience.

……

After months of careful preparation, Wang's All-Series Hotel Berlin Branch finally ushered in the opening day amid everyone's anticipation. It was a sunny morning, and the streets of Berlin were still shrouded in a layer of light morning mist. As time passed, the sun gradually penetrated the mist and sprinkled on the streets and alleys, as if adding a touch of bright color to the upcoming event.

Outside the store, it has already been decorated with a brand new look, filled with a festive atmosphere.

The national flags of China and Germany are hung high on both sides of the gate, fluttering gently in the breeze. The bright colors complement each other, symbolizing that Chinese and French food cultures are about to blend and collide with local culture on this land of Germany.

On the steps in front of the gate, there is a row of flower baskets neatly arranged. Various flowers are blooming in the baskets, including gorgeous red roses, fresh and elegant lilies, orange tulips that symbolize passion, and so on. They are clustered together, exuding bursts of refreshing fragrance.

The ribbons tied to the flower baskets are in different colors, including red, gold, silver, etc. The tails of the ribbons flutter gently in the breeze, like a nimble dancer, adding a bit of liveliness and festivity to the whole scene. (End of this chapter)