1984: Starting from a bankrupt Sichuan restaurant

Chapter 318 Master Zhou, I spoke a little too loudly just now (6k words combined)

Kong Liwei had worked as a kitchen helper and kitchen helper at Leming Hotel for many years. His youth and strength were his assets, and it was not uncommon for him to work alongside multiple head chefs.

Always composed and at ease.

But today, when I was helping Zhou Yan, it was a real rush, and I was practically scrambling around.

grace?

no longer exists!

Master Zhou is amazing.

One person can manage two stoves, and their food preparation efficiency can easily surpass that of three or four chefs at Leming Restaurant.

Business is booming!

He was shocked by the swarm of workers who rushed in when the get off work bell rang.

It's just as good as it was in the morning.

If this number of diners were at Leming Restaurant, it would take at least a dozen people to handle the workload.

Two people were in charge of taking orders, two were in charge of serving, and one was in charge of clearing and wiping tables.

Braised dishes require a cold dish chef, steamed and braised dishes require a chef, braised beef requires a dedicated person to oversee it, and stir-fried dishes require at least three chefs to ensure efficient service, plus a chopping board and a plating team...

This is the normal configuration.

But Zhou Yan's restaurant is a little different.

Uncle Zhou, who used to butcher cattle, picked up a cleaver and became a cold dish chef. His knife skills in cutting braised meat were even better than his own. His hands were like a scale, cutting as much meat as the customer wanted.

The scale is hanging next to it for customers to re-weigh.

Aunt Zhao oversees the large pot of braised beef, managing everything from taking orders and handling cashier duties to resolving customer conflicts and mediating disputes – a true lobby manager.

Aunt Li is quite versatile, capable of both preparing food and serving customers.

Sister Zhao Hong is a skilled waiter; she can remember what dishes are on each table after hearing it only once, and she never makes a mistake.

Even three-and-a-half-year-old Zhou Momo has become a top salesperson, deeply loved by customers.

A motley crew, under Master Zhou's tutelage, managed to keep this small restaurant afloat.

With Master Zhou at its core, the restaurant is like a finely tuned machine, with just five people supporting such a booming business.

Kong Liwei arrived today and, who is in charge of cooking and cleaning, was amazed by the restaurant's efficient operation.

"The food was served much faster today, and the customers were very satisfied." Aunt Zhao smiled as she entered the kitchen, handing a cloth bag to Kong Liwei. "Awei, your mother asked me to give this to you."

"Isn't this her purse? I used to secretly take money from her when I was a kid, and I got a really bad beating for it." Kong Liwei smiled as he took the purse, untied the drawstring, and poured the money into his hand.

The scattered coins—two yuan, five jiao, and one fen—looked like the loose change the two people had put together.

Kong Liwei stopped smiling, his expression becoming somewhat complicated.

“Your mother said to keep this money for your living expenses, so you can work hard and learn your trade diligently,” Aunt Zhao said.

"Mom—" Kong Liwei jumped up from the stool and rushed to the restaurant entrance.

Aunt Zhao watched his retreating figure with some emotion: "That child has quite a character, not bad."

“Yes,” Zhou Yan nodded.

Kong Liwei returned quickly, sighed, and said, "My mom is really stingy. She always keeps a ten-yuan note in her wallet, and she deliberately took it out."

Zhou Yan: "?"

Aunt Zhao: "..."

Alright, Ah Wei, keep it up.

Emotional appeals shouldn't be something he does.

"Ah Wei, your mother gave you so much money, aren't you touched?" Zhou Momo leaned closer and asked curiously.

Ah Wei scratched his head: "It's alright, but I have to go home on Sunday. The time we'll be apart is too short. Thinking about seeing them again in five days makes it hard to squeeze out tears."

Ah Wei put the money back in the bag, stuffed it into his pocket, picked up the water vat on the cabinet next to him, filled it halfway with cold water, and looked at Zhou Yan and said, "Master Zhou, I'll go and put the things at Uncle Xiao's house first, and say hello to Aunt Xiao."

Zhou Yan nodded: "Go ahead, you can take a nap and come back at four o'clock to prepare the dishes."

"Okay!" Awei replied, and he and Zhou Yan went next door to get their bicycles, then rode off.

"Brother, why does Wei's car ring even when he doesn't ring the bell?" Zhou Momo asked curiously, looking up at her.

"Because his bicycle is older than him, and it rattles everywhere except for the bell," Zhou Yan said with a laugh.

A hand tractor chugged up and stopped in front of the restaurant.

Master Zhang and his apprentice sat atop a high pile of sand and cement.

"Teacher Zhang, this isn't very safe," Zhou Yan said, looking up at the two of them with a smile.

"It's alright, we ride tractors all the time, it's very stable with our backs and legs in one motion," Master Zhang said nonchalantly.

The apprentice smiled and said, "My master practiced martial arts on Mount Emei when he was young. He knows Emei boxing and can also do the 'hawk somersault.' He's very powerful."

"Really? So fierce! Master Zhang is also a martial arts master, my apologies." Zhou Yan had just witnessed Zhou Ming's apprenticeship yesterday, and all the martial arts masters present were filled with respect for Master Zhang upon hearing this.

Upon hearing this, Master Zhang, who was already preparing to get off the bus, subconsciously straightened his back and waved his hand in a serious manner, saying, "Don't listen to his nonsense. I've been out of the martial arts world for many years and have regressed a lot."

"Oh, so he used to be quite famous in the martial arts world?" Zhou Yan said thoughtfully.

Master Zhang's gaze deepened, and he said calmly, "Back in the day, on Mount Emei, I, Zhang Yong, did have some reputation. I could easily perform feats like the hawk somersault and the light-footed skill of walking on water."

We, the disciples, don't walk down the mountain. We just jump down any three- to five-meter-high bump. Even the monkeys call us "Master!"

"Master, is it really that amazing?" disciple Zhang Hua exclaimed in amazement.

"Can it fly?" Zhou Momo asked with a curious expression.

"Ahem, although it's not flying, it's almost the same." Master Zhang stood up, stretched his waist and legs, and waved his hand, saying, "Come on, you all step back, I'll demonstrate to you what a hawk's somersault is."

Zhou Yan quickly put his arm around Zhou Momo and stepped aside.

The apprentice also slid down from the back of the car and stood aside, his face filled with admiration.

The tractor drivers got off their vehicles out of curiosity and waited nearby.

"Watch closely!" Zhang shouted in a strong voice, bracing himself with one hand on a cement bag, and then leaped into the air, flipping off the vehicle which was more than a meter high.

Snapped!
The next second, he slammed face down on the ground.

The restaurant entrance fell silent.

"Master!"

"Master Zhang!"

The apprentice and Zhou Yan rushed forward.

Zhang Shi, who was lying on the ground, rolled over and stood up with a swift movement. He reached out and patted the dust off his clothes, saying calmly, "It's nothing, just a little dirty at the hem."

Zhou Yan pursed her lips, gritted her teeth, and tried hard not to laugh.

The apprentice was stunned for a moment, then slowly turned his face away. It was not hard to tell from his slightly trembling shoulders that he was also enduring a lot of hardship.

"Wow, that's amazing!" Zhou Momo clapped her hands, her face full of admiration, and asked curiously, "Uncle, are hawks like ground squirrels? They jump down and burrow into the ground!"

"Uh..." Master Zhang blushed. The little guy's admiration was genuine, but this question was really hard to answer.

Zhou Yan had been holding back, but after hearing Zhou Momo's words, he broke down in a second, laughing as he walked into the shop: "I'll go get you some water."

"Kukuku..." The apprentice laughed from the front of the tractor to the back, almost fainting from laughter.

"You son of a bitch, are you hiding a tractor in your mouth?!" Zhang Shi cursed, his face dark.

If it weren't for this bastard supporting him, he wouldn't have been able to put on this "Yaozi's comeback" act and lose so much face.

Master Zhang turned around, grimacing. Luckily, it was muddy ground. The fall hurt a little, but it was alright; he wasn't seriously injured.

"Master Zhang, have you eaten yet?" Zhou Yan asked the three of them as he brought out tea.

"I've already eaten at the cement factory." Zhang Shi immediately regained his composure, turned around and took the teacup. "Boss Zhou, this project of yours is quite large. Including the renovation of the rooms upstairs, it will take about four days."

Zhou Yan nodded: "Then let's work on the upstairs first, divide up the two rooms so my employees can dry them and move in as soon as possible."

Master Zhang nodded: "Okay, I'll start work at noon today. I've hired two helpers to speed things up for you, but about the kitchen..."

Zhou Yan and he discussed the details of the drawings again, and confirmed the location and dimensions of several key areas for renovation.

Zhang Yong is forty years old this year and has been a bricklayer for twenty years. He can be considered a master craftsman, but he is still quite quick-witted, good at communication, and can carry out construction according to the blueprints and Zhou Yan's requirements.

Zhou Yan's previous collaborations with him had been quite pleasant, so the partnership continued.

“Okay, I’ve written it all down. Just take a look whenever you have time. If there’s anything wrong, we can communicate and make corrections.” Zhang Yong put the pen back in his pocket and looked at Zhou Yan.

“Okay.” Zhou Yan nodded.

The helpers arrived quickly, including an acquaintance.

"Hongwei, what are you doing?" Zhou Yan asked, looking at Zhou Hongwei, who was riding a bicycle with a carrying pole tied to the back.

“Carrying cement and carrying sand,” Zhou Hongwei laughed. “Eight cents for half a day’s work, I’ll do it.”

Zhang Yong came out and said with a smile, "You two know each other? This young man is strong and works quickly. I often ask him to come and help."

“We’re from the same family,” Zhou Yan said.

"Oh, no wonder, I just remembered he's from Zhoucun too," Zhang Yong said suddenly.

"Hongwei, my brother!" Zhou Momo ran over and called out to Zhou Hongwei.

"Hey! Momo, here's a candy for you." Zhou Hongwei took out a hard fruit candy from his pocket and handed it to Zhou Momo with a smile.

"Thank you~~" Zhou Momo reached out and took it, happily saying thank you.

"Here, Zhou Yan, fill me a cup with water, not boiled water, but half well water." Zhou Hongwei took an enamel water jar from his cloth bag and handed it to Zhou Yan. "Drink well water? What good will that do?" Aunt Zhao came out carrying a thermos, took the jar from Zhou Hongwei, filled it halfway with boiled water, then poured in half a cup of cold tea before handing it back to him.

"Thanks, Fourth Aunt." Zhou Hongwei grinned.

"Hongwei, is your grandfather feeling any better?" Aunt Zhao asked.

Zhou Hongwei shook his head: "He can't eat anything, he's only been drinking rice porridge these past few days. But he doesn't complain of pain or say where he feels uncomfortable."

“Okay, we’ll go see him later,” Aunt Zhao said.

Zhou Hongwei said, "Actually, the old man is still in good spirits. He said he wanted to drink two ounces of liquor yesterday, but my father didn't let him. I'm going to bring him some braised pig's head back later to see if he wants to eat or drink some."

"Everyone knows he's not doing well, so why not let him eat and drink happily? Let him be happy for one day at a time."

"I'll save you a portion of the braised pig's head later," Zhou Yan said.

"Okay." Zhou Hongwei nodded with a smile, put the teacup on the stone bench next to him, took off his clothes, put a burlap sack on his shoulder, walked to the tractor, bent down, grabbed a cement bag, carried it on his shoulder, and walked into the shop.

Zhou Yan watched for a while, then turned and went into the restaurant.

Zhou Hongwei has recently been learning knife skills from Zhou Jie. After he finishes learning, he plans to ride his bicycle through the streets and alleys to sell braised meat.

Zhou Yan was quite supportive of this. They were family members, and if they could make money selling braised meat, it would be less strenuous than being porters, and they might even earn more.

Putting everything else aside, Huang Bing can now sell 20 jin of braised pig's head and 10 jin of braised beef a day, earning 30 yuan a day is no problem.

Of course, selling braised meat while riding a Jialing 70 motorcycle is no different from delivering food in a Porsche in later generations; it's all about creating a buzz.

Moreover, being backed by Feiyan Restaurant is an advantage. Although the prices are higher, the backing of a big restaurant makes people feel that it is cleaner and more hygienic.

The principle that wealthy people are willing to spend more money on good food has never changed.

But if Zhou Hongwei wants to sell braised meat, he can take the approach of low profit and high volume.

As long as he leaves Suji and doesn't enter Jiaozhou, Zhou Yan doesn't care how much his braised meat sells for; as long as he can sell it, that's his skill.

Aunt Zhao and the others went for their afternoon nap. Zhou Yan played with Zhou Momo for a while, and then the little one went to draw. Zhou Yan went to the kitchen and opened the golden [Intermediate Fruit and Vegetable Carving Experience Pack] in his mind.

Countless pieces of information flooded into his mind, and Zhou Yan subconsciously closed his eyes.

From beginner to expert, from resemblance to spirit, from simple to complex, countless experiences have been incorporated into his mind when it comes to fruit and vegetable carving.

Three minutes later, Zhou Yan opened his eyes, his gaze clear again.

The so-called intermediate experience package, simply put, refers to the ability to master the carving skills of complex flowers, such as chrysanthemums and lotus flowers, intricate architecture such as pagodas and boats, birds such as geese and mandarin ducks, and small to medium-sized works such as fish.

As Zhou Yan had expected, mastering the intermediate experience pack was basically enough to handle the needs of ordinary banquets.

As for large-scale assembled flowers, complex hollowed-out buildings, mythical beasts such as dragons and phoenixes, and figures with specific designs such as Maitreya Buddha and maidens, these are not areas he can currently venture into.

Of course, even if he opened a restaurant in Jiaozhou, he wouldn't need such high-end fruit and vegetable carvings.

A single piece can take four or five hours, or even a whole day, just to be displayed on a table as a decoration.

This is probably something only a state banquet would use.

With his mind full of experience, Zhou Yan couldn't help but feel a little itchy to use his hands. His eyes swept over the knife rack, but there wasn't a single knife suitable for carving.

Okay, I'll see if I can buy it at the department store next time.

This is something that most people don't use often, and it's not always easy to buy.

"Wow, Momo's drawing is really good!" Kong Liwei's voice came from outside.

Zhou Yan got up and left the kitchen, looking at him and saying, "Awei, aren't you going to take a nap?"

"I took a 20-minute nap after making up the bed at my uncle's house. Young man, a nap is enough." Kong Liwei said with a smile, "Master Zhou, aren't you going to take a nap? You got up at 4:30 and have been busy all morning."

“A real young person doesn’t even need to nap for twenty minutes,” Zhou Yan said calmly.

Kong Liwei shook his head: "Do you think I'm some kind of honest, upright person like the Buddha of Jiaozhou? You must have been secretly sleeping behind my back."

"Fine, I don't believe you." Zhou Yan looked at him and said, "Awei, do you know any carving? Do you have any carving tools in your bag?"

"Carving? You've come to the right person. I started practicing carving in my second year in the industry, and I've been practicing for five years now. I'm a very skilled carving master now." Kong Liwei smiled upon hearing this and looked at Zhou Yan, saying, "Master Zhou, didn't Uncle Xiao teach you carving?"

"The factory canteen doesn't need carving skills. I haven't learned them yet." Zhou Yan nodded and said with a smile, "Awei, why don't you teach me?"

"Tsk, this isn't teaching, it's more like a friendly exchange." Kong Liwei chuckled, placing his satchel on the table. He pulled out a small cloth bag, untied the rope, unfolded it, and began to introduce the knives:
"Xiao Zhou, look at this, it's called the main blade. We use it for cutting when carving intricate designs or creating simple lines. A skilled carver can complete most of the carving with just one main blade."

This is called a scimitar. Its blade is curved, hence it is also known as a curved blade knife. It is generally used to carve curved surfaces, such as flower petals or fish scales.

This is called a V-shaped cutter, used to carve lines and feather textures..."

A complete set of thirteen knives.

Moreover, it's clear that most of them were made by blacksmiths; the details aren't particularly refined, but they are indeed practical.

"With such complete equipment, Master Kong is so professional!" Zhou Yan gave a thumbs up.

"Oh, so-so. With my skill level at Leming Hotel, I can only be in the top three among the younger generation of disciples, and occasionally I can get first place." Kong Liwei waved his hand, his face almost splitting into a grin.

This finally allowed him to stand up for himself in front of Zhou Yan.

As for cooking, Zhou Shi's talent is off the charts, so he'll avoid the limelight for now.

But when it comes to carving skills, with six and a half years of culinary training and five years of carving experience, he is definitely one of the best among the younger generation.

Flowers, birds, and beasts are all within easy reach.

Kong Liwei looked at Zhou Yan and said, "Do you want to learn? If you do, I'll teach you!"

“Learn carving from Master Kong.” Zhou Yan nodded.

"Come on, today I'll teach you how to carve a peony. I just saw a red radish in the kitchen." Kong Liwei walked to the kitchen and quickly took out a radish.

Radishes are used for pickling vegetables; the store has no shortage of radishes.

"Look, to carve peonies, you need to choose radishes with rounded shapes. They're easier to carve, and the flower shape will be more rounded and full." Kong Liwei cut off a piece of red radish with a knife. The surface was red and white, and the color was very beautiful.

"Peony flowers are considered a beginner's guide to flower carving, and they're relatively easy to carve. I'll demonstrate it for you first, and then I'll teach you slowly later," Kong Liwei said to Zhou Yan.

“Okay.” Zhou Yan nodded.

"Awei wants some carved decorations?" Zhou Momo put down her crayons and came over to take a look.

Kong Liwei pulled out the long, slender main knife from his bag, his expression becoming more serious: "Watch this, we'll just use the main knife. First, peel off the radish skin. We'll start from this flat surface and carve out the petals little by little along the edge. Then, we'll back up and remove this piece, and continue carving the second layer of petals..."

His movements were fairly smooth, and he taught very meticulously. Pieces of radish fell onto the cutting board, and red peony petals took shape accordingly.

About ten minutes later, Kong Liwei put down the knife, and a red peony appeared in his palm.

"Wow! That's amazing!" Zhou Momo clapped her hands, looking at Kong Liwei with surprise. "Awei! How did you know there were flowers inside the radish? The radish I ate didn't have any."

"Hehe, it's for you." Kong Liwei handed the peony to Zhou Momo.

"Thank you, Wei!" Zhou Momo held out her two little hands to receive the peony. "The flower is so pretty! I love it so much~~"

"You're welcome." Kong Liwei smiled broadly. His carving skills were definitely worth it. He hadn't seen the little one this happy even when he gave her candy. Her emotional value was off the charts.

"Master Kong is amazing! This peony carving is so lifelike." Zhou Yan also gave a thumbs up.

A beautifully carved peony.

The appraisal gave an evaluation that was similar to Zhou Yan's opinion.

Approaching intermediate level, but still needs practice.

However, Kong Liwei is only twenty-one years old. To have such a level of skill at this age shows that he was not bragging.

I have been diligently practicing my carving skills for the past five years.

"My performance was just average. I haven't touched a carving knife for half a month, so I'm a bit rusty." Kong Liwei smiled and turned the knife handle upside down, handing it to Zhou Yan: "Little Zhou, do you want to give it a try? Actually, carving isn't as difficult as you think. We chefs still need to learn carving skills, because there will inevitably be this demand for high-end banquets in the future."

“Master Kong is right, then I’ll give it a try.” Zhou Yan took the surgeon’s knife from Kong Liwei.

The main knife is about 15 centimeters long, with the handle and blade each taking up half the length. The handle is held in place by wood, providing a good grip and making it quite lightweight.

The moment he held the knife, a familiar feeling washed over him. Despite it being his first time using a carving knife, he felt a sense of confidence and assurance.

Zhou Yan picked up the other half of the radish and pondered for a moment the carving technique of the peony.

"Let's start with..."

Before Kong Liwei could even speak, Zhou Yan had already drawn his knife.

Brush brush!
The knife rotates along the radish, occasionally retracting, sometimes gracefully carving out petal-shaped arcs. Pieces of radish fall onto the cutting board, and a peony is already taking shape.

Kong Liwei choked on his words, his mouth gradually opening wide, revealing a shocked expression.

With the exquisite carving of the flower center complete, Zhou Yan placed the carved peony in his palm. The peony, with its pink petals interspersed with white patterns, was lifelike, vibrant, and delicate, as if it had just been picked from the branch.

"Wow! Guoguo also dug a flower out of a radish!" Zhou Momo exclaimed, glancing at the one in her hand and then at the one in Zhou Yan's palm. "It's even prettier!"

"Master Kong, please give me some pointers." Zhou Yan handed the peony to Kong Liwei.

Kong Liwei leaned forward and took a closer look. The edges of the petals were naturally blended, and it was even a double-petaled peony. The number of leaves was twice that of his. It was so exquisite!

He looked up at Zhou Yan, a hurt expression on his face: "Teacher Zhou, is this funny?"

"Isn't it well-carved?"

Kong Liwei gritted his teeth: "Isn't this good?! In the kitchen of Leming Restaurant, no more than one hand can carve this peony. Even Master Kong probably can't carve it now, his hands are shaking."

"That means I have some talent," Zhou Yan laughed.

"Is this really your first time carving?" Kong Liwei didn't believe it.

"If you don't believe me, that's fine." Zhou Yan shrugged.

"Damn it! I've worked hard for five years, and it's not as good as your one brilliant idea! Is there any fairness? Is there any justice?!" Kong Liwei wanted to punch someone.

"Awei, do you want to learn?" Zhou Yan looked at him and smiled.

Kong Liwei said sincerely, "Teacher Zhou, I spoke a little loudly just now, I hope you don't mind."

(End of this chapter)