1984: Starting from a bankrupt Sichuan restaurant

Chapter 280 This is what word-of-mouth is all about (6.2k words, two chapters combined)

All eyes turned to Zhou Yan, some with surprise, some with delight, and of course, some with doubt.

"Junior brother, do you really know how to dry-roast rock carp?" Zheng Qiang asked.

"Disciple, have you ever killed a rock carp?" Xiao Lei asked.

Kong Qingfeng: "..."

Kong Guodong and Kong Liwei hesitated to speak.

Lin Qing's expression was somewhat complicated. This Kong school seemed quite different from what he remembered.

Is it the Kong School, which is full of famous chefs from Jiaozhou?
“Last time I watched Master Xu make braised rock carp, he gave me a few pointers, which inspired me greatly. After I got back, I studied the recipe carefully and reviewed the process of Master making braised rock carp before. I tried to replicate it a few times.” Zhou Yan said seriously, spreading his hands: “Of course, believe it or not.”

Now everyone was looking at each other in bewilderment.

If someone else said this, they definitely wouldn't believe it no matter what.

But this is Zhou Yan!

He even replicated the Snowflake Chicken Noodle Soup, which he had never seen before, and his replica of the Braised Beef with Pork Knuckle was featured on the cover of Sichuan Cuisine magazine.

"letter."

Everyone nodded.

Although I wasn't sure, I nodded subconsciously.

This is called word of mouth.

"Xiao Zhou, the reputation of the Kong School depends on you." Kong Qingfeng held Zhou Yan's hand, his eyes full of expectation and entrustment.

"Grandmaster Uncle, don't worry." Zhou Yan nodded and silently withdrew his hand. "Did you wash your hands in the outhouse just now?"

"Ahem... I'll wash it later." Kong Qingfeng's expression was slightly unnatural.

The tense atmosphere immediately eased considerably.

Kong Guodong said, "Zhou Yan is going to cook three dishes, so the schedule might be a bit tight. Liwei and I will help you with the fish preparation and cutting. Is that alright?"

"Of course it will work, Master Uncle is so thoughtful. I have to make the snowflake chicken and minced pork myself, but you and Master can prepare the ingredients for the braised rock carp for me, and we'll have enough time." Zhou Yan nodded. Two second-level chefs would be his assistants today, so there was no reason to refuse.

"Me?" Xiao Lei raised an eyebrow. This kid really thought he was a fool.

"Not doing it?" Zhou Yan glanced at him, then turned his gaze to Zheng Qiang. "If you don't want to, there are plenty of people who will."

“I’ll do it! I’ll do it!” Zheng Qiang nodded in agreement.

"Let's do it! Let's get to the bottom of this!" Xiao Lei nodded.

"That's fine then." Zhou Yan smiled.

Lin Qing: "..."

The Confucian school is truly extraordinary.

It's now settled that Zhou Yan will replace Kong Qingfeng as the head chef of braised rock carp.

Since the Kong faction had no objections, Lin Qing naturally had no objections either.

He had tasted Zhou Yan's crucian carp with agastache and was amazed by its divine flavor.

Even if you're not very skilled at making braised rock carp, it shouldn't taste too bad.

After all, his master and senior brother are here. He must have some confidence to step forward, right?

Maybe……

Damn, I'm still worried.

Everyone is the same.

Kong Qingfeng waved his hand: "You guys go ahead and do your work, don't worry about me. I'll rest a bit more, drink some salt water and sugar water, and come over when I have the energy."

“Alright, we’ll get back to work then.” Zhou Yan nodded and looked at Kong Qingfeng, saying, “Grandmaster Uncle, if you need anything, just call the staff. If you’re not feeling well, go back first. Your health is the most important thing; everything else is minor.”

"Okay." Kong Qingfeng smiled with satisfaction. This kid is reliable in both his words and actions.

Everyone returned to the kitchen, and Zhou Yan went to wash his hands first.

I carefully rubbed my hands with soap, washing them three times.

Seeing this, Kong Liwei also washed his hands three times.

Many chefs cast concerned glances at them.

A banquet is a unified whole, with each dish forming a complete meal.

As a renowned chef in Jiaozhou and the head of the Kong school of Peking Opera, Kong Qingfeng's braised rock carp is the grand finale dish served last today.

The sudden incident involving Master Kong has left him still not back in the kitchen, causing some concern.

Of course, there are also those who enjoy watching the drama unfold.

It's often said that competitors are enemies, and that's definitely true.

The Kong school of culinary arts has gained considerable influence in Jiaozhou. Kong Huaifeng founded a training class, and Kong Qingfeng took over and continued to run the class, making it a veritable Whampoa Military Academy for Jiaozhou's culinary world.

Confucius' disciples have spread to restaurants throughout Sichuan and even across the country; it's no exaggeration to say they have students all over the world.

In Jiaozhou, there is a saying that no feast is complete without Confucius, which shows the influence of the Confucian school.

But precisely because of this, chefs from other schools of thought harbor some resentment.

If the head chef of the Confucian school messes up the final dish on such an important occasion, the reputation of the Confucian school will be ruined.

"How is Qingfeng? Is he still feeling unwell?" Li Liangcai walked over and asked with concern.

He has been friends with Kong Qingfeng and Kong Huaifeng for decades. They often hosted banquets together when they were young and had a very close relationship.

Hearing the sound, everyone turned to look.

"Uncle Li, my master had diarrhea from not cooking the hotpot properly at noon. He's a bit weak now and is resting in the lounge. His condition has stabilized and there's nothing seriously wrong, so don't worry," Kong Guodong replied.

"It's good that he's alright. He just had a craving for tender meat; he threw javelins a lot for that when he was young." Li Liangcai breathed a sigh of relief.

Qin Kun, who was standing to the side, also laughed. This was indeed not a strange thing.

"He's exhausted. What about the braised rock carp? Can he even come back to cook in this condition?" Li Liangcai asked again, his brows furrowed.

"I'm afraid I can't do it. After all, I'm this age. It will probably take a few days to recover," Kong Guodong shook his head.

Upon hearing this, both Li Liangcai and Qin Kun sighed.

People of this age all deeply understand the feeling of their bodies deteriorating day by day.

"Guodong, are you in charge of preparing this braised rock carp today?" Qin Kun asked, looking at Kong Guodong.

Li Liangcai looked at him as well, a hint of worry in his eyes.

Kong Guodong is Kong Qingfeng's nephew and the first person he was taken on as an apprentice. He has been learning to cook for more than 30 years, but his cooking skills are not particularly good.

Within the Kong school, there are plenty of people with better skills than him.

Leaving aside Fang Yifei, Song Bo, and Xu Yunliang, even Xiao Lei, who has worked in the factory canteen for over twenty years, has better cooking skills than him.

This fish is presentable enough to be served at a restaurant, but its taste is debatable.

"It wasn't me, it was Zhou Yan." Kong Guodong pointed to Zhou Yan, who was already preparing to pound the mushroom.

"Zhou Yan? Wasn't he supposed to be making two dishes?" Li Liangcai asked, somewhat surprised.

"You even let him make braised rock carp? He's mastered this dish?" Qin Kun was equally astonished.

The chefs in the kitchen were also somewhat surprised upon hearing this.

Is this fourth-generation disciple of the Kong school really that extraordinary?
"Holy crap! Zhou Yan is too awesome!" Lu Chuan was dumbfounded.

He felt fully involved in his master's jar of braised pork, taking on the responsibilities of cutting the meat and tending the pot, which made him the envy of the other young chefs in the kitchen.

Zhou Yan not only cooks two dishes himself, but now he also has to cook the final dish for his grandmaster's banquet.

Even the genius at this guesthouse has to call him a genius.

“He dares to do the dry-fried rock carp that Guodong and Shitou wouldn’t dare to do! He dares to take on the things they wouldn’t dare to do! This young man is extraordinary!” Lu Xiaoji also sighed with emotion, turning his gaze to Xiao Lei, his tone a little sour: “This old guy is really lucky.”

Kong Guodong lacks natural talent in cooking and is somewhat worried about it, but he is never intimidated in public. He stands tall and proudly says, "Zhou Yan is a representative of the fourth generation of our Kong school disciples and an outstanding young chef. Under Xiao Lei's careful guidance, he has deeply inherited the true teachings of Grandpa Kong Huaifeng."

Braised rock carp is one of the representative dishes of the Kong school of Peking Opera, and Zhou Yan has mastered it thoroughly, so it's no problem for him. Today, he will demonstrate it for the guests and masters present.

Whether it works or not, as long as it's done, it's a success!
Momentum cannot be lost.

We'll talk about other things once the food is served.

Xiao Lei, who was about to kill the fish, couldn't suppress the smile on his face.

That's right, this is the apprentice he carefully trained.

Eh?
Why does it remind you of when the staff introduced his mentor back in the day, and he stood next to them with a proud look on his face?
I don't care, I'll just be proud.

Since Kong Guodong had already said that, the others naturally couldn't say anything more.

However, there are still some doubts about the fact that Zhou Yan cooked three dishes by himself, and even added a dish of braised rock carp at the last minute.

Can a chef in his early twenties really do it?
Whether it will work or not, only Zhou Yan knows.

While pounding the chicken breast with the back of a knife, Zhou Yan silently brought up the interface and clicked to redeem the task reward.

[Ding! The recipe for "Braised Rock Carp" has been successfully redeemed. Status: Available for learning!]

See, this works.

This is what he earned after working hard on his mission!
He was still debating what dish to change to this morning.

Now it's okay, no need to worry about it.

This matter concerns the honor of the Confucian school; Confucian disciples should naturally step forward, it is their duty...

Forget it, I can't keep making this up. What's the difference between changing it and changing it to a dry-fried rock carp would be fine too.

He might not have even thought of these high-end banquet dishes if he hadn't come here to attend a banquet.

Kong Pai is skilled at cooking fish, with dry-fried rock carp being a signature dish.

Xu Yunliang established himself in the Rongcheng Restaurant by relying on his skill in dry-roasting rock carp.

This shows the importance of this dish in Sichuan banquets.

In a few years, when rock carp are protected as protected species, we won't be able to eat authentic wild ones anymore.

Today, in this emergency, if Kong Guodong and his master can't step up, then he definitely has to step up.

In this situation, the reputation of the Confucian school has been ruined, and everyone present bears responsibility.

Looking at the gleaming gold menu, Zhou Yan felt much more at ease.

That should secure the outcome.

The breasts of two young chickens were pounded into a fine paste, the tendons were removed, and the meat was scraped several times to make sure there were no problems before the batter was prepared.

Today's banquet will be served at three tables for guests. As is customary, one table will also be set up in the kitchen. Once the kitchen is finished, the masters who are present today will sit at another table to facilitate communication and exchange among themselves.

For a banquet held in the open air, a table must be reserved for the chefs and their assistants. Today, all the chefs who came were prominent figures, so naturally, they couldn't be allowed to go home hungry, otherwise no one would come next time. As for the assistants, they might not even get to eat a complete meal.

Because some dishes use really precious ingredients, like sea cucumber and abalone, it depends on whether there's any left after four tables are set.

After some thought, Zhou Yan realized he could make five servings of Snowflake Chicken Noodles.

Zhou Yan was preparing snowflake chicken soup, while Xiao Lei killed and brought back four rock carp to start marinating them.

Xiao Lei's braised rock carp wasn't very good, but his skill in preparing the rock carp was still excellent.

He used to assist Kong Huaifeng a lot, and his skills in killing and pickling fish are still very proficient.

Kong Guodong and Zheng Qiang supervised the work from the sidelines, nodding in approval as they watched.

Yes, that's it, then that, and then this again.

After Zhou Yan finished preparing the batter, he washed his hands, glanced at the fish that was already marinating in the basin, and nodded: "Master, you're still as sharp as ever."

“That’s right, being Zhou Shi’s assistant means I can’t slack off.” Xiao Lei grinned.

"Okay, I'll remember this favor later." Zhou Yan nodded, turned and walked out, "I'm going to the restroom."

"Junior brother, are you a little nervous?" Zheng Qiang whispered, watching Zhou Yan's back.

"Who wouldn't be nervous in this situation?" Kong Liwei said with a look of understanding.

Kong Guodong and Xiao Lei exchanged a glance, both seeing a hint of worry in each other's eyes.

The guesthouse toilets were quite clean, with small square tiles on the floor and walls, all scrubbed clean. There was a faint smell of disinfectant in the air, which wasn't exactly pleasant, but it was much better than the dry toilets in the countryside.

Zhou Yan stood against the corner of the wall and decisively opened the recipe for "Dry-fried Rock Carp".

"Deep blue..."

Wrong, wrong. There was no foreplay. It went straight in, and a massive amount of information flooded into my mind, flowing rapidly.

Zhou Yan found a reliable foothold in the corner, avoiding the embarrassing situation of being knocked unconscious and falling into the squat toilet.

Dry-fried rock carp is the ultimate in complex flavors. The dry-frying technique ranks among the most difficult of all fish-frying techniques and is a common item in advanced chef level examinations.

However, this dish takes a long time to cook. It needs to be simmered over low heat to allow the broth to reduce naturally and the fish to absorb the flavor. It takes at least half an hour to cook before it's ready.

Ordinary restaurants simply cannot do this.

There aren't that many pots that can be occupied.

Only at high-end banquets and large restaurants do chefs have the time to sit here and prepare the food slowly.

This is the principle behind banquet dishes.

For example, the stewed meat and beef head stew often simmer and cook for several hours, requiring someone to carefully watch the fire to prevent any mistakes, otherwise a pot of precious ingredients will be ruined.

Even something as seemingly ordinary as boiled cabbage in clear broth takes several hours to simmer and clear.

Pure lean pork and chicken breast are pounded into a paste and added to the soup to remove impurities. This process is called "sweeping the soup" and results in a clear, watery soup, also known as "boiled water".

There's a reason why these dishes are rarely seen in ordinary Sichuan restaurants: they take a long time to prepare, have high costs, and therefore command high prices.

Zhou Yan slowly opened his eyes, gathering all the information in his mind.

From killing the fish, marinating it, frying it, and preparing the ingredients, to stir-frying diced meat and toppings, making soup, cooking the fish, seasoning it, and finally reducing the sauce and serving it, everything is done perfectly.

What a thoroughly enjoyable learning experience!

Zhou Yan raised his hand and glanced at the time.

Exactly three minutes.

The system is as fast as ever.

He went to the restroom, and when he came out, Zhou Yan straightened his back a bit, and a sense of confidence welled up inside him.

Those few minutes were quite agonizing for Zheng Qiang and his team.

They had even considered the worst-case scenario: if Zhou Yan ran away, how they would cover for him.

Everyone breathed a sigh of relief when they saw Zhou Yan return.

"Let's fry the fish first and get the preparations done." Zhou Yan washed his hands and walked towards the stove next to him.

"I'll start the fire!" Zheng Qiang immediately crawled behind the stove and began to tend the fire.

"I'll hand you the firewood." Kong Liwei followed and moved closer to the stove.

In today's situation, I can't even get a spot at the stove; the only way I can feel a sense of participation is by tending the fire.

The rock carp has a small head and a thick back, is tender with few bones, and has a shiny gray-black color. This one weighs about two pounds, which is the perfect size for its freshness and deliciousness, and it's just right for serving.

The chef had already prepared and marinated the fish in advance. He took a wok, heated it, added rapeseed oil, and when the oil was about 80% hot, he put the fish into the wok and fried it until the fish meat tightened. Then he took it out and set it aside.

This step requires careful attention to the heat; the fish should be removed as soon as the skin is just frying. This helps it retain its shape, preventing it from falling apart during subsequent cooking and ensuring its tenderness.

Kong Guodong and Xiao Lei watched from the side. When they saw Zhou Yan scoop up the last fish, they exchanged a knowing glance, breathed a sigh of relief, and finally felt half of their anxiety lifted.

The heat control for frying fish is impeccable; their master also frys fish to the same temperature, and even the state of the fish is almost identical.

The four fish were fried separately, but when placed together, they looked almost identical.

The control over the heat is indeed excellent.

"Masters, it's time to prepare the cold dishes. We'll start serving the cold dishes in twenty minutes," a staff member called out as he entered the kitchen.

"Senior brother, you're in charge of slicing and carving the beef," Zhou Yan said to Zheng Qiang.

“Okay!” Zheng Qiang replied, handing the fire tongs to Kong Liwei. “Junior brother, this arduous task of starting the fire is entrusted to you.”

"I guarantee I'll complete the mission!" Kong Liwei solemnly accepted the fire tongs.

Zhou Yan: "..."

I've had enough of those two guys.

Sliced ​​braised beef is easy to plate, but a simple plate of braised beef looks a bit monotonous, so it needs to be decorated with some carvings, which is something that banquet dishes value.

Dishes that look beautiful.

Zheng Qiang honed his knife skills at the Rongcheng Restaurant, so carving was a piece of cake for him. They had communicated beforehand and decided to use red and white radishes to carve simple flowers, aiming for a grand and elegant look.

The kitchen staff also began to get busy, with the chefs keeping track of the time and preparing to serve the dishes.

They are all experienced chefs, so this basic skill is a piece of cake for them.

Most of the attention was focused on Zhou Yan, who was in charge of preparing three dishes. Not to mention the cold dishes, the Snowflake Chicken Soup and the Dry-fried Rock Carp were not simple dishes either. Few of the chefs present dared to say that they could make them very well.

With limited time and a heavy workload, the young chef's lack of experience presents a challenge in handling such a large-scale event.

"I think it's a bit risky. Such a young chef, being put in charge in this kind of emergency, his mindset is definitely not very stable. If he makes a mistake due to nervousness, he won't even have a chance to redo a dish like braised rock carp, which requires such high heat and time control." The chef on the left, a short and stout middle-aged man wearing a chef's hat, was cooking at the stove. He glanced at Zhou Yan and whispered to his apprentice, his tone carrying a hint of schadenfreude.

The two apprentices laughed along.

The two stoves were close together, so Zhou Yan still managed to hear the gist of what was being said and glanced back.

Xiao Lei calmly said, "Wang Xin is the head chef of Jialin Restaurant. His master and your grandmaster both pursued your mistress back then. They even had a fight when they were young. He lost to your grandmaster, and your mistress was married to him."

For a few years, Jialin Hotel was just half a street away from Leming Hotel, but it couldn't stay afloat and moved to the south of the city. They'd be upset to see us, so we shouldn't bother with them.

Xiao Lei didn't try to lower his voice, and everyone at Jialin Hotel heard him clearly.

Wang Xin's face flushed red instantly, and he glared at Xiao Lei.

"What's wrong? You want to fight?" Kong Guodong took a step forward and looked at Wang Xin, saying, "Back in the day, my uncle could take down your master. Do you think you can beat me?"

"So smug, huh? I bet you'll have plenty more to be smug about later." Wang Xin curled his lip, not bothering to argue with the burly Kong Guodong.

Zhou Yan found it amusing. A blood feud? And it even involved the love and hate between the older generation of advisors and housewives, while also incorporating business warfare.

The cold dishes were served first. Zheng Qiang came over with his bag on his back, looked at Zhou Yan and said with a smile, "It's all taken care of, there shouldn't be any problems."

"That's fine then. I trust you with my senior brother's help." Zhou Yan nodded.

The serving of cold dishes means that the guests will be arriving soon.

Zhou Yan took two woks and asked Kong Liwei to light the fire so they could start stir-frying diced meat.

Braised rock carp doesn't just contain fish; it also includes pork. Half lean and half fat pork is cut into small cubes the size of mung beans and braised until tender. Then pickled chili peppers, ginger, garlic, and pickled mustard greens are added and stir-fried until fragrant. Finally, fresh broth is added.

After the soup has developed a fragrant aroma, add two previously fried rock carp to each pot, along with scallions, soy sauce, fermented rice wine, and sugar, and simmer over low heat.

Although it was Zhou Yan's first time making braised rock carp, his movements were fluid and effortless, and the full experience boost was simply exhilarating.

Kong Guodong and Xiao Lei were almost stunned by what they saw.

"This is too skilled! It's like... he's done it a thousand times!" Kong Guodong whispered. "Shitou, did you teach him?"

"Even my master might not be able to teach this well." Xiao Lei was also a little dazed, watching Zhou Yan make braised rock carp, he felt a shadow of watching his master cook back then.

The expression and the movements were so similar.

Calm and composed, handling the situation with ease, without the slightest hint of panic.

His movements are clean and efficient; the stove is always spotless, and he wipes away even oil stains with a flick of his wrist.

He was remarkably calm in this situation, given that he was brought in at the last minute to fill in.

It made his master, who was standing by nervously, seem somewhat incompetent.

"Master, I'm leaving the pot in your care. Keep it on a low flame and stir it occasionally to prevent sticking." Zhou Yan greeted Xiao Lei and then walked towards the stove next door.

The braised beef head, prepared by Master Yue Guolong from Rongcheng Restaurant, has been served as the first dish of the meal.

The waiter carried the dish past the stove. On the rectangular white porcelain plate, square pieces of beef head were neatly arranged, golden and shiny, garnished with green leaves. The waiter carried the dish shakily, and it looked very tender and soft. It was really beautiful to look at, and the aroma was even more tempting.

The banquet began.

The kitchen immediately sprang into action, filled with the sounds of spatulas clattering against woks, bowls and plates rattling, and the occasional low-pitched reprimand of the master chef to his apprentice.

Zheng Qiang had already heated the pot for Zhou Yan, added lard, and started frying the snowflake chicken soup.

As the snow-white chicken puree was stir-fried, it gradually took on a beautiful snowflake-like appearance. Three preheated plates were placed on the stove.

Snowflake Chicken Noodle Soup is a connecting dish, and can be considered a delicate side dish.

But this dish is all about the heat and temperature; you have to be careful with the heat when frying it and serve it quickly.

The dish should be served piping hot, so hot that it's scalding hot for the guests to eat; that's what makes it just right.

In winter, if the snowflake chicken soup gets cold, the lard will solidify and make it greasy to eat.

It puts a great strain on the chef's abilities.

Once the snowflake chicken soup is cooked, it is plated and sprinkled with pre-prepared ham bits. The red and white colors complement each other, resembling the red peaks of a snow-capped mountain. It is piled on an elegant porcelain plate with gold rims, making it quite beautiful.

"Serve the food!" Zhou Yan said to the waiter who was already waiting on the side.

The plate was placed on a tray, and three waiters carried the snowflake chicken soup, running all the way to serve it.

"Director Chen, who made this braised beef? It smells so good! It's incredibly skillful; it's the best braised food I've had since I came to Sichuan." In the banquet hall, at the main table, a middle-aged man in a suit asked Chen Ming.

　There will be another update, but it will be very late. Please check back tomorrow!
　　
　
(End of this chapter)