1984: Starting from a bankrupt Sichuan restaurant

Chapter 334 Side Quest Triggered: Expand Package Deals! (6.2k two-in-one)

"Mom! Look, a pumpkin goldfish~~" Zhou Momo happily ran off holding the pumpkin goldfish.

"Mmm, so beautiful!" Aunt Zhao exclaimed.

Little ones this age are easily satisfied; a carved goldfish is enough to keep them entertained for half a day.

Zeng Anrong smiled. The little guy was so cute, he was so emotionally valuable.

Moreover, Zhou Shi's interview didn't seem as strict as she had imagined; it was even a bit... casual?
He smiled and praised her the whole time, which made her feel a little embarrassed.

So far, things seem to be going quite smoothly.

"What's your best dish?" Zhou Yan asked, looking at her.

Zeng Anrong thought for a moment and said, "My specialty is stir-fried pork with salt."

Zhou Yan said, "Then you'll be cooking three dishes for lunch today: stir-fried pork with salt and pepper, twice-cooked pork with garlic sprouts, and stir-fried pork liver. One of them is your specialty, and the other two are the homework I assigned you last weekend. Let's see how well you've mastered them in class that day."

"Okay." Zeng Anrong nodded, feeling more at ease knowing that was the right thing to do.

During the training these past few days, Master Kong specifically instructed them to intensify their training in twice-cooked pork and stir-fried pig liver, learning the same techniques taught by Master Zhou.

The teacher provided on-site feedback and guidance, and everyone discussed and learned from each other, resulting in noticeable progress.

Zhou Yan started making braised dishes, and Zeng Anrong was not idle either. She helped prepare the ingredients. She was quite quick and efficient, and she was also very perceptive. She would get the work done without Zhou Yan having to say anything.

Unlike Kong Liwei, who comes from a prestigious family, Zeng Anrong, who came to the kitchen halfway through her career and has no connections, has her own set of survival rules.

She neither overshadows others nor fails to do her job well. She is always careful to put herself in a position that makes others comfortable. When Zhou Yan was making braised meat, she even deliberately turned away to avoid them, showing a great sense of propriety.

Zhou Yan liked this.

Zhou Yan knew Kong Liwei inside and out, as they were both disciples of the Kong school, and Zhou Yan was happy to teach him whatever he wanted to learn.

But Zeng Anrong is different. Zhou Yan doesn't know enough about her character and morals yet. It will take some time to get to know her and build mutual trust.

The braised dishes were ready. Zhou Yan glanced at the time and said to Zeng Anrong, "It's almost time. You can start preparing the ingredients and getting ready to cook. This is the final part of the interview. Ultimately, we chefs have to let the dishes we serve speak for themselves."

“Okay!” Zeng Anrong replied and began selecting vegetables from the shelf.

Stir-fried pork with salt and pepper uses the same cut of pork as twice-cooked pork, but the difference is that stir-fried pork with salt and pepper does not need to be boiled in water beforehand.

A fire was lit under the stove, and a piece of pork belly was put into the pot to cook.

Then start preparing the other ingredients.

Remove the skin from the other piece of pork, cut it into long, thin slices, and then prepare the pig liver.

Cut the garlic sprouts diagonally into sections, separating the white parts and the green parts. Then prepare the necessary seasonings in advance.

She even took a clean chopstick, dipped it in the fermented bean paste, and tasted it first.

"Is this a claw? Why do we need to taste fermented soybean paste?" Awei asked curiously.

“The saltiness of the fermented soybean paste varies from kitchen to kitchen. It’s used in stir-fried twice-cooked pork, stir-fried pork with salt, and stir-fried pork liver. That’s what makes an experienced chef. They can adjust the seasoning according to the ingredients to ensure the right flavor.” Zhou Yan glanced at him and said with a smile, “Awei, you still have a lot to learn from Sister Zeng. This is all experience.”

Ah Wei nodded thoughtfully upon hearing this, "Teacher Zhou is right, there is indeed still a lot I need to learn."

Zhou Yan smiled and didn't say anything more.

Leming Restaurant is definitely a great place. It gathers the best chefs in Jiaozhou and is backed by the Leming Training Base. Whenever a famous chef gives a lecture, you can go and learn from his lecture.

Kong Liwei has solid basic skills, but lacks experience in cooking independently.

In comparison, Zeng Anrong, who came to the profession later in life and relied entirely on her own hard work, is obviously more experienced.

After all, no one will bail her out if she makes a mistake, so she has to make sure she does things right and well.

Zhou Yan and Kong Liwei were preparing the dishes, keeping a close eye on Zeng Anrong.

When she started cooking, Zeng Anrong became noticeably more cautious, but her hands moved quickly. She sliced ​​the fresh pork liver thinly, rinsed it several times with well water to remove the blood, drained it with a bamboo strainer, and then began to season and thicken the sauce.

She did each step methodically, while also keeping an eye on the meat cooking in the pot. Once the time was right, she immediately took it out of the pot.

Stir-frying is a basic skill for chefs. Being able to plan the order of stir-frying and cook dishes as quickly as possible within a limited time to shorten the interval between servings can greatly enhance the dining experience for guests. This is the essence of a chef's experience.

The pork belly was cooked, and Zeng Anrong had finished all the preparation work. She sliced ​​the cooked pork belly, washed the pot, put a piece of firewood into the stove, and started stir-frying the vegetables.

Zhou Yan walked to the stove and watched as the twice-cooked pork was stir-fried.

First, stir-fry the boiled pork belly in hot oil until it curls up like a lantern. Then, push the meat to the side and pour in the chopped fermented bean paste...

Zeng Anrong did everything methodically, following the steps he taught last Sunday. She stir-fried the garlic leaves in the pan for a few seconds until they were fragrant, then immediately took them out of the pan and plated them.

A decent twice-cooked pork dish

Zhou Yan nodded slightly. Her notes hadn't been in vain; she had finally mastered the art of making twice-cooked pork.

Once the twice-cooked pork is done, immediately wash the wok and start stir-frying, braising, and salting the meat.

Heat oil in a wok, then add the skinless pork belly and stir-fry until the pork slices curl up and turn slightly yellow, releasing oil in a lamp-like shape. Add fermented black beans and finely chopped broad beans and stir-fry until the oil turns red. Season with seasonings, then add the white parts of the garlic and stir-fry quickly. Once the white parts of the garlic and chili are cooked through, add the garlic chive leaves and stir-fry quickly and evenly. Remove from heat immediately.

The sliced ​​meat is bright red with a slightly charred surface, resembling a lamp-shaped indentation. It sizzles with oil after being taken out of the pan, and is garnished with garlic leaves and white parts of garlic. The red and white colors are quite tempting when served on a plate.

The aroma of stir-fried pork with salt is more intense and overpowering than that of twice-cooked pork. The stir-fried pork has a slightly charred aroma that intertwines with the fragrance of garlic sprouts, even overpowering the aroma of twice-cooked pork.

A pretty good stir-fried pork with salt and pepper.

Zhou Yan raised an eyebrow. It was indeed his specialty, even better than twice-cooked pork.

"Stir-fried pork with salt and pepper should be eaten hot. Come on, Awei, have a taste." Zhou Yan brought over two pairs of chopsticks, handing one pair to Kong Liwei.

Pick up a slice of meat, wrap it around a garlic sprout leaf, and feed it directly into your mouth.

Unlike the soft and tender twice-cooked pork, the stir-fried salt-baked pork is crispy and tender, with the lean meat charred and the fat mellow. The aroma of fermented black beans and garlic sprouts blends with the meat's fragrance, resulting in a savory, slightly spicy, and rich flavor that is not greasy.

"Yes, it's delicious. This dish is good enough to be served in the main hall of our Leming Hotel," Kong Liwei nodded.

"It's quite good. The heat and seasoning are well controlled. To achieve this level of skill with unfamiliar pots, stoves, and seasonings is very impressive." Zhou Yan nodded in agreement, acknowledging Zeng Anrong's culinary abilities.

If she used familiar cookware and seasonings, Zhou Yan estimated that her stir-fried pork with salt would be at a level that was "extremely good".

If she were to work at Zhou Erwa's restaurant, we could simply add a new dish to the menu and have her cook the stir-fried pork with salt and pepper.

That's what makes a skilled chef.

Zeng Anrong had just washed the pot and added firewood to prepare for stir-frying pig liver. Upon hearing this, the corners of her mouth curled up slightly, but her expression remained solemn. She heated the pot, added oil, and once the oil was hot, she added the marinated pig liver and quickly stir-fried it.

A dozen seconds later, a plate of stir-fried pork liver was ready.

A delicious plate of stir-fried pork liver.

Zhou Yan nodded slightly. Although not very skilled, he was very meticulous and could strictly control the rhythm by following the steps and time he taught. He was very decisive in both the cooking process and when taking the food out of the pot, which is a special quality that many chefs do not have.

And all of this stems from self-confidence.

Despite her polite demeanor, she immediately exudes a commanding presence when she picks up a metal spoon while cooking.

"Please try it." Zeng Anrong placed the plate on the stove, looking at Zhou Yan with a mixture of nervousness and anticipation.

Zhou Yan picked up a piece of stir-fried pork liver and put it in his mouth. He chewed it carefully. The texture was tender and smooth, but it was a little too salty. After swallowing, he said, "Overall, it's not bad. The heat control is quite good. The oil temperature is right before putting it in the pan, and it's ready to be taken out of the pan decisively. The cornstarch is a little too thick, making it a bit sticky. The seasoning is a little too salty. These can be adjusted slightly."

Zeng Anrong nodded repeatedly as she listened, and took out her notebook to write everything down carefully.

"You even have a collection of wrong answers?" Awei asked, somewhat surprised.

"It's a rare opportunity to receive guidance from a master," Zeng Anrong replied casually, then looked up at Zhou Yan, slightly nervous, and asked, "Teacher Zhou, is there anything else I need to do?"

"Let's eat first. After we eat, we can talk about salary and reporting time." Zhou Yan picked up two plates of food from the stove and walked outside.

"Huh?" Zeng Anrong was stunned.

"Sister Zeng, you've been accepted. We'll be colleagues from now on," Kong Liwei said with a smile, picking up the twice-cooked pork and walking out.

"Welcome, Zeng. Wash your hands and come eat," Aunt Zhao said with a smile, as she ladled out a bowl of rice.

Zeng Anrong smiled, but tears welled up in her eyes.

The affirmation from Zhou Yan and the welcome from Awei and Aunt Zhao were so warm that she felt a little uncomfortable.

After washing her hands, she came out to find everyone in the restaurant already seated. Zhao Tieying had saved a seat for her next to him and invited her to sit down with a smile.

"Come on, you've had a hard morning. You've come for an interview, so I'll have you work half a day." Aunt Zhao served her a bowl overflowing with rice.

"It wasn't hard work, I didn't do anything," Zeng Anrong quickly replied.

"Let's eat," Zhou Yan said with a smile, and everyone picked up their chopsticks.

The new dish of stir-fried pork with salt has become everyone's top choice.

"This salt-fried pork smells so good! It's crispy and fragrant, perfect with rice!" Aunt Zhao exclaimed.

"It's delicious, dry but not tough, just right!" Comrade Zhou nodded.

Zeng Anrong was initially a little reserved, but as she listened to everyone's praise, her expression gradually relaxed, and a smile appeared on her face.

The stir-fried pork liver and twice-cooked pork also received high praise.

Everyone's tolerance was so high that she felt a little overwhelmed.

After all, in the kitchen of Qingshen Restaurant, she heard mostly mockery; those veteran chefs were never one to mince words. After lunch, Zhou Yan called Zeng Anrong aside and asked bluntly, "Sister Zeng, what's your monthly salary at Qingshen Restaurant? When can you report back to the restaurant after you go back to hand over your work?"

Zeng Anrong said, "My monthly salary at Qingshen Restaurant is 66.5 yuan after my seniority. After I go back this time, I will hand over my duties within two weeks at the latest, and then I will report to the restaurant immediately."

Zhou Yan nodded slightly and said, "Then I'll pay you 135 yuan a month. Are you satisfied? If the restaurant does well later, there's room for the salary to increase."

“Teacher Zhou, isn’t this too much?” Zeng Anrong shook her head. “I know my skill level. I’m here to assist you as an apprentice. How could I dare to ask for such a high salary?”

Zhou Yan smiled and shook his head: "I'm not recruiting an apprentice. I'm recruiting you to be a chef. Your stir-fried pork with salt is very good. If you come, I will add this dish to the menu and you will be in charge of cooking it."

Our restaurant serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and business is currently quite good, so the workload might be even heavier than at the Qingshen restaurant. Please be prepared for that.

Zeng Anrong was even more moved when she heard that she could take charge of cooking, and nodded solemnly, "Okay, I'll do whatever Teacher Zhou says."

“At the restaurant, you can just call me Master Zhou, just like Ah Wei does. I can’t accept the title of ‘teacher.’ Since you’re a few years older than me, I’ll call you Sister Zeng.” Zhou Yan said with a smile, “We’re a privately owned restaurant, so there’s not such a strict superior-subordinate relationship. Everyone can be serious when working, but relaxed at other times.”

“Okay, Master Zhou.” Zeng Anrong nodded, a smile appearing on her face. The atmosphere in this restaurant was just too wonderful.

"I'll start paying your wages from the day you report for duty next month. Our restaurant settles wages on the last day of every month, and we never delay payment."

"Have it."

After the two finished talking, the matter was considered settled.

When it was time to eat, guests arrived one after another, went in and ordered food.

"So you're going back to Qingshen this afternoon, right?" Zhou Yan asked.

“Yes, I need to go to Jiaozhou to catch a bus,” Zeng Anrong said.

"So, are you going to take your blanket back with you, or just leave it here?"

"If possible, I'll leave the blanket here. I can bring some clothes next time I come."

Zhou Yan nodded: "Okay, that room will be your dormitory. I'll buy you a lock later. You still need to transfer in Jiaozhou, so let's set off early."

“Okay.” Zeng Anrong replied, went upstairs to pick up her bag, and the originally bulging bag immediately shrank by more than half.

After saying goodbye to Zhao Tieying and the others, she was about to leave, but she happened to run into the lunch rush hour. Seeing how busy the store was, she put her bag back in the stairwell and quietly started helping out.

"Xiao Zeng, you should take the bus early so you don't get home too late," Zhao Tieying said to Zeng Anrong, who was helping to serve the braised beef.

Zeng Anrong smiled and said, "It's alright. I'll watch the shuttle bus. I'll leave when it comes. I have to wait anyway, and it's good to move around a bit after eating."

Zhao Tieying smiled upon hearing this and said nothing more.

With Zeng Anrong's help, serving the dishes became much easier, allowing Zhao Tieying to focus on cooking the braised beef with peace of mind.

Zhou Yan had already put up a sign at the entrance, introducing the dish that was just served today: braised beef with pea shoots.

A basket of freshly washed pea shoots, still glistening with a few water droplets, was placed in a prominent position in front of the stove. They were emerald green, tender, plump, and visibly fresh.

"One cent can get you a handful of pea shoots! These pea shoots look so appealing, I'll have a serving!"

"I wasn't planning on having braised beef today, but I have to have a bowl of these pea shoots!"

"I haven't eaten any pea shoots this year! These pea shoots are growing so well! The ones on ours are just starting to sprout."

The guests were excited by the sight of the beef and the number of people ordering it increased significantly, with many also choosing to pair it with a handful of pea shoots.

Huang Ying and Xia Yao met up, found a table and sat down. Huang Ying suggested, "The pea shoots are so good today! Sister Yao, how about we order a plate of braised beef?"

Xia Yao nodded: "Sure, then let's add two cents for pea shoots and order one more dish, that should be enough."

"Good idea." Huang Ying nodded, and the two discussed it and added Mapo Tofu.

After Huang Ying ordered the food, she looked at Zeng Anrong, who was helping to serve the dishes, and said, "Boss Zhou, did you hire another waiter? You just expanded the store today and you've already hired someone. Your expansion speed is really fast."

Xia Yao also noticed Zeng Anrong and said with a smile, "She's not a waitress, this lady is a chef."

"A female chef?" Huang Ying was a little surprised when he heard this. He grew up in a restaurant and went out to eat with his father, but he rarely encountered a famous female chef.

It's incredibly difficult for a woman to make a name for herself in the culinary world, so it's surprising that Zhou Yan actually hired a female chef.

He's such a nice guy, he doesn't discriminate against lesbians at all.

Their braised beef with pea shoots arrived quickly. Since they had ordered two portions, Zhao Tieying gave them a separate earthenware bowl. The bowl contained bright green pea shoots and steaming hot soup, with a delicious aroma.

"Two cents is so much!" Huang Ying was delighted.

"Eat up, the pea shoots have to be tender." Xia Yao picked up her chopsticks, first putting a mouthful of pea shoots into her bowl, and then ate them in small bites.

The tender pea shoots, soaked in the broth of the braised beef, are bursting with sweetness and meaty flavor with every bite. Their tenderness goes without saying.

It tastes different from pea shoots cooked in mutton soup, but both are delicious!
"So tender! This is the first time I've had pea shoots all year," Huang Ying exclaimed. "It's all thanks to Boss Zhou's brilliant idea; these pea shoots blanched in the braised beef soup are a perfect match! It's so delicious!"

"This was Auntie's suggestion," Xia Yao said with a smile.

"Sister Yao, you even know this?" Huang Ying glanced at her and whispered, "You and Boss Zhou..."

"No," Xia Yao interrupted her with a smile.

"Alright, alright, I'll believe you for now," Huang Ying said softly.

A bowl of pea shoots sold out by noon.

The guests who tried it raved about it.

The customers who arrived later but didn't get to eat couldn't help but sigh.

Zhao Tieying said that pea shoots are a rare find; they've only recently become available and aren't available every day. She doesn't know when they'll be back in stock.

Zeng Anrong helped for half an hour, then greeted the shuttle bus as it arrived, picked up her bag, and left.

The benefits of expanding the storefront become apparent starting at lunchtime.

The number of customers in line has been reduced by half, so they can come in and sit down to wait.

In the kitchen, Zhou Yan's spatula was practically sparking as he swung it around. He could make three servings of twice-cooked pork and four servings of shredded pork with garlic sauce from one pot. By appropriately increasing the quantity while ensuring the quality of the food, the efficiency of serving food was significantly improved.

Zhou Liwei and he worked together more and more seamlessly, with pre-prepared ingredients placed on the stove, allowing Zhou Yan to focus solely on cooking.

This is directly reflected in the time after get off work.

With similar customer traffic, we closed ten minutes earlier today than yesterday.

"You've worked hard, Comrade Awei." Zhou Yan reached out and patted Awei on the shoulder.

"It's not hard work, it's just bad luck." Ah Wei breathed a long sigh of relief; it was truly a thoroughly enjoyable midday rush hour.

Zhou Yan came out of the kitchen and saw Song Yang walking in. She greeted him with a smile, "Manager Song, why are you so late today? It's almost time for work."

Song Yang smiled and said, "Boss Zhou, I'm not here to eat, I'm here to ask you to book a banquet."

"A private banquet?" Zhou Yan was a little surprised.

Song Yang is the finance manager of the textile factory. He often comes to the restaurant with Zhao Dong and Zhu Zhe, and they have become familiar with each other over time.

Song Yang said, "Yes, it's my dad's birthday next Monday. My brother and I discussed it and decided that we'd like to have dinner out as a family. There will be eighteen of us in total, about two tables. After thinking it over, we think it would be more comfortable to eat at your restaurant."

“Two tables, next Monday, okay, I’ll reserve the tables for you, just come then.” Zhou Yan nodded and pointed to the menu next to him, “Do you want to order the dishes now? If we order in the evening, the dishes might not be all available.”

Song Yang glanced at the menu, then his gaze returned to Zhou Yan. He smiled and said, "Boss Zhou, do you have a hidden menu? Although it's a family meal, I still invited a few uncles. The dishes on your menu are good, but they're all home-style dishes that go well with rice. There isn't a single main dish to be the grand finale."

"Did you see the news?" Zhou Yan asked, looking at him.

Song Yang nodded: "I've seen it. Braised rock carp, snowflake chicken soup, can we bring the banquet?"

Dry-fried rock carp is simmered over low heat for half an hour, and snowflake chicken soup is also a labor-intensive dish, as the preparation of the ingredients is quite troublesome and time-consuming.

There's an evening rush hour after get off work, and I'm too busy cooking to even have time to make braised rock carp.

[Ding! Side quest triggered: Expand banquet booking business! Banquet booking is a very important part of hotel operations. Please accept Song Yang's banquet booking request and achieve a guest satisfaction rate of 90%.]

[Task Reward: Unknown. Accept: Yes/No]

Zhou Yan wanted to refuse, but a notification sound suddenly rang in his mind, and he stopped himself from speaking.

Expanding our private booking business...

This damn system is forcing him to improve!
His original plan was to wait until he opened a restaurant in Jiaozhou before opening the banquet service, and the private rooms on the second floor would be quite suitable for banquets.

The biggest problem with making these dishes now is the lack of manpower in the kitchen during the evening rush hour. These two dishes may be able to sell for a high price, but they are indeed time-consuming and labor-intensive.

After a moment's thought, Zhou Yan looked at Song Yang and said, "You guys arrive at the store at six o'clock on Monday night. Let me handle the evening rush first, so I'll have time to make those two time-consuming and laborious dishes, braised rock carp and snowflake chicken soup, for you."

“No problem. My brother and his family are coming down from Jiaozhou to pick up their child. They should arrive around six o'clock.” Song Yang nodded and then asked, “So, how should we price the braised rock carp and snowflake chicken soup?”

"Pricing..." Zhou Yan turned to look at Kong Liwei, who had just come out, and asked, "How much is a serving of braised rock carp and snowflake chicken soup at Leming Restaurant?"

“Dry-fried rock carp is Leming’s signature dish. It’s a high-end dish that can be served as the finale when entertaining foreign businessmen. It costs ten yuan a serving and is usually only ordered when a banquet is booked.” Kong Liwei continued, “No one at Leming Restaurant can make Snowflake Chicken Naan well. Now, you’re the only one in the Kong school who can make it. This dish requires a lot of skill. If it were at Leming Restaurant, the price would not be less than six yuan. It would also be a high-end banquet dish.”

“It’s not cheap.” Zhou Yan looked at Song Yang, waiting for him to make a decision.

“Good food is definitely not cheap, and I know that’s within my budget.” Song Yang nodded and looked at Zhou Yan, saying, “How about this, I’ll pay thirty yuan for a banquet. Braised rock carp and snowflake chicken soup are a must. You can decide on the other dishes. As long as nine people are satisfied with the meal, that’s fine. Mr. Zhou, is that acceptable?”

　Just to clarify, I'll be going out for training on the 6th, so I haven't been updating extra chapters these past few days because I'm stockpiling drafts. Once I get home after the 13th, I'll be updating a lot more in the second half of the month! I mean what I say.

　　So let's ask for monthly votes first!
　　
　
(End of this chapter)