1984: Starting from a bankrupt Sichuan restaurant

Chapter 81 My Master is Confused (Second Update)
Everyone turned around and watched as three bicycles approached from afar, kicking up a cloud of dust.

"Aren't those your brother-in-law and father-in-law? They...they also hired a chef?" Zhou Ze narrowed his eyes slightly and looked closely, somewhat surprised.

We were just worried about not being able to find a chef, and now two great chefs have arrived.

"This..." Zhou Hao was a little embarrassed. After the village cook fell at noon, his brother-in-law and father-in-law were anxious to find a cook, and they actually found one.

"Another chef has arrived," Xiao Lei said with a smile.

“My brother and father-in-law are also helping to find a chef. Both families are working together, and it just so happens that we've run into each other. Let’s see how things go. I think only you can handle this kind of situation,” Zhou Yan said with a smile. He was definitely on his master’s side.

There are only two level-two chefs in Suji Town, and the other is the head chef of a state-run restaurant. Zhou Yan doesn't believe they can invite that person over.

Xiao Lei is a chef who can handle any situation and make a proper banquet.

Moreover, while it's called helping out, it's actually a pretty good project.

My mentor just resigned and hasn't decided what to do yet. If he does this job well, he can earn 60 or 70 yuan, which is equivalent to a month's salary. It's a viable path.

However, since the person was invited by Hao's father-in-law, how to handle the situation is up to him. He certainly can't let his brother-in-law lose face.

In no time, three bicycles arrived at the door.

Leading the way was a short, stocky young man, Zhou Hao's brother-in-law, Chen Xiaolong. He was only wearing a blue vest in this weather. As soon as he got out of the car, he busied himself introducing the men who got out behind him to Zhou Hao: "Zhou Hao, this is my cousin, Chef Zheng Qiang. He's the head chef at Rongcheng Restaurant. He just passed the national level three chef exam this year. You know Rongcheng Restaurant, right? It's a high-end restaurant that caters to foreign guests."

These words immediately piqued everyone's interest, and they all began to scrutinize the man.

Rongcheng Restaurant! That's indeed very famous.

If someone from the village goes to Chengdu and manages to eat at a Chengdu restaurant, they'll brag about it for half a year when they get back.

Unexpectedly, the Chen family has a cousin who is a chef at a restaurant in Rongcheng. If he were to take charge of the cooking, the Zhou family would be very proud.

Zheng Qiang was short and stout, wearing a loose white chef's uniform with "Rongcheng Restaurant" embroidered on the chest. He looked to be about thirty-five or thirty-six years old. As he listened to Chen Xiaolong's introduction and saw the reactions of the crowd, the corners of his mouth turned up slightly, showing a hint of smugness.

Zhou Hao quickly took out a cigarette and offered it to him, saying politely, "Uncle, thank you for coming."

Zheng Qiang took the cigarette and said with a smile, "It's alright. I watched Yueyue grow up. I'm definitely willing to help you with your wedding and solve this problem. Anyway, I'm planning to work as a rural cook after I come back from Chengdu."

Zhou Yan raised an eyebrow. Goodness, this cousin of his is just as clear about his goals as he is.

Xiao Lei stared at Zheng Qiang, a strange smile appearing on his lips. It was actually this kid.

Zhou Hao didn't mince words and said with a smile, "Uncle, I'm really sorry. Zhou Yan just invited his master, Master Xiao, and we've already asked him to help us take over the banquet. I'm so sorry to have troubled you to make this trip."

"Huh?" Zheng Qiang's smile froze. He glanced at Xiao Lei and Zhou Yan, the master and apprentice, standing to the side. Both were wearing chef's uniforms and were not hard to recognize. However, he clearly didn't recognize Xiao Lei.

He tried to tuck the cigarette behind his ear twice before finally managing to keep it in place, then scratched his head somewhat awkwardly: "Since this gentleman went first, well... well, never mind then."

Chen Xiaolong scratched his head awkwardly and pulled Zhou Hao aside to whisper, "Brother-in-law, your uncle is a head chef, the head chef of Rongcheng Hotel. You should reconsider."

“Brother, a man should keep his word. Chef Xiao is a master chef. Zhou Yan invited him with his connections. I’ve already made a deal with him, and it can’t be changed now.” Zhou Hao’s attitude was firm, but his tone softened a bit: “I know my uncle is very capable. He only came here because of Yueyue and your family. I will remember this kindness.”

Upon hearing this, Chen Xiaolong had nothing more to say.

His brother-in-law, who was in the army, was upright and principled, but he treated his sister very well and was impeccable.

There's nothing wrong with handling this situation this way. Everyone came to help, so how could you agree to the terms and then cancel the appointment? That would make people lose face.

Chen's father stood to the side without saying a word, pondering how to comfort Zheng Qiang, since they were the ones who invited him, but when they arrived at the place, they wouldn't let him do anything.

My second uncle held a pack of cigarettes in his hand, seemingly wanting to say something but then stopping himself.

The old lady watched from the side, shaking her head, and was about to step forward and say a few polite words.

Xiao Lei stepped forward, smiling and extending his hand to Zheng Qiang: "Master Zheng, hello, I am Xiao Lei. There are more than 30 tables at this banquet. I was invited here at the last minute and just arrived. I don't even have any helpers yet."

"How about we take this job together and put on a great show for this banquet, making sure the guests are happy and the newlyweds have a joyful celebration? What do you think?"

Upon hearing this, everyone present was somewhat surprised and looked at Xiao Lei.

The matter was already settled; the host family was determined to have Xiao Lei do it, and Zheng Qiang hadn't said anything. So why did he take the initiative to invite Zheng Qiang to do it together?

That means we'll have to share the money with him.

Zhou Yan hesitated, wanting to speak but holding back; his master was confused.

Zheng Qiang looked at Xiao Lei, who was extending his hand, and was also a little confused. What was going on?

Having studied cooking in Chengdu for over ten years, he has a keen eye. Xiao Lei's strong forearms, calloused hands and fingertips, clearly indicate that he is an experienced chef.

He thought about it for a moment and figured that this Chef Xiao might be trying to get on his good side because he was a chef from Rongcheng Restaurant and wanted to learn some experience from him in high-end restaurants.

Well, very reasonable.

This open-air banquet was a golden opportunity for him. His plan was to start as a local cook; money wasn't important, reputation was. If he could demonstrate his exceptional culinary skills and make the experienced chef willingly submit and become his assistant, then he would be the head chef of the banquet, and his reputation would spread far and wide!

However, Xiao Lei... why does that name sound familiar? I can't quite place it.

"Hello, Master Xiao. It's a pleasure to work with you." Zheng Qiang immediately shook Xiao Lei's hand and said with a smile, "You're right. The most important thing is to organize a good banquet, make the guests happy, so the newlyweds don't have to worry, and the host gets to look good."

"That's great! With the two masters working together, the banquet will definitely be a success." Second Uncle Zhou Ze quickly stepped forward with a cigarette and handed it to Zheng Qiang, his eyes practically disappearing from his smile.

For the same price, you get two master chefs – that's such a great deal!
Country-style chef?

Let him rest in the hospital.

"Brother, have someone slaughter the pig first, cut it up, and we'll need it soon. The steamed dishes need to be prepared today." Xiao Lei withdrew his hand and looked at Zhou Ze, saying, "Then bring us the menu written by the village cook, and show it to us. Then take us to see what dishes have been prepared so I can arrange our work."

Master Xiao immediately switched to work mode, working methodically and efficiently, which made Zheng Qiang a little uncomfortable. He quickly nodded in agreement, "Yes."

"Okay, I'll arrange it!" Zhou Ze nodded and turned to find someone.

"I'll slaughter the pig!" Zhou Jie responded and immediately called out, "Brother Haizi, Brother Fei, and you guys go and hold the pig down."

Several burly men stepped out from the crowd and walked towards the trembling, fat pig in the corner.

"You should also go slaughter a pig. When your fourth uncle comes, let him do it. His pig-slaughtering skills are top-notch." Old man Zhou Qing chuckled and patted Zhou Jie's arm, looking at Zhou Miao who had just parked the car.

"Great!" Zhou Jie laughed and charged forward with a roar.

Zhou Miao came over and said hello, then was dragged away to slaughter a pig.

Zheng Qiang then went to the side to talk to the Chen father and son.

"Master, why did you suddenly ask Master Zheng to work with us?" Zhou Yan finally found an opportunity to ask Xiao Lei in a low voice.

"Did you see his build and hands? He's sturdy, with thick arms and calluses on his hands—that's a testament to his solid fundamentals." Xiao Lei said with satisfaction.

"so?"

“I need a chopping board cutter. You have to go back to the restaurant to work later. You need to prepare cold dishes for tonight and tomorrow. There are thirty tables of food. How can I handle it all by myself?” Xiao Lei laughed. “The Level 3 Chef exam has high requirements for knife skills. You can’t find a chopping board cutter like this even with a lantern.”

Zhou Yan: "..."

Master truly lives up to his reputation.

They'll treat a third-level chef like a kitchen chopping block after just a few words of coaxing.

Look at Master Zheng's slightly raised eyebrows and upturned lips just now. He must be thinking about how to show off his skills, right?

My second uncle quickly brought the menu and led them to the food preparation area, explaining the situation as he went.

The village cook was very experienced and had hosted many banquets with more than 30 tables. The schedule was quite tight. The original plan was to start slaughtering the pig at noon and prepare the nine-course meal. However, the pig had not yet been slaughtered, and dozens of chickens were still kept in cages. The vegetarian dishes and side dishes were almost ready.

After understanding the situation, Xiao Lei studied the menu for a while and said, "Have someone kill the chicken too. It's cool enough at night now, so it won't spoil. Let's pre-steam some dishes today so we won't be in a rush tomorrow. I see he doesn't have enough seasonings here, so we need to buy spices and the like. I'll make a list, and you can have someone go to the supply and marketing cooperative to buy them..."

The old man and the second uncle stood beside him, listening and nodding as they took notes.

After the cook fell at noon, he sent his son to deliver the message and take away the braising liquid and spices.

Chef Xiao, the head chef of this state-owned factory, is truly different. He is incredibly organized, and he clearly explains what is missing, how many items are needed, and where to buy them.

Zheng Qiang was originally walking side by side with Xiao Lei, and was prepared to give him some pointers, but after a while, he realized that he had slowed down and was walking alongside Zhou Yan.

Because he clearly felt that, just by looking at the menu, he couldn't give precise instructions on how much seasoning and spices would be needed for the banquet, or where to buy them.

The purchasing for Rongcheng Restaurant is handled by a dedicated person. Every time he goes to the kitchen, there are always more seasonings and spices than he can use, and the side dishes are also delivered to the kitchen.

From his initial high spirits and brimming with the superiority of his background in the grand hotel industry, to slowly shrinking back and falling silent, it only took three minutes.

Being with Xiao Lei felt like being with his master.

It sounded very reasonable, but I couldn't get a word in edgewise.

That's right, they were suppressed.

Zhou Yan glanced at him, a slight smile playing on her lips. "Even coming from a fancy hotel doesn't seem to work that well," she thought.

"Master Zheng, what do you think?" Xiao Lei stopped and turned to Zheng Qiang, asking with a smile.

"Huh? Uh..." Zheng Qiang forced a smile, "I think Master Xiao is right."

Xiao Lei nodded: "Then let's do as I say first."

“However, I think this menu is a bit monotonous, all pork, customers might get tired of it.” Zheng Qiang felt more and more dissatisfied, and said, “How about adding a camphor tea duck, a Kung Pao chicken, and a braised carp? Our Rongcheng restaurant’s banquet guests love to order these, and the reviews are very good.”

(End of this chapter)