1984: Starting from a bankrupt Sichuan restaurant

Chapter 314 Teacher Zhou, I want to learn this! (6k-page compilation)

"Wei, your hair is so funny!"

"MoMo, you can call me Brother Wei, Little Brother Wei, or Wei Guoguo, but you can't call me Awei." In front of the stove, Kong Liwei said earnestly to the little guy who had moved a small stool to sit next to him.

“Okay, Wei.” Zhou Momo nodded obediently.

"It's Viagra!" Kong Liwei corrected.

Zhou Momo shook her head: "But Awei sounds so nice, that's what Guoguo calls you too."

“You’re the boss, so it’s only right that you call me Awei,” Kong Liwei said with a smile.

“The customers all call me Little Boss,” Zhou Momo said.

Kong Liwei stopped laughing; something seems to be going on.

"I'll give you a piece of candy, you can call me Brother Xiaowei." Kong Liwei took out a piece of hard fruit candy from his pocket and said with a smile.

"Awei, I'm just small, not stupid." Zhou Momo stared at it for a couple of seconds, then reached into the pocket of her little floral jacket and pulled out two candies: "Yours is orange flavored, it's a bit sour. Try mine, it's apple flavored and sweet."

"Thanks, little boss." Ah Wei looked at the apple hard candy that had appeared in his palm, his expression a little complicated.

Kids these days aren't so easily fooled.

What can we do?

Who can blame her for being so adorable!
"You're welcome, Wei~~" Zhou Momo put the other candy back in her pocket. Her mother wouldn't let her eat candy if she hadn't eaten breakfast, or she'd become a little fool.

"MoMo." A gentle voice sounded from outside.

"Sister Yao Yao!" Zhou Momo jumped up immediately upon hearing the voice, ran around the stove, and threw herself into Xia Yao's arms. "Great, you're finally here!"

"Boss lady?" Kong Liwei stood up and asked hesitantly.

"Huh?" Xia Yao was taken aback by the sound, her delicate brows furrowing slightly. "Shh, don't shout!"

"Oh, I'm sorry," Kong Liwei quickly said. "Good morning, Comrade Xia."

"Awei, he's new here," Zhou Momo introduced to Xia Yao.

“I know, it’s the new guy, Awei,” Xia Yao said with a smile.

Ah Wei scratched his head, turned around and shouted towards the kitchen, "Boss! Serve the customers!"

Zhou Yan had already heard the commotion and came out carrying a basin of water for washing his face.

Previously, Zhou Momo had run around the octagonal table several times to prevent Aunt Zhao from washing her face, eagerly waiting for Xia Yao to come and rescue her.

"Good morning," Zhou Yan greeted Xia Yao with a smile.

"Good morning." Xia Yao smiled and nodded, took the basin from Zhou Yan, and led Zhou Momo to a bench under a tree to wash her face and comb her hair.

“This is called welcoming guests, not receiving guests!” Zhou Yan rolled his eyes at Awei.

"When guests come, you have to greet them; that's what it means to receive guests." Ah Wei grinned. "Boss, you need to have a service mindset."

As they were talking, the alarm clock beside them went off.

Zhou Yan reached out and turned off the alarm clock, while simultaneously moving the fire in the stove to the adjacent stove, seamlessly starting to steam the second batch of buns.

Ah Wei twitched his nose, somewhat surprised: "It smells so good! I just saw you guys making pork and beef buns, but it also smells like pickled mustard greens and pork buns?"

"Your nose is pretty sharp." After the buns had been simmering for a while, Zhou Yan lifted the lid and took the top steamer basket off the pot, placing it on the table next to him.

"Claws?" Ah Wei was somewhat surprised.

Zhou Yan brought over a stack of plates, looked at him, and asked, "Have you had breakfast yet? It's a work lunch. Have you eaten this morning?"

Ah Wei shook his head: "No, my mom kicked me out early this morning, and she didn't even give me a bite of sweet potato porridge."

"The one with bean sprouts is a bean sprout and pork bun, the one with red oil seeping out is a red oil beef bun, and the rest are fresh pork buns. Take whichever one you want." Zhou Yan gave him a plate and a pair of chopsticks.

"Such good steamed buns, are you bringing them for your work lunch? They're only 15 cents each!" Awei exclaimed in surprise.

Leming Restaurant also offers staff meals, but the chefs usually prepare them themselves. In the morning, they make a bowl of noodles, and if there is leftover oil broth from yesterday, that's considered good. Usually, they just add a handful of leafy greens.

Look at these steamed buns in the steamer, each one fluffy, plump, and white – they're all ready to be sold to customers.

"Just eat when I tell you to, don't ask so many questions." Zhou Yan smiled as he looked at Xia Yao who had entered. "Noodles or steamed buns today?"

"I'd like one pork bun and one pickled mustard greens and pork bun," Xia Yao said with a smile.

“Me too,” Zhou Momo said.

"Okay." Zhou Yan took two plates, put two steamed buns on each plate, and placed them on the table.

Aunt Zhao and the others also came out of the kitchen, picked out their favorite steamed buns, and sat down to eat.

Seeing this, Kong Liwei didn't stand on ceremony. He picked one of each of the three flavors of buns, sat down next to Zhou Yan, and took a bite of a pork bun.

"Well--"

The freshly steamed bun burst with juice in one bite, making him wince in pain.

However, the deliciousness of the soup quickly widened his eyes again.

The soft dough, with its rich wheat aroma, the tender meat filling, and its juicy filling, combined with the aroma of scallions and meat, and the slightly grainy, refreshing taste, make for an unbeatable texture and flavor.

In comparison, the fresh meat buns made by Chef Zhang at their Leming Restaurant are simply not worth mentioning.

"Master Zhou! I want to learn this!" After finishing a fresh meat bun, Kong Liwei looked at Zhou Yan with a sincere expression, "Master Zhou, I would like to call you the strongest pastry chef in the Kong school!"

"Does your advisor know about this?" Zhou Yan asked with a smile as he ate a steamed bun.

Kong Liwei said with a serious expression, "To be honest, my advisor's skills in making pastries are not bad, but his steamed buns are really not as good as yours."

Zhou Yan nodded: "Okay, then come to the shop at five o'clock tomorrow morning, and I'll teach you how to stir-fry the ingredients."

"Five o'clock?!" Kong Liwei was somewhat shocked, but quickly shook his head: "It's okay if I wait until summer to learn. The quilt in winter has a strong suction force. At five o'clock, even if I use all my strength, I definitely can't break free."

There is nothing difficult in the world, just give up.

Kong Liwei picked up a bean sprout and pork bun, took a bite, and his eyes widened: "Mmm! This bean sprout and pork bun smells so good! The filling is cooked perfectly, savory and delicious, and the bean sprouts are crisp and tender. The taste is simply amazing!"

"And this beef bun is absolutely fantastic! Spicy and delicious, oily but not greasy at all. Zhou, you're amazing!"

Kong Liwei was amazed when he finished eating the three steamed buns.

The look in her eyes when she looked at Zhou Yan became clearer.

If it weren't for the fact that five o'clock in the morning in winter is so terrifying, he would definitely want to learn.

Breakfast should be quick.

As soon as everyone finished their steamed buns, the table was immediately lifted up and wiped clean, and the first round of students, led by Lin Bingwen and Lin Jingxing, arrived.

"Boss, I'd like two pork buns!"

"Boss, I'd like two bean sprout and pork buns, please!"

A group of children gathered around the stove by the door, some wanting two, others wanting three.

Not only do the kids want them, but the parents who drop off their children also order a couple.

The steamed buns sold out at a visible speed, one tray after another. Aunt Zhao packed the buns and collected the money in one go, managing the kitchen all by herself without any chaos.

Zhou Yan had already gone back to the kitchen to cook noodles, while Li Lihua and Zhao Hong were in charge of serving steamed buns, making noodles, and clearing the table.

The restaurant's dozen or so tables were gradually filled with people.

Those eating steamed buns and those eating noodles shared tables, all very polite to each other.

Kong Liwei was dumbfounded. He knew that Zhou Yan's restaurant was doing well, which was why he was hiring and expanding the business, but he never expected that selling steamed buns and noodles in the morning would be so popular.

He helped start the fire and serve the buns, and soon he was busy too.

Under the tree outside the door, Xia Yao sat on the swing with Zhou Momo in her arms, teaching her to recite new ancient poems.

"Goose, goose, goose, with its curved neck singing to the sky..."

Zhou Momo repeated it three times and she already knew how to memorize it.

"Sister, is this character pronounced 'goose'?" Zhou Momo asked curiously, pointing to the character in her notebook.

“Yes, this character is pronounced ‘e’.” Xia Yao nodded with a smile.

"Dabai is a goose, and it can swim very well. Last time it ran into the river, and Grandma had to call it for a long time to get it back home. She said she was going to stew it, but I wouldn't let her," Zhou Momo said vividly.

"Yes, because Big White is your good friend?" Xia Yao smiled.

"Yes." Zhou Momo nodded, "We have to wait until the New Year to stew it."

“My grandma raises several geese every year. I named the biggest one Da Bai. We eat stewed Da Bai during the Chinese New Year. Grandma says that if we bury Da Bai’s bones in the ground, a little Da Bai will grow next year.”

Xia Yao was stunned for a moment, then laughed herself silly.

Well, the white goose is a constant, but the stewed goose in the iron pot changes with the seasons.

It turns out that 'Big White' was just a code name!
"Is it good?" Xia Yao asked.

Zhou Momo nodded: "Mmm, Big White died so deliciously~~"

"I ate such a big goose leg."

The braised goose in an iron pot—two years ago during Chinese New Year, his dad took them to a Northeastern Chinese restaurant, and the stew was so delicious! Hearing the little guy say that, Xia Yao was a little tempted.

This year, the old lady's goose will definitely be stewed by Zhou Yan. He should be able to stew it very well, right?

But she must have already gone back to Hangzhou by then, so it's a pity I couldn't have it...

After Lin Zhiqiang and the others finished breakfast, Meng Anhe took the two children to school, while Lin Zhiqiang smiled and said to Xia Yao, "Yao Yao, come here for a moment, I have a few words to say to you."

"Okay, Uncle." Xia Yao told Zhou Momo to play by herself for a while, then followed Lin Zhiqiang to the riverbank.

"Yaoyao, have you replied to Yao Licheng yet?" Lin Zhiqiang asked Xia Yao.

"Not yet. It's Monday today, and I plan to call him at noon to reply. I've decided to join Licheng Group," Xia Yao said. "I think it's a great opportunity. After all, Licheng Group is a leading company in the apparel industry, and they offer very competitive salaries."

Lin Zhiqiang smiled and nodded: "That's great. This is indeed a rare opportunity. You can learn a lot from such a multinational company, and your start will be much better than joining a small factory in China."

"So, after lunch, come to my office and make a call, and while you're at it, call your dad and tell him about the situation."

“Okay, Uncle.” Xia Yao nodded.

Lin Zhiqiang continued, "After the New Year, I will resign and start my own business. I plan to set up a printing and dyeing factory in Jiaozhou. If I can expand the scale and production capacity in the future, and you become a capable designer at Licheng, I might even invite you back to work with me to make it bigger and stronger." "You're going to resign?" Xia Yao was a little shocked to hear this. She had worked at the textile factory for more than half a month and knew all too well how important her uncle was to it. Hearing him say that he was resigning made her feel a little dazed.

"This matter won't be finalized until after the New Year. Don't tell anyone else. Your abilities in brand design and clothing design are truly outstanding. If Yao Licheng hadn't personally recruited you, I would definitely have dragged you into starting a business together." Lin Zhiqiang looked at her with great satisfaction and said:

"Talent will shine and cannot be hidden. Going to Licheng Group is a better choice for you right now. As for whether you want to come back and work with me in the future, that's up to you. If I don't do a good job, I'd feel bad about delaying your future. I'm just saying this to you now."

"With your abilities, you can definitely run the factory well," Xia Yao said earnestly.

"Alright, then let's take Yao Yao's good wishes into account," Lin Zhiqiang said with a smile.

The conversation between the two was brief, and they didn't say much outside.

But for Xia Yao, this inevitably brought a few more thoughts.

……

After closing for the morning, Kong Liwei filled a cup of warm water with an enamel mug that read "Model of Courage and Righteousness," let out a long sigh, and looked at Zhou Yan coming out of the kitchen in amazement, exclaiming, "Master Zhou! Your breakfast business is booming!"

Six hundred steamed buns and one hundred and twenty bowls of noodles were all sold out.

He helped pick up and serve the steamed buns, but the chattering of the customers drove him crazy.

He had previously thought that Zhou Yan must be doing so because the restaurant business was not doing well, so he had to cook Chinese food and also get up early to make noodles and steamed buns.

Now he realizes he was terribly wrong.

Most of the customers are textile factory workers and their families. Jiaozhou Textile Factory is a major taxpayer in Jiaozhou and has considerable purchasing power.

The steamed buns and noodles smelled so good.

Six hundred steamed buns and one hundred and twenty bowls of noodles would cost over one hundred and sixty yuan.

At this price, the profit margin is at least 50%.

Eighty yuan in hand!
Master Zhou is amazing!

"Awei, if business isn't good, what kind of people are you going to hire?" Zhou Yan laughed and patted his shoulder. "Work hard, and I'll find you a wife next year."

"Okay!" Kong Liwei nodded, full of enthusiasm: "Teacher Zhou, what do you need me to do next?"

"I'm going to make some braised dishes next. Can you help me with the preparation? There are quite a lot of potatoes and bamboo shoots."

"Get it!"

Kong Liwei took an apron, tied it on, and followed him into the kitchen.

Everyone in the shop was full of energy; with a monthly salary of 120 yuan, he felt too embarrassed to slack off.

As soon as Kong Liwei arrived, the second chopping block in the kitchen became his.

He wasn't bragging to Huihui; his knife skills were indeed fast and steady.

Zhou Yan only needed to demonstrate once to him how thick the potato slices should be, how to peel and slice them, and he could do it quickly and well.

Comrade Lao Zhou and Li Lihua's cutting and preparation work was reduced by half.

"No wonder he's the boss's junior apprentice; his knife skills are truly impressive!"

"Master Kong, you sliced ​​these potatoes so well. You sliced ​​them so quickly and evenly."

Aunt Zhao and the others surrounded her and praised her.

Kong Liwei couldn't suppress the urge to smile; if he had a tail, it would be wagging high in the sky.

Slicing a potato and praising it—that's giving way to a lot of emotional value.

When potatoes were carved into flowers in the kitchen of Leming Restaurant, no one wanted to give them a second glance.

It's not about money anymore; he'd come to work even if he wasn't paid.

The meat is braised in a pot.

Zhou Yan prepared a separate small pot and braised the pork intestines used for the braised pork intestines and blood curd separately.

Braised pork intestines and blood curd should be mixed with seasonings while hot. The braised pork intestines sold in the store are a bit too salty, so if you mix them again, they will be too salty.

Therefore, you need to prepare a separate pot of braising liquid, add a spoonful of old braising liquid to enhance the flavor, and add a little salt to increase the base flavor. Then, cover the pot and simmer over low heat.

Kong Liwei's addition also helped Zhou Yan reduce her workload.

He only needed to give Kong Liwei instructions on what dishes to prepare for lunch, and Kong Liwei would cut and prepare them perfectly for him.

Li Lihua, who was originally responsible for assisting Zhou Yan, became Kong Liwei's assistant, following his arrangements and commands.

Kong Liwei had, after all, spent six and a half years learning to cook, honing his skills in a formal state-owned hotel like Leming Hotel.

Having worked as a kitchen helper for three years, she was nearing the point of mastering her craft, a level of skill that naturally far surpassed that of Li Lihua, who had only worked as a kitchen helper for a year.

He understands the chef's needs better and makes the work process more meticulous and thorough, so he doesn't need Zhou Yan to give him too many pointers.

The braised dishes were served one after another.

Zhou Yan glanced at the time and began to cook the blood curd.

The pig's blood, which had been portioned into enamel basins, had cooled and solidified, becoming as smooth as jelly. Zhou Yan used a knife to cut it into evenly sized cubes, and then lifted the basin, trembling slightly.

Boil water in an iron pot, and just before it boils, pour in the pig's blood.

Only one piece of wood was left under the stove, burning slowly over a low flame.

"Master Zhou, your blood curd cooking skills are excellent, exactly the same as what my master taught me." Kong Liwei finished his work and came to the pot to take a look. "The braised pork intestines and blood curd are about to be served. Can we also arrange the spicy blood curd? The shop has blood curd and tripe, and the ingredients are all readily available."

Zhou Yan looked at him upon hearing this: "You know how to make Mao Xue Wang?"

“I didn’t master it.” Kong Liwei shook his head: “But you can’t entirely blame me. My master didn’t master it either. The tripe he made in his spicy blood curd was as tough as the rag my third grandmother used to wipe her feet.”

Zhou Yan: "..."

Ah Wei really dares to say anything after leaving Leming Hotel.

"This is my third grandmother's evaluation, don't go and complain to my master." Kong Liwei leaned forward and whispered, "Last year at the family banquet for the New Year, my master insisted on showing off his cooking skills. He originally wanted to show off his face, but he accidentally showed his butt."

Zhou Yan chuckled upon hearing this, realizing that Guo Dong's skills had indeed become rusty since becoming the deputy manager of Leming Hotel.

“I’m different from my master. He’s not talented, but I am. I’m learning to cook to bring glory to the Kong family! I want to be like my uncles, a renowned chef in Jiaozhou!” Kong Liwei looked at Zhou Yan. “Master Zhou, do you think I still have a chance?”

“If you have the ambition and practice diligently, I think you still have a good chance.” Zhou Yan nodded. “Back when your master was learning to cook, he was quite diligent.”

In terms of talent, Kong Liwei is indeed superior to Kong Guodong, close to Kong Qingfeng in his youth, and a level below Kong Huaifeng.

Kong Qingfeng became a renowned chef by working twice as hard as Kong Huaifeng, thus bridging the gap in talent.

Kong Liwei nodded solemnly: "I understand. Teacher Zhou, you don't need to feel sorry for me. Just assign me any tasks. If I don't do them well, you can scold me."

"We're learning our craft in the kitchen; we wouldn't be used to it if we didn't get scolded a couple of times a day and get a few whacks with the spatula."

“Okay, that’s the right attitude for learning.” Zhou Yan nodded.

Simmer the blood curd slowly over low heat until cooked through. This will prevent the blood curd from developing holes or becoming overcooked, resulting in a smooth surface and a dark red color.

The braised pork intestines used for braised pork intestines and blood curd are also ready. They are taken out of the braising liquid and are a little lighter in color than the braised pork intestines, appearing light brown and shiny with oil.

Zhou Yan used chopsticks to scoop it up and cut it into small pieces for later use.

Street vendors selling braised pork intestines and blood curd prioritize low costs and efficient service, so they use a hot-mixing method.

Use a slotted spoon to scoop a bowl of cooked blood curd from the pot, top it with two ounces of chopped braised pork intestines, add salt, pepper, and Sichuan peppercorn powder, then add a spoonful of secret-recipe red oil, and finally add a ladle of boiling pork bone broth, sprinkle with chopped green onions and peas, and place a ladle of soup in the bowl.

Live together!

A perfect serving of braised pork intestines and blood tofu.

Zhou Yan smiled and said, "Let's get the food!"

"This braised pork intestines and blood curd looks delicious!" Kong Liwei swallowed hard and picked up two bowls of braised pork intestines and blood curd to serve.

This is their staff lunch today.

We're in for a treat!

The staff at Leming Restaurant eat lunch after they finish their work at noon, while the staff at Zhou Erwa Restaurant eat before they leave the factory, which is a bit different.

But Kong Liwei adapted very well.

After a busy morning, those four steamed buns weren't enough to satisfy my hunger; the aroma of the braised meat made me quite hungry.

Zhou Yan ate four bowls of braised pork intestines and blood curd, which was the main dish for lunch today. He also stir-fried a dish of pork cracklings and cabbage and a dish of twice-cooked pork, mainly to go well with rice.

Everyone sat down, and one person got a bowl of rice first.

Zhou Yan made a mildly spicy, non-numbing version of blood curd for Zhou Momo. The little one can eat a little bit of spice, but she strongly dislikes the numbing sensation and can't eat any of it.

"Come on, everyone, try this braised pork intestines and blood curd." Zhou Yan picked up a spoon and stirred the bowl of braised pork intestines and blood curd in front of him.

It's the same principle as eating mixed noodles; the flavor won't come out if you don't mix it well.

Steam rises, and the aroma of spicy numbing flavor fills the air.

Kong Liwei also picked up a spoon and started stirring the bowl of blood curd in front of him. After stirring, he scooped a spoonful of blood curd and fatty intestines into the bowl.

First, try a bite of the blood curd. The freshly cooked blood curd is still a little hot, and the texture is quite tender and smooth. It crumbles easily when pressed lightly on the tongue, comparable to soft tofu.

The spicy and savory flavors burst on the tongue. A spoonful of piping hot pork bone broth activates and releases the seasonings, which are then incorporated into the soup and cling to the blood tofu as it is stirred.

The taste is absolutely superb!
I couldn't wait to swallow, so I picked up the bowl and shoveled a mouthful of rice into my mouth.

Another bite of fatty intestines.

The braised pork intestines have a faint aroma of braising liquid, a unique fragrance from the old braising liquid. They are coated with a rich broth, and have a soft, chewy texture. Paired with a spicy and savory flavor, they are a completely different delicacy from regular braised pork intestines.

The most distinctive flavor comes from the chili oil!

"Spicy, fragrant, and hot! The blood curd is tender and smooth, and the fatty intestines are soft, chewy, and delicious. The cooking time and seasoning are all superb!" Kong Liwei looked at Zhou Yan with admiration on his face: "Your fatty intestine and blood curd is amazing! My master's spicy blood curd is only comparable to this."

"Teacher Zhou, I want to learn this!"

"And this chili oil of yours smells so good, it would be perfect for mixing with noodles!"

Zhou Yangang scooped a spoonful of blood tofu into the bowl, and upon hearing this, he smiled and said, "Want to learn? Then come over at six o'clock tomorrow morning, and I'll teach you how to prepare pig's blood first."

"Six o'clock?" Kong Liwei thought for a moment, then gritted his teeth and said, "Okay! I can't get up at five, but I must come to learn how to make braised pork intestines and blood curd at six!"

　There will be an extra update later, but it will be very late. You can wait until tomorrow to read it.
　　
　
(End of this chapter)