1984: Starting from a bankrupt Sichuan restaurant

Chapter 282 Dry-fried Rock Carp, a Skill That Amazed Everyone! (6k-page compilation)

The kitchen immediately fell silent.

The chefs' expressions suddenly became quite interesting.

They were invited to cook, partly out of orders from their superiors, but also to show off their skills and win praise from the guests.

However, Zhou Yan's two dishes won applause from everyone present, and a Hong Kong businessman even specifically asked to meet him.

This is a top-tier honor at high-end banquets.

Among all the chefs, he certainly earned a lot of respect.

Wang Xin and his apprentice fell silent, their expressions somewhat blank.

No? How come there was a round of applause?

This kid received great reviews for both of his dishes?
"Look at me and speak." Xiao Lei smiled smugly and said cheekily, "My apprentice became famous at the age of twenty, which is indeed a bit early. He's talented, there's nothing I can do about it. You know, he was even featured on the cover of the last issue of Sichuan Cuisine magazine, and the picture on the cover was his braised beef with 'qiaojiao'."

Wang Xin's face turned red, and he almost ground his back teeth to powder, but he couldn't utter a single word.

That slap in the face hurt so much, it was really painful.

Zheng Qiang looked proud, his face held high, his nostrils flaring, looking down at everyone at Jialin Restaurant.

"Hmph! Well done, junior brother!" Kong Liwei said with an even more arrogant expression.

Kong Qingfeng sat to the side, watching Zhou Yan with a smile full of satisfaction.

After Song Bo and Fang Yifei, the two brothers, left Jiaozhou to make their own way in the world, the Kong school had not had a young chef who could stand alone and awe the crowd for a long time.

After many years, Zhou Yan unexpectedly stepped forward among the fourth generation of disciples.

The Confucian tradition was embodied at this moment.

If my senior brother could see this, he would be very happy.

"I'm so envious. Isn't that the person I've always imagined myself to be? How did Zhou Yan become a master?" Lu Chuan was extremely envious, and then couldn't help but ask his master beside him, "Master, were you like this when you were young?"

"Almost...more or less." Lu Xiaoji's expression was slightly unnatural as he said in a low voice, "Back then, your master's skills were astonishing."

"Really?" Lu Chuan looked at him with some suspicion. "Then why are we getting worse and worse? Nobody praises our stewed pork anymore."

"Shut up! I don't want to hear you speak today!" Lu Xiaoji glared at him. "Look at you, and look at Zhou Yan. He makes his master look good. I'm so angry with you."

"This is my deskmate, my deskmate for two years in junior high school, my best buddy. He's even going to be my best man at my wedding," Lu Chuan said proudly.

Lu Xiaoji laughed when she heard this, and a hint of nostalgia appeared in her eyes: "Back when I went to Leming's training class, I shared a bunk bed with Shitou."

At the crucial moment when Zhou Yan was reducing the liquid, he thought for a moment upon hearing this and nodded, saying, "It would be alright to meet him."

The Hong Kong businessmen who invest in Jiaozhou are all big bosses. They specifically ask to see him, either because they want a reward or because they want to talk to him privately.

He'll accept any reward he receives, and he'll chat whenever he wants, treating it as an opportunity to broaden his horizons. He's neither socially anxious nor stage-frightened.

Having met Duan Yuyan for a while, I can tell that Hong Kong's development is now much faster than that of the mainland, and these Hong Kong businessmen are truly wealthy.

"Okay." Lin Qing nodded with a smile.

Zhuang Huayu is a key target among the foreign businessmen who came to Jiaozhou this time. He has a very good personal relationship with Yao Licheng. If Zhuang Huayu confirms his investment intention, it may encourage Yao Licheng to invest as well.

Although his purpose in seeking out Zhou Yan is unknown, perhaps Zhou Yan can improve his impression of Jiaozhou and increase the likelihood of investment.

Based on his brief experience with Zhou Yan, it's hard for anyone to feel disgusted by this hardworking, talented, and exceptionally sincere young man.

As they were talking, the broth in the pot had evaporated. Zhou Yan moved the two woks aside and let the fish rest for a while, after which some water started to seep out of the fish.

Zhou Yan took the wok back to the stove and reduced the sauce a second time, until all the sauce was gone, before taking it out of the wok and plating it.

A long platter, one fish per plate, a golden rock carp, topped with scallions, pickled peppers, chopped pickled mustard greens, and diced meat.

The finished dish has oil and sauce but no soup, and its fresh aroma is very appealing and makes it look very appetizing.

Kong Qingfeng watched from the side and nodded repeatedly. Zhou Yan's braised rock carp was perfectly controlled in the process, and the finished dish looked just as good as his.

He had only recently started learning and hadn't done it many times, but Zhou Yan's talent once again astonished him.

Leming Hotel's training courses have trained so many young chefs, and among all the chefs he has seen, Zhou Yan can be considered the second most talented.

The previous one was Song Bo.

Fang Yifei was also very talented, but compared to Song Bo, who had a full-fledged talent for seasoning, he was slightly inferior in terms of talent. When he was learning to cook, he returned to the dormitory later than Song Bo every day.

As for Zhou Yan, he couldn't quite understand it.

Although he hasn't been learning to cook for long, the quality of his dishes is incredibly high. Any dish he's confident in is at a master level.

Kong Guodong and Xiao Lei also looked on with admiration. They hadn't done as well as they had, but they had seen good examples.

This dry-fried rock carp is absolutely master-level.

The devil is in the details. The chopped bean sprouts had a glossy sheen and did not burn during the reduction process, which fully preserved the texture of the ingredients.

Li Liangcai and Qin Kun nodded repeatedly as they watched. This dish wasn't their specialty, but they had eaten plenty of Kong Qingfeng and Kong Huaifeng's braised rock carp, and judging from its appearance alone, it was just as good.

"Serve the food!" Zhou Yan carefully arranged the scallion segments with chopsticks and said to the waiter beside her.

Three waiters carried the braised rock carp and walked briskly towards the banquet hall.

Lin Qing watched the waiter's departing figure and breathed a sigh of relief. Now it was up to the guests to see if the final dish, braised rock carp, would be well-received.

"Master chefs, please come over here for your meal. Thank you all for your hard work today!" Lin Qing said loudly, leading the chefs to a private room on the side.

"I'll stir-fry the remaining two portions of snowflake chicken soup. Please have the masters have some first," Zhou Yan said, walking towards the stove next to him.

Snowflake chicken soup is meant to be eaten hot; he hadn't cooked it all at once before.

"Okay, thank you for your hard work." Lin Qing nodded, and after arranging for the chefs to be seated, he couldn't help but walk towards the banquet hall.

He was in charge of this banquet, from contacting the chef to deciding on the menu and overall coordination.

His achievement lies in whether he can satisfy foreign investors, deepen their impression of Jiaozhou, and persuade them to invest.

"The grand finale, braised rock carp, has arrived." In the banquet hall, Zhuang Huayu sat up straight, his eyes lighting up as the braised rock carp was brought to the table by the waiter.

"Old Zhuang, why don't you introduce him to everyone?" Yao Licheng said with a smile.

“Yes, Mr. Zhuang knows his food best. Tell us about the characteristics of this dish so that everyone can understand it.” A Hong Kong businessman at the same table chimed in.

"How dare I claim to be an expert in food in front of all you bosses?" Zhuang Huayu waved his hand modestly, and continued, "This rock carp is scientifically known as rock carp. It has a high, diamond-shaped back, which distinguishes it from ordinary carp. It is distributed in the middle and upper reaches of the Yangtze River and is also found in the Minjiang River that flows through Jiaozhou. It prefers deep, slow-flowing areas with many rocks on the bottom and often moves between rock crevices. It grows slowly and has firm and tender flesh."

This fish is unique to China and is quite rare, especially when it's cooked dry. You can't find it anywhere outside of Sichuan and Chongqing.

Today we are fortunate to be able to taste the famous Sichuan dish, Dry-Braised Rock Carp. The dry-braising method is very special. It does not use cornstarch. It is simmered over low heat, allowing all the juices to be absorbed into the fish. The finished dish has oil and sauce but no soup.

Look at this braised rock carp, it's cooked beautifully, with a golden-yellow, glossy sheen, and a wonderfully fragrant aroma.

Upon hearing this, everyone examined the braised rock carp that had just been served and nodded in agreement. It was indeed true, and they had even more anticipation for the dish.

"Fish should be eaten while it's hot. For all you bosses who can eat fish, please don't be shy, or you'll miss out." After Zhuang Huayu finished speaking, he picked up his chopsticks, took a piece of fish belly meat, and put a scallion into his bowl.

Yao Licheng had swallowed his saliva countless times as he listened, and he quickly picked up his chopsticks and put a piece of fish into his bowl.

Zhuang Huayu first tasted the fish. The salty, fresh, and slightly spicy flavor burst in his mouth. The fish skin was slightly crispy, but the fish meat was exceptionally tender. The firm and delicate texture was distinctly different from the loose and tender texture of ordinary carp.

The fish fully absorbs the broth, its flavor penetrating every muscle. The aroma and oil from the stir-fried pork pieces coat the fish, resulting in a rich and smooth taste with a prominent fragrance.

The flavor profile is incredibly complex and layered!
The main flavor is savory, slightly spicy, with a subtle sweet aftertaste from white sugar and fermented glutinous rice, a slightly sour taste from vinegar to enhance the freshness, and the unique aroma of pickled mustard greens...

The various flavors blended together seamlessly, with a clear distinction between primary and secondary tastes.

Dry-fried dishes are hailed as the ultimate in complex flavors, and they truly live up to that reputation.

"Absolutely amazing! This braised rock carp truly lives up to its reputation as a famous Sichuan dish!" Zhuang Huayu couldn't help but exclaim.

As a gourmet, when he was successful in his career and entered the catering industry, he felt that most of the restaurants in Hong Kong did not meet his requirements. That's why he visited famous chefs all over the world and opened six distinctive restaurants.

But today's braised rock carp brought him a great shock.

Because the rock carp used is a more high-end ingredient, it even surpasses the braised carp tasted by a Sichuan cuisine master when he visited Hong Kong in 1979.

But in terms of taste, they are indeed of the same lineage.

that's nice!

I thought that with the passing of Master Kong Huaifeng, I would never have the chance to taste his braised rock carp again, which would be a pity.

After eating this braised rock carp, he felt that his trip to Jiaozhou was complete.

Then he tasted a piece of scallion, and his eyes narrowed.

He loves scallions, especially when cooked in various meat dishes. They are his favorite because they are often soaked in meat juices, resulting in a tender texture and rich aroma.

This piece of scallion, soaked in the fish soup and meaty aroma, has a soft texture and a rich flavor.

Wonderful~
Excellent!

This dry-frying technique is really good. It's delicious for braising rock carp, and it would definitely taste great for braising seafood as well.

"Mmm, this fish is cooked so well! It smells so good, the aroma of the meat and the fish blend together perfectly, the taste is amazing! Delicious! So delicious!" Yao Licheng couldn't help but exclaim after finishing his meal, shoveling a big mouthful of rice into his mouth.

Everyone here is a big boss, so they don't find delicacies rare. They don't usually have big appetites, and most of them are advised by their private doctors to eat less and control their sugar intake.

Hearing Zhuang Huayu and Yao Licheng say this, they couldn't help but pick up their chopsticks.

Braised rock carp is a dish you won't find outside of Sichuan and Chongqing. Its unique flavor and exquisite freshness have earned it rave reviews. Boss Zhuang was right, it's first come, first served.

The braised rock carp was devoured in no time, and Yao Licheng even used the bean sprouts and minced meat sauce to mix with his rice.

The banquet was a feast of sincerity, and the guests were very satisfied. Many of the bosses, who usually only eat half a bowl of rice, had extra rice tonight, and they also drank quite a bit of wine.

The atmosphere was just right, and some people actually expressed their willingness to sign contracts on the spot.

This pleased Chen Ming greatly. He instructed the staff of the Municipal Economic Commission to record and confirm the intentions of the foreign businessmen, and to proceed with further steps the next morning after they had sobered up.

Zhuang Huayu looked at Chen Ming and said, "Director Chen, may I make a small request? After the banquet, could I meet Master Kong, who made this braised rock carp?"

"This..." Chen Ming hesitated. Kong Qingfeng was getting on in years, and he wondered if he would be willing to meet Zhuang Huayu.

Lin Qing stepped forward with a smile and said, "Mr. Zhuang, Mr. Kong Qingfeng is having some health issues, so this braised rock carp dish was temporarily prepared by Zhou Yan. I already asked Zhou Yan, and he is willing to meet with you after the meal."

"He also made the braised rock carp?" Zhuang Huayu was shocked to hear this. "Is he really only twenty years old? A twenty-year-old young man, who made three dishes for this banquet by himself today: a cold dish, a hot dish, and a main dish?"

Lin Qing nodded: "Yes."

"I really have to see him later, he's a genius!" Zhuang Huayu exclaimed. The braised beef and snowflake chicken soup had already surprised him quite a bit, but this dry-fried rock carp completely won him over.

In his mind, this was the culmination of decades of experience from a master of Sichuan cuisine.

It turned out that this was made by a 20-year-old chef.

I was truly shocked.

"Please wait a moment, the chefs are just starting their meal," Lin Qing said.

Zhuang Huayu nodded: "No problem, I'll wait. The chefs have worked hard to cook, so they should definitely have dinner first."

……

Zhou Yan brought the snowflake chicken soup to the table, and a seat was reserved for him at the main table, next to Kong Qingfeng.

Master Kong had recovered by now and greeted Zhou Yan with a smile, inviting him to sit down before the meal began.

The braised pork in a jar is served in small bowls, one serving per person, and the aroma of the meat is irresistible.

Zhou Yan looked at the slightly oily brown broth, which contained diced ham, bamboo shoots, abalone, pork hock, and more.

A very good pot of braised pork.

Zhou Yan had already seen the results of the appraisal and his gaze swept over the dishes on the table.

[An extremely good prescription for beef head]

A pretty good camphor tea duck

……

A perfect dry-fried rock carp

Yes, it has to be him.

The labels that pop up are enough to prove the high quality of today's dishes.

It absolutely deserves to be called the number one in Jiaozhou.

The chefs who were able to attend today are indeed quite skilled.

Wang Xin's camphor tea duck at Jialin Restaurant was a bit of a letdown.

It only reached a "very good" level, which is unworthy of the reputation of Jialin Restaurant and does not meet the standards of Wang Xin, a first-class chef.

I despise him!
The dish that the masters at the table were most interested in was naturally the braised rock carp made by Zhou Yan.

The Kong school is famous for its skill in cooking fish, and whether Zhou Yan, as a fourth-generation disciple of the Kong school, can make braised rock carp well has become a source of curiosity for many chefs.

If he does a good job, the phrase "the generation gap" will be completely removed from the Confucian school of thought.

"The fish cooked by the Kong school is still the best. Let me try the dry-fried rock carp made by my young friend Zhou Yan. How does it compare to the one made by your senior master Xu Yunliang?" Yue Guolong said with a smile, picking up a piece of fish.

Yue Guolong was about the same age as Kong Qingfeng. He was a master chef from Chengdu and a colleague of Xu Yunliang. They had a relatively friendly relationship. He started eating first, and everyone agreed that it was good.

Xu Yunliang's braised rock carp is the signature dish of Rongcheng Restaurant. It was this dish that secured Xu Yunliang's position as the head chef in the kitchen.

Yue Guolong had tasted it several times, and the taste was indeed excellent. It was in no way inferior to the braised rock carp in other big restaurants in Chengdu.

Zhou Yan is Xu Yunliang's apprentice-nephew. Both are inheritors of the Kong school of craftsmanship. Judging from their appearance alone, there is indeed no obvious difference. The rock carp is golden in color, covered with bean sprouts and minced meat, and has an oily sheen.

He picked up a piece of fish belly meat, put it in his mouth, and his eyes lit up.

After the fish skin is fried until crispy, it is simmered in the broth over low heat, absorbing all the oil and broth. The skin becomes crispy and soft, while the fish meat is exceptionally firm and tender, creating a complex flavor that bursts on the palate.

Yue Guolong swallowed the fish, savored it carefully, and nodded, saying, "The cooking time is very well controlled. It's crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. The fish skin is soft and crispy, and it's a little sticky on the lips. It's full of collagen."

The dry-fried fish was perfectly seasoned—salty, savory, slightly spicy, and with a hint of sweetness. The sauce was reduced beautifully, infusing all the flavor into the fish, truly achieving a perfect balance of oil and sauce without any broth.

This braised rock carp is the best I've ever had, bar none. The finished dish is absolutely perfect; from the cooking time and seasoning to the final presentation, there's not a single flaw.

Upon hearing Yue Guolong's words, the chefs at the table all looked somewhat surprised.

He held a high-ranking position in a Chengdu restaurant, where he associated with many truly renowned masters of Sichuan cuisine.

To be rated as the best dry-fried rock carp he has ever tasted in his life is an incredibly high compliment.

The two tables next to us, which hadn't yet served braised rock carp, were listening intently, and a slight commotion arose upon hearing this.

"Oh my god! Is Zhou Yan's braised rock carp really that good?" Lu Chuan sat with Zheng Qiang and the others, his mouth agape.

"Grandpa Yue's evaluation is basically saying that my junior brother's braised rock carp is already better than my master's!" Zheng Qiang was also shocked. "Luckily, my master isn't here, otherwise I wouldn't be able to sleep at all when I get back."

"It's alright, I'll write him a letter when I get back tonight," Xiao Lei said with a smile.

Zheng Qiang: "..."

"Isn't that a bit of an overstatement? Let me try it." Wang Xin couldn't sit still any longer. He picked up his chopsticks, took a piece of braised rock carp, put it in his mouth, chewed it carefully, and his expression became somewhat complicated.

Kong Qingfeng looked at him with a smile and said, "Master Wang, this is Zhou Yan's first time attending such a banquet, so he must lack experience. Why don't you give your opinion and tell us how it compares to the braised rock carp at your Jialin Restaurant?"

Wang Xin's father had been thinking about his sister-in-law. Over the years, Leming Restaurant and Jialin Restaurant had not gotten along well, and they had been comparing themselves openly and secretly.

Wang Xin's expression immediately became a little unnatural. Jialin Restaurant also had a dish called braised rock carp, which was cooked by his junior apprentice and was considered one of their signature dishes. But compared to Zhou Yan's braised rock carp, it was worlds apart.

Damn! This dry-fried rock carp is absolutely amazing!

Yue Guolong was absolutely right; the seasoning and cooking were flawless.

He has been learning to cook for over thirty years, and he can tell how good something tastes just by taking a bite.

Everyone sitting at the table today has more experience than him. If he were to lie through his teeth, he would become a laughing stock in the culinary world tomorrow.

"This dry-fried rock carp is indeed well-cooked. Master Yue's assessment is very accurate. I take back what I just said," Wang Xin said, forcing a smile, his expression as uncomfortable as if he had swallowed a fly.

"Thank you both for your comments." Zhou Yan pursed his lips, trying not to make his smile too obvious.

Xiao Lei was different; he laughed loudly, unrestrainedly, and without any mercy.

"Great, that was a good job." After laughing, Xiao Lei didn't forget to say to Kong Guodong sitting next to him.

"Then you're in luck. You'll definitely need Zhou Yan's help on these kinds of occasions in the future," Kong Guodong said with a smile. "Or, next time, I'll have him bring me along to broaden my horizons."

"Senior Brother Guodong, aren't you making Dunzi too old? I'm about the same age." Xiao Lei frowned slightly.

"Damn it!" Kong Guodong wanted to give him a slap in the face.

Everyone tasted Zhou Yan's braised rock carp and gave it extremely high praise.

This dish, the grand finale of the banquet, truly deserves its name.

There is no doubt that the Confucian school has produced many talented individuals.

"The fourth generation of the Kong school has a successor." Li Liangcai and Qin Kun looked at Kong Qingfeng with deep emotion.

None of their apprentices have been able to take over yet, but Kong Qingfeng's grand-apprentices have all emerged and are now on equal footing with them.

Comparing yourself to others is just asking for trouble.

Kong Qingfeng tasted a piece of braised rock carp, ate a scallion, put down his chopsticks, looked at Zhou Yan and sighed, "He does it better than me. If there's another banquet like this in the future, and you want to make braised rock carp, just have them come directly to Zhou Yan. From today onwards, I will no longer attend any more banquets like this. Retirement, fishing!"

Upon hearing this, not only were the chefs at the table surprised, but Kong Guodong and Xiao Lei, who were standing nearby, were also so shocked that they stood up.

Kong Qingfeng is stepping down and handing over the position of the Kong School's representative to Zhou Yan.

It was so sudden; he hadn't even given them a hint beforehand.

Zhou Yan was also a little confused when he heard this, and quickly said, "Grandmaster Uncle, how can I bear such a heavy responsibility? I still have a lot to learn from you."

“Zhou Yan, you don’t need to refuse. The braised rock carp you made today is exactly the same as your master’s, and even better than mine. I’m very pleased and happy. This is the kind of braised rock carp that truly represents the level of our Kong school.” Kong Qingfeng looked at Zhou Yan and said earnestly, “I’m old, my body is declining, and my wok-tossing, seasoning, and reaction skills are not as good as before. I shouldn’t keep taking this opportunity. It’s time for you young people to take the lead. This is what we call inheritance.”

Looking into his earnest gaze, Zhou Yan couldn't help but recall the scene when he and his brother knelt before the bed and their ancestor gave them instructions. His heart was stirred, and he nodded solemnly: "Grandmaster Uncle, I understand. I will study diligently and will certainly not tarnish the reputation of the Kong School."

The group of masters at the table watched this scene with mixed feelings of relief and worry.

Zhou Yan may not be mature enough yet, he doesn't have a wide variety of dishes, and he doesn't have enough experience in large-scale events.

But from today onwards, he has already secured a place in the Jiaozhou culinary scene.

　There will be another update later~ You can read it tomorrow.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)