1984: Starting from a bankrupt Sichuan restaurant

Chapter 306 Being a teacher is so awesome! (Bonus chapter for 1785 monthly votes)

Su Hai opened his mouth, but couldn't say a word.

The words he had spoken earlier now felt like a resounding slap across his face.

In the quiet classroom, all eyes were on him.

There was ridicule, there was pity.

"Why did you provoke him?" Kong Liwei shook his head, laughing more happily than anyone else.

Zheng Qiang nodded vigorously: "That's right. If we're talking about verifiable achievements, who here can compare to him? I think he still has at least two copies of the Jiaozhou Daily in his bag that he hasn't taken out yet."

Xiao Lei smiled without saying a word, but the corners of his mouth turned up at a rather large angle.

The chefs from the Confucian school were overjoyed. Who was Zhou Yan? The contemporary saint of the Confucian school!
Master Kong has already declared that anyone needing a chef from the Kong school for high-end banquets should contact Zhou Yan directly, as he will no longer be involved in such matters.

That's right, skipping three generations of disciples, it was directly handed over to Zhou Yan.

At the dinner at the guesthouse, Zhou Yan's three dishes allowed Master Kong to retire gracefully and completely.

Grandpa Kong is over seventy years old this year, and his health doesn't allow him to cook at such a high intensity on the front line.

The braised rock carp, the highlight of the banquet, would have ruined the reputation of the Kong School if Zhou Yan hadn't saved the day.

The decision came somewhat suddenly, but there was not a single objection from within the Confucian school.

If Kong Guodong has no objections, what else can the others say?

Zhou Yan's culinary skills are evident to all.

He's only twenty years old, but his talent is extraordinary, and it's a direct result, not just potential.

The fact that the braised beef with skewers was featured in the Sichuan Cuisine magazine, the remake of the Snowflake Chicken Noodles that had been lost for decades at the Leming Hotel, and the impromptu dry-fried rock carp that was the grand finale of the banquet, all speaks volumes.

Xia Yao slowly loosened her grip on the pencil, and a smile returned to her face.

She had no pity for the fat chef; he deserved it!
Zhou Yan is really great. She is organized, fearless, and uses facts to shatter all doubts.

He stood on the podium, his back straight, full of vigor. The chefs below looked at him with envy and respect in their eyes.

He's glowing!

This is a scene you wouldn't see in the kitchen.

Xia Yao's pen moved swiftly across the paper, trying to freeze this moment in time.

The young chefs looked at Zhou Yan with their doubts gone, replaced by increasingly fervent gazes.

Zhou Yan, at the age of twenty, accomplished all of this—how incredible!
Despite being young chefs, they, like Su Hai, were unable to take charge of their respective restaurants.

For the veteran chefs who used to come to class, there was more of awe than anything else; they had a deep respect for the culinary skills and experience that the chefs had accumulated over the years.

Zhou Yan overcame the age gap with his talent.

but……

Their gazes fell on Xia Yao, who was painting to the side, and they became somewhat gritted-teeth.

Damn!

How could he find such a beautiful girlfriend!

You're eating so well!

Don't kill!

Cooking is so tiring, shouldn't everyone just lie down and not move after work?

How did he find a girlfriend?

“When I was twenty, I wasn’t as good as him.” Kong Qingfeng looked at Zhou Yan, a hint of nostalgia in his smile. “He did have a bit of his mentor’s shadow. Standing on the stage, he was so dazzling.”

“It does look like it.” Kong Guodong nodded in agreement.

Zhou Yan put the magazines and newspapers back into his bag. Judging from the reactions of the chefs below the stage, the doubts had disappeared.

"Now that everyone should have a better understanding of me, let's officially begin today's lesson." Zhou Yan washed his hands and looked at the chefs, saying, "Twice-cooked pork is one of the most well-known traditional home-style dishes in Sichuan cuisine. Not only is it on the menu of every Sichuan restaurant, but it is also a favorite dish in every household, making it very representative."

However, the more common a dish is, the more you need to study the cooking time and seasoning to make it taste good and turn it into a restaurant's signature dish.

Does your twice-cooked pork have a shimmering, lamp-like center?

If your twice-cooked pork is almost identical to the twice-cooked pork that customers casually stir-fry at home, then why should customers spend more money to order this home-style dish at your restaurant?
This is why I chose twice-cooked pork as the lesson dish today; I hope it can inspire you chefs to make even more delicious twice-cooked pork.

The chefs nodded in agreement, and now, looking at Zhou Yan, they found his words particularly persuasive.

"Let's start with the selection of ingredients. To make delicious twice-cooked pork, you must use pork belly cut in half, which is called 'sitting-down meat' in some places." Zhou Yan picked up a piece of pork belly cut in half from the basket next to him. It weighed about two pounds.
"Look, this is a very standard piece of pork belly, with a 4:6 ratio of fat to lean meat. Underneath the skin is fat followed by a whole piece of lean meat, unlike the layered structure of pork belly. Pork belly is best used for twice-cooked pork because it's tender and melts in your mouth."

Zhou Yan's gaze swept over the crowd below the stage and landed on Kong Liwei: "Senior Brother Kong, I've temporarily asked you to be my teaching assistant and help me get things started."

"Here it comes! Here it comes!" Kong Liwei jumped up and ran up to the platform. He sat down behind the stove and started the fire, looking very pleased with himself.

"Twice-cooked pork, as the name suggests, definitely needs to be cooked first. As long as you use pork belly (second cut), cut it into pieces about three fingers wide and ten centimeters long, simmer it over low heat for twenty minutes. Test it with chopsticks; if you can easily pierce the lean meat, it's done." Zhou Yan continued, demonstrating, "For the side ingredients, we use green garlic sprouts, and the seasonings include..."

Zhou Yan began by explaining how to select ingredients. The basket on the stove was like a treasure chest, and as he spoke, he took out one ingredient and seasoning after another, explaining why each seasoning was used and what role it played in the dish. The large classroom was quiet; some people listened attentively, while others took out paper and pens to jot down notes.

Not only were the trainees in the front row listening attentively, but even the veteran kitchen staff in the back row were listening very carefully.

Once Zhou Yan started lecturing, he gave people a very convincing feeling.

Just like... Master!
Indeed, listening to his lectures felt like being taught by one's own master, and it was the same feeling one had when first learning to cook.

Credible! Reliable! That's how it should be!
"Well said." Kong Qingfeng nodded repeatedly and whispered to Kong Guodong.

"She's really skilled. It doesn't seem like her first time teaching at all. She's much more at ease than me." Kong Guodong nodded, recalling his own first time on stage, when he stumbled and stammered, completely incomparable to Zhou Yan.

The ingredients have been explained in simple terms, and the meat in the pot has been cooked for the required time.

"Look, this is what the meat looks like after twenty minutes of cooking. It's about 60% cooked, not too soft or mushy, which ensures the best texture." Zhou Yan showed everyone the cooked pork slices and began slicing: "The slices can't be too thin, otherwise they'll shrink into a ball when they hit the pan, all skin and lean meat, and you won't be able to chew them. Cut them about the thickness of a coin, with a good balance of fat and lean meat, so they'll curl up when stir-fried..."

Zhou Yan explained in great detail, and when it came to the stir-frying stage, he even had the students in the front row gather around the stove to watch.

The earthen stove was only this big, and the eighteen trainees crowded around it, heads packed together.

The chefs in the back row were anxious but embarrassed to take away the seats of the formal trainees.

However, Zhou Yan did not completely neglect one thing at the expense of another. He cooked the two pounds of twice-cooked pork in three separate batches, managing to take care of everyone.

"Look, this stir-fried pork has perfectly formed a 'lamp-shaped' indentation in each piece, glistening with oil when you pick it up. The green garlic leaves, white garlic shoots, and bright red pork slices create a beautiful contrast of colors on the plate." Zhou Yan held up the plate and showed it to everyone, then said, "Take your chopsticks! Everyone, try a piece, and eat it with the garlic shoots. See how it compares to the stir-fried pork with garlic shoots you usually make yourself."

Assistant Kong Liwei immediately brought over a chopstick holder and gave each person a pair of chopsticks.

Tasting is part of the settlement process for the teaching program.

The first round involved young chefs tasting the food.

Once the chopsticks were in hand, Zhou Yan would pick up a chopstick from wherever the plate was placed.

The number of pieces was already calculated when Zhou Yan cut the inkstone; there should be about three extra pieces.

"Mmm! This twice-cooked pork smells so good! It's fatty but not oily, fragrant but not greasy, delicious!"

"The skin is fragrant and chewy, the fatty meat melts in your mouth, and it's incredibly juicy and flavorful. This twice-cooked pork is absolutely amazing!"

The young chefs ate the twice-cooked pork, praising it highly, and their gazes toward Zhou Yan became even more respectful and admiring.

No matter how much you praise it, it's better to take a bite with your chopsticks.

Even after years of studying cooking, you may not be able to cook well, but you can definitely taste whether it's good or not.

Su Hai shrank behind the crowd. When the plate was brought to him, he hesitated for a moment, but still reached out his chopsticks and picked up a piece of twice-cooked pork.

The twice-cooked pork is a delight to the palate. The fragrant and tender pork skin, the chewy lean meat, and the crisp texture make it fall apart with every bite. Paired with the fresh aroma of garlic sprouts, it's an experience that will send shivers down your spine.

Fragrant!

He had only tasted this kind of twice-cooked pork when he was a child, when he visited the home of a late Sichuan cuisine master with his grandfather.

Even his grandfather couldn't make it taste like this; the seasoning was always a little off.

But the twice-cooked pork that Zhou Yan made today was perfect in terms of knife skills, cooking time, and seasoning!

After swallowing, the fragrance lingers in the mouth, leaving an unforgettable aftertaste.

Su Hai's face burned; his earlier doubts about Zhou Yan had now slammed into his face like a boomerang.

This perfectly prepared twice-cooked pork with garlic sprouts wasn't even among the examples he used to prove his skills.

If it were him, he'd have to show off his twice-cooked pork skills wherever he goes!

Holding the chopsticks, Su Hai covered his face and retreated.

Now he understands the gap between himself and Zhou Yan. He is like a frog in a well looking at the sky, utterly ridiculous.

As Zhou Yan listened to the waves of praise coming from the classroom, his smile was harder to suppress than an AK.

Being a teacher is so awesome!

After hearing praise from guests so many times, it all becomes meaningless.

But the praise from peers was tinged with jealousy and envy, a dilemma of wanting to learn but being too embarrassed to ask.

One word: cool!

“Qingfeng, this grand-disciple of your Kong School is not old, but his adaptability and work style are already quite mature. He will definitely achieve great things in the future,” Li Liangcai said, his envy written all over his face.

He had just gone to the front row to watch Zhou Yan's twice-cooked pork, and after tasting it, he was equally amazed.

Zhou Yan gave him some thoughts and ideas on seasoning, and he plans to try them out when he gets back today to see if he can improve the twice-cooked pork even further.

Xia Yao had finished her sketch. She rested her elbow on the table, propped her chin on her hand, and looked at Zhou Yan with a smile.

Indeed, men who enjoy their careers are the most handsome!

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(End of this chapter)