Siheyuan: Starting as a Chef Apprentice

Shiyunlou launches new promotions from time to time, today there are discounts for purchases over a certain amount, tomorrow there are free special snacks; Wang's Restaurant is constantly optimizing the content of the set meals and service details, adjusting the taste of the dishes based on customer feedback and improving service speed.

Customers in Weifang also enjoy the food as they can enjoy affordable prices and high-quality service.

The catering industry in Weifang is now filled with smoke of war, as the competition between Wang's full range of restaurants and Weifang Shiyunlou has reached a fever pitch.

On the streets and alleys, the topic people talk about is always about these two restaurants. Which food is more delicious and which service is more considerate has become the topic of conversation among citizens after dinner.

In the kitchen of Wang's Restaurant Weifang branch, the blazing fire was roaring, the hot oil in the big pot was sizzling, and thick oil smoke filled the entire space, mixed with the aroma of the ingredients.

The chefs, holding spatulas, are busy in front of the stove, flipping the pans, stir-frying, their movements are skillful but they can't hide their fatigue.

Their foreheads were covered with beads of sweat, which slid down their cheeks and dripped onto the hot stove, evaporating instantly.

Master Li stood in front of the chopping board, his hands deeply buried in a large ball of flour, kneading it mechanically, each stroke a little dull.

From time to time, his eyes looked through the steamy window of the kitchen at the sign of Shiyunlou not far away.

The sign flickered in the sun like a thorn in his heart. The fierce competition between the two stores was like a heavy boulder, weighing down everyone's breath.

Just then, Wang Jianye walked into the kitchen with steady steps.

He was wearing a neat dark suit and his leather shoes were polished to a shine, but his face looked somewhat solemn.

"Master Li, are you busy?" Wang Jianye's voice broke the noise in the kitchen.

Upon hearing this, Master Li stopped what he was doing and wiped his hands vigorously on his floury apron. He turned around and said with a wry smile, "Boss Wang, look at the competition. It's too fierce. We can't go on like this every day. We have to come up with a new trick, otherwise there's no way to break this deadlock."

Wang Jianye nodded slightly, frowning, and sighed, "I'm also worried about this matter. Master Li, if you have any ideas, just tell me and we can discuss it together."

Master Li hesitated for a moment, then his eyes became firm and he said, "Boss Wang, I have been thinking about this these days. Weifang has many local specialties, such as Hele and Rouhuoshao, which are deeply rooted in the hearts of the people of Weifang.

If we can incorporate these characteristics into our dishes and differentiate them, we might be able to open up new prospects.”

Wang Jianye's eyes suddenly lit up, his face lit up, and he said excitedly: "Master Li, your idea is great! Weifang's special food is such a good resource, why didn't we think of it before.

Okay, without further ado, you should lead your team to do some research and development, and make sure to come up with something that will impress people."

They did it as soon as they said it. The next morning, when it was just daybreak, the city of Weifang was still shrouded in a thin layer of morning mist, and the street lamps were still emitting a dim light.

Master Li took a few young chefs and plunged into the streets and alleys of Weifang.

The streets of Weifang were already bustling at this time, with steam rising from the breakfast stalls and the shouts of the stall owners.

Master Li and his team came to a stall selling Hele. The stall owner was a gray-haired old man. He stood in front of the steaming stove and skillfully tore off balls of Hele noodles with his hands and threw them into the pot. His movements were smooth and fluid.

Master Li walked up to them with a big smile on his face and said, "Uncle, your Hele is really authentic. I can smell the fragrance from a long distance. You have been making it for many years, right?" The uncle raised his head, looked at them, and replied with a simple smile, "Of course, my family's Hele craft has been passed down for many generations. There are many regular customers who come to eat it every day."

Master Li then asked: "Uncle, do you have any special recipe for Hele? Can you tell us about it? We are in the catering business, and we want to make Hele new so that more people can taste the good things in Weifang."

After hearing this, the old man's eyes flashed with hesitation.

Seeing this, Master Li quickly added: "Uncle, don't worry, we will definitely not destroy the Hele brand. We just want to promote it and let more people know the charm of Weifang Hele."

The old man nodded, cleared his throat, and began to explain the secret of making Hele noodles: "For Hele noodles, you have to put a lot of effort when kneading the dough. The harder you knead it, the better it tastes when cooked.

The soup base is the key. You have to use large bones and old hens, and simmer over low heat for at least seven or eight hours to bring out the flavor of the bones and chicken. Only then will the flavor be mellow.”

Chef Li and the chefs gathered around, listening attentively. From time to time, they took out their notebooks and quickly wrote down every key point the old man said.

After leaving the Hele stall, they went to a meat hotpot restaurant.

There was a long queue in front of the store. The freshly-baked meat was steaming hot, with its golden skin glowing with an enticing sheen and a fragrant aroma, attracting passers-by to stop and take a look.

Master Li and the chefs also lined up, bought a few meat buns, and found a corner to sit down and enjoy them.

The young chef Xiao Zhang took a bite of the meat steamed bun, and while chewing he said vaguely: "The meat steamed bun has a crispy crust and delicious fillings. How can we incorporate it into new dishes?" Chef Li pondered for a moment and said: "We can try to improve the crust of the meat steamed bun, make it into a pancake shape, and then put different dishes in it. What do you think?" The other chefs nodded, thinking that this idea was quite novel.

At this time, a customer who was eating a pancake nearby heard their conversation and interrupted, "I think it's OK. If the skin of the meat can be made crispier and some fresh vegetables can be added, it will definitely be delicious. I like to eat this kind of fragrant, crispy and non-greasy food."

After listening to this, Master Li felt more confident and discussed the details with the chefs for a while before getting up and leaving.

In order to learn more authentic skills, Master Li asked around and heard that there was an old chef in Weifang City who was quite famous in the catering industry and had unique insights into the preparation of traditional delicacies such as Hele and Rouhuoshao.

After many twists and turns, they finally found the old chef's home.

The old chef lives in a quiet courtyard, which is full of various flowers and plants and filled with a faint floral fragrance.

Master Li and his team stood at the gate of the courtyard and knocked on the door carefully.

After a while, the door opened and an energetic old man appeared at the door.

Master Li hurried forward and explained his purpose.

Seeing their sincere attitude, the old chef warmly welcomed them into the yard and brought them to his kitchen.

In the old chef's kitchen, various cooking utensils are neatly arranged, and some old recipes and photos are hung on the wall.

The old chef tied on an apron, picked up the dough, and began to personally demonstrate the traditional production methods of Hele and Rouhuoshao.

He explained as he made it: "For Hele noodles, three things need to be done when kneading the dough: shiny dough, shiny hands, and shiny bowl. Only in this way can the dough be chewy.

After kneading, let it rest for a while to make the dough more resilient.

The soup base must have enough ingredients, in addition to big bones and old hens, you also have to add some dried scallops and dried shrimps to enhance the flavor." Master Li and the chefs gathered around, their eyes fixed on every move of the old chef, afraid of missing any details.

The young chef Xiao Wang couldn't help but ask: "Master, is there any special trick for the meat filling of this meat huoshao?" The old chef smiled and replied: "The meat filling should be fresh pork belly, with a fat-to-lean ratio of 70% and 30%. Add some chopped green onion, ginger, and pepper water to remove the fishy smell and enhance the flavor. Then sprinkle some secret spice powder, and the taste will be amazing."

As the old chef spoke, he wrapped the meat buns skillfully with deft techniques and quick movements.

Master Li and the chefs asked questions from time to time, and the old chef answered them patiently. He also shared some cooking experiences he had accumulated over the years, such as rinsing the noodles with cold water after cooking to make them taste smoother; brushing a layer of egg liquid on the meat before putting it into the oven to make the skin more golden and crispy after baking.

After several days and nights of repeated research and experimentation, Chef Li's team finally launched a series of new dishes based on Weifang's special cuisine.

"Hele Seafood Stew" cleverly combines fresh shrimps, clams, squid and other seafood with Hele noodles.

The prawns are all fresh. After being cleaned, they are simply fried in a frying pan. The shells become red and the meat is tender and firm. After blanching, the clams and squids retain their original tender taste.

The Hele noodles are cooked to perfection in the special seafood soup, chewy and smooth, fully absorbing the deliciousness of the seafood.

Before serving, pour a spoonful of special soup made from seafood broth, chicken broth and a variety of spices on it, and the aroma will instantly fill the entire kitchen.

The “Crispy Meat Hotpot with Vegetables” makes the outer skin of the traditional meat hotpot even crispier.

The chefs added appropriate amounts of lard and sesame seeds to the dough and folded it repeatedly while kneading it to make the dough have distinct layers.

The skin of the roasted meat is golden and crispy, and it makes a "crunch" sound when you gently pinch it with your hands.

It is sandwiched with carefully fried seasonal vegetables, including crisp bean sprouts, fresh leeks, and sweet shredded carrots, and then brushed with a layer of special sauce that combines sweet noodle sauce, garlic chili sauce and a variety of spices. The sauce has rich taste layers, with the crispness of meat fire roast, the freshness of vegetables, and the mellowness of the sauce.

On the day when the new dishes were launched, the entrance of Wang's Restaurant Weifang branch was as bustling as a big market.

The waiters, dressed in neat uniforms, stood at the door and enthusiastically introduced new dishes to passers-by.

"Come and try our new specialty dishes, which are a fusion of Weifang local cuisine and have a unique flavor. Don't miss it!" A young waitress, with a bright smile on her face, shouted to a middle-aged man passing by.

The uncle stopped and asked in confusion: "What's the special dish? I've lived in Weifang for most of my life and have eaten all kinds of delicious food. What new things can you have here?" The waitress handed over the menu with a smile, pointed at the dishes on it and introduced: "Uncle, look at this 'Hele Seafood Stew', which combines our Weifang Hele noodles with fresh seafood. It tastes delicious.

There is also this 'crispy meat fire-baked vegetables', the skin is so crispy that it falls apart, and the vegetables inside are fragrant and refreshing. You must have never eaten such a special way of eating."

The uncle was skeptical: "Is it really as good as you said?" "Uncle, you will know if you try it. If it doesn't taste good, I won't charge you for it!" The waitress assured him, patting her chest.

The uncle was persuaded and walked into the store.

The store was already full of customers who had come after hearing the news.

The waiters carried trays and moved quickly between the tables and chairs, busy serving food and refilling water.

After a while, "He Le Seafood Stew" and "Crispy Meat Sandwich" were served.

As soon as the "He Le Seafood Stew" was served, the rich aroma spread, attracting the attention of the surrounding customers.

A young lady couldn't wait to pick up the chopsticks, picked up a piece of Hele noodles, put it in her mouth, her eyes lit up instantly, and said excitedly: "Wow, this Hele noodles absorbs the freshness of seafood, it's chewy and delicious! I didn't have this taste when I ate Hele before, it's amazing."

A man next to me picked up a "crispy meat bun with vegetables" and took a bite. He heard a "crunch" sound, and the crispy skin of the meat bun made an especially crisp sound. He praised it while chewing: "This meat bun with vegetables is so creative, the skin is crispy, and the vegetables inside are fragrant and refreshing. It's great to be able to taste a different Weifang flavor at Wang's! I must come here often in the future."

The news spread quickly throughout Weifang City like wildfire.

More and more customers come here, and the Weifang branch of Wang's Restaurant is always packed, and business is booming.

The waiters were very busy, but their faces were filled with joy.

In the kitchen, the chefs are full of energy. The fire on the stove is always burning brightly, the dishes in the pot are constantly stir-fried, and new dishes are continuously brought out of the kitchen.

Meanwhile, at Shiyunlou, owner Sun Fu was furious in his office after learning that Wang's Restaurant's new dishes were very popular.

He threw the teacup in his hand heavily to the ground, and with a "crash" sound, glass fragments flew everywhere.

"Why did Wang's Restaurant come up with all these new tricks? We should quickly find a way to imitate them. We can't just watch them take away our business."

Sun Fu yelled at manager Zhao Qiang who was standing nearby.

Zhao Qiang looked embarrassed and said cautiously: "Boss Sun, if we imitate it now, it may be too late.

This product has been developed for a long time and has already gained a reputation, and customers recognize it.

Even if we do it again, customers may not buy it. They may even think we are following the trend, which will affect the reputation of our Shiyunlou.”

Upon hearing this, Sun Fu was so angry that he punched the table, and the documents on the table were scattered all over the floor: "Are we just going to watch them gain a foothold in Weifang and take away our business?" Zhao Qiang shook his head helplessly, unable to think of any good solution for a moment.

With the continued hot sales of new dishes, Wang's full range of restaurants has gradually gained a foothold in Weifang and its market share has continued to expand.

The Weifang catering market, which was once monopolized by Shiyunlou, has now been torn open by Wang's Restaurant.

Wang Jianye stood at the entrance of the restaurant, watching the customers coming in and out, with a gratified smile on his face.

……

Xuzhou, a city with profound heritage yet full of vigor and vitality, is like a huge and bustling market.

Crowds of people were surging in the streets and alleys, and the sound of bicycle bells on the main roads was intertwined, ringing "ding ding dang dang" non-stop.

Pedestrians hurried along, some carrying baskets, some holding briefcases, each rushing towards the direction of their lives. (End of this chapter)