1984: Starting from a bankrupt Sichuan restaurant

Chapter 109 Editor-in-Chief He was completely fooled.
He Zhiyuan and Huang Chen's table didn't eat for too long. After finishing the other dishes, they packed up the pig ear slices, paid the bill, and gave up their seats to the customers waiting in line behind them.

Around 7 p.m., the customers in the restaurant finished eating and left one after another, and the kitchen was completely idle.

Zhao Tieying went to the back kitchen and whispered to Zhou Yan, who was taking off his apron, "That editor-in-chief is still waiting for you outside. Be careful when you talk to him. These cultured people are the best at lying. He's trying to get our secret recipe for braised beef."

"Don't worry, I know what I'm doing," Zhou Yan said with a smile. He originally thought that He Zhiyuan and the others had already gone back and that he was going to pay them a visit. He didn't expect that they would be waiting outside the restaurant. This level of attention from them surprised him.

When it comes to collaboration, whoever shows the most importance is the one who is more eager.

First, excluding the possibility that the other party also needs to complete system tasks, the only explanation is that He Zhiyuan wants to write an article using the braised beef and braised meat as examples.

If that's the case, it's exactly what he wanted.

However, the more humble the other party adopts, the more demands they will likely have.

"Sichuan Cuisine" is not just a food magazine, but also a culinary journal. The chefs in the technical exchange section are genuinely sharing their skills.

Zhou Yan was no fool; he was perfectly clear-headed.

A top chef making a mistake in the kitchen makes him appear professional and generous, which can further enhance his reputation, and he doesn't have to worry about his position in the kitchen of a big hotel being shaken.

He's just starting out, and this is all the work he has. He's hoping to make a name for himself with his braised beef and earn money to repair his family's new house by selling braised meat.

He absolutely wouldn't reveal a single bit of this recipe.

After straightening his clothes, Zhou Yan went out with a smile on his face.

He Zhiyuan and Huang Chen sat chatting on the long stone under the tree at the door, while Xiao Li stood by the river, gazing at the sunset and the red glow of the clouds.

Seeing Zhou Yan come out, He Zhiyuan immediately stood up and greeted him with a smile: "Chef Zhou, are you done with your work?"

"I just finished, I've kept Editor-in-Chief He and Mayor Huang waiting for a long time," Zhou Yan said with a smile.

"No problem, no problem. We can eat here, enjoy the river breeze, and chat. It'll be very relaxing." He Zhiyuan waved his hand, staring intently at Zhou Yan: "The beef soup you made is delicious. I noticed you used the stove as a signboard and wrote a story about its origin. It's quite well written."

"Editor-in-Chief He, you flatter me. I was just recording the stories told by the older generation as they were, with a few minor additions. It's nothing special," Zhou Yan said with a smile. "If you're interested, let's go inside, make some tea, and sit down for a chat."

“Great! What I love most is hearing the stories behind these delicacies.” He Zhiyuan rubbed his hands together and called out to Xiao Li, who was standing by the river enjoying the breeze, “Xiao Li! Quickly bring your notebook over so we can hear the stories.”

"Huh? Oh!" Xiao Li walked over quickly while unzipping his backpack, his face full of joy at working overtime.

Zhou Yan invited the three of them into the shop and seated them at a table near the entrance. He then took out a box of Emei green tea, which Zhou had treasured, from the cabinet and brewed it for them.

Xiao Zhou certainly can't afford the high-end Emei Xueya tea, but the pre-Qingming green tea produced in Emei Mountain, when brewed with hot water, is quite fragrant and has a very pleasing green color.

Zhou Yan sat down, glanced at Xiao Li sitting upright beside him with a notebook open in front of him and a Hero fountain pen in his hand, and began to say, "Our Zhoucun's Qiaojiao Beef has a history of over a hundred years. An old traditional Chinese medicine doctor surnamed Luo practiced medicine and cooked beef offal with Chinese herbs. It was delicious and had multiple medicinal effects, and was once famous. Because the restaurant was so popular that there were no seats, people would put their feet up on the crossbar of the table to eat, hence the name Qiaojiao Beef..."

"However, after the war, this craft gradually disappeared and became a memory of the older generation in the village. The people of Zhoucun still sell soup pots along the river, but the taste is not quite the same. It no longer has the medicinal effects that were rumored to exist, and the grand scene of the past, where customers filled the hall and you had to stand on tiptoe to get a bowl of beef soup, is gone."

"What a pity, what a pity!" He Zhiyuan sighed, then looked at Zhou Yan and asked, "So how did you manage to recreate this braised beef with ribs?"

Xiao Li and Huang Chen looked at Zhou Yan with curiosity.

Even Zhou Miao, Zhao Tieying, and Zhao Hong stopped what they were doing and looked at Zhou Yan, all wanting to hear how he would make it up.

Zhou Yan took a sip of tea, his voice becoming a few degrees deeper: "Speaking of this, we have to mention our great-grandfather. He and the son of the old Chinese medicine doctor Luo were sworn brothers. During the war, the Luo family left Suji. Before leaving, they gave the secret recipe of Qiaojiao Beef to my great-grandfather. My great-grandfather hid the secret recipe in the roof beam and only entrusted this matter to my grandfather."

"After my grandfather joined the army and left Sichuan, he spent his life in the military. He crossed the Yalu River and never came back, so this secret was forgotten by everyone."

“Until last year during the Spring Festival, my grandmother asked me to sweep the dust off the roof beams. I unexpectedly discovered this secret recipe that had been hidden in a crevice for decades. I feel that there is a kind of destiny in the dark, that I should continue this tradition.”

"Unfortunately, a corner of this secret recipe was bitten off by a rat, and after decades, many of the characters have become blurred, making it extremely difficult to replicate."

"The slight difference in the amount of more than a dozen spices and Chinese herbs will result in completely different flavors. I spent two years experimenting, regardless of the weather, and finally recreated this once famous Suji delicacy - Qiaojiao Beef".

The shop was quiet, and everyone looked at Zhou Yan with more respect.

"Comrade Zhou Yan, your indomitable spirit in recreating classics and passing on culinary traditions is truly moving!" He Zhiyuan exclaimed. "How many young chefs these days can settle down and do something like this?"

Xiao Li couldn't help but applaud. At the same age of twenty, he could only follow Director He around with his bag every day, memorizing whatever he heard. He was far inferior to Zhou Yan.

Huang Chen nodded repeatedly and clapped along. This young man was so composed; with such composure and talent, he was sure to be extraordinary in the future. "Is this true?" Zhao Tieying leaned close to Zhou Miao's ear and asked in a very low voice.

"I think so..." Zhou Miao wasn't too sure either. Zhou Yan spoke with such conviction that it didn't seem like a lie.

It must be their old family house. It's been renovated twice, and the beams seem to have been replaced once as well.
Did his grandfather really hide the secret recipe in the beam?

"You're so amazing!"

Zhou Momo didn't care about anything else. Hearing the noise, she put down the doll she was holding, clapped along, and praised her husband.

Her husband is the best in the world!
Cooking is the best thing in the world!

He Zhiyuan glanced at Xiao Li's notebook. Zhou Yan had written down everything he had just said. He was quite satisfied. Xiao Li's shorthand skills were getting better and better.

"This secret recipe for Qiaojiao Beef is truly invaluable. Its legendary story further highlights the charm of the inheritance of culinary skills." He Zhiyuan looked at Zhou Yan with admiration and said, "I have eaten all over Sichuan, but Qiaojiao Beef is indeed very special. It has its own unique features among beef cooking methods and will surely have a place in Sichuan cuisine in the future. I would like to publish Qiaojiao Beef as a feature in the cooking techniques column. I wonder if Comrade Zhou Yan would be willing to share some cooking techniques for cooking enthusiasts and colleagues to learn?"

Huang Chen silently turned his face away. His friend was good in every way, except that he was too bold. He was afraid of being beaten up when he went out to eat with him.

Zhao Tieying frowned, realizing that this guy was still up to no good, and looked at Zhou Yan nervously.

Xiao Li pursed his lips, pressed down on the cloth bag sitting next to him with one hand, and prepared to run away.

Traveling with Director He not only allowed me to enjoy authentic local cuisine but also provided me with a wealth of experience in navigating various travel situations.

Zhou Yan's smile remained unchanged as he shook his head slightly and said, "To be honest, the most complete sentence in this secret recipe is: 'Family craftsmanship, not to be passed on to outsiders!' This recipe is currently in my grandmother's hands. She repeatedly warned me not to be an unfilial descendant, or else I would be punished according to family rules."

"I see..." He Zhiyuan was a little disappointed, but hesitated, wanting to say something more.

“However, since Editor-in-Chief He has spoken up to have Qiaojiao Beef featured in Sichuan Cuisine magazine and to give this century-old dish its due recognition, I have made a decision that goes against ancestral teachings.” Zhou Yan’s expression became more serious.

"Please speak." He Zhiyuan's eyes lit up, and he even straightened his posture a bit.

"Are you really going to tell me?" Zhao Tieying was getting a little anxious, staring at Zhou Yan as if he wanted to say something but then stopped.

Xiao Li put down his bag, gripped his pen, and prepared to continue taking notes.

Zhou Yan said, "The essence of this 'Qiaojiao Beef' is actually in this pot of soup. First, we need to select high-quality fresh beef bones and offal, add more than ten kinds of spices and Chinese medicine, and simmer it over low heat for eight hours to get a pot of delicious broth. That's half of what makes 'Qiaojiao Beef'."

"Our Qiaojiao Beef includes beef intestines, tripe, beef tendons, and fresh brisket. It's cooked to perfection and then poured into an earthenware bowl. That's how you make a bowl of Qiaojiao Beef."

"The skills are all learned through practice. The control of the cooking time for various ingredients cannot be explained in a few words. We welcome diners to come to Zhou Erwa Restaurant in Suji to taste it for themselves."

He Zhiyuan was silent for a moment, then looked at Zhou Yan and said, "That's...it?"

It felt like Zhou Yan said something, but it also seemed like he didn't say anything at all.

Did they also run an ad?

"What did he say?" Zhao Tieying leaned close to Zhou Miao's ear to confirm.

Zhou Miao pondered for a moment: "What is the general method for making Zhoucun hot pot?"

Zhao Tieying slowly turned her face away, controlling her expression.

"Editor-in-Chief He, what do you think is the most touching part of today's braised beef?" Zhou Yan asked him in return.

He Zhiyuan pondered for a while and said, "It is the touching story of the century-old tradition of delicious Qiaojiao Beef being continued, and it is your indomitable spirit of research."

“That’s absolutely right.” Zhou Yan nodded and said, “An article needs to have a focus. If you’re going to write about inheritance, you can’t just write about the technique. You have to write about the benevolence of the old Chinese medicine doctor Luo who practiced medicine a hundred years ago; you have to write about the arduous journey of the young chef Zhou Yan in recreating Qiaojiao Beef a hundred years later.”

"You need to write about the differences between this 'Qiaojiao Beef' and other beef dishes in Sichuan; you need to write about how this dish impresses you in terms of color, aroma, and taste."

"I think it would be fine to put it in the four-star lineup."

"I've even thought of a title for you: Shocking! The century-old culinary tradition of Suzhou is revived, all because of this man!"

"Readers will definitely turn to this page first when they open the table of contents."

　Asking for a monthly ticket~
　　
　
(End of this chapter)