From selling box lunches to becoming a famous Chinese chef

Chapter 263 Classic dish demonstration, order Feng Zhengming

Originally, young chefs who entered the official competition should have the opportunity to cook three dishes.

However, in the first game, there were still some chefs who performed too poorly, made huge mistakes on the spot, and were even unable to complete their own dishes and were eliminated early.

Therefore, the number of young chefs for the next two competitions is less than 40.

Probably because many people were eliminated in the first round, the organizer arranged for the chefs to take a day off after discussing with the judges.

Although the competition for young chefs has been suspended, this culinary exchange will still take place.

After discussion, the organizers and judges decided to host a one-day appreciation and exchange session of classic Shandong cuisine during the second day when the young chefs were not competing.

Feng Zhengming and his party first went back to the dry rice shop to rest. After the master came back, they learned the news that the master had brought back.

Chef Yan said with a serious face: "Tomorrow's exchange will be led by several of our senior chefs. The apprentices from each family will prepare a classic dish, which will serve as a standard for young chefs to appreciate, learn and communicate on the spot."

Feng Zhengming immediately asked: "Master, what do you want to cook?"

At this point, Master Yan said: "Okay, you guys, don't sit down, get up and follow me into the back kitchen."

Grandpa Feng said: "The main thing is that you young people can shoulder the responsibility and pass on Shandong cuisine well. The development and promotion of Shandong cuisine in the future still need to rely on you young people."

When he heard about sweet and sour carp, Yang Bin couldn't help but muttered: "I thought it was sea cucumber roasted with green onion."

Sweet and sour carp is no longer a rare dish for Feng Zhengming and his brothers.

Feng Zhengming saw the apprentices snickering, and he couldn't help but said: "Why are you laughing? Do you think it's easy? Think about it for a minute, you have to cut both sides of the carp, and you can't make any mistakes, and you have to take into account The size of the fish must be evenly spaced, what kind of concept is that?”

In the end, Master Yan said: "Xiaoxia is right, you are masters and uncles, you should be able to do it."

The apprentices and employees in the shop, including father and son Feng Zonggu and Feng Jiandong, were all in awe when they saw such a scene.

But this time, after Master's detailed explanation, especially many detailed pointers, the brothers gained some new understandings.

"One more thing, when the flowers are cut on the spot, I will ask someone to time you, so you brothers have agreed that whoever will cut the flowers on the spot must finish the flowers for me in about a minute."

And everyone is looking forward to tomorrow’s display and exchange.

Feng Zhengming and his three senior brothers got up and followed their master into the kitchen.

The senior brothers looked at each other, and for a moment no one dared to take the initiative.

Master Yan nodded: "It is indeed necessary to practice. Tomorrow we mainly need Xiaoliu and Zhengming to operate on the spot. You two, Dongzi and Binzi, will help the two junior brothers and check them."

As a result, Senior Brother Li Huidong said: "Zhengming, then you will come."

Master Yan put away his smile and said with a serious expression: "Remember, tomorrow is a show and exchange, so you must give me the standards for making the carp. The carp must be cleaned for me first, and the standards for the flower knife must be cut. When the fish is deep-fried, it must be spread out in all four directions. In the end, the fish must be hot and the juice must be hot, do you understand?”

Of course, the apprentices also found this scene very interesting when they saw their master and uncles being severely reprimanded by their master.

Master Yan glared at the three apprentices: "Who said you are too old? Since it is a young chef cooking exchange competition and we are all young chefs, what should we do if you two are too old?"

Seeing Master's serious instructions, Li Huidong led his junior brothers to stand up and all of them seriously agreed.

When Li Huidong heard the third junior brother's muttering, he immediately glared at the third junior brother.

Precisely because of the need for such cooperation, Feng Zhengming and sixth senior brother Zhang Minghai are just right.

As soon as the master said these words, Yang Bin was frightened.

As the senior brother, Li Huidong quickly said: "Master, don't worry, we will make no mistakes tomorrow."

The four brothers, under the detailed explanation of the master, started from slaughtering and cleaning the carp, to how to cut the carp, and how to prepare the batter for frying the carp, including how to fry the carp in the pan later.

Especially when cutting carp, Master Yan said very seriously: "When cutting fish, you have to judge according to the size of the fish, and the cutter must be cut evenly enough, and the width of each piece should be basically the same. Whether it is a peony flower knife or a wheat ear flower knife, it will depend on your personal habits."

Master Yan actually laughed when he heard what his third apprentice said: "What? You think sweet and sour carp is not a big dish? At the first national cooking skills exchange, I cooked sweet and sour carp. Tomorrow, you brothers, If you mess up with me, I will kick you all out of the school on the spot."

While the senior brothers were silent, several apprentices who were watching at the door of the kitchen couldn't help but snicker.

Master Yan’s rule is that when the carp is fried and about to come out of the pan, the juice must be fried at the same time.

Sun Hai, Zhang Lei and Yang Peng all nodded in agreement after hearing this.

Feng Jiandong echoed: "It is indeed a good time to catch up. Nowadays, the economy is developing and materials are much richer, so we can have such an opportunity to hold such an exchange for young chefs across the province."

It is a very rare sight to see with your own eyes the master chefs of Shandong cuisine instructing their disciples to make classic Shandong cuisine one after another.

Master Yan also agreed with Feng Zonggu’s words: “That’s right, we will have to rely on you young people in the future.”

Xia Hui immediately said: "We definitely can't do this. Uncle and Master, you shouldn't be able to do it."

Master Yan glanced at several apprentices and said, "Our dish is sweet and sour carp."

Feng Zhengming was confused for a moment, and then asked strangely: "Why am I here?"

After Master Yan finished his instructions, Feng Jiandong couldn't help but ask: "Uncle Yan, are they going to practice tonight?"

Yang Bin laughed after hearing this: "Master, you are biased. How could you ask your senior brother to do something for your junior brother?"

The master spoke, but Feng Zhengming could only look at the three senior brothers.

So this requires two chefs to cooperate with each other.

Feng Zhengming and his brothers were a little dumbfounded when they heard that the knife was being performed on the spot, and that a timer was required.

Li Huidong couldn't help but sigh: "Junior brothers really caught up with a good time."

When it comes to cutting flower knives, Master Yan also emphasized one point.

The third senior brother Yang Bin said with a smile: "Because you are the junior junior brother, and you are the youngest, and you are also a role model for young chefs in Quancheng. You must do this kind of job of showing off skills."

Not allowing Feng Zhengming to raise objections, the apprentices began to make noises.

"Okay, Uncle Master is here."

"Uncle Feng must be fine."

"Uncle, it's no problem. When we went to the countryside to make banquets for others, uncle showed us how to do it."

"That's right, my junior uncle was very neat when he cut the flowers with a knife. The children and old people in the village all exclaimed and applauded."

Feng Zhengming really didn't know whether to laugh or cry. He didn't expect that his senior brothers would openly bully him for his young age today. As a result, a group of apprentices started to make fun of him.

Sure enough, after all this coaxing, the master confirmed: "Okay, you will come when the time comes, and I will buy you time to prepare. But since I want you to come, you must do it well for me."

The master gave the nod, so Feng Zhengming could only agree honestly.

"Master, don't worry, I will do a good job."

At this time, the three senior brothers were already laughing.

Master Yan looked at them and said: "You three senior brothers, don't snicker. I tell you, since you asked Zhengming to do this thing this time, you must meet the standards he will do in the future. If you can't do it, just hurry up and practice hard, and I will take the time to check your homework."

After hearing what the master said, the three apprentices also agreed honestly.

Just as he was talking, Master Yan's eldest son Yan Jianxing came in.

Seeing Yan Jianxing entering the door, Feng Zhengming took the initiative to say hello to him.

"Brother, you're back. How's the deal going at your store?"

Yan Jianxing sighed helplessly: "I had a good talk with the other party tonight. I don't agree with their ideas. I may not cooperate with them. I will come and open the store myself."

Master Yan looked at his eldest son and said, "Did I tell you that? Those named Chang are not people who want to pass on and promote our Shandong cuisine skills. They just want to sell dog meat on sheep's heads. They have seen it abroad. Some people just want to copy other people’s fur and use it.”

Yan Jianxing nodded seriously: "Dad, you are right. Chang Zongfu and the others do not want to inherit and promote our Shandong cuisine."

Feng Zhengming was a little surprised when he heard this: "Chang Zongfu? He also went to see you, eldest brother?"

Yan Jianxing was stunned for a moment and immediately understood what Feng Zhengming meant.

"He also found you?"

Feng Zhengming nodded: "Yes, he went to the food stall to find me once and wanted me to be a spoon chef. He also approached me during the competition."

Xia Hui raised her hand and said, "He also looked for me and my brother."

Sun Hai followed up and said, "I've been looking for him too. I still have my business card."

As he spoke, Sun Hai took out the business card given to him by Chang Zongfu.

Master Yan shook his head and sighed: "This Chang Zongfu still has great ideas. He didn't look for middle-aged chefs, nor did he look for us senior chefs, because he knew that we are all more traditional and might not be able to accept his style brought back from abroad. stuff, so I’m looking for you young people.”

Feng Zhengming thought for a while and asked: "Master, will he directly poach those young chefs on site?"

Master Yan said: "He will definitely dig it, otherwise he will not spend money to sponsor this competition."

Li Huidong couldn't help but said: "In this case, should we remind other masters?"

Master Yan shook his head: "It's useless. If he offers attractive conditions to young chefs, even if we remind the senior chefs, we will definitely not be able to stop young chefs from going to his place."

Yang Bin said: "The things he learned from abroad are just some gimmicks and cannot be successful."

When Feng Zhengming heard what the third senior brother said, he couldn't help but think: Maybe in the next period of time, many people will prefer foreign things.

Even after the year 2000, foreign standards will enter the country and may defeat the original standards of Chinese food.

When the country realizes the problem and wants to re-formulate its own set of standards.

Foreign standards have become more deeply rooted in people's hearts, and domestically it is impossible to unify different cuisines. In the end, domestic standards become useless and embarrassing, but are not as reliable as foreign standards.

Thinking of these, Feng Zhengming suddenly realized that this provincial young chef cooking exchange competition should communicate something.

It is the cooking exchange of classic dishes that Master brought back today and arranged by the organizer tomorrow.

The master craftsmen personally sit down and provide a set of standard methods to retain the look of classics.

With such an endorsement, it becomes clear what the standards should be in the future, and foreigners will not be left to set a set of standards for Chinese food.

Master Yan said at this time: "Don't worry about others. You must all perform well in tomorrow's classic Shandong cuisine cooking exchange. We must show our own standards. Only after we show them can we pass them on better. Tomorrow we will Ten arranged for the apprentices to cook ten classic dishes, which will be the standard in the future."

Feng Zhengming felt at this moment that this should be a change.

Maybe because of his arrival, some things have changed.

This time the exchange between young chefs of Shandong cuisine was successful.

There will be more cooking exchange competitions like this in the future.

Slowly promoted, a complete standard can be formed.

If you have your own standards, you don't have to let others set them.

Yan Jianxing listened to his father's words and asked about the specific situation.

He seriously encouraged Feng Zhengming: "Zhengming, you must prepare well. You must make the sweet and sour carp tomorrow. Let Chang Zongfu and the invited foreigners see that we have our own standards for Chinese food, and our dishes can be The work is very standard, and it’s full of color, flavor, and flavor, so there’s no need to learn from them.”

After hearing Yan Jianxing's words, Feng Zhengming could probably guess what Yan Jianxing and Chang Zongfu talked about.

I'm afraid Chang Zongfu is still using his rhetoric and hopes that Yan Jianxing will receive some foreign guidance.

This must be a condition that Yan Jianxing cannot accept.

As the eldest son of Master Yan, Yan Jianxing will definitely stick to the tradition passed down by his father.

Feng Zhengming promised seriously: "Don't worry, brother, I will be well prepared."

Master Yan said: "Okay, okay, don't show your determination here, just get started, practice it first, and let me see how your flower knife is like? And how is the cooperation of your fellow apprentices?"

In the next time, naturally under the supervision and guidance of his master, Feng Zhengming and his senior brothers carefully made sweet and sour carp.

With Master Yan here, Feng Zhengming and the others will naturally be more precise in their production this time.

Especially when cutting the flower knife, Feng Zhengming tried his best to be precise with every knife and prevent the flower knife from deviation.

Even though Feng Zhengming was very serious, his master still pointed out some problems and gave him some advice on how to use the knife.

At the same time, ten master chefs, including the other three master chefs from Quancheng, as well as master Ruxia from other places, were instructing their young juniors who participated in the competition this time, preparing for the classic Shandong cuisine to be demonstrated the next day. .

(End of this chapter)