Siheyuan: Starting as a Chef Apprentice

Chen Yu nodded and said, "Mr. Wang, I think we should take the initiative to collect feedback from customers and understand their real needs. I will arrange for the waiters to politely ask for their opinions and suggestions after the customers have finished their meals."

So the waiters started to take action. Whenever a customer finished their meal, they would walk up to them with a smile, hand over a carefully designed feedback form, and politely say, "Hello, thank you very much for visiting our restaurant. In order to provide you with a better dining experience, could you take a moment to fill out this feedback form? Every suggestion you make is very important to us."

After a few days of collecting and analyzing information, Chen Yu called everyone together and began to report on customer feedback. In the meeting room, the atmosphere was somewhat solemn, and everyone listened to Chen Yu's speech attentively.

Chen Yu pushed his glasses and said, "Based on the customer feedback we have collected in the past few days, we found that Jinan people have high taste requirements for dishes. They like strong flavors and rich tastes. At present, some of our dishes are not seasoned strongly enough and cannot meet the taste needs of local people. In addition, the portions of some dishes are too small for Jinan people. They are used to large and affordable dishes."

After listening to this, Chef Li nodded and said, "It seems that we have to adjust the dishes. I will lead the chef team to increase the seasoning of the dishes to highlight the flavor of Shandong cuisine. At the same time, we will increase the portion of the dishes, such as the original small portion of barbecue, to a large portion, and pair it with more Jinan specialty side dishes, such as cold lotus root slices, fried radish meatballs, etc., so that customers can eat to their satisfaction."

Chen Yu continued, "In addition to adjusting the dishes, we also have to re-plan our promotional strategy. I plan to produce a new brochure that details the source of ingredients, cooking methods and characteristics of each dish, so that customers can better understand our dishes. In addition, we can place advertisements in local newspapers and radio stations, and invite some local food critics to try the restaurant and make recommendations, so as to increase the popularity of our restaurant."

Wang Jianye listened to their speeches, nodded with satisfaction, and said, "Okay, let's do as you say. Let's work together to make our restaurant gain a firm foothold in Jinan."

In the following days, Chef Li and his team of chefs were busy in the kitchen day and night. They constantly adjusted the seasoning of the dishes and repeatedly tested the proportion of spices. In order to make the barbecue taste stronger, they increased the amount of Shandong spices such as star anise and cinnamon, and improved the marinating method to make the meat more flavorful. In terms of the portion size, they strictly followed the new standards to ensure that each dish was full.

Chen Yu was busy making a new brochure. He personally wrote the copy and selected the pictures of the dishes, striving to show the characteristics of each dish to the fullest. At the same time, he actively communicated and cooperated with local newspapers and radio stations to place advertisements. He also took great pains to invite food critics. Through various channels, he contacted several influential food critics in Jinan and invited them to come to the restaurant for a food tasting.

After a period of adjustment and hard work, the restaurant gradually improved. At noon that day, a young office worker walked into the restaurant. He was wearing a neat shirt and tie and looked very capable. He ordered a Korean barbecue marinated with Shandong spices, served with cold lotus root slices and fried radish balls. When the dish was served, the aroma of barbecue filled his nose, and he couldn't wait to taste it.

"Wow, this barbecue is so delicious! The spices are rich in flavor and the meat is very tender. The cold lotus root slices are crispy and delicious, and the fried radish meatballs are crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. I didn't expect fusion cuisine to be so delicious. I have to recommend it to my friends." He praised it as he ate.

As word of mouth spread, more and more Jinan people came to the Jinan branch of Wang's All-Series Restaurant. Gradually, more and more customers came to the restaurant, and the originally deserted restaurant became very lively. The waiters shuttled between the tables, serving the customers enthusiastically. In the kitchen, the chefs were busy, and delicious dishes were constantly served out of the kitchen.

Wang Jianye, Chen Yu and Master Li stood in a corner of the restaurant, watching the lively scene with gratified smiles on their faces. Wang Jianye said with emotion: "Everyone has worked hard during this period. Seeing the restaurant in its current state, all the efforts are worth it. However, we cannot be complacent. We must continue to work hard to continuously improve the quality of our dishes and services, so that our restaurant can do better and better in Jinan."

Chen Yu and Master Li nodded, their eyes full of determination and confidence.

……

On the bustling streets of Jinan, the Jinan branch of Wang's All-Series Restaurant has become a popular check-in spot for local food lovers. Inside the restaurant, customers are laughing and talking, waiters are busy and orderly shuttling around, and every table is filled with delicious food that exudes an alluring aroma. After the restaurant business gradually stabilized, Wang Jianye, Chen Yu and Master Li did not slack off at all, and their eyes have long been set on a broader market.

On a sunny morning, the warm sunlight shines through the office window onto the desk piled with documents. Wang Jianye sits behind the large desk, tapping his fingers gently on the tabletop, his eyes revealing his vision and determination for the future. Chen Yu sits beside him, with a laptop screen showing a research report on the catering market in cities around Jinan.

Wang Jianye raised his head, looked at Chen Yu, and said, "Xiao Chen, our Jinan branch is already on the right track, and it's time to consider further market expansion. How is your research in surrounding cities?"

Chen Yu pushed his glasses and said seriously, "Mr. Wang, I have conducted detailed research on several cities around Jinan. Qingdao, as a coastal city, is rich in seafood resources, and the local catering market is more receptive to fresh ingredients and innovative dishes; Zibo is famous for barbecue, but there is also a demand for diversified cuisine. I think we can open branches in these cities and promote our fusion cuisine concept."

Wang Jianye nodded slightly, thought for a moment and said, "Well, you have a point. However, each city has its own unique food culture and consumption habits. We need to understand it in depth and formulate a business strategy suitable for the local area. You should first prepare a detailed expansion plan, including store location, market positioning, menu adjustment and other aspects."

At the same time, in the food development room in the kitchen, Chef Li was leading the chef team to sit around a large conference table filled with various ingredients and cooking utensils. The light was bright and soft, illuminating everyone's focused faces.

Chef Xiao Zhang was excited and broke the silence first: "Master, I have been thinking recently whether we can combine Jinan's sweet rice with Korean soybean paste soup to create a new soup. The combination of the mellow taste of sweet rice and the rich flavor of soybean paste soup may have unexpected effects."

Chef Li's eyes lit up, he sat up straight and said, "Xiao Zhang, this is a good idea! Tianmo is a traditional food in Jinan, and soybean paste soup is also very popular in Korea. There is indeed a lot of room for innovation in the fusion of the two. However, the combination of flavors and ingredients still needs to be carefully studied to ensure that the characteristics of both can be retained and the combination can be just right." The other chefs also nodded and began to discuss enthusiastically. Chef Xiao Wang frowned and said, "Master, Tianmo is mainly made of millet flour and vegetables, while soybean paste soup is made of soybean paste, seafood, tofu, etc. The proportion of these two ingredients is not easy to grasp."

Chef Xiao Zhao also added: "Yes, and the cooking methods are also different. Tianmo is boiled, and soybean paste soup needs to be fried first and then boiled. How to combine these two cooking methods is also a problem."

Master Li encouraged everyone with a smile: "These problems are indeed difficult, but this is where the fun of our research and development lies. If everyone brainstorms and tries a few more times, we will always find the best solution."

So the chefs immediately took action. They first prepared millet noodles, vegetables, soybean paste, seafood, tofu and other ingredients one by one. Xiao Zhang was responsible for mixing the ingredients for the sweet rice. He carefully poured the millet noodles into a basin, added an appropriate amount of water, stirred it evenly, and then added the chopped spinach, vermicelli and other vegetables. Xiao Wang was preparing the ingredients for the soybean paste soup. He washed the fresh clams, shrimps and other seafood, and cut the tofu into small pieces.

Master Li stood in front of the stove and personally guided the cooking process. He first heated the pot, poured in a little cooking oil, added chopped green onions and sautéed them, then added soybean paste and stir-fried them. Suddenly, the rich aroma of soybean paste filled the whole kitchen. Then, he poured in an appropriate amount of water, added seafood and tofu, and started to cook soybean paste soup. At the same time, Xiao Zhang poured the prepared sweet foam into another pot and slowly boiled it.

When the soybean paste soup is thick and the seafood is cooked, Chef Li slowly pours the sweet foam into the soybean paste soup, stirring as he pours. As the two soups blend, a unique and tempting aroma fills the kitchen.

However, the result of the first attempt was not satisfactory. The sweet foam taste was too strong, covering up the flavor of the soybean paste soup, and the taste was a bit too thick.

Master Li frowned and said, "It seems that the proportion of sweet foam should be reduced, and after pouring in the soybean paste soup, the heat and stirring speed also need to be adjusted."

So they started their second attempt. This time, Xiao Zhang used less millet noodles, and after pouring in the soybean paste soup, Master Li controlled the heat, letting the soup simmer over low heat while stirring gently.

When the new soup came out of the pot, the chefs gathered around and tasted it with great anticipation. Xiao Zhang took a bite and his eyes lit up: "Master, this time it tastes much better! It has the mellow sweet foam and the richness of soybean paste soup, and the taste is richer."

Master Li nodded with satisfaction: "Well, there is indeed progress, but it can be better. Let's try adding some local specialties of Jinan, such as tofu skin, to see if we can make the taste more layered."

After many trials and adjustments, a new dish called "Lu Han Fusion Fresh Thick Soup" was finally born. This soup has both the mellow taste of sweet foam and the rich flavor of soybean paste soup. It also adds local specialty ingredients such as tofu skin and vermicelli in Jinan, with a rich taste and distinct layers.

After the new dish was launched, it was quickly welcomed by customers. In the restaurant, a regular customer sat at the table and the waiter brought the "Lu Han Fusion Fresh Thick Soup" to the table. The old customer couldn't wait to pick up the spoon, scooped a spoonful of soup into his mouth, his eyes widened instantly, and a surprised expression appeared on his face.

He quickly said to the waiter beside him: "This new soup is so delicious! It has the flavor of our Jinan and the characteristics of Korean cuisine. It is really eye-catching. Your restaurant always brings us surprises. Please help me get another bowl."

As the restaurant's popularity continues to increase, more and more people are beginning to pay attention to Wang's All-Series Restaurant Jinan Branch. At a local catering industry exchange event, the event site was very lively, with catering business owners from Jinan and surrounding cities gathered together. The venue was decorated in a simple and grand manner, with various exquisite food display stands placed around, and the air was filled with the aroma of food.

A local restaurant owner, wearing a neat suit and holding a glass of red wine, walked up to Wang Jianye and said with a smile, "Mr. Wang, I've heard a lot about you. Your restaurant is so successful in Jinan. What's the secret? I've also been thinking about innovating dishes and expanding the market recently, and I hope to learn from you."

Wang Jianye responded with a smile: "In fact, there is no special secret. It is just to do catering with heart. First of all, we need to deeply understand the needs of customers. We collect customer feedback and constantly adjust the dishes and services to make every customer satisfied. At the same time, innovation is the key. For example, the 'Lu Han Fusion Fresh Thick Soup' we recently developed combines the food characteristics of different regions to bring customers a new taste experience. In addition, team building is also very important. Only when everyone works together can we run a good restaurant. Take this dish development as an example. Every member of the chef team actively participated and contributed their wisdom to successfully launch this new dish."

The boss nodded thoughtfully and said, "Mr. Wang, what you said makes a lot of sense. We should communicate more with customers and understand their ideas. Innovation is indeed the driving force for the development of the catering industry. Do you have any experience to share in expanding the market?"

Wang Jianye took a sip of the drink in his hand and said, "When expanding the market, we must do a good job of market research and understand the food culture, consumption habits and competitive environment of the target city. For example, if we plan to open branches in surrounding cities, we need to adjust the dishes and business strategies according to the characteristics of different cities. At the same time, we need to find suitable partners. For example, when we opened a store in Jinan, we received great help from a local business partner, who provided great support in store site selection and solving local problems."

As the two were talking, Chen Yu came over. Wang Jianye introduced him to the boss: "This is our Manager Chen, who is very experienced in market research and operation management. Xiao Chen, you should also communicate with this boss." (End of this chapter)