The Northern Stories of Chef Lao Tan

Chapter 202 Reception
The evening reception banquet was held on the fourth floor of the hotel. It was said to be a reception banquet, but it was actually the opening ceremony of the competition.

Before the banquet started, Chairman Lang informed Lao Tan of some situations in advance.

The originally planned three-day event was changed to two days, because the more than 78 restaurants that signed up could not come to those, only [-] came, and the number of participating chefs was reduced from [-] to [-].

But this event is still three days.

The first two days were a cooking competition, the third day was a visit in the morning, and there was a Mongolian wedding performance at the same time, a feast of roasted whole cattle in the afternoon, and a large square party in the evening.

During the competition period, a commodity exhibition will be held at the same time to publicize and attract investment.

Apart from the catering industry, people from other industries who came to this event were invited, just like Wu Chuan last time, mainly to attract investment.

Chairman Lang said: "There are two competition venues, one is here, and the other is across the street at the night banquet of a wealthy family. You are the on-site judge over there, mainly keeping time and supervising the violation of discipline."

Lao Tan was very satisfied with this job, and said with a smile, "Okay."

"There are two stages in the competition. One is the prescribed dishes, and the time is three 10 minutes, making scallion fried lamb. The other is the optional dishes, and the time is one hour. Each contestant is only allowed to bring one assistant, and no more. In addition, additives and pigments are not allowed. You can bring your own cutlery.”

After speaking, Chairman Lang handed Lao Tan a judge's card and a copy of the competition schedule at the same time.

Kang Min looked at the judge card in Lao Tan's hand and thought of something, and immediately took out a temporary reporter card from his bag and handed it over, saying, "If you have this, you can call it a TV station. Most people dare not stop you."

Old Tan hung the reporter card around his neck, jokingly said: "Universal pass."

In the opening ceremony, the big leader gave a speech first, then the small leader gave a speech, followed by a theatrical performance, and finally went straight to the theme - the beginning of the banquet.

Old Tan was not interested in such large banquets, nor was he interested in drinking, so he planned to stay for half an hour before going back.

But he was a little surprised to find Zhou Yujun, Mr. Wang and Tong Xin among the guests.But they quickly cleared up their doubts - this activity is mainly to attract investment, and it is normal for them to come.

Zhou Yujun, dressed in a suit and leather shoes, was in good spirits, and was having a cordial and friendly conversation with the leader who had spoken just now.Tong Xin next to her was wearing a light red cheongsam, which well outlined her plump and attractive figure.Her hair was pulled high, she was slightly powdered, her face was shiny, and she was listening to the conversation between her cousin and the leader.

Mr. Wang is still exquisite, with a polite smile on his face, showing his grace and luxury.

Lao Tan watched Tong Xin across several tables, and suddenly wondered what her husband would do if he saw this scene?Maybe I have never seen my daughter-in-law wearing a cheongsam at all.

I couldn't help laughing, and said that Tong Xin might take another path. I don't know whether it will be good or bad in the future. Maybe many women want to take this path, but she is just taking a shortcut.

But he felt that Tong Xin was not suitable for this path. Although he had not communicated with her in detail, his intuition told him that Tong Xin was just a vase in this circle.

No matter how beautiful the flowers are, there will be times when they wither. When the prosperity is gone and the vanity recedes, what will be left will be hurt everywhere.

"President Tan, what are you thinking about?" Kang Min asked with a smile as he saw that Old Tan was in a daze.

"I didn't think about it." Lao Tan recovered and smiled, and said, "We're waiting for the main course."

Kang Min glanced in the direction Lao Tan was looking at, saw Tong Xin and the others naturally, turned around and said, "They are here too, Mr. Zhou is really everywhere—isn't the one sitting next to him wearing a cheongsam his cousin? Land? Don’t work at your house anymore?”

Old Tan hummed.

"I heard that President Zhou and Mr. Wang are very good, and they are inseparable. Now I bring my cousin with me. Why, I want one king and two two." Kang Min laughed after speaking.

Old Tan smiled, didn't say anything, and looked at Tong Xin again.

Coincidentally, Tong Xin happened to be looking this way, and the eyes of the two met unexpectedly.

Old Tan smiled at Tong Xin, and at the same time raised his wine glass as a greeting.

Tong Xin was surprised at first, then smiled when she thought of something, and nodded to Lao Tan.

Mr. Wang saw her nodding, followed his gaze, and saw Lao Tan.

Old Tan smiled at President Wang.

Mr. Wang nodded with a smile, then said something to Tong Xin, then got up and walked towards Old Tan.

"What is she doing here?" Kang Min whispered.

Before Lao Tan could speak, Li Xue asked, "Who is it?"

"That." Kang Min pointed his eyes at Mr. Wang who was walking towards him and said.

Li Xue saw it and said, "It's pretty, very feminine."

"It should be a woman who still has charm." Kang Min said with a bit of sarcasm.

Mr. Wang walked around the table and came to him. Lao Tan and Kang Min had already got up, greeted each other and sat down.

"Is Tan always here to participate in the competition?" Mr. Wang asked first.

"No, come and have a look." Old Tan said.

"It's not as simple as looking at it, do you want to open a shop here?" Mr. Wang asked.

"I don't have any plans at the moment. Chairman Lang called me to be a judge." Old Tan said.

Mr. Wang let out an ooh, and Kang Min asked, "Mr. Wang, are you here to discuss cooperation?"

"Well, Dongsheng wants to build an e-commerce platform here, cooperate with us, come and talk." Mr. Wang said.

"You guys are developing very well. Tuo County has also cooperated with you, and I heard that Jining is doing the same." Kang Min is from a TV station and is well-informed. Old Tan doesn't know about these things.

"Well, it has already been done in Tuo County. Jining has just signed the contract. This time, it is mainly to sign the contract with the Dongsheng District Government, and then start laying the line." Mr. Wang said.

Just as they were talking, Tong Xin also came over, and a few people chatted about some unnecessary things, although boring but essential.

After a while Li Xue said to Kang Min: "Sister Kang, it's not fun to be here, so I might as well go out and find a bar."

Kang Min also wanted to leave a long time ago, so he asked Mr. Wang, "Mr. Wang, are you going?"

Mr. Wang glanced at Old Tan questioningly, and Old Tan said it was casual, so she said to Tong Xin in the tone of ordering her subordinates in the previous episode: "Tong Xin, Mr. Tan and I will go out with Mr. Tan, and you can talk to Yujun later. "

Tong Xin came here because he wanted to have a chat with Lao Tan. Seeing Mr. Wang saying that, he was a little unhappy, but he didn't show it, and agreed with a smile.

Lao Tan, Kang Min, Li Xue, and Mr. Wang left the banquet hall, left the hotel, and came to the brightly lit street.

This is the center of Dongsheng District, which is relatively prosperous. Several famous hotels and guesthouses are here, as well as several bars, karaoke halls, and large shopping malls.

It's eight o'clock in the evening, and the neon lights are flashing in the night. What you see is the same brilliant lights as a big city. People who come here for the first time will not associate this city with decline at all. street.

Mr. Wang has been here before, and led everyone to a bar called "Qing Miao Time" very familiarly.

Lao Tan is not familiar with the bar, this is the second time he has entered.

The first time was when I was a chef in the provincial capital. At that time, I walked the Yellow River Street to and from get off work every day, and I had to pass a bar called "Piao".The word "Gone with the Wind" attracted him, because he remembered that there was a novel called "Gone with the Wind", which was quite famous, so he had the idea to go in and read it.

So on a salary day, I walked in when I was passing by after get off work.

It feels good, elegant and comfortable, with music and wine, very stylish, but I feel distressed when I check out.

This evening is no different than in the past, you don't need to worry about money when you go to the bar, you can come every day as long as you want.

The four of them chose a table in the corner and ordered wine and fruit plate. Since they hadn't arrived at the nightclub yet, there were not many guests and no singers singing. The whole bar was surrounded by soothing light music, which was clean and warm.

When the fruit plate came, the waiter said that there were grilled skewers, which was very fresh. The bar sells grilled skewers, which combines Chinese and Western, and Mongolian and Western, which is considered original.The four of them ordered some skewers, and Lao Tan ordered a bottle of white wine.

"Mr. Tan, Ordos is not as good as it used to be, but overall it's okay. Your family will definitely be able to open a family here." Mr. Wang said.

Lao Tan said: "There is no plan to open a store this year, and the Jinqiao store will be completed."

"I feel it has potential," Mr. Wang said.

"Well, let's see, if there is a cooperation, you can consider it, and don't open a direct store." Old Tan said.

"Mr. Tan is wise. It is safe not to use his own money to open a store." Mr. Wang said.

Old Tan was a little disgusted with this statement, so he asked: "Do you think I am a coward?"

"That's not what I meant." President Wang explained, "I mean you are cautious and far-sighted."

Old Tan smiled and said: "It has nothing to do with foresight, but I just don't want to ruin the brand, and I can't take care of it anyway. If you cooperate, you will earn less, but you will share the risk, reduce investment pressure, and not delay things. To put it bluntly It’s just that if the money is small, I dare to do anything when the money is big.”

Mr. Wang smiled a little embarrassedly, picked up the wine glass and said: "Tan is always a courageous person, I respect you, I hope to have the opportunity to cooperate in the future." A glass of white wine dried up.

Old Tan watched in surprise as she drank the wine in the glass, couldn't help grinning, and then did the same.

"Mr. Wang is a good drinker." Kang Min complimented.

Li Xue grinned the same as Lao Tan, even though she didn't drink and looked at it, she felt her throat was hot, but it was 52 degrees, a glass of two or three.

Mr. Wang wiped the corners of his mouth with a napkin, took a bite of the mutton skewers, and then took a quick sip of tea. It was obvious that a glass of wine would burn his stomach.

"President Wang, let's drink slowly." Old Tan said.

Mr. Wang smiled a bit, a little reluctantly, and he couldn't tell if he didn't look carefully.

"It's okay, it's okay. Don't call me Mr. Wang, call me Sister Wang."

"Let's call him Mr. Wang. It's wrong to call me sister. You are younger than me. Those who know are my sisters. Those who don't know think I'm your uncle." Old Tan joked.

"Hehe, I didn't expect you to be joking." Boss Wang laughed, two blushes rose on his cheeks.

(End of this chapter)