Siheyuan: Starting as a Chef Apprentice

At four o'clock in the morning, the city was still immersed in quiet darkness, with sparse stars twinkling in the night sky.

Wang Jianye and his purchasing team drove in a van, bumping all the way to Jimiya Fishing Port.

When we arrived at the fishing port, the dock was already brightly lit and filled with a damp and fishy smell.

The fishing boats were docked neatly at the shore, and the waves hit the sides of the boats, making rhythmic sounds.

Wang Jianye took a deep breath and encouraged himself secretly: "No matter what, I must find fishermen to cooperate with today."

The purchasing team began to disperse and look for suitable negotiating partners at the dock.

Wang Jianye noticed a burly captain who was directing the crew to unload the seafood that had just been caught.

Wang Jianye walked up to him with a sincere smile on his face: "Hello, brother! I run a restaurant near the Qingdao Pier, and I want to talk to you about seafood procurement."

The captain raised his head, looked Wang Jianye up and down, and said in a cold tone: "Talk about purchasing? Seafood is in short supply now. If your restaurant wants to purchase, you have to find a supplier. Don't bother me."

Wang Jianye hurriedly said, “Brother, we have looked for suppliers, but their prices are too high and they limit the supply.

We want to buy directly from you, is that okay with you? We guarantee cash settlement and will never owe you a penny! "

The captain snorted, "Cash settlement? Who can guarantee that you won't go back on your word? And we need a steady supply every day. We fishermen don't have the energy to deal with small restaurants like you."

Wang Jianye hurriedly assured: “Brother, don’t worry.

We will do what we say! You name a price, and we'll do it.

Besides, the amount we need each day won’t be too much, so you just need to give us a portion, and it won’t cause you too much trouble.”

At this time, a fisherman nearby interrupted and said, "Forget it. There are many suppliers now. We don't need to cooperate with them. If something goes wrong, it will be a lot of trouble."

Wang Jianye's heart tightened. He knew that if he gave up like this, all his previous efforts would be in vain.

He calmed himself down and continued sincerely: “Brothers, it’s not easy for me to open a new restaurant, and I really need your support.

If we cooperate, we will be long-term partners in the future, and I will never let anyone suffer any loss.

Moreover, we are all real people. If the cooperation is good, we can help each other in the future."

Finally, Wang Jianye's sincerity moved the captain.

The captain thought for a moment and then said, "You seem to be a very honest guy.

OK, I can cooperate with you, but I have to arrange the daily quantity according to my own schedule, and the price must also follow the market conditions. If you can accept it, then we can cooperate. "

Wang Jianye was overjoyed and nodded quickly: "I can accept it, I can accept it! Big brother, thank you so much! You really helped me a lot!" In this way, Wang Jianye successfully reached a cooperation with several ship captains.

After returning to the restaurant, he didn't even take a rest and immediately called a meeting with the chef team.

“The problem of ingredients has been solved for now, but if we want to gain a foothold in this fiercely competitive local seafood market, we must have special dishes that we can show off.

Everyone, share your thoughts.”

Wang Jianye looked at the chef team in front of him with anticipation in his eyes.

Experienced chef Wang touched his chin and thought for a moment before saying, "Mr. Wang, our main dish is the fusion of Xuzhou flavor and seafood. I think we can use Xuzhou sauce to process seafood, which can not only preserve the freshness of seafood but also balance the fishy smell. What do you think?"

Wang Jianye's eyes lit up: "That's a good idea! Can you tell me more specifically, what sauces to use and what seafood to pair with it?"

Chef Wang smiled and said, "Sauces like the Xuzhou-specific sweet bean paste and bean paste are definitely good for cooking Qingdao prawns.

As for miscellaneous fish, we can cook them in a clay pot and add some sauce to create a different flavor.”

A young chef also added: "Mr. Wang, I think we can also incorporate some Xuzhou characteristics into the cooking methods, such as braising and stewing with sauce, which are common Xuzhou methods, and try using them on seafood."

Wang Jianye listened to everyone's speeches and nodded continuously: "Okay, let's do as everyone says and start research and development immediately.

We will try to launch these special dishes as soon as possible! "After several days of repeated trials and adjustments, special dishes such as "Xuzhou Sauce Braised Qingdao Prawns" and "Di Pot Mixed Fish" were finally successfully developed.

On the day of the food tasting, Wang Jianye tasted the food himself.

When the first bite of "Xuzhou Sauce-Braised Qingdao Prawns" is put into your mouth, the rich and mellow aroma of the Xuzhou sauce and the deliciousness of the Qingdao prawns blend perfectly, the shrimp meat is tender and chewy, and the salty and sweet taste of the sauce spreads in your mouth.

Next, Wang Jianye also praised the “earth pot mixed fish”. Wrapped in Xuzhou sauce, the mixed fish lost all fishy smell and instead had a unique flavor.

"This is the taste! This dish is definitely competitive!" Wang Jianye clapped his hands on the table excitedly.

After the special dishes were launched, they immediately attracted the attention of many diners.

There are more and more customers in the restaurant, and it is full every day.

However, just as the business was booming, new problems arose.

Some old customers have complained that the taste of the newly introduced special dishes is occasionally unstable.

When Wang Jianye learned about this, he was extremely anxious and immediately went into the kitchen to investigate.

"Chef Wang, recently some customers have complained that the taste of our specialty dishes is not very stable. What's going on?" Wang Jianye asked seriously.

Chef Wang looked embarrassed: "Boss Wang, it may be because the freshness of the seafood is different every day, plus some subtle differences in the cooking process, which leads to some fluctuations in taste."

Wang Jianye frowned and said, “That won’t do.

We must ensure that every dish served tastes consistent, so as to retain customers.

Do you have any solution?" Chef Wang thought for a moment and said, "Mr. Wang, I want to formulate a detailed cooking standard, from the selection and processing of ingredients to the amount of seasoning, cooking time and heat, all of which are clearly stipulated.

Do you think it is okay to let every chef strictly follow the standards?" Wang Jianye nodded in agreement: "Okay, let's do it.

We need to formulate the standards as soon as possible, and then organize training for the chef team to ensure that everyone understands them.”

After some efforts, cooking standards were formulated and strictly implemented, the taste stability of special dishes was greatly improved, and customer satisfaction was getting higher and higher.

As the restaurant became more and more famous, it attracted the jealousy of some of its local peers.

Some unscrupulous businessmen began to spread rumors online, saying that the ingredients in Wang Jianye's restaurant were not fresh and the cooking hygiene did not meet the standards.

When Wang Jianye learned about this, he was very angry.

He knew very well that if the rumors were not dealt with in a timely manner, it would cause great damage to the restaurant's reputation.

"We must not let these rumors ruin the results of our hard work!" Wang Jianye said with a firm expression at the hotel management meeting.

"Mr. Wang, how should we respond?" the marketing manager asked anxiously.

Wang Jianye thought calmly for a moment and then said: "First, we should post the food purchase receipts and hygiene inspection reports at the restaurant entrance and in prominent locations inside the store so that customers can see them at a glance.

Then, we posted videos and photos on social media platforms to showcase our food procurement process and kitchen hygiene conditions, letting the facts speak for themselves.

Finally, we encourage customers to share their real dining experiences online to help us dispel rumors.”

With the joint efforts of the team, the rumor was quickly clarified. Not only was the restaurant's business not affected, but it attracted more customers because of this series of positive publicity.

As time went by, Wang Jianye's restaurant became a food business card near Qingdao Pier.

Every day, tourists from all over the country come here to taste the unique Xuzhou flavor and seafood fusion dishes.

On a sunny afternoon, Wang Jianye stood at the door of the restaurant, looking at the busy streets and the full house of guests, feeling filled with emotion.

“We encountered so many difficulties when we first opened this branch, but we managed to get through it.”

Wang Jianye recalled every detail of his journey and a gratified smile appeared on his face.

At this time, an old customer came out of the restaurant and said to Wang Jianye with a smile: "Boss, the food in your restaurant is getting better and better! Every time I bring friends to Qingdao, I will recommend you to come here."

Wang Jianye quickly responded with a smile: "Thank you for your support! There will definitely be more delicious food in the future, you are welcome to come often!"

After seeing off the old customers, Wang Jianye looked at the sea in the distance, his heart full of longing for the future: "This is just the beginning. We must continue to innovate in the future and spread our unique food flavors farther and wider."

On a summer evening, the sky of Qingdao is dyed orange-red by the sunset, which is as beautiful as a dream.

There are still many tourists on the pier, and the sea breeze blows gently, bringing a cheerful atmosphere.

Wang Jianye's restaurant was brightly lit and bustling with activity. Waiters were busy shuttling between tables and chairs, and customers were laughing and talking.

However, behind this prosperous scene, Wang Jianye did not let down his guard.

He is well aware that competition in the catering industry is fierce and if he doesn't advance, he will fall behind.

“Although business is good now, we cannot be satisfied with it.

We must continuously improve the quality of our dishes and services to gain a long-term foothold in this market.”

Wang Jianye said this seriously to everyone at an internal staff meeting.

"Mr. Wang, you are right, we will definitely work hard!" The employees responded in unison, their eyes full of enthusiasm.

Not long after, a customer left a message in the restaurant's suggestion book: "I hope the restaurant can add some seafood dishes that are suitable for children's taste, so it will be more convenient to bring children here."

After seeing the message, Wang Jianye called a meeting of the chef team to discuss it.

"Mr. Wang, when making children's dishes, we must consider the rich nutrition of seafood and the light taste that is easy to eat.

I think you can try making a shrimp steamed egg, using fresh shrimp from Qingdao and eggs, which is nutritious and delicious. ”

A young chef suggested.

The other chefs nodded in agreement.

Wang Jianye also thought this was a good idea: "Okay, let's try it out and try to launch it as soon as possible.

And we can also put some effort into the presentation of the dishes and make them more cute, the children will definitely like them.”

After many adjustments, the steamed egg with shrimps with exquisite and cute shape and fresh and smooth taste was served on the table.

Soon, this dish became popular among parents and children.

With the introduction of new dishes, the restaurant's customer base has become more extensive.

However, competition among peers is becoming increasingly fierce.

Several new seafood restaurants have opened nearby, and they have launched various promotions to attract customers.

Wang Jianye's restaurant business was affected to a certain extent, and some employees began to feel anxious.

Wang Jianye noticed the emotional changes among the employees and called everyone together for a talk in the restaurant's lounge area.

“I know that our business has been affected recently because of the opening of several new restaurants nearby.

But don't panic, this is normal market competition.

Our restaurant has its own characteristics. As long as we insist on quality and service, we will be able to overcome difficulties.

Do you have confidence?" Wang Jianye looked at each employee with a determined gaze.

"Have confidence!" the employees shouted in unison, their voices full of power.

Wang Jianye went on to say: “We cannot rely solely on price competition, we must work hard on service and menu innovation.

For example, we can provide customers with customized menus and recommend dishes based on their tastes and needs.

In addition, if you have any new ideas for dish innovation, please feel free to bring them up and we will study them together.”

The employees responded one after another.

A waiter boldly said: "Mr. Wang, we can carry out some parent-child activities, such as teaching children to make simple seafood snacks, to increase customers' sense of participation and stickiness."

Wang Jianye's eyes lit up: "This is a great idea! Let's do it.

We must continue to bring freshness and surprises to our customers, so that we can stay invincible in the competition."

Under the leadership of Wang Jianye, the restaurant launched a series of innovative activities.

The customized menu was well received by customers, and the parent-child activities attracted many families.

The restaurant business gradually picked up and returned to its former bustle.

On a weekend night, the restaurant was still bustling.

After finishing his meal, a tourist from out of town approached Wang Jianye and said excitedly, "Boss, the food here is so delicious! I have never eaten such a unique seafood fusion dish.

Can you share the secret of success?" Wang Jianye smiled and replied: "Actually there is no secret. It's just to make every dish with heart, pay attention to customer needs, and keep innovating.

Our restaurant’s success today is inseparable from the support of every customer and the efforts of every employee.

This is a joint achievement.”

After seeing off the tourists, Wang Jianye looked at the brightly lit restaurant, feeling a sense of accomplishment.

He knows that there will be more challenges in the future, but as long as he maintains his original intention and works hard, he will be able to go further.

As time goes by, the city of Qingdao is constantly developing and changing, and the catering industry is also changing with each passing day.

Wang Jianye's restaurant has always stayed true to its original aspiration and has continued to move forward on the path of inheriting the Xuzhou flavor and integrating it with Qingdao seafood.

A TV station's food program producer came to the restaurant and said to Wang Jianye: "Boss Wang, we have been paying attention to your restaurant for a long time.

Your unique dishes and business philosophy are very distinctive. We would like to invite your restaurant to participate in the recording of our food program. Do you think it is okay?" (End of this chapter)