Siheyuan: Starting as a Chef Apprentice

One of the men, wearing a baseball cap, had a sly look in his eyes and deliberately raised his voice and said, "Your restaurant is very popular. I wonder how the dishes are. I hope they don't look good but taste bad."

After that, he and his companions sat around a table and ordered some of the restaurant's signature dishes.

The dishes were served one after another, with tempting colors and fragrant aromas, attracting admiring glances from the surrounding customers.

But just after the group of people took a few bites, the man in the baseball cap suddenly changed his expression. He slammed his chopsticks on the table and shouted, "What the hell is this! There is a foreign object in the dish. Can we eat it?" His shout instantly attracted everyone's attention. The originally bustling restaurant suddenly became quiet. Customers turned their heads to look over here with expressions of surprise and worry on their faces.

The waiter Xiao Zhang rushed over, his face full of apology: "Sir, please don't worry, where is the foreign object you are referring to? We will take care of it immediately."

The man in the baseball cap pointed at a small black dot on the plate with chopsticks and said angrily: "Look, what is this? We are not trying to cause trouble. There is such a big foreign object in the dish. The hygiene of your restaurant is really poor!" Xiao Zhang's heart was startled and he took a closer look at the "foreign object". Doubts arose in his heart: it doesn't look like something that normally appears in the dishes.

She calmed down, smiled and said, "Sir, I'm so sorry, this really affects your dining experience.

I will take this dish away and make a new one for you, is that okay with you?" The man in the cap was not satisfied: "Just make a new one? Can that make up for the discomfort we feel? Who knows how much dirt there is in your kitchen?"

As he spoke, he took out his cell phone and took a lot of photos of the plate, and shouted to his companions: "Quick, take photos, so that everyone can see how bad the hygiene of this store is."

His companions also echoed and accused him: "That's right, who would dare to eat here in the future? This is simply taking the health of customers lightly."

The atmosphere in the store became very tense. Other customers looked at this scene, some with worried expressions, while others had already started packing up and preparing to leave.

After hearing the noise in the office, Wang Jianye immediately rushed to the restaurant.

He walked quickly to the table of the man in the baseball cap, his expression serious but polite: "Sir, I am Wang Jianye, the owner of this store.

Please calm down first. We will handle this emergency properly.

But can we investigate the situation first and then give you a satisfactory answer?" The man in the peaked cap looked at Wang Jianye with disdain: "Investigate? How to investigate is up to you, your store.

I can’t wait, I must upload this video to the Internet immediately to let everyone know that you are a black shop.”

Wang Jianye was furious, but he still suppressed his anger and said, “Sir, what you are doing will have a great impact on the reputation of our store.

If it is really our problem, we will take full responsibility, but if there is a misunderstanding, it is unfair to us if you spread false information at will.

How about this, we call the police right now and let them investigate, what do you think?" The man in the baseball cap was stunned for a moment, a trace of panic flashed in his eyes, but he quickly calmed down: "Call the police if you want, I'm not afraid of you.

Anyway, it is a fact that there is foreign matter in this dish."

After a while, the police arrived at the scene.

While cooperating with the police's questioning, Wang Jianye thought to himself: "These people came here aggressively and their behavior is very suspicious. Maybe they have some ulterior motives behind this.

The 'foreign matter' in this dish must be of great significance."

The police questioned the man in the peaked cap and the waiter Xiao Zhang, and after taking detailed notes, Wang Jianye said to the police: "Officer, our kitchen is equipped with 360-degree surveillance video, which records every cooking process and has detailed food purchase records. I think these should help us investigate what exactly this 'foreign object' is."

Afterwards, Wang Jianye led the police into the kitchen monitoring room.

He operated the computer skillfully, called up the surveillance video, and played the footage of the entire cooking process of the dishes.

In the picture, the chefs strictly follow the hygiene standards. From washing the ingredients to cooking, every link is clean and hygienic, and no abnormalities are found.

The police also carefully checked the food purchasing ledger, which recorded in detail the source, purchase time, inspection report and other information of each batch of food, all of which showed the safety of the food.

After watching the video, the police officer said seriously to the man in the baseball cap: "Based on the current evidence, the 'foreign objects' in the video are very likely artificial.

Your malicious actions of creating disputes and spreading false information are already suspected of violating the law."

The man in the peaked cap turned pale instantly, cold sweat broke out on his forehead, and he stammered, “Officer, this… this may be a misunderstanding.

We were just excited at the time and didn’t think too much about it.”

Wang Jianye looked at the embarrassed look of the man in the baseball cap and guessed that there might be someone behind them, but he still said calmly: "Officer, although the current evidence shows that there is a problem with the video, in order to give an explanation to the customers and to reassure everyone, I am willing to do more."

Wang Jianye realized that this crisis was both a challenge and an opportunity, and he must use it to let customers better understand the quality and hygiene assurance of Wang's branches.

After careful consideration, he decided to set up an eye-catching "food traceability wall" at the entrance of the store.

He personally selected an entire wall, had it cleaned, and then carefully designed it.

The staff are busy posting the qualification certificates and inspection reports of all suppliers, and each certificate clearly demonstrates the safety and reliability of the ingredients.

Wang Jianye also arranged for technicians to set up a QR code scanning area on the wall. Customers only need to scan it lightly to view the source, production process and test results of each ingredient in detail.

During the posting process, an old customer approached Wang Jianye curiously and asked, "Boss Wang, what are you doing?" Wang Jianye smiled and explained, "This is the 'Food Traceability Wall'.

You see, these are the qualification certificates and inspection reports of our suppliers. When you come to our restaurant to eat in the future, you can scan the code to know where everything you eat comes from and whether it is safe.

After what happened this time, I just want everyone to be completely relieved.”

After hearing this, the old customer gave a thumbs up and said, "Boss Wang, your approach is perfect! I thought your store was good before, and now it seems even more reassuring."

The incident quickly fermented on the local forum. Customers who had originally doubted the Wang branch due to the negative video began to change their attitudes after seeing Wang Jianye's strong response and transparent measures.

The public opinion on the Internet gradually turned to Wang's branch, and many netizens left comments: "It seems that someone is deliberately smearing it. The attitude and approach of this boss in handling the matter are really admirable."

However, Wang Jianye was not satisfied with this.

He knew that now was the perfect time to rebuild brand trust, and after some planning, he decided to launch the "Open Kitchen and Stove" Experience Day event.

He had people post an announcement at the store entrance and online: "To thank our customers for their support and trust, Wang's branch is holding a 'Bright Kitchen' experience day event, inviting customers to walk into the kitchen, observe the cooking process up close, and feel our commitment to quality."

On the experience day, the store was decorated to be particularly lively.

As soon as the doors opened in the morning, many customers came early to sign up and participate.

Wang Jianye stood at the door and greeted everyone warmly: "Welcome all friends to participate in our event. I hope that today everyone can have a deeper understanding of our store." Customers were divided into groups and walked into the kitchen one by one under the guidance of the waiters.

The kitchen is clean and tidy, the equipment is neatly arranged, and the chefs are preparing ingredients in an orderly manner.

A young mother asked the chef curiously: "Master, what are the rules for washing vegetables?" The chef smiled and patiently replied: "We have strict standards for washing vegetables.

For leafy vegetables like this, they need to be carefully rinsed one by one, then soaked and disinfected in a special vegetable detergent to ensure that there are no pesticide residues.

Every step is to ensure that everyone can eat healthy and safe meals.”

The customers looked around curiously and asked questions from time to time, and the chefs patiently answered them one by one.

Some customers even tried out some simple cooking steps themselves and were very excited.

An old man smiled and said, "I've always thought your food is delicious. After seeing the kitchen today, I feel more assured. I will definitely come here often in the future."

Through the “Open Kitchen” Experience Day event, customers witnessed firsthand the Wang branch’s strict control over food quality and hygiene. Their doubts were completely eliminated, and the restaurant’s reputation got better and better.

After experiencing this turmoil, Wang's branch was not only not defeated, but its customer flow increased instead of decreasing.

New customers come because of word of mouth and trust, and old customers are more determined to support.

Standing in the store, Wang Jianye looked at the bustling and prosperous scene with a lot of emotion in his heart: "Although this crisis came suddenly and violently, it also gave us the opportunity to show our strength and sincerity to customers.

In the future, no matter what difficulties we face, we must stick to quality and win the trust of our customers with sincerity.”

Those members of the catering alliance who attempted to suppress Wang’s branches regretted their actions when they saw the result.

They originally thought that they could use unfair means to defeat the Wang branch, but they did not expect Wang Jianye to resolve the crisis in such a wise and courageous way, which made his brand image more popular.

In the days that followed, Wang's branch continued to move forward steadily in the MAS city catering market with its excellent quality and thoughtful service.

Wang Jianye leads the team to continuously explore and innovate, launching more dishes that suit the local people's tastes, integrating the flavors of the north and the south more perfectly, and meeting new challenges and opportunities one after another.

Every day, the store is still filled with laughter and joy. That warm popularity is like a burning flame that will never go out, standing out in the wave of market competition.

……

In the mid-20s, Dashikou in Zhenjiang was a bustling and lively scene.

There are many shops on the street, people are bustling about, and the sound of bicycle bells and hawkers' cries are intertwined, forming the unique atmosphere of fireworks in this city.

It was in this bustling neighborhood that Wang Jianye opened a branch of Wang's Full-line Restaurants with his dreams and hopes.

This was a new starting point that carried his infinite expectations. However, when he first opened the business, he never imagined that he would be greeted with so many challenges.

The hotel's decoration style is unique, with neatly arranged wooden tables and chairs and landscape paintings of Xuzhou and Zhenjiang hanging on the walls, trying to find a balance between the northern and southern styles.

On the opening day, the entrance of the restaurant was decorated with lights and firecrackers were set off non-stop, attracting many passers-by to stop and watch.

But after the excitement, reality gave Wang Jianye a heavy blow.

People in Zhenjiang prefer the sweetness and vinegar seasoning of their local cuisine, and are unfamiliar with the salty, spicy and heavy style of Xuzhou cuisine.

The restaurant's signature dish, "Xuzhou Earth Pot Chicken", was originally a well-known and popular dish in Xuzhou. It has a strong sauce flavor and is very spicy, but it failed to adapt to the local climate in Zhenjiang.

A local old man with gray hair walked into the restaurant with a frown on his face.

He was wearing a Zhongshan suit that had been washed to a pale color, and holding a folding fan in his hand.

When ordering, he looked at the "Xuzhou Earth Pot Chicken" on the menu and asked the waiter curiously: "Girl, what does this earth pot chicken taste like?" The waiter enthusiastically explained: "Uncle, this earth pot chicken is our restaurant's signature dish brought from Xuzhou. It tastes very delicious, with a strong sauce flavor and just the right amount of spiciness. It goes very well with rice."

The old man listened and nodded: "Then let's have one to try."

After a while, the steaming hot clay pot chicken was served on the table.

The chicken is wrapped in red peppers and rich sauce, and the dough sticks to the edge of the pot, exuding an enticing aroma.

But after the old man took a bite, the expression on his face froze instantly and his brows furrowed even more tightly.

He put down his chopsticks, waved his hands and said, "What does this taste like? It's too spicy and too salty. It tastes like seasoning. It's like eating from a seasoning jar. How can I get used to it?"

Wang Jianye saw this scene and was shocked. He quickly stepped forward and asked, "Uncle, if you think there is anything wrong with this dish, please tell us and we will definitely improve it."

The old man shook his head helplessly and said, "Young man, it's not that I'm picky. We in Zhenjiang are used to eating delicious river food, which tastes sweet. We like the unique sour taste of balsamic vinegar.

Your dish has too strong a flavor, it's really not to our taste."

After hearing this, Wang Jianye felt a little disappointed, but he understood that if he wanted to gain a foothold in Zhenjiang, he had to make changes.

He began to pay attention to the eating habits of Zhenjiang people. After a period of observation, he found that Zhenjiang people were very fond of river fish. River fish dishes were always popular in restaurants on the streets.

Moreover, Zhenjiang vinegar is very famous and almost every household can’t do without it. Whether eating noodles or mixing cold dishes, some vinegar will be poured on it to enhance the flavor.

On this day, Wang Jianye called a meeting of the chef team.

In the kitchen, steam was rising and the aroma of various ingredients filled the air.

Wang Jianye stood in the middle and said to the chefs in a serious tone: "As you can see, our signature dishes are not very popular in Zhenjiang, mainly because the taste is not right.

I have observed for some time that people in Zhenjiang have a special preference for fresh river food and aromatic vinegar.

Can we improve the clay pot chicken by adding some river fish and replacing part of the sauce with Zhenjiang vinegar to see if we can create a new dish that suits the tastes of the locals? "(End of this chapter)