Siheyuan: Starting as a Chef Apprentice

After half a month of continuous visits, Wang Jianye and his chef team gained a lot.

They found that Nantong people not only like to eat noodles for breakfast, but also their preference for fresh and sweet flavors extends throughout their diet throughout the day.

Looking at the densely recorded notebook in his hand, Wang Jianye had an idea in his mind: "Let's improve the Xuzhou spicy soup, change it to a fresh and sweet taste, and pair it with freshly made crab roe buns, maybe we can open up the market."

The chef was a little hesitant when he heard this: "Boss Wang, the traditional taste of this spicy soup has changed. Is it still Xuzhou cuisine?" Wang Jianye said firmly: "If we want to gain a foothold here, we have to make changes.

We need to cater to local tastes while preserving our unique characteristics, which is the way to survive.”

In the store’s kitchen, a “battle” to improve the dishes has begun.

The chefs gathered around the stove, discussing the improvement plans.

"We reduce the amount of chili peppers and salt in the spicy soup and add delicious shrimp roe, crab powder and a small amount of sugar to enhance the freshness and sweetness."

As Wang Jianye spoke, he stared at the soup in the pot with a focused and expectant look.

The chefs tried again and again according to the plan, constantly adjusting the proportions of ingredients.

After many experiments, a pot of spicy soup with a brand new flavor was finally born.

Wang Jianye gently scooped up a spoonful and slowly put it into his mouth. First, a delicious taste spread on the tip of his tongue, and then a faint sweetness lingered in it. The taste was rich and harmonious: "This is the taste, I finally succeeded!" he shouted excitedly.

The production of crab roe buns has also been carefully improved.

We use fresh local crabs from Nantong, with plump and delicious crab meat and roe.

The chefs skillfully combine crab roe with fresh pork filling, add an appropriate amount of scallion and ginger juice to remove the fishy smell, and specially prepare a sweet and fresh sauce to brush on the surface of the buns after they are steamed.

When the first crab roe bun comes out of the pot, the golden skin exudes an attractive luster. Take a bite, the soup overflows, and the sweet taste instantly blooms in your mouth.

Not only that, Wang Jianye also put a lot of effort into making Xuzhou's specialty, Baozirou.

After continuous attempts, they decided to use Nantong's local soy sauce to slow-cook the pork.

This soy sauce has a rich color and a mellow flavor with a hint of natural sweetness.

During the stewing process, Wang Jianye also asked the chef to add local fresh bamboo shoots. The unique fragrance and sweetness of the bamboo shoots were perfectly integrated into the meat, neutralizing the original heavy salty taste.

On the day when the new dishes were launched, Wang Jianye stood at the door of the store early, feeling both nervous and expectant.

The store was rearranged, with clean tables covered with new tablecloths and some local Nantong landscape paintings on the walls.

The waiters greeted every customer who came into the store warmly: "Welcome, today we have launched new flavors of dishes, come and try them!" At first, the customers were skeptical.

A gray-haired Nantong grandfather walked into the store, looked at the new dishes on the menu, frowned and asked: "Is your improved Xuzhou cuisine ok? It's not so salty."

Wang Jianye smiled and replied, "Don't worry, uncle! We have made special adjustments for our friends in Nantong to ensure that it suits your taste.

Just try it once. If you are not satisfied, I will pay for it!" The old man was moved by Wang Jianye's sincerity and ordered a modified spicy soup and a crab roe bun.

When the dishes were served, the old man smelled them first, and a strong and delicious aroma came to his face: "Hmm, it smells quite fragrant."

He took a bite of the crab roe bun, and the soup flowed out from the corners of his mouth. The sweet taste made his eyes light up: "Oh, this bun tastes really good, it's really different from what I ate before."

Then he took another sip of the spicy soup and couldn't help but give a thumbs up: "This spicy soup is also delicious, very fresh, and not salty at all."

As more and more customers tried and recognized the product, the news spread like wildfire.

Local diners from Nantong came here one after another, and the restaurant gradually became lively.

At first there were only a few people coming, but later more and more people came, and queues began to form in front of the door.

Wang Jianye stood at the door of the store, looking at the long line, feeling a lot of emotion in his heart, his eyes slightly moist: "Finally succeeded, all the efforts have not been in vain."

As his business became more and more prosperous, Wang Jianye was not satisfied with the status quo.

He knows very well that to gain a long-term foothold in Nantong, it is not enough to just improve the dishes, but he also needs to have a deep understanding of Nantong's culture and better integrate the cultures of Xuzhou and Nantong into restaurant operations.

Wang Jianye began to actively participate in local cultural activities in Nantong to learn about the city's history, folk customs and traditional art.

At a folk custom exhibition in Nantong, he saw exquisite blue printed cloth. The simple and charming patterns deeply attracted him: "If the elements of blue printed cloth are applied to the restaurant decoration, it will definitely make customers feel more intimate."

Back in the store, Wang Jianye communicated with the designer and replaced some of the decorations in the store with curtains and tablecloths made of blue printed cloth.

There are also several oil paintings on the wall showing the water scenery of Nantong, which complement the landscape paintings of Xuzhou.

In this way, the store retains the boldness and simplicity of Xuzhou, and is full of the gentleness and beauty of Nantong.

In terms of service, Wang Jianye also requires the waiters to understand Nantong's dialect and customs.

He specially invited a local language teacher to teach the waiters some commonly used Nantong dialect.

"Hello, welcome. What would you like to eat today?" The waiter greeted the customer in the unskilled but enthusiastic Nantong dialect.

As cultural integration deepens, customers' sense of identification with the restaurant grows.

Once, a local writer from Nantong came to the restaurant to dine.

After the meal, he said to Wang Jianye with emotion: "Boss Wang, I was not very interested in Xuzhou cuisine before, but you not only improved the dishes to suit the tastes of us Nantong people, but also incorporated so many cultural elements of Nantong into the restaurant, which is really rare.

I think this is not just a restaurant, but also a window for cultural exchange between Xuzhou and Nantong.”

Hearing such comments, Wang Jianye felt warm in his heart: "Thank you for your affirmation. I hope that through this store, friends in Nantong can get to know Xuzhou, and the culture of Xuzhou and Nantong can blend together here."

However, while the business was booming, it also attracted the jealousy of some peers.

In order to compete, some restaurants around here secretly use some unfair means.

For example, some restaurants maliciously lowered their prices in an attempt to attract customers; others posted false statements online to discredit Wang Jianye's restaurant.

Wang Jianye did not panic in the face of these challenges.

He firmly believes that as long as he adheres to quality and cultural characteristics, he will be able to overcome difficulties.

"We can't be affected by these negative things. As long as our dishes remain of high quality and cultural integration is in place, customers will eventually choose us."

Wang Jianye said firmly at the staff meeting.

In order to cope with price competition, Wang Jianye negotiated with suppliers to reduce procurement costs while ensuring the quality of ingredients.

At the same time, he launched some discounted packages to attract more customers. "We want customers to feel that they can taste delicious fusion dishes here and enjoy affordable prices."

In response to the false statements online, Wang Jianye asked his employees to collect evidence in a timely manner and protect the rights and interests of the restaurant through legal means.

"We cannot tolerate these malicious smear campaigns and must let the facts speak for themselves."

In this competition, Wang Jianye's restaurant was not only not affected, but attracted more customers thanks to its high-quality dishes, unique cultural atmosphere and honest management.

Many people from other places who come to Nantong will come to taste this restaurant which combines the flavors of Xuzhou and Nantong.

After tasting the dishes, a tourist from Shanghai excitedly said to Wang Jianye: "I have always heard that Nantong has many specialties, but I didn't expect to be able to taste such unique fusion cuisine here.

This dish, which perfectly combines the flavors of Xuzhou and Nantong, is really great!" Wang Jianye smiled and replied: "Thank you for your love. We hope that every customer who comes here can experience a different food culture journey."

As time went by, Wang Jianye's Nantong branch gradually became a business card of Nantong South Street.

The store is crowded with people every day and filled with laughter.

At the dining table, people taste delicious food and exchange their feelings and understanding of different cultures.

Wang Jianye stood in the store, looking at the lively scene, feeling very pleased: "The difficulties I faced in the beginning were not in vain. Now I have made the cultures of Xuzhou and Nantong blend harmoniously in this small restaurant. I will do better in the future."

On a sunny afternoon, the store was relatively quiet. Wang Jianye sat in a corner, recalling the hardships and sweat he had shed along the way.

From the initial copy of Xuzhou's special dishes that no one was interested in, to the continuous improvement after setbacks, to the current success and popularity, every step was full of challenges.

“Although the road to catering is full of difficulties, as long as you have determination and faith, and dare to innovate and change, you can find your own way.”

Wang Jianye said to himself.

At this time, a young waiter came over with a customer message book in his hand and said excitedly: "Boss Wang, please take a look at this message book. Many customers have written praises for our restaurant. Some people even suggested that we should add some Nantong-style desserts."

Wang Jianye took the guestbook and read it carefully.

Every page is filled with sincere words and valuable suggestions from customers: "This restaurant changed my view of Xuzhou cuisine. I didn't expect it to blend so well with the taste of Nantong."

“I hope this quality can be maintained and I will come here often in the future.”

Seeing these messages, Wang Jianye felt a warm current in his heart, and at the same time he realized that he had a great responsibility: "Customers have high expectations of us. We cannot be satisfied with the status quo. We must continue to work hard to make more dishes that suit everyone's taste."

So, Wang Jianye began to think about how to develop more Nantong-style desserts to enrich the menu.

He visited famous local dessert chefs in Nantong, asked for advice humbly, and worked hard to learn the making techniques of various desserts.

"Master, I heard that the mint cake you make is very famous in Nantong. Can you teach me how to make it?" Wang Jianye asked an old dessert chef sincerely.

Seeing Wang Jianye's humble attitude, the old dessert chef responded enthusiastically: "Young man, the key to this mint cake is the selection of ingredients and the temperature of steaming.

The mint must be fresh, and the ratio of glutinous rice flour to polished rice flour is also particular... "The old dessert chef described the production steps in detail, and Wang Jianye carefully recorded them, not missing any details.

After many trials and adjustments, Nantong specialty desserts such as mint cake and glutinous rice cake were served on restaurant tables.

As soon as these new dishes were launched, they were immediately loved by customers and added new highlights to the restaurant.

As the business of the Nantong branch became more and more stable, Wang Jianye began to have new ideas.

He wants to promote this successful model of cultural integration to other cities, so that people from more places can taste the cuisine that combines Xuzhou and local characteristics.

"I believe that this way of integrating food culture will have a broader space for development, and I want to take it to more places."

Wang Jianye said confidently.

In the process of preparing to expand his business, Wang Jianye faced a series of new problems.

Finding a suitable store, recruiting and training new employees, understanding the markets and tastes in different places... every step was full of challenges, but he did not back down.

“This is a new journey. Although there are many difficulties, I am confident that I can overcome them.

Just like when we opened the store in Nantong, as long as we persist, we will succeed.”

Wang Jianye often encourages himself and his team members in this way.

When discussing the expansion plan with team members, everyone expressed their opinions and the atmosphere was lively.

"Boss Wang, if we open a store in a new place, we must do market research in advance and fully understand the local tastes and consumption habits."

An experienced manager said.

Wang Jianye nodded in agreement: “Yes, this is the key.

We must not make the same mistake we made when we first opened the store in Nantong and we must prepare a response strategy in advance.”

As the preparatory work progressed, Wang Jianye often traveled between various cities to inspect store locations and negotiate cooperation matters.

Wherever he went, he would go deep into the streets and alleys to learn about the local food culture.

Finally, after some hard work, Wang Jianye opened a second cultural fusion restaurant in a nearby city.

The opening day was as lively as in Nantong.

The new store not only inherits the characteristics of the Nantong branch, but also incorporates local cultural elements and launches a series of fusion dishes that suit local tastes.

In the new store, customers are full of praise for these unique dishes: "I didn't expect to be able to eat such unique food right at my doorstep. This fusion of creativity is really great!"

In the process of continuous development, Wang Jianye has not forgotten his original intention.

He always insists on using high-quality ingredients to ensure the quality of every dish.

He communicates frequently with suppliers and strictly controls the procurement of ingredients.

"Boss Zhang, the quality of this batch of ingredients must be guaranteed. This is related to the reputation of our restaurant."

Wang Jianye said to the supplier seriously.

The supplier quickly responded: “Boss Wang, don’t worry.

We always attach great importance to quality and will never give you any problems. " (End of this chapter)