1984: Starting from a bankrupt Sichuan restaurant

Chapter 188 The Taste, No Comparison! (Bonus Chapter 1433 for 5k Monthly Tickets)

"Alright, then I'll trouble you." Zhou Ming handed the tea leaves in his hand to Song Wanqing. "These are tea leaves picked from the ancient tea trees on the mountain behind our school. It's just a small token of my appreciation. Please have a taste, sir."

Song Wanqing reached out and took the tea bag, nodding with a smile: "Okay, my grandfather happens to love drinking tea, I will pass on your thoughtfulness."

"Farewell." Zhou Ming cupped his hands in farewell.

"Goodbye, Teacher Zhou." Song Wanqing smiled and nodded.

Zhou Ming turned and walked towards Zhou Yan, the door slowly closing behind him.

"Ming-ge, I think there's a good chance you'll succeed in this," Zhou Yan said with a smile on the way back.

"We can't even get a meeting with him, I think it's unlikely." Zhou Ming sighed and said, "I asked around before, and Song Changhe once said that the spear technique is only passed down to the Song family. He has two sons, and neither of them is interested in practicing martial arts."

"Then you need to change your mindset and find a way to become a member of the Song family, then this matter will be resolved, won't it?" Zhou Yan said, turning his head.

"Huh? What are you talking about?" Zhou Ming was a little confused.

“That teacher Song Wanqing from just now, isn’t she a teacher at No. 1 Middle School? And now you’ve been transferred back to No. 1 Middle School.” Zhou Yan braked the car, turned around and looked at him seriously, “If you can’t get the door open at No. 8 Dongfeng Lane, why don’t you try to get the door open to Teacher Song’s heart? That way, Song Changhe will definitely be happy to teach you marksmanship, and Third Aunt’s wish for today will come true.”

Zhou Ming was stunned. He scratched his head and said, "I want to learn the skills, how can I be thinking about that girl? That's not right!"

Zhou Yan chuckled and said with a smile, "Maybe Junior Sister Song still has her eye on you, Senior Zhou. Anyway, if you want to learn Song Changhe's spear technique, you'll have to find a breakthrough with Song Wanqing. But, whatever you do, don't be a simp. You have to maintain your martial arts champion's cool image and not ruin your persona."

"What is a 'simp'?" Zhou Ming asked seriously.

“It’s when you know you can’t have her, but you still treat her well. That’s called being a simp.” Zhou Yan looked at him and said earnestly, “Also, don’t keep saying ‘she’s different.’ Simps often do that too.”

Zhou Ming said quietly, "Old Mr. Song is different."

“Look, you know you can’t have him, but you still treat him well. Isn’t that just being a simp?” Zhou Yan shrugged.

Zhou Ming fell silent.

“You can’t treat Teacher Song like that,” Zhou Yan said earnestly. “Otherwise, you won’t be able to keep up with her.”

"Damn! Let's go home!" Zhou Ming reached out and patted him on the back, unable to help but laugh.

Zhou Yan smiled and rode away on his bicycle. He didn't understand dating, but he couldn't stand sycophants.

He didn't want the Zhou family, full of loyal martyrs, to produce a Gotham madman.

But Teacher Song, judging from his level, is much higher than Brother Ming. All those calls of "Teacher Zhou" must have confused him.

Back at the restaurant, everyone was already seated inside.

Some were playing cards around the table, while others were chatting on the benches by the door. The children were having a great time playing in the open space by the door.

The old lady and Zhang Zhengping sat and chatted at the door.

When Zhang Zhengping saw Zhou Yan and Zhou Ming return, he greeted them, stood up, and said with a smile, "I'm going back tomorrow. I'm going to visit Ji Hongtao."

“Uncle, why don’t you invite Dr. Ji over for dinner tonight?” Zhou Yan said with a smile.

“It’s a family gathering, it’s not appropriate to call him that,” Zhang Zhengping shook his head.

“What’s inappropriate? He’s your student, and he’s family too.” Zhou Yan stepped forward and lowered his voice a bit as he looked at his great-uncle. “Dr. Ji is the vice president of the factory hospital. The treatment conditions at the factory hospital are better than those at the health center. If you introduce us, great-uncle, we can find someone we know if there’s any emergency at home.”

Zhang Zhengping smiled upon hearing this, and looked at Zhou Yan with considerable satisfaction, saying, "Your Zhou family has produced someone who can use his brain. Alright, I'll go over and take a look. If he's not busy, I'll bring him over later."

"Okay, then I'll go prepare the dishes first." Zhou Yan nodded with a smile.

Some things need to be said frankly, and given the relationship between my great-uncle and the old lady, they certainly won't refuse.

Zhou Yan was certain of this, so he spoke very directly.

If there are elderly people or children in the family, headaches and fevers are inevitable.

Opportunities to befriend the vice president of the factory hospital are rare, but with my great-uncle, my mentor, acting as a go-between, maintaining the relationship on a daily basis becomes much easier.

Zhou Yan planned to become a familiar face so that if he ever ended up in the hospital, he could find someone to help him.

Moreover, once you reach the level of vice president, you'll have some connections within the city hospital, which is often much more effective than running around aimlessly like a headless fly.

The old lady's lips curled up slightly when she heard their conversation.

Zhang Zhengping's words make sense. The men of the Zhou family are all stubborn and inflexible.

Zhou Yan is different. Since he started doing business, his mind has become more agile, and now he even takes the initiative to maintain relationships.

This is something that none of his brothers could learn.

"Zhou Yan, do you need any help?" Zhou Jie put down his cards and asked Zhou Yan.

"There are only three tables, no need for help, you can do your thing." Zhou Yan said with a smile. Normally, when all twenty tables are full, they have to turn over tables, but it's only 3:30 now, and the braised meat was prepared in advance this morning, so they can prepare the dishes at their own pace without any rush.

"Uncle, let me help you!" Zhou Lihui followed him into the kitchen.

“Sure, you can wash the vegetables and start the fire,” Zhou Yan said with a smile, not refusing the young apprentice.

He wasn't in a rush to cook the dishes. He first stewed the beef brisket and ribs in the pot. He believed that cooking required preparation in advance and slow simmering over low heat to bring out the best flavor.

Then I started preparing the ingredients.

The workload of preparing ingredients in a restaurant kitchen is actually quite large, comparable to that of cooking.

Zhou Yan prepared many small plates. The dishes had to be portioned into serving sizes in advance to ensure efficient serving.

In large hotels, tasks like setting up a stove and preparing food are usually handled independently.

Zhou Yan had no choice but to take on the job himself for now.

"The kitchen helper is a very important assistant to the chef. He is responsible for connecting the kitchen staff and the chef in this process. He has to prepare the ingredients needed for each dish, thereby improving the chef's efficiency in serving food." Zhou Yan called Zhou Lihui over and began to explain to him the amount and distribution of some dishes.

A chef's ability to control the amount of ingredients is a fundamental skill. An excellent chef is also an excellent kitchen helper and kitchen helper, especially in smaller restaurants, where one person basically has to take care of the whole process.

Zhou Lihui listened attentively and began to divide the dishes according to Zhou Yan's instructions.

He now comes to the restaurant every morning to help out, and the work he does is actually similar to that of a kitchen helper.

He was in charge of seasoning the noodles and ladling the toppings. He became more and more skilled at it, which allowed Zhou Yan to have more energy to make ramen, greatly improving the efficiency of noodle serving.

This kid has a talent for seasoning, and he's hardworking and reliable. He gets up early every day to help out at the shop, and he never complains about being tired or overworked. He always comes in full of energy every morning.

Time flies, and it's already five o'clock.

Zhou Yan lifted the lids of two small pots beside him. Beef brisket and ribs were bubbling in the pots, and the aroma wafted out with the steam. He picked up a piece of beef brisket, and the bright red beef trembled. The translucent tendons were also stained with the clear broth.

"Try it." Zhou Yan handed it to Zhou Lihui.

Zhou Lihui opened his mouth and took it, wincing from the heat and breathing out hot air. After a while, he chewed and swallowed, nodding and saying, "It's soft! The taste is just right, delicious!"

Zhou Yan smiled and nodded: "I know, I just wanted you to try a piece first."

Zhou Lihui grinned.

Zhou Yan put the lid on the bottom of the honeycomb briquette stove, turned the fire down to a low flame, and placed the pot on top to keep it warm. He estimated that it would be ready to be plated and served soon.

“Master, is it really appropriate for me to go? I just got off work empty-handed, I’d be so embarrassed.” A middle-aged man followed beside Zhang Zhengping, smiling and spreading his hands.

"What's the big deal? You don't expect me to bring a gift just for a casual meal." Zhang Zhengping paused, looked at him and said, "You're always so busy, even working Sundays. I finally managed to come all the way to Suji, so you have to have a meal with me, right?"

Ji Hongtao said with a guilty look, "Of course! I didn't treat you well this time. I'll definitely go to Niuhua to see you and your wife next month when I'm on vacation, and have a good drink with you."

Zhang Zhengping waved his hand and said, "No need to wait until next month. Tonight, my apprentice and I will have a good drink. Anyway, you don't have to work tonight."

“Okay, I’ll do whatever Master says.” Ji Hongtao nodded with a smile and continued walking forward, asking curiously, “Is that restaurant by the factory gate owned by your grandson? I’ve heard my colleagues talk about it a few times, saying the food is good, but I haven’t tried it yet.”

Zhang Zhengping looked at him and said, "You're just too serious about your work. You only have your work on your mind and don't care enough about your life. I bet you eat three meals a day in the cafeteria all year round."

"No, not really. I still go home for meals on Sundays when I'm not on duty. I also have a few days off during the Spring Festival to go back to Chengdu. My mom is a great cook," Ji Hongtao said with a smile.

"We still need to find some joy in life, like going out to find some good food. After eating, our mood will improve all day." Zhang Zhengping said earnestly, "As doctors, we see too many scenes of life and death, so our mentality is a bit not good. We need to learn to adjust ourselves."

"I understand." Ji Hongtao nodded and followed behind Zhang Zhengping, feeling as if he had become the greenhorn who had just started his internship at the hospital.

"Your great-uncle and the others are here! You can start serving the dishes now." Zhao Tieying saw them at the door and quickly walked into the kitchen.

"Okay, let's start with the braised dishes, one plate per table." Zhou Yan nodded and put the last piece of braised beef into the plate.

Zhao Hong followed her into the kitchen and began serving the dishes.

"Huihui, start the fire and cook!" Zhou Yan said while ladling out the food. "Okay!" Zhou Lihui replied and immediately went behind the stove to start a fire. The match ignited the straw, and the fire quickly got going.

After this period of training, he has become a qualified cook.

Zhang Zhengping led Ji Hongtao into the restaurant, introduced him to everyone, and sat down at a table with the old lady and the five Zhou brothers.

The children sat at one table, and the cousins ​​and their wives sat at another.

Zhou Yan brought out two plates of braised pork ribs.

Zhang Zhengping smiled and introduced to Ji Hongtao, "This is Zhou Yan. He owns this restaurant. He and Zhou Ming caught four thieves a couple of days ago."

Ji Hongtao looked at Zhou Yan with some surprise: "You're so young and accomplished. You've opened such a big restaurant at such a young age. I've often heard my colleagues say that your food is delicious. I didn't expect the owner to be so young and handsome."

That's the truth. He thought that the restaurant's reputation was built on having a master chef in the kitchen.

I was surprised to see him today; he's a handsome young man.

Such a young chef, and he cooks so well?

The hospital canteen and the factory canteen are separate. They have a small canteen where the chef is around forty years old, and his skills are only average.

Zhou Yan smiled and said, "Dean Ji, you flatter me. I often hear my great-uncle mention you, saying that you are his prized student."

Upon hearing this, Ji Hongtao smiled broadly and said, "It's good enough that you didn't embarrass the teacher."

"You guys sit down and eat first, don't wait for me. The food will get cold in this weather, and it won't taste as good once it's warm," Zhou Yan said with a smile, putting down the ribs in his hand and glancing at Zhou Momo, who was already sitting in the main seat at the children's table.

The little guy slept all afternoon, but woke up promptly at mealtime.

"Okay!" everyone replied with laughter.

Zhou Yan returned to the kitchen and busied herself, stir-frying twice-cooked pork on the left and frying crucian carp on the right, working on both at the same time.

"The ribs are so delicious!"

"It smells so good!"

"Uncle is amazing!"

The children were already eating at their table, and their innocent exclamations of surprise made everyone laugh.

Zhou Yan prepared two plates of braised pork ribs for them, both with extra portions, to prevent them from fighting over a piece of rib.

Zhou Miao had already poured the wine for everyone, in small cups, each cup containing about three ounces, and they were almost all full, including the old lady's.

The old lady picked up her chopsticks and said, "Don't rush to drink, eat some vegetables first."

Everyone smiled and nodded.

"Try Zhou Yan's cooking. Don't let his young age fool you; his skills are just as good as the master chefs at Rongcheng Grand Hotel," Zhang Zhengping said to Ji Hongtao with a smile.

"I think this braised beef is pretty good." Ji Hongtao picked up his chopsticks and took a piece of braised beef. The beef was cut as thick as a coin, with a bright red color and tendons like amber on it. It looked very appealing.

I put it in my mouth and chewed it. The braised beef had a firm texture, not dry or tough. It had a rich braised aroma that became more and more fragrant the more I chewed. The beef flavor was quite prominent!
After eating one piece, Ji Hongtao's eyes lit up.

it is tasty!
This braised beef tastes amazing! It's completely different from any braised beef I've ever had before. The braising liquid is incredibly fragrant! The texture is also absolutely fantastic!
"Delicious! This braised beef is really great, the taste is unbeatable." Ji Hongtao nodded, then picked up a piece of braised pig's head and put it in his mouth.

Compared to firm braised beef, braised pig's head meat has a softer and more tender texture. The half-fat and half-lean braised pig's head meat is fatty but not greasy. The aroma of braising permeates the meat, and when you chew it, you are filled with the aroma of meat and braising, which makes your mouth water and leaves a long-lasting aftertaste.

Ji Hongtao couldn't resist raising his glass and saying with a smile, "This braised beef and braised pig's head are so delicious with alcohol. Come on, let me first toast my master, the old lady, Minister Zhou, and all my brothers. Thank you for inviting me to such a special family dinner."

Everyone laughed and raised their glasses for a light clink, taking a sip of wine.

"Zhou Yan has truly mastered my mother's braised dishes; the taste is so good, I can't even tell the difference," Zhou Qing exclaimed.

"The ribs are cooked perfectly, they fall off the bone with just a touch, and they smell wonderful," Zhou Ze said with a smile as he placed a piece of rib in the old lady's bowl.

This was his first time eating at Zhou Yan's restaurant. He had only ever tried Zhou Yan's braised dishes before, and Zhou Jie had told him that Zhou Yan's twice-cooked pork was delicious, but he had never had the time or the confidence to go and eat there.

After tasting this braised pork ribs today, I immediately understood the feeling Jay Chou was talking about.

Zhou Yan's cooking is truly exceptional!

He had never tasted ribs that were so delicious!
Upon hearing this, Ji Hongtao couldn't resist picking up a piece of pork rib and putting it in his mouth.

The tender ribs were so soft that they broke apart with the touch of your teeth, and the sauce and meaty aroma burst in your mouth, creating an incredibly tender and lingering texture!

After swallowing, it leaves a slightly sweet aftertaste and a lingering fragrance.

These ribs are amazing!
In comparison, the braised pork ribs made by the cafeteria chefs are often still attached to the bone and are too salty and spicy, making them completely inferior.

Pork ribs are not commonly eaten because they have little meat.

But today, this braised pork ribs dish was emptied in no time after it was served.

The usually composed family even felt a sudden urge to grab food from the children's table.

"A magic cloak, huh? That kid only has one non-spicy dish." Wu Haiyan glared at Zhou Jie.

"Mom, I was just kidding. I would never do such a thing." Zhou Jie smiled awkwardly.

Fortunately, the braised beef with dried bamboo shoots filled the gap in time, drawing exclamations of amazement.

"These dried bamboo shoots have soaked up all the beef broth; they taste even better than the meat itself!" Ji Hongtao had already served his rice. He ate a piece of dried bamboo shoot, then shoveled a big mouthful of rice into his mouth, praising it highly.

Pick up a piece of beef and put it in your mouth. The marbled beef brisket melts in your mouth with a bite, with soft and chewy tendons. The rich sauce has a hint of spiciness, and it's oily and refreshing. One bite is so satisfying.

He wants to apologize to Zhou Yan now.

He had previously underestimated him.

Cooking skills have nothing to do with age!
A genius chef who can create amazing dishes at the age of twenty.

That's right, just like Zhou Yan.

Twice-cooked pork, stir-fried pork liver, and Mapo tofu were served one by one.

Ji Hongtao wasn't the only one amazed; the entire Zhou family was too.

Everyone is usually busy, and even though Zhou Jie and Zhou Ming have come to eat here once or twice, they only ate a limited number of dishes.

The others had not yet tasted Zhou Yan's skills other than making braised dishes.

Today, Zhou Yan served everyone the dishes according to the menu, one after another of his signature dishes, which amazed everyone.

Ji Hongtao finished two bowls of rice and filled his second glass of wine.

“Master, I finally understand what you mean by ‘fun’ now. Enjoying delicious food really does make people feel good.” Ji Hongtao looked at Zhang Zhengping and said with a smile, “You can’t even get such delicious food at a banquet! Every dish has its own unique flavor, and the taste is simply amazing.”

The atmosphere at today's meal was indeed more lively than at a banquet.

The children don't need to be fed; they grab their bowls and eat on their own, which is so convenient.

The aunties and sisters-in-law were both happy and a little disappointed. They usually cook ordinary home-style dishes, and their skills are not bad. They rarely eat out, so they don't think their cooking skills are bad.

But after eating Zhou Yan's cooking today, they ate without making a sound.

Every family slaughters a cow; who doesn't have beef brisket?
But who can cook beef brisket and dried bamboo shoots to taste like this!

Especially twice-cooked pork, which everyone considers their specialty.

But Zhou Yan's stir-fried pork with garlic sprouts tastes and feels completely different!
The skin is fragrant and chewy, the fatty meat melts in your mouth, and the lean meat is firm but not dry at all, with a chewy texture. It's fatty but not oily, fragrant but not greasy!
He managed to win over all the housewives.

"Tieying, you must ask Zhou Yan to teach me how to stir-fry this twice-cooked pork later. Even just a rough guide will do. It tastes so good!" Wu Haiyan said sincerely, holding Zhao Tieying's hand.

“Fourth Aunt, we want to learn too!” all the cousins ​​said.

“Okay, Zhou Yan will explain the key points and techniques to you later.” Zhao Tieying nodded with a smile.

"What are we learning?" Zhou Yan came out carrying a tray and said with a smile, "Here comes the last dish, shredded pork with garlic sauce."

Everyone's eyes lit up immediately!
A perfect serving of shredded pork with garlic sauce

……

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(End of this chapter)