In the 1970s, it started with contracting out communal dining.

Upon hearing this, a hint of smugness flashed in Zhang Tieniu's eyes.

That's exactly what he was waiting for!

Putting everything else aside, just considering his skills, which everyone in the army praises, he would never show any weakness in the kitchen of this small steel factory canteen.

Back then, there were over 2000 people in the unit, and he helped with the cooking for all three meals a day. Everyone praised the food prepared by their mess hall! Even the regimental commander who came to inspect the unit specifically praised their mess hall.

If it weren't for his mother's serious illness a while ago, requiring constant care, he wouldn't have changed careers ahead of schedule.

"Chef Chen, let's get this straight! If my cooking satisfies you, I won't do the chopping and cutting work anymore, at least..."

As Zhang Tieniu spoke, his eyes darted around a couple of times, then a smug smile appeared on his lips. He glanced at Wu Xiaochun arrogantly before continuing.

"At least give him that position! I want to be a kitchen helper!"

Unfortunately, Chen Wei merely glanced at Zhang Tieniu with indifference at his confidence.

He neither said yes nor no; he simply pointed indifferently to the vegetable preparation basket in front of him.

"All the ingredients are here. Just cook whatever you're good at."

After saying this, he ignored Zhang Tieniu and went back to the stove to continue his work, as if he didn't take the proud Zhang Tieniu seriously at all.

In fact, Chen Wei knew that there were now a total of 6 people in the canteen kitchen. Wu Xiaochun and Lin Jun were both kitchen helpers and had already received a raise along with him.

Zhang Tieniu, a newcomer, immediately tried to take Wu Xiaochun's place, so naturally he had to show off his skills.

Although Chen Jianguo had already told Chen Wei that this kid was in the cooking squad, Chen Jianguo hadn't told Chen Wei the specific cooking skills.

He only said that these three were all apprentices, and he could do whatever he wanted with them. Who would have thought that this kid was still full of resentment?

Judging from the way this kid looks now, his skills probably aren't that great. I wonder who gave him that confidence before, Fish Leong?

Zhang Tieniu walked confidently to the vegetable basket and casually picked out three vegetables: potatoes, carrots, and shredded kelp.

"Since Chef Chen has said so, then I'll show off my skills to everyone today. I'll make a hot and sour shredded vegetable dish!"

Although there weren't many ingredients in the kitchen's preparation basket, there were tofu, green peppers, and green beans, but who knew that this kid would choose to make hot and sour shredded vegetables.

The moment he uttered the name of the dish, several long-time employees of the canteen—Lin Jun and Yang Zhengbao—sneered, as if they were watching a good show.

Speaking of hot and sour shredded vegetables, that's Chenwei's signature dish. Not to mention the factory, even Wang Defa is a big fan of Chenwei's cooking. Zhang Tieniu choosing this dish today is just asking for trouble!

Wu Xiaochun let out a loud, mocking laugh.

"Ha... truly wielding a great sword in front of Guan Yu..."

"Xiaochun! Shut up!"

Chen Wei's face darkened, and he shot Wu Xiaochun a sharp look, directly stopping him from speaking.

Before, everyone around him was an old acquaintance, so he didn't think much of Wu Xiaochun's habit of being a chatterbox and showing off his name. But today, with the arrival of a new person, Wu Xiaochun's old habit has resurfaced, and Chen Wei is now truly on guard.

This Zhang Tieniu is nothing special; he's just a rebellious newcomer. Now that the dishes are cooked, it's up to him whether he stays or leaves.

But Wu Xiaochun, the seasoned veteran in the cafeteria kitchen, is the person Chen Wei will have to face next.

This kid is lazy and slacking off all the time, but now he's acting like he's above everyone else. It seems we need to discipline him properly, otherwise he'll corrupt the atmosphere in the kitchen and we'll suffer a great loss in the future.

Having secretly decided to have a good talk with Wu Xiaochun after get off work today, Chen Wei then looked towards Zhang Tieniu's side.

Zhang Tieniu strode confidently to the stove, rolled up his sleeves, and began preparing the ingredients with practiced ease.

He casually picked out two potatoes and a carrot from the large basket, and then grabbed a small handful of kelp strips and threw them into the water to soak.

Peel and shred the potatoes, and do the same with the carrots.

"Tap tap tap tap tap—"

A series of sounds of blades striking the cutting board rang out, and in the blink of an eye, the potatoes and carrots were turned into thin shreds. He even chopped the scallions, ginger, and garlic into small pieces and set them aside for later use.

This guy clearly has martial arts skills; he's definitely much better than a hothead.

Chen Wei didn't say anything and continued reading.

Zhang Tieniu had already prepared all the ingredients and walked straight to the pot where Lin Jun was standing, giving him a smug wink.

Lin Jun didn't say anything, but simply gave up his seat.

"Boom—"

Zhang Tieniu opened the vent and the flames shot up with a roar. He then casually placed the large double-handled pot on the stove burner.

"Sizzle—"

Slide a spoonful of vegetable oil into the pan, heat the oil, add minced scallions, ginger, and garlic first, then add shredded potatoes and stir-fry quickly.

Zhang Tieniu was quick, stirring the pot rapidly with a large ladle. After observing that the shredded potatoes were almost cooked, he turned around and grabbed a handful of shredded carrots and kelp, tossing them into the pot in quick succession.

If you ignore the fact that the seaweed strips are still dripping water, his actions can really fool people.

Chen Wei frowned slightly, suppressing his urge to go up and offer guidance, and patiently continued reading.

Zhang Tieniu used a large ladle to scoop vinegar and poured it directly into the pot, followed by sugar, salt, and chili peppers. He added the seasonings one by one, and Zhang Tieniu kept stirring the pot.

There was an indescribable impatience in his movements.

Steam was rising from the pot, and the unique aroma of the hot and sour shredded vegetables was already wafting out. It didn't smell as enticing as Chenwei's version, but it was still passable.

"Out of the pot!"

Once the sauce had reduced to the desired consistency, Zhang Tieniu deftly flipped his wrist and scooped the hot and sour shredded vegetables from the pot into a plate.

"Chef Chen, please give me your feedback on my cooking!"

His face was full of pride, and he seemed very satisfied with his performance.

Chen Wei patiently walked over and peeked out, his brows immediately furrowing.

The vinegar in this hot and sour shredded vegetables dish is a bit too strong. Shredded potatoes and carrots are vegetables that are easy to absorb flavor, and with the addition of shredded kelp, if too much vinegar is added, it will overpower the original flavor of the ingredients and prevent the spiciness from showing.

Chen Wei picked up his chopsticks, casually took a bite, and smelled it.

It had a slightly burnt taste, probably because the kelp strips weren't drained properly before being put into the pot, which caused the sauce to thicken for too long, making the dish a bit overcooked.

I reached out with my chopsticks and the shredded potatoes were all overcooked.

It must be because Zhang Tieniu used too much force when he was stir-frying it.

"Unacceptable!" Chen Wei said with a frown, throwing the dish back onto the plate without even tasting it.