From selling box lunches to becoming a famous Chinese chef

Chapter 217 We must stick to tradition

After looking at several people, Feng Zhengming still rejected the other party's invitation.

"I'm sorry, I don't think my current ability is enough to run a big restaurant, so thank you for your kindness. You'd better hire someone else."

After rejecting the other party's invitation and asking a few people to sit down, Feng Zhengming cooked two more dishes for them.

As a gift to a few people, one of the stir-fried cabbage also amazed a few people.

The fried double crisp is crispy and tender, with a lighter salty taste.

Feng Zhengming's stir-fried cabbage can be said to have a different taste.

The cabbage was stir-fried just right, without any water coming out of it, and the taste was a precise balance of vinegar and soy sauce.

Coupled with the crispy texture of cabbage, some people even think it tastes better than double-crisp fried cabbage.

A few people ate and drank for a while, and saw Feng Zhengming cooking dishes for the new tables of guests. It was no longer very busy.

They once again took the initiative to invite Feng Zhengming to sit over and wanted to have a drink with Feng Zhengming.

Feng Zhengming told Xia Hui and Chen Anbang, walked to the small table and sat down.

He didn't let the other party pour himself a drink.

"Don't pour me wine. I still have to do business. It's hard to cook after drinking."

Hearing what Feng Zhengming said, several people were somewhat surprised.

They know that many chefs in restaurants can be said to have a good drinking capacity. In their free time, many chefs like to cook two side dishes by themselves, sit in the back kitchen and drink by themselves, and then watch the other chefs in the back kitchen. Cooking.

But Feng Zhengming refused to drink. It didn't look like he was rejecting them intentionally, but it really seemed like he said he didn't drink while cooking.

The man who paid tonight took out a business card from the inside pocket of his coat and handed it to Feng Zhengming.

Feng Zhengming took the other party's business card with both hands.

Chang Zongfu, general manager of Qilu Weiguan Food Culture Company.

Feng Zhengming couldn't help but feel a little surprised when he saw the other party's business card.

In this day and age, some people actually think of creating food culture?

Looking at the people in front of me, judging from their clothing, appearance and age, it seems that they are not only rich, but also have a certain amount of knowledge and culture.

Feng Zhengming thought for a while and asked: "How many of them have returned from abroad?"

Several people did not expect that Feng Zhengming's first question after reading the business card was to ask them this question.

Several people looked at each other, and it was Chang Zongfu who spoke.

"Master Feng has a unique vision. I did come back from abroad. Only after going out can I appreciate the different humanities and customs, as well as a more pure and unique view and explanation of food."

Feng Zhengming could almost understand some of the other party's thoughts now.

Moreover, Feng Zhengming quietly looked at the other people who came with Chang Zongfu, and he probably made some judgments about them.

Chang Zongfu came back from abroad, so his family background must be quite high.

He wanted to build a restaurant that could compete with high-end foreign restaurants.

So the few people who came with him should probably all have certain family backgrounds. The most important thing is that these people should have certain connections. Otherwise, how can a high-end restaurant be afforded by ordinary families?

Feng Zhengming made judgments about several people, and he spoke calmly.

"There are foreign standards abroad, and we also have our own standards. As chefs, I don't think we need to copy other people's standards to run our own restaurants. We should maintain our own characteristics and keep our own traditional characteristics. Our own cuisine is more varied.”

After hearing what Feng Zhengming said, Chang Zongfu did not speak. Instead, a person who came with him smiled and spoke.

"I didn't expect Master Feng to be such a traditional person at such a young age."

Feng Zhengming didn't respond. He just turned to look at the other person and looked at him carefully.

This person is very fashionable in his clothes, and there are obviously a lot of Western influences.

Especially the watch on the opponent's hand shows that he has a rich family background.

Seeing Feng Zhengming staring at him and not replying.

The other party continued: "Now everything is in line with international standards. Not to mention the big ones, aren't the few remaining big restaurants in Quancheng trying to learn some foreign business concepts?

We felt that their learning was not thorough enough, so under the leadership of Mr. Chang, a few of us prepared to give everyone a try in Quancheng. "

Feng Zhengming asked: "Since you want to be thorough, why don't you hire foreign chefs?"

The other party immediately said: "If we hire a foreign chef, it will no longer be our own restaurant. We want to learn from and benchmark foreign standards, and we are not opening a Western restaurant."

Feng Zhengming asked again: "Why are you looking for me?"

This time Chang Zongfu answered: "Master Feng, you are young enough, and not only are you young, but your skills are also good. Today's oil-fried double crisp has already demonstrated your strength."

Another person took over what Chang Zongfu said: "Our idea is to find some young and skilled chefs like Master Feng, and then we will invite top foreign chefs to give you some teaching and teach you how to cook from an aesthetic point of view. How to cook and how to use some foreign materials."

Feng Zhengming couldn't help laughing when he heard this: "So what you mean is, let foreigners teach me how to cook Chinese food?"

These words stopped Chang Zongfu and others.

Chang Zongfu quickly came back to his senses and said: "That's not what it means. It's a kind of mutual communication among everyone to help Master Feng make the dishes more aesthetically pleasing."

Feng Zhengming nodded and stood up: "I think you have found the wrong person. I am just the owner of a dry rice shop and a food stall. I am an insignificant young cook. I should not be suitable for a high-end restaurant like yours."

After answering the other party for the third time, Feng Zhengming continued to walk to greet the new customers.

Chang Zongfu and others looked at each other, but they did not expect Feng Zhengming's attitude to be so firm.

However, a few people said nothing more, but drank wine and ate food together, and finally left together.

After Chang Zongfu and the others left, while Xia Hui was helping Feng Zhengming, she couldn't help but whisper: "Uncle, are you really not considering cooperating with them? I think these people must be very rich, let them give If you invest, uncle, you can open your own restaurant directly, or even if it doesn't work out, you can open your own private restaurant."

Feng Zhengming looked at Xia Hui and said, "Everything has a price. They will not invest in me for no reason."

Xia Hui added: "But with your craftsmanship and your current reputation, uncle, if you can make money for them, they will definitely be happy." Feng Zhengming asked back: "Do you think they care that I can help them make money?" Three melons and two dates?”

Without waiting for Xia Hui's answer, Feng Zhengming asked himself: "They don't care about the little money I make. Otherwise, if I charge them 50 for a plate of fried oil and double crunch, how can they take it out without even blinking?

Our food stall can't handle more than 50 tables a night, so I asked them to invest in me and open a private restaurant of my own. How could they appreciate the money I can earn in a year? "

Xia Hui was a little puzzled: "Uncle, why do they want you to be the spoon master?"

Feng Zhengming shook his head and said, "I can't think of their specific purpose now."

Xia Hui didn't ask any more questions and continued to work honestly.

Feng Zhengming was really curious, what was the purpose of Chang Zongfu and others?

Chang Zongfu and the others left the food stall, walked to an intersection some distance from the train station, and got into an imported car parked on the roadside.

Just as Feng Zhengming guessed about their identities, Chang Zongfu and the four of them did have some family backgrounds.

After getting in the car, wearing an imported watch, the youngest person among the few people spoke first.

"This Feng Zhengming is quite arrogant, and he actually rejected us like this."

The person in the passenger seat smiled and said: "He has skills and arrogance. Tonight, his plate of oil bursting with double crisps can definitely be said to be at the textbook level. Looking at Quancheng and our entire province, there is no difference." There must be a few chefs who can achieve his level, and those are probably quite old.”

The person who had been silent throughout the whole process also spoke up: "Old Chang, I think he is very resistant to receiving foreign catering training."

Chang Zongfu finally spoke: "It's normal. Such young and skilled chefs will definitely be more arrogant. If you ask them to accept some foreign concepts, they will definitely still find it difficult to accept, but it doesn't matter. Sooner or later they will realize their shortcomings and slow down. Be slow to accept some foreign ideas."

Several other people in the car looked at each other and couldn't help but start thinking about what to do next?

"Mr. Chang, what should we do next?"

Chang Zongfu said: "If Feng Zhengming is not willing to join, then we will find someone else. I heard that Quancheng will hold a province-wide young chef exchange at the end of the year. By then we will observe and learn on the spot, and maybe we can find a young chef who is better than Feng Zhengming." .”

This statement was recognized by several other people.

"Yes, Feng Zhengming is very good now, but there are so many young chefs in the province, there must be someone better than him."

"The Culinary Association has finally done something big. The exchange of young chefs across the province is really a good event."

"Yes, by bringing together outstanding young chefs from all over the province, more progress will be made through exchanges."

Chang Zongfu started the car and took the people away from the train station.

When Luo Qing got off work, she came to the food stall again.

Feng Zhengming and the others were already preparing to pack up and go back.

Xia Hui was very happy when she saw Luo Qing coming after get off work. She pulled Luo Qing to chat and help pack things.

Luo Qing also felt that she could chat with Xia Hui, probably because they were about the same age.

Moreover, both of them are not supported by their families.

Xia Hui told Luo Qing exactly what happened when Feng Zhengming made deep-fried double crisps in public at night, which shocked all the onlookers, as well as when he rejected several invitations from the owners of big restaurants.

Luo Qing was also a little excited when she heard it, especially when she heard Xia Hui talk about Feng Zhengming's double crisping process.

It felt like I was watching Feng Zhengming do it on the spot.

And you can see the crowd of people watching exclaiming in surprise.

When the food was ready, the crowd of onlookers applauded Feng Zhengming.

After listening to the exciting cooking process, Xia Hui explained Feng Zhengming's rejection of the invitation.

After Xia Hui's vivid description, Luo Qing could hear a spirit of not giving up for five buckets of rice.

Feng Zhengming listened to Xia Hui's words for a long time and couldn't help but said: "It's okay for you to tell the truth, but can you stop adding so many exaggerated adjectives and tone?

I found that you should not be a chef, you should be a teahouse storyteller or a program host. "

Luo Qing heard Feng Zhengming's words and immediately spoke for Xia Hui.

"How can you say that about Xia Hui? She is a girl, and I think she speaks very well. She explains things very clearly, and also has some emotions that touch others. Wouldn't this be more exciting?"

Feng Zhengming looked helpless: "There's really no need to be so jealous. I rejected them because everyone's ideas are different."

Xia Hui asked curiously: "Uncle, how do you disagree with your ideas?"

At this time, almost everything was packed away. Feng Zhengming greeted everyone to leave and gave an explanation.

"It's very simple. They obviously read too much foreign things. For example, Chang Zongfu said that he came back from abroad and felt that foreign restaurants interpreted the beauty of food better.

I think their ideas and statements are out of touch with reality. It’s not that we don’t have high-end banquet dishes in Chinese food, but it’s just that when we usually eat, it’s impossible to taste those high-end banquet dishes, so we choose Fengjiagang Restaurant and ours. Food stalls because they are affordable. "

Luo Qing nodded first after hearing this, but then added: "Now everyone's living standards are slowly getting better, and a lot of foreign things are coming in. I heard that some fast food restaurants are opening in the country, so don't we have to deal with it too? ?”

Xia Hui immediately echoed: "Yes, yes, Sister Qing is right. Many Western restaurants and fast food restaurants have come in and they all look very high-end. We should also respond to them and not let them take away the market."

Feng Zhengming said: "We do need to deal with it, but we don't have to learn other people's standards. We should stick to our own things and establish a set of standards that suit our own characteristics. With our own standards, we can better cope with the market. Impact and compete better with others.”

Chen Anbang couldn't help but say at this time: "Master Feng is right."

Luo Qing and Xia Hui continued to discuss their opinions with Feng Zhengming.

Several people discussed this all the way back to Feng's restaurant.

Then Xia Hui told everyone in the shop what happened tonight.

This time it made everyone excited again.

Feng Zhengming could only interrupt where Xia Hui was exaggerating and explain the matter briefly.

After hearing this, Yang Bin said: "It seems that my junior brother is really famous now. If anyone wants to open a restaurant in Quancheng, they will immediately think of you, my junior brother."

Feng Zhengming shook his head and said, "Maybe they just think that since I am younger, it will be easier for them to use foreign tools to transform me. As a young person, I will accept changes more quickly."

Feng Zonggu said: "Tradition cannot be thrown away. Zhengming, you are right. If we lose our own food characteristics and culture, then our own food will not be far away from the decline."

Feng Zhengming said seriously to his grandfather: "No, I will not throw away the traditional things that should be adhered to."

(End of this chapter)