Siheyuan: Starting as a Chef Apprentice

They walked into a well-known local restaurant, which was bustling with people sitting in a busy atmosphere. Wang Jianye and his party finally found a seat and ordered several local specialties. While dining, Wang Jianye tasted the food while paying attention to the reactions of the customers around him.

He saw a local resident eating with gusto at the next table, so he took the initiative to talk to him: "Hi, I want to ask you, what do you think is unique about Guadalajara's cuisine?"

The resident responded enthusiastically: "The food here pays special attention to the freshness of the ingredients. The cooking techniques also retain the traditional way, and the taste is rich and mellow. Just like this stew, the use of spices is key. The combination of different spices in proportion can create a unique flavor." Wang Jianye listened carefully, nodded from time to time, and took out a small notebook to record it.

After leaving the restaurant, the team members gathered together to exchange ideas. One of them said, "Mr. Wang, I think there is great potential to open a branch here. The city's high demand for food is very consistent with the positioning of our restaurant." Wang Jianye responded, "Yes, we have to conduct in-depth investigations in the next few days and carefully study the specific layout of opening a store here."

In the following days, Wang Jianye led the team to travel around various areas of Guadalajara and inspect different locations. In a bustling commercial district, they found an ideal store. The store is located on the ground floor of an old building, surrounded by office buildings and residential areas. Wang Jianye looked at the store and said, "This is a good location with a large flow of people, which meets our site selection criteria." The team members agreed.

After the location was determined, preparations for the second branch officially began. Wang Jianye quickly convened a team meeting and said, "In preparing for the Guadalajara branch, we must fully draw on the experience of the Mexico City branch. In terms of decoration, we must pay more attention to incorporating the local characteristics of Guadalajara, such as using local traditional building materials and decorative patterns. In terms of dishes, we will further optimize and innovate based on the local taste preferences we learned from our investigation."

The decoration team immediately took action. They invited experienced local construction craftsmen to discuss the decoration plan. The craftsmen took some building material samples and introduced them to Wang Jianye: "Colored tiles like this are often used in traditional buildings in Guadalajara. They are bright and distinctive. There are also wood carvings with exquisite craftsmanship, which can well reflect the local cultural characteristics." Wang Jianye carefully looked at the samples and nodded and said: "Okay, let's move forward according to this idea. The color matching should be coordinated, and the decorative patterns should not be too complicated. Keep the style simple."

At the renovation site, workers were busy. Some were carrying tiles with steady steps, while others were concentrating on cutting wood, with sawdust flying everywhere. Wang Jianye visited the site every day to check the progress of the renovation. He pointed to the workers who were splicing tiles and said, "When splicing tiles, we must pay special attention to the alignment of the patterns, and the details of the wood carvings must also be handled well. We can't be careless." The workers responded, "Okay, boss, we will do it carefully."

At the same time, the chef team is also busy preparing dishes for the new branch. They go deep into the local market, carefully select special ingredients, and actively exchange cooking techniques with local chefs. One chef said to his companion: "Look, this spice is often used in local stews. We can study how to incorporate it into our dishes."

After returning to the kitchen, the chefs began to try to develop new dishes. They cleverly combined local specialties with existing dishes and repeatedly adjusted the taste. The head chef said: "Let's add a little bit of local spices to this dish and see if the taste will be even better." After many attempts and improvements, new dishes that incorporate Guadalajara's characteristics gradually took shape.

Employee training is crucial. Wang Jianye specifically told the trainer: "We need to provide local customers with more considerate services that are more in line with their habits. When you train new employees, make sure they have a deep understanding of Guadalajara's culture and customer needs." The trainer nodded and responded: "Mr. Wang, don't worry, I will carry out the training strictly in accordance with your requirements."

In the training room, the trainer was explaining the culture and service points of Guadalajara to the new employees. "The people of Guadalajara are warm and hospitable and pay great attention to dining etiquette. When we serve, we must be warm and thoughtful and pay attention to every detail." The trainer said. The new employees listened attentively and took notes from time to time.

A new employee raised his hand and asked, "Trainer, if a customer makes a special request during service, how should we respond?" The trainer replied, "First, listen patiently to the customer's needs and try to meet them. If you really can't meet them, you should politely explain the reasons to the customer."

Another new employee asked, "What special preferences do local customers have for food flavors? How should we introduce our dishes to them?" The trainer replied, "People in Guadalajara generally like strong flavors. When introducing dishes, we should emphasize that our dishes incorporate local flavors."

As all preparations were gradually completed, the Guadalajara branch finally welcomed its opening day. On the opening day, the store entrance was crowded with people who came to congratulate and try out the new dishes. Wang Jianye stood at the door and greeted every customer with a smile: "Welcome to the Guadalajara branch of Wang's All Series Hotel. I hope you will enjoy the food here."

Customers walked into the store one after another and were immediately attracted by the unique decoration style. One customer couldn't help but say: "This decoration has both traditional Mexican elements and unique creativity, which is very impressive."

Inside the restaurant, customers began to taste the new dishes. After tasting the dishes, a local resident commented: "This dish is a good fusion of familiar local flavors and new ideas, which is refreshing."

As time went by, the business of the Guadalajara branch became increasingly prosperous. Not only did local residents become regular customers, but many tourists also came here. One tourist said to his companion: "I didn't expect to be able to taste such unique fusion cuisine here. This restaurant is really great."

Wang Jianye looked at the lively scene in the store and said to the team members around him: "Development in Mexico is just the beginning. We will face many challenges and opportunities in the future. We must keep working hard, continue to innovate and improve, and let the restaurant take root in Mexico and the entire Latin American region." The team members agreed, their eyes full of confidence.

In the daily operation of the branch, Wang Jianye regularly organizes team meetings. In one meeting, Wang Jianye asked: "What is the recent customer feedback? Are there any problems that we need to solve in a timely manner?" An employee reported: "Some customers have said that the portions of some dishes can be adjusted appropriately." Wang Jianye immediately responded: "Okay, the chef team will study this issue and reasonably adjust the portions of dishes according to customer needs."

Another employee continued, "Some customers suggested adding some local specialty drinks." Wang Jianye thought for a moment and said, "That's a good suggestion. We can develop some drinks that combine local specialty ingredients to enrich our menu."

Wang Jianye is also very attentive in terms of service. When he saw a customer waving, he immediately stepped forward and said, "Hello, is there anything I can help you with?" The customer said, "I want to bring a special dish for my friend. Can you help me pack it more delicately?" Wang Jianye replied, "Of course, we will arrange for the waiter to pack it carefully for you." Then, Wang Jianye turned around and told the waiter, "Pay attention to the placement of the dishes when packing. The packaging should be firm and beautiful." The success of the Guadalajara branch has made Wang Jianye more determined to expand his business in Mexico and even Latin America. He continues to lead the team and constantly explore innovation. Whether it is the optimization of the decoration style, the continuous improvement of the dishes, or the improvement of service quality, Wang Jianye and his team are doing their best.

During an exchange activity with the local chamber of commerce, Wang Jianye met many local business people. A member of the chamber of commerce said to Wang Jianye: "Boss Wang, your restaurant's business model is very novel and has won high recognition in the local area." Wang Jianye smiled and responded: "Thank you for your recognition. We will continue to work hard to bring more unique food experiences to Guadalajara."

The chamber of commerce member then said, "Perhaps we can cooperate to hold some food promotion activities to enhance the influence of our city's food culture." Wang Jianye's eyes lit up after hearing this: "This is a good idea. We can discuss the specific cooperation plan in depth."

After returning to the hotel, Wang Jianye immediately called the team together to discuss cooperation. He said: "This cooperation with the Chamber of Commerce to hold a promotion event is a rare opportunity for our hotel. Let's talk about our ideas." One member suggested: "We can launch some special dishes for the event to attract more customers."

Another member added: "The layout of the event site is also crucial. We need to highlight the characteristics of our hotel and the culture of Guadalajara." Wang Jianye listened carefully to everyone's suggestions and said: "Everyone is right. We must make full preparations and strive to further enhance the hotel's reputation and influence through this event."

During the event preparation process, Wang Jianye and his team members clearly divided the work and performed their duties. Some were responsible for communicating with the Chamber of Commerce on the details of the event, some focused on designing exclusive dishes for the event, and some were responsible for planning the on-site layout.

Wang Jianye said to the employee in charge of purchasing: "When purchasing ingredients for the exclusive dishes for this event, we must ensure freshness and quality." The employee responded: "Mr. Wang, don't worry, I will strictly control it."

The employee in charge of the on-site layout took the design drawings and reported to Wang Jianye: "Mr. Wang, the preliminary plan for the on-site layout has been completed. Please take a look. A display area will be set up at the entrance to display our hotel's special dishes and Guadalajara's food culture. The dining area will be decorated with local traditional decorative elements." Wang Jianye carefully reviewed the drawings and said: "Yes, the display of dishes in the display area should highlight the characteristics, and the combination of decorative elements should be coordinated and unified to create a unique atmosphere."

As the event date approaches, all preparations are progressing in an orderly manner. Wang Jianye and his team members are immersed in a busy and fulfilling atmosphere. They are looking forward to the successful holding of the event and adding new glory to the development of Wang's entire hotel chain in Guadalajara.

On the day of the event, the venue was very lively and guests came in one after another. They praised the well-decorated venue and the rich and varied special dishes. One guest said: "This event was very well organized. It can be seen that the organizers are very attentive." Wang Jianye greeted the guests warmly at the scene: "Thank you for coming. I hope you can have a good time here."

During the event, Wang Jianye paid close attention to the guests' reactions to the dishes. He saw a guest enjoying a dish exclusively for the event, so he walked up to him and asked, "What do you think of the taste of this dish?" The guest gave a thumbs up and praised, "It tastes great! It combines local characteristics with the hotel's creativity and has a unique flavor." Wang Jianye was very pleased after hearing this.

Through this event, the popularity of Wang's entire hotel chain in Guadalajara has been further enhanced. After the event, Wang Jianye said to the team members: "The success of this event is inseparable from the joint efforts of everyone. But we can't relax because of this. We must continue to maintain this spirit of innovation and hard work to make the hotel develop better and better." The team members all expressed that they would continue to work hard and contribute their own strength to the development of the hotel.

In daily operations, Wang Jianye always pays attention to communication with employees. He often talks with employees in the restaurant to understand what they encounter at work. Once, Wang Jianye said to a waiter: "Are you tired at work recently? If you encounter any difficulties at work, you can always tell me."

The waiter replied, "Mr. Wang, the work is generally going smoothly, but sometimes there are too many customers and the service may not be able to keep up." After hearing this, Wang Jianye said, "I will consider arranging the staff reasonably to ensure the quality of service. If you have any good suggestions, you can always raise them."

Under the leadership of Wang Jianye, the Guadalajara branch has continued to grow and develop. Whether it is the innovation of dishes, the improvement of services, or the cooperation and exchanges with the local people, the restaurant's foundation in the local area has become more solid.

During the subsequent operation, Wang Jianye discovered that local residents had a great demand for breakfast, but the breakfast options on the market were relatively limited.

So, he proposed at a team meeting: "Can we develop some special breakfast dishes based on the breakfast needs of local residents?"

The chef team members responded one after another: "Mr. Wang, we can study how to make some convenient and delicious breakfasts with local ingredients, such as a modified version of tortilla breakfast with special sauces."

Wang Jianye nodded in approval: "Okay, you should come up with a plan as soon as possible. It must preserve the local characteristics and meet the health needs of modern people." (End of this chapter)