1984: Starting from a bankrupt Sichuan restaurant

Chapter 168 Her excessive cuteness makes the kitchen shine (6k two-in-one)

Zhou Yan's spirits lifted; the mission was halfway complete!
Mapo tofu is beckoning to him.

Zhou Yan couldn't help but smile; this progress bar reflected Ms. Sun Lihua's mood.

It seems that today's income has satisfied Auntie, greatly boosting her confidence in Laifu's ability to pass on the craft.

Good.

This task is probably what he's been most motivated to push forward and work hard to complete recently.

He plans to visit Aunt Sun again tomorrow, and if her eyes and legs are still not in good condition, he will take her to see a doctor.

As a key ingredient supplier for the restaurant, Zhou Yan is very concerned about her health.

Within the Suzhou area, Zhou Yan could not find a suitable alternative supplier.

Recently, braised tofu skin and braised dried tofu have become star products among braised vegetarian dishes, even more popular than kelp.

Soak the dried bean curd sticks, then cut them into sections by the handful – it's super convenient.

The profits are quite considerable, and it's a comfortable way to make money.

If the restaurant introduces Mapo Tofu later, the importance of this supply chain will increase dramatically.

Tofu is too fragile. Given the current road conditions, no matter how well-made the soft tofu is, it will break apart during transportation, even if it is made outside of Suji.

The rarity of the perfect Xiba tofu made by my aunt immediately became apparent.

"Mom, your egg pancakes smell so good! They taste better and better!"

"It smells so good! It's so sweet! It's delicious~~"

"My little girl is so good. If it's delicious, I'll fry another one for you."

"Okay! I love Mom the most!"

From the kitchen came Zhou Momo's cheerful voice and Aunt Zhao's hearty laughter.

The little guy woke up late today; he didn't get out of bed until the restaurant closed this morning.

Get up and order food; I want an egg pancake.

Zhou Yan originally intended to make it for her, but Aunt Zhao insisted on doing it, and he couldn't stop her.

Although he was in charge of the kitchen.

But this house is under Aunt Zhao's management.

Zhou Yan leaned against the kitchen doorway, watching Zhou Momo sit on her own little wooden stool. Her face was flushed from being washed, and she hadn't had time to comb her hair yet. Two tufts of hair stuck up on top of her head, like two question marks.

On the stool in front of her was a plate containing egg pancakes cut into four pieces, fried until golden brown. They were a little thick, but still looked quite presentable.

Zhou Momo held a piece of egg pancake in both hands, taking small bites, her cheeks bulging, looking like a greedy little squirrel.

It's obvious the egg pancakes tasted good today; the little one's eyes were squinted, her short legs were dangling, and the two tufts of hair on her head were swaying along with them. The morning sunlight shone in through the kitchen window and fell on her.

Her excessive cuteness made the whole kitchen shine.

"Oh my, you're eating so deliciously. My goodness, how come you're so beautiful?" Aunt Zhao flipped the egg pancake over, turned to look at Zhou Momo, her smiling eyes full of doting affection, her tone even a little smug.

Zhou Momo raised her head and said with a smile, "Because I have the most beautiful and capable mother in the world, I am also the most beautiful baby."

Aunt Zhao's smile grew even brighter: "That's so true, here you go with this egg pancake too."

"It smells so good! Make one for me too, I'm a little hungry." Old Zhou carried the prepared pig's head into the kitchen, looked at the golden egg pancakes in the pan, and swallowed hard: "This one is pretty good."

"Get up! This is for me to behave." Aunt Zhao shook the pan, cut the egg pancake into four pieces with a spatula, and put them on the plate in front of Zhou Momo.

"Thank you, Mom! I'll eat all of this delicious egg pancake!" Zhou Momo looked at her with shining eyes.

"Good boy." Aunt Zhao nodded with a smile, then glanced at Old Zhou, who was also smiling broadly, and said, "I'll make you one now. Do you want a thicker one?"

"Thicker or thinner is fine, I'll eat it as long as you make it," Old Zhou said with a simple smile.

"Zhou Yan, do you want some?" Aunt Zhao turned around and asked Zhou Yan.

"I'm not eating anymore, I'm so full." Zhou Yan shook his head with a smile.

"Hey, try this! It's sweet!" Zhou Momo brought over a piece of egg pancake, held it up, stood on tiptoe, and offered it to her, her eyes full of anticipation. "Really, Mom's egg pancakes are super delicious!"

"Then I have to try it." Zhou Yan smiled and took the egg, taking a bite. It was soft, sweet, and had a strong egg flavor. It tasted really good. He nodded and said, "Mmm! Delicious! Much better than what I make!"

"Then I'll share another piece with you?" Zhou Momo said generously.

"No, no, Momo, you eat. I've already had breakfast." Zhou Yan smiled and shook his head, looking at Aunt Zhao's upturned lips, and said, "Mom, did you put sugar in it?"

Zhao Tieying nodded: "Yes, no salt was added, but a spoonful of sugar was added. I guess they make their egg pancakes this way too. How does it taste?"

"Delicious, fragrant and sweet. The change in seasoning is very clever; it gives it a completely different feel." Zhou Yan gave a thumbs up.

"It smells so good! Momo is eating even more deliciously. I'm getting hungry just watching her. Fourth Aunt, I want one too," Zhao Hong said with a smile as she stood at the kitchen doorway.

"Sure, I'll fry one for you too," Aunt Zhao replied with a smile, flipping the pancake in the pan over.

Zhou Yan raised an eyebrow as she watched this scene. As expected of the Iron Lady, she had only watched for a while yesterday and had already learned how to flip the wok today.

There's a reason why Comrade Lao Zhou was so infatuated.

Old Zhou took a plate of pancakes, moved a small stool next to Zhou Momo, and sat down to eat. After taking a bite, he nodded repeatedly: "Delicious! It's fragrant and soft, even better than the egg pancakes sold outside."

"If you can talk, then talk more. I'll make it for you again tomorrow morning," Aunt Zhao said with a smile.

After Aunt Zhao finished making the pancakes, Zhou Yan started preparing the braised meat.

Aunt Zhao and Zhao Hong peeled potatoes and lotus roots, while Comrade Lao Zhou was in charge of chopping. Zhou Momo carried her little stool and was responsible for providing emotional support from the side.

"Sister-in-law, you peeled this potato peel so long! Can I use it as a rope?"

"Mommy, look how round this potato is! It's golden, just like the sun!"

"Dad, why do you have so many holes in the lotus root you cut? The potatoes don't have any."

"Pot, it smells so good~~ I want to eat meat! Just a small piece, just a small piece is fine."

Zhou Yangang took the braised pig's head out of the pot, looked at the little one staring at him expectantly, and smiled as he took a knife and cut two slices of the hot braised pig's head for her and put them on a small plate.

"Thank you, bro~~ You're such a kind person." Zhou Momo happily carried the plate back to her little stool and continued to give instructions.

She's small, but she's really good at praising people; she gives a lot of emotional value.

The kitchen was filled with laughter, making the originally tedious work seem much easier and more enjoyable.

……

The kitchen of Feiyan Restaurant.

Li Liangcai walked into the kitchen, holding a new magazine behind his back.

"Uncle Li."

"Master."

In the kitchen, the cooks and kitchen staff, who were busy preparing the food, greeted him respectfully.

Li Laosan, who was teaching his apprentice how to fry scallion oil, turned around upon hearing the sound. When he saw Li Liangcai, he immediately put on a smile and walked over, "Master, what brings you here today?"

"I haven't been here for three days. I was just passing by today, so I thought I'd drop in and take a look." Li Liangcai looked at him and asked, "Have you been cooking lately? Have your cooking skills gotten rusty?"

“Yes! Then I’ll definitely cook every day!” Li Laosan nodded vigorously, looking at Li Liangcai with a bit of nervousness. “Master, I not only cook, but I also teach my apprentices every day. I’m very diligent.”

Li Liangcai's gaze swept over his disciples and grand-disciples behind him, and they immediately turned around and busied themselves, one wiping the cutting board, another wiping the knife, and still others busy picking vegetables.

"When will your apprentice be featured in the Sichuan Cuisine magazine?" Li Liangcai asked, looking at him.

"Huh?" Li Laosan was stunned, and stammered, "Master, you haven't gone up yet, how can it be my turn?"

Li Liangcai's face darkened, and he said in a deep voice, "Which leg did you step into the kitchen first today?"

Li Laosan hesitated and said, "Left...left leg?"

"Smack!" A magazine smacked him on the head. "How many times have I told you? When you enter the kitchen, you have to step in with your right leg first!"

Li Laosan: ?
No, did Master really teach that?
But what could he do? The final interpretation rested with his master.

Others call him Uncle Li as a sign of respect, but he calls him Uncle Li because he really is his uncle.

"I know, I'll definitely step on my right leg first next time," Li Laosan said, sounding aggrieved. He had a guess in his mind that he was probably stimulated by attending Master Kong's exchange meeting yesterday.

How can the Li family compare to the Confucian school?

Back then, the three outstanding members of the Kong School were very famous in Jiaozhou and were well-known in the Sichuan cuisine world.

Now, only Kong Qingfeng, the second master of the Three Heroes, remains. However, among the second-generation disciples, Fang Yifei and Song Bo are becoming increasingly famous, Xu Yunliang has become a first-class chef, and even Xiao Lei, who has the least talent, is a second-class chef.

In the Li family... only he, a first-class chef, is presentable. They also have two junior apprentices who are second-class chefs, but their skill level is somewhat inferior to Xiao Lei's.

“Master, we chefs shouldn’t care too much about fame. You were the one who told me that back then,” Li Laosan said gently, trying to comfort me.

"Xiao Lei's apprentice was featured in the latest issue of Sichuan Cuisine magazine, and his braised beef with 'Qiaojiao' was even on the cover." Li Liangcai flipped the magazine in his hand and shoved the cover page in front of Li Laosan's eyes.

"What?!" Li Laosan's voice suddenly rose, even producing a whistling sound.

The kitchen suddenly fell silent, and everyone turned around in surprise.

Three heads suddenly popped out from outside the kitchen. Huang He, Zhao Shulan, and Huang Ying were all dumbfounded.
"What?"

"Which one?"

"Zhou Yan?!"

Huang Ying rode her bicycle back from Suji, took a bath, changed her clothes, and came to the restaurant with her mother and father.

I followed Grandpa Li in, and was just about to say hello when I heard such explosive news.

Grandpa Li was the previous head chef of Feiyan Restaurant. After retiring two years ago, his apprentice, Li Laosan, took over.

Huang He stepped forward, greeted Li Liangcai first, took the magazine from him, and looked at the exquisite magazine cover. The clear broth beef in the blue and white porcelain bowl was none other than Zhou Yan's braised beef!
"It's braised beef! Absolutely." Huang Ying nodded with great certainty. Huang Bing loved braised beef so much that he ordered one every day, and sometimes even two. She was getting a little tired of it and would only eat it every other day.

As a restaurant owner, Huang He knows all too well the value of the Sichuan Cuisine magazine; he even used it to find a master of braised dishes not long ago.

The chefs who can be featured in this magazine are all highly skilled, generally quite old, and mostly renowned chefs in their respective regions.

He hadn't slept well for the past two days after hearing that Master Kong from Leming Hotel was going to be featured in a magazine, fearing that Leming Hotel would steal the spotlight and negatively impact their Feiyan Restaurant's business.

Who would have thought that before Master Kong even took his place, Zhou Yan, a grand-disciple, went first?
Huang He turned to the two pages of Zhou Yan's interview, and his feelings were a mix of emotions. This young man was too amazing. How come we couldn't invite him to work at Feiyan Restaurant!
Otherwise, he would have definitely enlarged the magazine cover tenfold and put up a sign at the entrance of the restaurant to promote it extensively.

"Zhou Yan still looks so handsome in the photo!" Huang Ying leaned over to look at the picture first, her eyes lighting up, and then asked curiously, "Old man, is Zhou Yan going to become famous?"

Huang He nodded: "Of course! He was published in Sichuan Cuisine magazine at the age of twenty, and his dishes were even on the cover. He became famous at a young age. In a few more years, he will definitely be a famous chef in Jiaozhou!"

"In the culinary world, that's called genius," Zhao Shulan said with a sigh.

Li Liangcai's face darkened further, and he looked at Li Laosan with a look of utter disappointment.

Li Laosan spread his hands innocently and mumbled, "Master, there are conditions to becoming famous at a young age. I'm already an old hand, so I should give this opportunity to the younger generation."

As he spoke, he turned his gaze to his group of disciples.

The apprentices immediately got busy again, wiping the pots, the stove, and the sides.

"You, come here!" Li Laosan's gaze fell on his youngest apprentice.

The young apprentice, who had just turned eighteen, walked over nervously and whispered, "Master, Grandmaster."

“You, in two years, will also be featured in Sichuan Cuisine magazine and bring glory to our Li school,” Li Laosan said.

Apprentice: "Me?"

"Yes, you're the one," Li Laosan patted him on the shoulder to encourage him, as he couldn't bear the blame for this either.

With a sputtering sound, Huang Bing's motorcycle stopped outside the kitchen door. Huang Bing carried two baskets of braised meat into the room and greeted Li Liangcai warmly: "Grandpa, you're here to have some fun too?"

However, he soon sensed that something was off about the atmosphere in the kitchen; everyone's expressions were rather strange.

Despite the apparent suppression, Huang Ying wore a smile on her face.

As long as the girl can still smile, it's generally not a big deal.

"What's going on here? A meeting?" Huang Bing grinned sheepishly.

"Snapped!"

Huang He casually slapped the magazine he was holding down.

"Old man? What are you doing?" Huang Bing was a little confused.

Huang He hadn't expected it to go so smoothly. Since he'd already hit him, he said irritably, "Your Uncle Li said that you have to step into the kitchen with your right leg first. I just saw you step in with your left leg first."

Huang Bing was a little confused and looked at Huang Ying beside him: "When were these rules set? Today?"

Huang Ying covered her mouth and laughed: "Maybe."

Li Liangcai took the magazine back from Huang He and looked at Li Laosan and his disciples and grand-disciples, saying: "Study hard, practice diligently, and you will become proficient through practice. It's okay if you are not as talented as others, but if you are not as talented as others and are not as hardworking, then there is a big problem. Diligence is the most important thing, there are no shortcuts."

Everyone stopped what they were doing and nodded thoughtfully at Li Liangcai.

Huang Bing placed the braised meat on the cutting board and nodded in agreement.

His hands had many scars, both old and new.

"I'm leaving, you guys keep busy." Li Liangcai smiled and walked towards the door with his hands behind his back.

"Uncle Li, sit down and have a cup of tea." Huang He followed him outside.

"No, Mr. Huang, you go ahead with your work." Li Liangcai left without looking back.

"What's going on? Why is the atmosphere so strange?" Huang Bing asked in a low voice as he followed Huang Ying out of the kitchen.

"Zhou Yan was featured in the Sichuan Cuisine magazine, and his braised beef with 'Qiaojiao' was even on the cover. Grandpa Li was a little envious, so he came over and gave his apprentices and grand-apprentices a good scolding," Huang Ying whispered, taking her bag from behind the counter, slinging it over her shoulder, and walking out the door.

"Zhou Yan is in a magazine?" Huang Bing was stunned when he heard this, and asked Huang Ying's retreating figure, "Where are you going?"

"Go buy a magazine and see how the editors praise Zhou Yan," Huang Ying said with a smile.

"Then I'll go buy a copy too." Huang Bing quickly followed.

"Yingying, buy me one too." Huang He entered the room, took out a dollar and handed it to Huang Ying.

“Okay,” Huang Ying replied with a smile.

"Zhou Yan is so promising. He's only twenty years old. When his master was twenty, he had just finished his apprenticeship, and he was already on the cover of a magazine." Huang He couldn't help but sigh.

"You mean his future achievements might surpass those of his advisor?" Zhao Shulan asked, somewhat surprised.

"His culinary skills may not reach the level of Master Kong Huaifeng, but his thinking is more agile. He is a very clever and intelligent young man." Huang He's expression was full of admiration: "He can even be featured in Sichuan Cuisine magazine by opening a restaurant in Suji. Once he gets this reputation, it will be like adding wings to a tiger if he opens a restaurant in Jiaozhou in the future."

Zhao Shulan nodded thoughtfully upon hearing this: "That makes sense. If he can run a successful business in Suji, he might not be able to compete with our Feiyan Restaurant if he comes to Jiaozhou."

"Tell me, why can't we have a son like this?" Huang He said with envy.

……

"The photo and the actual product are completely different! I've never used such a beautiful bowl when I ate braised beef!" Huang Bing held a magazine in his hand, expressing his indignation at the cover photo: "Photo fraud!"

"You don't know anything! Changing the plate to make the photo look better is a perfectly normal thing to do." Huang Ying rolled her eyes at him. "Look at the soup, the beef, the tripe, it's exactly the same as what you eat at the restaurant every day!"

"Hehe, my favorite dish is braised beef with ribs, how could I not know that?" Huang Bing grinned. "It's clear I'm not the only one who likes Brother Yan's braised beef with ribs, he deserves to be famous!"

Huang Ying sat down on the bench next to her and couldn't wait to open the magazine and start reading.

Seeing this, Huang Bing sat down as well, casually flipping through the pages. He quickly stopped laughing and exclaimed in surprise, "This... how come they're all top-level chefs, famous chefs from all over the country, and even masters who have cooked abroad?"

"This further demonstrates the value of this magazine." Huang Ying's eyes shone: "Zhou Yan replicated the Qiaojiao Beef from a torn recipe page, and made improvements. After countless failures, he strived for perfection and cooked up such a delicious and flavorful Qiaojiao Beef soup."

"This ability and spirit deserve the title of a rising star in the culinary world."

"I have a strong feeling that Zhou Yan will definitely become a top Sichuan cuisine master in the future!"

Huang Bing closed the magazine and straightened his back: "What do you think of me?"

Huang Ying glanced at him and said, "You have the potential to become a qualified assistant."

"By North!"

……

"It's been less than a month, and you're back again. Is Zhou Yan's cooking really that appealing?" Huang Chen looked at He Zhiyuan, who was riding alongside him, with a hint of sarcasm in his smile. "Who was it that said Suji was a culinary wasteland back then?"

“Zhou Yan’s cooking is indeed quite good, but compared to his food, I think his personal charm is even greater. He always manages to surprise me and provides me with useful advice on my creative work.” He Zhiyuan said with a smile, “I take back what I said before. Suji does have delicious food. I was just narrow-minded before.”

"You stubborn bastard, you actually take back what you said?" Huang Chen was quite surprised and looked at him, saying, "What are you planning to interview him about this time? Braised meat? Let me tell you, the braised vegetarian dishes he recently launched are really good. My kids love them, especially the braised tofu skin. The taste is simply amazing, even more fragrant than meat."

"There are braised vegetarian dishes too?" Huang Chen was a little surprised. "It's an interview about braised food, but not about Zhou Yan, it's about her grandmother, Comrade Zhang Shufen."

"Grandma Zhang?" Huang Chen was taken aback for a moment, then nodded in deep agreement: "Then you've come to the right place. Zhou Yan learned all his skills from Grandma Zhang. The braised meat she makes is absolutely delicious. I often hear some older comrades say that back then, Zhang's braised food stall was so popular at the bridgehead that it was even more popular than the current Zhou Erwa Restaurant with long queues."

Of course, Old Lady Zhang's legend is not limited to this pot of braised food; her husband…

The two bicycles rode side by side, and Huang Chen calmly recounted the legendary experiences of Old Lady Zhang.

Xiao Li sat in the back seat, his hand reaching into his bag for his laptop several times, but he gave up each time because the road was too bumpy, his mind racing.

You're so dense, hurry up and memorize this!

According to the work manual, as a stenographer, one must record all supplementary information provided by bystanders regarding the events of the person in question.

Why was Mayor Huang talking in the car?

Have you considered his feelings?

Aren't cattle and horses human beings?
I don't want to go to this lousy class even once!

"Excellent! This is invaluable supplementary information," He Zhiyuan exclaimed.

Xiao Li snapped to attention, squinted, and listened even more intently.

"Old Huang, it's my treat today. Order whatever you want to eat, and bring the kid some braised vegetables on your way back." He Zhiyuan looked at Huang Chen and said with a smile, "But I need to borrow your old bicycle for half a day this afternoon. Xiao Li and I are going to Zhoucun to visit and interview Grandma Zhang."

"Go ahead and use it. I don't need a car for my meeting this afternoon," Huang Chen nodded with a smile.

The two chatted along the way. When they arrived at the textile factory gate, the textile factory workers had already finished their lunch shift and formed three long lines in front of Zhou Erwa Restaurant, with seven or eight people in each line.

"These are all customers who want to take away braised dishes. Many of them are afraid that if they come late at night, they won't be able to buy what they want to eat," Huang Chen said with a smile. Looking back, he saw that He Zhiyuan had already taken out his camera and pressed the shutter on the crowd in line.

Putting down his camera, He Zhiyuan smiled and said, "The workers queuing up, the middle-aged man cutting meat, the table full of braised meat and braised vegetables, and the steaming hot pot of braised beef in the background—what a lively and heartwarming scene!"

"Let's go." After parking the car, He Zhiyuan walked towards the braised food stall first. "Today I want to try just how delicious these braised vegetarian dishes are, that they can make so many customers line up to buy them. I can't see the grand scene at Suji Bridge back then, but it's the same to look back on it here today."
-
P.S.: This is a two-in-one update, and there will be an extra chapter tonight!
MoMo's eyes sparkled: Honey, please! Give me a monthly pass!
(End of this chapter)