Siheyuan: Starting as a Chef Apprentice

One day, Li Dahai brought a few of his men to Wang Jianye’s shop in a threatening manner.

"Hmph, Wang Jianye, don't think you can steal my business with these fancy dishes!" Li Dahai said viciously, crossing his arms across his chest.

Wang Jianye walked up to him neither humbly nor arrogantly and said, "Boss Li, everyone should run their own business. I just want to bring Xuzhou's delicacies to my friends in Lianyungang. How can you talk about 'stealing business'?" "Stop pretending! These dishes of yours are just a bunch of weird stuff. How long can they be popular?" Li Dahai sneered disdainfully.

Wang Jianye smiled and replied: "Boss Li, whether the food is delicious or not is up to the customers.

I just want to run my business with integrity and provide everyone with great food.

As for the future, we'll have to wait and see."

Li Dahai had nothing to say and could only leave angrily with his men.

After a period of hard work, Wang Jianye's branch completely broke the dilemma of "foreign vegetables not adapting to the local climate" and gained a firm foothold in Lianyungang.

The business in the store is getting better and better, and there is often a long queue waiting for a table.

An old customer said to Wang Jianye: "Boss Wang, I used to think that food from other places was definitely not as good as local food. I didn't expect that your Xuzhou food has been improved so much and has a unique flavor. Now I want to eat here every now and then."

Wang Jianye responded with a smile: "Thank you for your support, we will continue to work hard to let everyone taste more delicious food."

As his business boomed, Wang Jianye was not satisfied with the status quo.

He knows very well that the catering industry is like sailing against the current, and if you don't move forward, you will fall behind.

“Although business is good now, we cannot relax.

We also need to continue to innovate and improve the quality of our dishes and service levels.”

Wang Jianye said this to everyone seriously at a staff meeting.

So he led the team to continuously explore new dish development.

In the kitchen, chefs often sit together to discuss new ingredient combinations and cooking methods.

"Boss Wang, I think we can combine the seasonal characteristics of Lianyungang and launch some seasonal dishes, such as some light and refreshing seafood salad in summer and a hot seafood casserole in winter."

Master Chen put forward his own ideas.

Wang Jianye's eyes lit up and he said, "That's a good idea! Let's do it.

Let customers taste fresh and unique food in different seasons. "

Through the efforts of the team, a series of seasonal dishes came into being.

The seafood salad in summer is refreshing and delicious, perfectly combining the freshness of seafood with the crispness of various vegetables; the seafood casserole in winter is steaming hot, with rich ingredients rolling in the casserole, exuding an enticing aroma, warming the customers' body and mind.

In terms of service, Wang Jianye did not relax at all.

He established strict service standards, requiring every employee to greet every customer with the most enthusiastic and thoughtful attitude.

“When customers come in, you should take the initiative to greet them with a smile and guide them to their seats.

When ordering food, you should patiently introduce the dishes and give reasonable suggestions based on the number of customers and their tastes. "

Wang Jianye often teaches his employees in this way.

One day, a customer with an elderly man and a child walked into the store.

The waiter Xiao Zhao immediately came forward and greeted them warmly: "Hello, welcome! How many people would like to have dinner?" "Three."

The customer answered.

Xiao Zhao smiled and said, "Please come this way. Do the elderly and children have any food taboos or special cravings? We can recommend some for you."

The customer thought for a moment and said, "The old man's teeth are not very good, and the child likes to eat sweet things."

Xiao Zhao nodded and said, "Then let me recommend a few dishes to you.

There is a tofu stew with soft and tender tofu, which is very suitable for the elderly; and we also have our newly launched sweet and sour shrimp balls, which are sweet and sour and delicious, and children should like them.

In addition, how about ordering some light seasonal vegetables, which are nutritious and healthy? "The customer listened and said with satisfaction: "Okay, I'll listen to you.

Your service is really thoughtful."

Xiao Zhao smiled and replied: "This is what we should do. I hope you enjoy your meal."

With the continuous improvement of service quality, Wang Jianye’s branch has gained better and better reputation and is becoming more and more well-known in Lianyungang.

It not only attracts local diners, but also tourists from other places often come here.

In the Internet age, Wang Jianye is keenly aware of the power of the Internet.

He assigned someone to operate the store's social media account, regularly posting exquisite pictures of dishes, interesting in-store videos and real reviews from customers.

"Come and take a look at the treasure Xuzhou Restaurant on Xinpu Street in Lianyungang! The 'Seafood Tofu Pot' and 'Braised Pork with Salted Fish' here are simply amazing, and the service is thoughtful. Are you sure you don't want to try it?" A social media post by the store attracted a lot of attention and likes from netizens.

Netizens left comments one after another: "It looks so tempting, I must go and check in!" "This dish looks so unique, Lianyungang has another must-visit place."

Through the spread of the Internet, Wang Jianye's branch became famous and attracted more tourists from all over the world.

The store's business is becoming more and more popular, and some customers even come from far away just to taste his delicious food.

On a sunny day, the store was full of customers.

Wang Jianye stood at the door, looking at the lively scene, and was filled with emotion: "From the initial lack of visitors to the current popularity, this journey has been so difficult.

But I know that as long as I stick to honest business practices and keep innovating, I will be able to stay invincible in this fiercely competitive catering market.”

At this time, a tourist from another place came over and said to Wang Jianye excitedly, "Boss, I saw the introduction of your store on the Internet and came here from far away.

The food tastes great, it's worth the trip!" Wang Jianye smiled and responded: "Thank you for your support! I hope you have a good time in Lianyungang and come often in the future."

In this land full of opportunities and challenges, Wang Jianye's branch continues to exude its unique charm.

Every dish carries the charm of Xuzhou and the style of Lianyungang, and every service conveys sincerity and enthusiasm.

It has become a unique landscape in the city of Lianyungang, telling the story of a foreign cuisine taking root, growing, and successfully counterattacking...With the development of the store, new competition has also emerged in the surrounding area.

A new restaurant opened not far away, specializing in fusion cuisine and with stylish and modern decoration, attracting many young customers.

This brought a new impact to Wang Jianye's branch. "This new restaurant has taken away a lot of young customers. We have to find a way to deal with it."

Master Chen said worriedly at a meeting.

Wang Jianye nodded: "I know, we have to attract young customers.

I've thought about it, we can launch some creative dishes, combining popular elements now."

So the chef team started to get busy again.

After careful research and development, they launched the "Seafood Sushi Roll", which is made by cutting the seafood into small pieces, rolling it into sushi, and then topped with Xuzhou's special sauce; there is also the "Braised Pork Pizza", which is made by spreading the braised pork sauce on the pizza base and pairing it with fresh vegetables and cheese. The novel combination has attracted the attention of many young customers.

After trying the "Braised Pork Pizza", a young customer said excitedly: "This is so innovative, combining traditional food and fashionable snacks so well, it's amazing!" In addition to innovating dishes, Wang Jianye also upgraded the environment of the store.

He renovated the store, adding some fashionable decorations while retaining the characteristic elements of Xuzhou.

Oil paintings featuring Lianyungang's coastal features are hung on the walls, as well as some Xuzhou folk handicrafts, creating an atmosphere that is both culturally rich and fashionable and warm.

In terms of store management, Wang Jianye implemented a more humane management method.

He regularly organizes employee training, not only to improve their cooking and service skills, but also to focus on cultivating a spirit of teamwork.

“We are a team, and only by uniting as one can our store get better and better.

If you have any questions or ideas, please communicate them in a timely manner.”

Wang Jianye often encourages his employees in this way.

With the implementation of a series of measures, the store's business became booming again.

It not only attracted young customers, but old customers also raved about the innovative dishes.

……

Although Wang Jianye had a satisfied smile on his face, he was worried secretly.

The problem of food supply was like a heavy stone weighing on his heart.

Seeing that Wang Jianye’s branch business was booming, the original local supplier suddenly had evil intentions and began to delay the delivery time from time to time under the excuse of “giving priority to local restaurants”.

Once, the store urgently needed a batch of fresh sea bass. Wang Jianye contacted the supplier several days in advance and agreed on the arrival time.

But on the day of delivery, after waiting for a long time, there was no sign of the truck.

The chefs in the restaurant were as anxious as ants on a hot pot, and they kept running to Wang Jianye to ask what to do: "Boss Wang, if the sea bass is not delivered, many of the dishes we ordered today will not be able to be prepared!"

Wang Jianye was extremely worried and kept calling the supplier, but the supplier kept shirking his responsibilities. "Oh, Boss Wang, I'm so sorry. The fishing boat came back late today. I can't make it in time. I will definitely deliver it to you tomorrow!"

Wang Jianye was so angry that he gritted his teeth, but he could do nothing about it.

That’s not all, the food delivered is sometimes defective.

Once, many of the crabs delivered were dying. When the crab shells were opened, the meat inside was rotten and smelly.

Wang Jianye was so angry that he called the supplier on the spot: "What are you sending? These crabs are not even worthy of being served! You don't want me to do business with you, do you?" The supplier said nonchalantly: "Boss Wang, it's normal for seafood to be damaged on the way. Please bear with it."

After hanging up the phone, Wang Jianye walked around the store, thinking to himself: "If this continues, the store's signboard will be smashed by these suppliers sooner or later, I must think of a way!" After some inquiries, Wang Jianye learned that a large number of fresh fishing boats would dock at Ganyu's fishing port every morning, and the seafood there was not only fresh, but also varied.

So he decided to go to the fishing port in Ganyu in person.

It was a cold winter night, the clock had just struck two in the morning, the whole city was still immersed in deep sleep, and all was silent.

Wang Jianye had already hurried out and took a taxi to Ganyu Fishing Port.

Outside the car window, the streets were empty, with only the dim street lights lit lonely, and occasionally a few stray cats foraging in the corners.

Wang Jianye wrapped his coat tightly and leaned against the car window, his eyes firm but with a hint of fatigue: "No matter how hard it is, we must solve the problem of seafood supply this time."

When they arrived at the fishing port, the seaside was hazy and the cold wind mixed with the fishy smell of the sea blew in their faces, making Wang Jianye shiver all over.

The harbor was brightly lit, and fishing boats were quietly docked on the shore, like giant beasts lying there quietly.

Porters were busy unloading boxes of seafood from the ship, with noisy shouts and the roar of machines intertwined.

Wang Jianye paced back and forth in the port, his eyes fixed on every fishing boat, looking for suitable trading partners.

Finally, he saw a fishing boat that had just docked. There was a wide variety of seafood on the boat. Crabs were waving their claws and jumping around; fish were swimming happily in the water tank, shining with silver light.

Wang Jianye hurriedly stepped forward and shouted to a fisherman on the boat: "Brother, your seafood looks really fresh, can you sell me some?" The fisherman looked at Wang Jianye and asked in confusion: "What do you do? Why do you need so much seafood?" Wang Jianye quickly explained: "Brother, I opened a restaurant on Xinpu Street, and the demand for seafood is huge, but I can't find a stable and fresh source of goods.

Can we cooperate?" The fisherman shook his head, looking embarrassed: "Brother, we usually have fixed buyers for our seafood, so it's not easy to sell it to outsiders."

Wang Jianye’s heart tightened, and he quickly said, “Brother, I really need your goods.

I guarantee that the price is absolutely fair, and I will buy from you for a long time in the future. Is that okay with you?" Then, he described in detail his current predicament and his strict requirements for the quality of ingredients.

After listening to Wang Jianye's words, the fisherman thought for a moment and said, "You seem to be a very honest young man. How about this, I will give you some of the goods today and you can take them back and try them out.

If you think it’s good, we can talk about long-term cooperation later.”

Wang Jianye was overjoyed and quickly expressed his gratitude: "Thank you so much, brother! Don't worry, I will not let you down!" While waiting for weighing and loading, Wang Jianye helped the fishermen carry the seafood.

The sea breeze was getting stronger and stronger, and it felt like a knife cutting his face, but Wang Jianye didn't care at all. He only wanted to bring this batch of fresh seafood back to the store as soon as possible.

The seafood supply problem was solved, but Wang Jianye was worried about the supply of soy products again.

Xuzhou cuisine has extremely high requirements for soy products, but the local soy products are far from the Xuzhou taste in taste and flavor.

Wang Jianye knew very well that in order to make authentic Xuzhou cuisine, he had to overcome the problem of soy products.

So, Wang Jianye began to ask around for soy product workshops with good reputation.

After asking around and searching everywhere, he finally found a traditional tofu workshop in a remote corner of the suburbs.

The workshop is not big, it is an old courtyard with a strong bean fragrance in the air.

A huge stone mill stood quietly in the corner, surrounded by piles of soybeans and sacks. (End of this chapter)