Siheyuan: Starting as a Chef Apprentice

They were riding in an old van and had a bumpy ride.

Outside the car window, the crops in the fields swayed in the wind, and the mountains in the distance rose and fell.

"Master Li, can we find good ingredients today?" The young chef Xiao Zhao, who was sitting in the co-pilot seat, turned his head and asked.

Master Li held the steering wheel with both hands, staring ahead, and said, "Of course, there are many good things in Weifang."

They arrived in Anqiu first.

Walking into a peach orchard, the owner, a simple middle-aged man, greeted us enthusiastically: "Are you here to buy peaches?"

Chef Li smiled and said, "Brother, we are from a restaurant. We want to see your peaches and plan to use them in a new dish."

When the uncle heard this, his eyes lit up and he took them into Taoyuan.

"Look, this peach is big, thin-skinned, juicy and sweet." Master Li picked one, wiped it, took a bite, and the juice flowed down the corners of his mouth. "Mm, it tastes good, let's use it."

After leaving Anqiu, they rushed to Qingzhou.

At a silver melon planting base, Master Li was talking to the person in charge of the base: "How does this silver melon taste?"

The person in charge picked up a silver melon, patted it and said, "Try it, it's crispy, sweet and very refreshing." After tasting it, Master Li decided to buy it immediately.

Back in the restaurant kitchen, Chef Li gathered the chefs.

On the chopping board were Anqiu peaches and Qingzhou silver melons, as well as various seasonings and ingredients.

"Let's develop new dishes today and make good use of these special ingredients."

Master Li picked up a peach and said to everyone, "Let's make peach braised pork. The sweetness of the peach goes well with the fragrance of the braised pork.

First, cut the meat into pieces and blanch it in water." The chefs quickly took action, some cutting meat and some boiling water.

Master Li instructed: "Don't cut the meat too big, otherwise it won't be tasty enough."

After blanching the meat, Master Li personally stir-fryes it in the pan, adds seasonings, and after the meat is colored, adds chopped peach pieces.

"You have to control the heat well. The peaches can't be fried too soft. The taste must be preserved."

After a while, the kitchen was filled with a sweet smell, and the braised pork with peaches was out of the pot.

Next, they started making silver melon seafood salad.

"Cut the silver melon into shreds, the seafood must be fresh, the shrimps must be shelled, and the squid must be cut into rings." Master Li said as he demonstrated.

After the salad was ready, Chef Li asked everyone to taste it.

"How does it taste?" he asked.

Xiao Zhao said, "Master Li, it's delicious. The freshness of the silver melon and the freshness of the seafood go perfectly together."

In addition to new dishes, Chef Li did not forget the classic dishes.

He called together the chefs who made radish seafood noodles and seafood pancakes.

“We have received a lot of feedback from customers about this classic dish, so we need to improve it.

The noodles of this radish and seafood noodle should be chewier, the seafood should be fresher, and the soup base should be richer in flavor. "

The noodle chef said, "Master Li, I think you can cut the radish into strips and soak it in salt water to make it crispier."

Master Li nodded: "Okay, let's try it."

The chef who made the seafood pancake also said: "I plan to adjust the ratio of flour to eggs to make the pancake fluffier."

Master Li said, "Okay, let's do it this way. Let's get started."

In the hotel lobby, Chen Yu and several technicians were installing an advanced ordering system.

The system is a large box with a display attached.

While installing the system, technician Xiao Wang explained to Chen Yu: "Manager Chen, this system is very convenient. Customers can order food on the display screen and see the progress of the food preparation in real time."

Chen Yu looked at the display and asked, "Is this difficult to operate? Can the elderly and children use it?"

Xiao Wang said, "It's very simple, just like playing a game, you can understand it in no time." After the installation, Chen Yu called a few waiters and asked them to try it.

The waiter Xiao Zhang ordered a few times and said, "Manager Chen, this is really convenient. The efficiency of ordering food will be greatly improved in the future."

Waiter training is also going on in full swing.

The hotel specially hired a senior trainer, Mr. Liu.

In the training room, the waiters sat neatly.

Teacher Liu stood in front and said, "Service etiquette is very important. When customers come in, you should smile and greet them proactively.

Come on, everyone stand up, let me see."

The waiters stood up, smiling, and said, "Welcome."

Teacher Liu walked over and corrected them: "Xiao Zhang, smile more naturally; Xiao Li, stand straighter."

Then, Mr. Liu gave some knowledge about the dishes: “Each of the special fusion dishes in our restaurant has its own unique features.

For example, this peach braised pork, the combination of Anqiu peaches and braised pork has a rich taste.

Everyone should be able to give customers detailed introductions." The waiters listened carefully and took notes from time to time.

……

The hotel also launched customized services.

On a sunny afternoon, the restaurant was bustling with activity, the sounds of diners' conversations and the clatter of cutlery intertwined.

Chen Yu, dressed in neat work clothes, was walking around the restaurant, paying attention to every service detail.

At this time, a man in a suit and tie walked into the hotel with steady steps.

He glanced around and walked straight towards Chen Yu.

"Hello, are you the person in charge here?" the man asked politely.

Chen Yu smiled and responded: "Yes, sir, I am Chen Yu, how can I help you?"

"I want to hold a business banquet here. Can you help me with the decoration?" the man went straight to the point.

Chen Yu smiled and said, "Of course, what specific requirements do you have?"

The man crossed his arms and said seriously: "I want a quiet private room, the dishes must be exquisite, can reflect our Weifang characteristics, and it must be suitable for entertaining out-of-town customers.

After all, this banquet is very important to my business."

Chen Yu nodded, "Don't worry, we will definitely make arrangements."

After saying that, he turned around and found Master Li who was busy, "Master Li, this gentleman wants to hold a business banquet, what do you think of the dishes?"

Master Li stopped what he was doing, thought for a moment, and said, "We can serve peach braised pork, silver melon seafood salad, and our special radish seafood noodles. For the main course, we can serve Weifang's baozitou fire-baked bread.

These dishes have Weifang characteristics and rich flavors, which will surely satisfy customers from other places.”

A waiter who was serving dishes nearby heard this and couldn't help but interrupt: "Master Li, this arrangement is amazing. I heard many customers praise our special dishes."

The man listened, nodded and said, "Okay, let's arrange it this way.

The private room should be decorated in a more elegant style, with the cultural flavor of Weifang.”

Chen Yu quickly agreed: "No problem, we will hang Weifang kites in the private room and put some Weifang-style handicrafts to create a strong local atmosphere.

I guarantee that your banquet will be a great honor." The man smiled with satisfaction, "Okay, thank you for your hard work."

Just after seeing the man off, Chen Yu had not had time to catch his breath when a little girl came running over and grabbed the corner of Chen Yu's clothes.

"Uncle, I want to hold my birthday party here. Can you make it prettier?" The little girl blinked her big eyes, full of anticipation.

Chen Yu squatted down, looked at the little girl at eye level, and asked with a smile: "Little girl, what kind of layout do you want?"

The little girl tilted her head and thought for a while, then said, "I like pink, balloons, and delicious cakes.

I want to have fun here with my friends.”

At this time, several customers who were dining nearby heard it and smiled and said, "This little girl is so cute, you have to decorate it well."

Chen Yu said to the waiter next to him: "Go prepare some pink balloons and decorate the room.

Master Li, please arrange a beautiful birthday cake and prepare some desserts that the children like."

Master Li responded, “Okay, I’ll do it right away.

I promise to give the little girl a surprise.”

The little girl clapped her hands and cheered, "That's great, thank you uncle!" Then she jumped and ran away.

After upgrading the dishes and optimizing the services, the business of the two branches of Wang's full-line restaurants is becoming more and more popular.

At the pedestrian street branch, a tourist from other places gave a thumbs up after tasting the peach braised pork and said in a foreign accent: "This dish is so delicious. I have traveled all over the country for so many years, and this is the first time I have eaten such a special braised pork.

The peaches and meat go together perfectly, sweet but not greasy, absolutely delicious!" The companion next to him also nodded in agreement: "Yes, the dishes in this restaurant are indeed unique, no wonder so many people come here."

At the residential branch, an elderly lady came with her grandson to eat.

The auntie smiled and said to the waiter, "This restaurant is getting better and better, the service is thoughtful and the food is delicious.

My grandson loves to eat here and is always very happy every time he comes. "

The grandson stood by, stuffing food in his mouth, and mumbled, "It's delicious, I want more."

The waiter smiled and refilled their water, saying, "Thank you for coming often. We will keep working hard to make sure everyone is satisfied with their meals."

Wang Jianye stood in front of the office window of the head office, looking through the window at the streets where the two branches were located. It was bustling with people coming and going.

Chen Yu walked into the office, Wang Jianye turned around, looked at Chen Yu and said, "Xiao Chen, this upgrade and optimization is well done.

But we can't stop, we have to keep working hard.

Competition is so fierce now that if you don’t move forward, you will fall behind.”

Chen Yu nodded seriously and said, "Boss Wang, don't worry, I will keep an eye on it and make our restaurant better and better.

We are also planning some new activities recently, such as food experience classes, to allow customers to have a deeper understanding of our food production process. "

Wang Jianye smiled with satisfaction, "Okay, if you have an idea, just do it.

We must continue to innovate and make the brand of Wang's entire hotel chain shine brighter."

As time goes by, the influence of Wang's full range of restaurants in Weifang is growing.

Whether it is a business banquet, birthday party, or daily dining, more and more people choose Wang's full range of restaurants.

In the local catering industry, it has become a bright business card, and everyone praises it when talking about it.

Wang Jianye, Chen Yu, Master Li and all the employees are still working hard for the sustainable development of the hotel, constantly exploring new opportunities, meeting new challenges, and writing a more glorious chapter.

In Weifang, a vibrant land, the story of Wang's full range of restaurants continues. It will take Weifang's special cuisine and high-quality services to a broader world.

……

In Weifang, the two branches of Wang's full-line restaurants are doing a booming business and have already established a firm foothold in the local catering market.

In the head office, sunlight shines through the window onto Wang Jianye's desk.

The latest financial statements were placed on the table. Wang Jianye sat on the chair, his brows slightly furrowed, his eyes quickly scanning the statements.

His fingers tapped lightly on the table, making a rhythmic sound.

After a while, he slowly relaxed his brows, leaned back in his chair, and his eyes revealed a thoughtful look.

He knows that brand building is crucial for the long-term development of the hotel.

That day, Wang Jianye called Chen Yu to his office.

Chen Yu walked into the office and saw Wang Jianye's serious expression. He couldn't help but straighten his body slightly.

"Xiao Chen, our restaurant is doing well now, but we can't be satisfied with that."

Wang Jianye said, "I would like to hire a professional brand planning team to create a unique brand image for us. What do you think?" Wang Jianye leaned back in his chair, staring at Chen Yu.

Chen Yu pushed his glasses, thought for a moment and said, "Boss Wang, I think this is a good idea.

With the fierce competition nowadays, having a good brand image can make our hotel stand out more.

We have to stand out from the crowd, and brand image is key.”

Wang Jianye nodded, "Okay, that's settled.

You can contact several reliable planning teams and ask them to come up with a plan.

This matter must be handled as soon as possible. "

Chen Yu responded and turned to walk out of the office.

In the next few days, he asked around and contacted many brand planning teams.

A few days later, Chen Yu came to Wang Jianye with proposals from several brand planning teams.

The two sat in the office, with the table in front of them piled with plans.

Chen Yu picked up a plan and said to Wang Jianye, "Boss Wang, take a look at this one. The brand logo they designed combines the Weifang kite element with food patterns. It looks simple and distinctive."

Chen Yu pointed at the logo on the plan. The outline of a colorful kite cleverly outlined the shape of a plate of delicious food.

Wang Jianye took the plan, looked at it carefully, and a look of appreciation appeared on his face.

“Well, this is good, quite interesting.

However, let them refine it a little more and see if they can highlight the characteristics of our restaurant's fusion cuisine.

Our fusion cuisine is our signature dish, and our brand logo must reflect this highlight.”

After the planning team was determined, the brand promotion activities were carried out in full swing.

Manager Zhang, the head of the planning team, came to the hotel to discuss advertising matters with Wang Jianye and Chen Yu.

In the conference room, Manager Zhang spread out his notebook, which was filled with plans written all over it.

"Mr. Wang, Manager Chen, I suggest that we place advertisements in both local media and online platforms.

Newspapers and television stations can reach local residents, while online platforms can attract more young customers and tourists.

The combination of these two channels can quickly increase the popularity of our hotel.”

Manager Zhang gestured on his notebook as he spoke.

Wang Jianye crossed his arms and asked, "What about the content of the ad? You can't just put something up randomly."

Manager Zhang pushed up his glasses and said, "The advertisement will promote our hotel's special dishes, such as peach braised pork, silver melon seafood salad, as well as high-quality service and our unique brand concept. (End of this chapter)