From selling box lunches to becoming a famous Chinese chef

Chapter 285 gives suggestions for future competitions

Of course, Feng Zhengming did not disappear suddenly. He was specially found by the leaders of the province and city at the scene.
Along with Feng Zhengming, there were other young chefs who were among the top ten in this competition.

Everyone was found in a conference room alone. The master chefs and the president and vice president of the cooking association were also there.

When the leaders faced Feng Zhengming and the young chefs, they smiled and asked them to sit down first.

"Don't be nervous. This is just a small symposium. It is a summary of this competition. Everyone can speak freely and talk about your feelings about this competition, as well as your thoughts on the future development and promotion of our Shandong cuisine. You can express your opinions here."

When the provincial leaders said this, they also looked at Master Hou who was present.

"This time, Master Hou and the others came all the way from the capital to give great support to the competition. So taking this opportunity, I hope Master Hou can bring back some of our opinions."

After hearing this, Master Hou smiled and said: “Participating in this young people’s exchange and competition has indeed inspired us a lot, especially seeing the bold attempts of many young chefs to learn about traditional dishes through their own understanding. It is very good to innovate. If you have any opinions, we will actively listen to them and bring them back for discussion."

The leader looked at the three generations of chefs, old, middle-aged and young, and asked everyone to talk freely about their feelings.

As a result, Feng Zhengming was named again, and he, the top pick, was asked to make the first start.

Feng Zhengming was called upon again, so he could only stand up and say hello to everyone.

The leader asked him to sit down: "No need to stand, everyone should relax and talk freely about their ideas."

Feng Zhengming sat down and said: "Most of what I want to say has been said before. What I want to say here is that I hope that the young chef cooking exchange competition can be more open in the future and not allow big restaurants and restaurants from all over the world to compete. The Culinary Association recommends that all young chefs in the province sign up themselves.

After registration, the young chefs can compete and communicate on the same stage. At that time, they can be divided into different groups, and judges will be organized to evaluate and score. Each group will select the best chefs to advance, and then let the promoted young chefs compete in the competition. Compete together, first challenge each other in pairs, and then compete in cooking the dishes of your choice.

A chef can be evaluated from many aspects, such as knife skills, spoon skills, soup preparation, plate presentation, and creativity. A comprehensive evaluation from different aspects should be able to better demonstrate the comprehensive ability of each chef. "

After hearing Feng Zhengming's words, everyone at the scene started discussing in low voices.

In particular, the old masters agree with Feng Zhengming's arrangement.

Master Hou and several judges from the capital also felt that Feng Zhengming's suggestion was very good.

The provincial leader thought it over carefully and joked to Feng Zhengming: "Xiao Feng, you have become the top pick of your own, so you have to regulate the competition first."

Feng Zhengming was not modest this time. He said very seriously: "I believe that as the number one winner in this competition, everyone will feel that I am well-deserved. However, I am not a chef in any Quancheng restaurant. I am just an ordinary person." I am a small restaurant owner, so I think that young chefs like me who do not have a background in big restaurants should be given more opportunities.

If it were a competition among master chefs, it would definitely be based on recommendations from big restaurants and culinary associations. After all, to become a master chef, your skills must be tested by the chefs of big restaurants.

But for our young chefs, I think we should look more at personal abilities, so there should no longer be recommendation quotas from big restaurants or culinary associations. We should make everyone compete more fairly. "

Feng Zhengming's words made everyone unable to argue with them.

Since it is a competition for young chefs, young chefs should indeed be given more opportunities to compete fairly.

And it cannot just be judged based on the dishes alone, but the overall basic skills of each young chef should be comprehensively tested.

After all, chefs are also an industry that pays attention to technology. Since it pays attention to technology, technology should speak for itself.

Master Hou thought for a while and said: "Xiao Feng's suggestion is very good. The conditions for the young chef competition should be relaxed to allow more young chefs to participate, and young people should be given a fair chance to compete."

Li Zhifeng said: "What Zhengming mentioned is a problem in the first session. We will definitely prepare carefully for the next session to avoid similar problems and strive to turn the Young Chefs Cooking Exchange Competition into a major assessment for our young chefs in Shandong cuisine. More opportunities for young chefs to showcase themselves.”

Provincial and city leaders naturally expressed their support and said that Feng Zhengming's suggestions were very good.

With Feng Zhengming at the beginning, some young chefs later became less nervous about expressing their opinions and dared to speak on the spot.

The master chefs who were also present, the master chefs from the Culinary Association and the big restaurant, also expressed some of their own ideas and suggestions.

It may be many years later that young chefs in Shandong province will suddenly discover this.

At this symposium, a path was determined for them to better present themselves.

Even many years later, the Shandong Province Young Chefs Cooking Exchange Competition has become a stage for finding new chefs in the catering industry.

Of course, those are stories for later.

After discussing some suggestions for the subsequent competition, the leaders encouraged the young chefs on site.

"Whether you open your own restaurant or restaurant in the future, or work in the back kitchen of a large restaurant, I hope you can stick to your duties and hone and demonstrate your cooking skills better. I hope you will be able to do so in the future. Becoming a master chef of Shandong cuisine can pass on our Shandong cuisine better."

At the end of this symposium, the first Shandong Province Young Chefs Cooking Exchange Competition was successfully concluded.

Feng Zhengming walked out of the conference room and went to meet his grandfather's house and Luo Qing's family.

Seeing Feng Zhengming's return, his second uncle Zhang Zhigang immediately smiled and said, "Our number one scholar is back."

Zhang Hongwei, the son of the second aunt's family, said even more excitedly: "Brother, you are so amazing. You became the top pick in no time."

Feng Shengnan, the daughter of the third uncle's family, corrected her cousin: "No, brother Zhengming didn't become the number one scholar all of a sudden. It was through his own efforts that he became the number one scholar."

Feng Zhengming smiled and said to Feng Shengnan: "Thank you, my sister, for recognizing my efforts."

Third uncle Feng Jiandong said: "Your efforts are certainly worthy of recognition. You truly deserve to be the top pick."

Feng Zhengming said: "Of course, if anyone is not convinced, you can compare with me."

The whole family laughed immediately, and everyone felt great about Feng Zhengming's confidence.

Luo Qing's father said: "Xiao Feng is worthy of being a chef under his tutelage, and now Xiao Feng is also a chef himself."

Luo Qing's mother asked: "Is Xiao Feng planning to open his own restaurant?"

Feng Zhengming smiled and shook his head: "Auntie, I won't open my own restaurant for the time being. I already have a dry rice shop. I still need to run the dry rice shop well first and accumulate more business experience."

The third uncle immediately agreed: "Yes, the dry rice shop will be expanded after the New Year, and it will be no different from a small restaurant."

The second aunt Feng Suying, who had been silent until now, said at this time: "It's right to run the restaurant first, and then consider working in a restaurant or restaurant later. You have to do it step by step."

When Feng Zhengming's second aunt and third uncle spoke, Luo Qing's parents naturally nodded in agreement. At this time, Chang Zongfu came to Feng Zhengming and his group again.

"Master Feng, can we have a talk?"

Feng Zhengming turned to look at Chang Zongfu, understanding that the other party probably hadn't given up yet.

He told his family and followed Chang Zongfu to leave the noisy venue alone.

The two people walked out of the scene and found a relatively quiet place.

Chang Zongfu looked at Feng Zhengming and said: "To be honest, I have seen Master Feng's cooking skills more than once, but your ability to win the top prize was beyond my expectation. Or should I say, your performance in the competition really impressed me." Amazing.”

Feng Zhengming responded with a smile: "Thank you, Mr. Chang, for the compliment. You came out to me not just to praise me, right?"

Chang Zongfu smiled and said: "I still hope to invite Master Feng to join me."

Feng Zhengming said: "If this is the case, then you don't have to ask. I won't be able to join you. We have different understandings of cooking, and we want to develop Shandong cuisine in different directions. It is impossible to cooperate."

Chang Zongfu quickly said: "Master Feng, don't refuse in a hurry, listen to the conditions I gave first. I can give you 20% of the shares of the new restaurant. Not only can you get dividends from the restaurant's profits, but I can also give you a separate share every year." Sixty thousand salary.”

After talking about the salary package, Chang Zongfu added: "If you bring your team to join me, I will pay for the salary of everyone on your team, and I can also give you an extra 10,000 yuan per year for team maintenance expenses."

It must be admitted that Chang Zongfu gave Feng Zhengming very generous conditions this time.

Looking at the current salary of 60,000 yuan per year in Quancheng, I am afraid that only the master chefs of big restaurants can get it.

What's more, Chang Zongfu also gave Feng Zhengming 20% ​​of the restaurant's shares, so that he could receive dividends from the restaurant's profits.

This is almost equivalent to the conditions required for a large restaurant to hire a master chef.

Feng Zhengming was stunned for a moment and laughed: "With such good conditions, Mr. Chang should be able to hire a better chef than me, and even poach a master chef from the back kitchen of a large restaurant. Why do you have to look for me?"

Chang Zongfu said seriously: "Because you have more potential."

Without waiting for Feng Zhengming to respond, Chang Zongfu continued: "You are young. The skills you have shown in this competition have already caught up with some masters, and you have the courage to boldly innovate. These are all things you need." Compared with many old master chefs and master chefs, I want to open a Shandong cuisine restaurant that can keep up with the times, and I need chefs like you even more."

After saying this, I saw that Feng Zhengming was still unmoved.

Chang Zongfu finally expressed his long-hidden thoughts.

"Actually, my restaurant is not only going to be opened in Quancheng. My goal in the future is to open the restaurant to Beijing and Shanghai, and to make my restaurant a well-known catering brand in the country."

Feng Zhengming was a little surprised at this moment. Chang Zongfu's plan for the future coincided with him.

Because he also has the idea of ​​​​opening a restaurant in Shanghai in the future.

Of course, the difference between Feng Zhengming and Chang Zongfu is that he did not want to open a big restaurant directly.

He should first open a branch of Qianfanpu to Shanghai.

It is still better to choose the route that ordinary people can afford first, and then gradually develop into high-end restaurants and restaurants.

Feng Zhengming looked at Chang Zongfu and asked, "So, Mr. Chang is really well-funded."

Chang Zongfu said: "You don't have to worry about funds. Since I have those ideas, I will definitely be able to raise enough funds, but funds alone are not enough. I also need excellent and potential chefs like Master Feng."

Feng Zhengming laughed: "Hahaha, Mr. Chang is exaggerating. There are many excellent chefs, many more capable than me and with more potential than me, so Mr. Chang doesn't need to waste his time with me."

Chang Zongfu also wanted to make a final push: "Are you really unwilling?"

Feng Zhengming nodded: "I still prefer my dry rice shop. I want to run my dry rice shop well. I welcome Mr. Chang to eat at my dry rice shop in the future."

Chang Zongfu thought for a while and captured some information behind Feng Zhengming's words.

"Are you going to expand your dry rice shop? Do you want to turn the dry rice shop into a serious restaurant?"

Feng Zhengming didn't hide it: "Mr. Chang's guess is correct. I will expand my dry rice shop. I will keep the meat ones, but I will add more places for ordering. In the future, I will not only make stir-fry, but also I will cook some other dishes and gradually turn my dry rice shop into a restaurant."

Chang Zongfu looked at Feng Zhengming: "It seems that you have great ambitions."

Feng Zhengming laughed: "Hahaha, since I got this top pick, I will naturally do better."

Chang Zongfu said directly: "We will become competitors in the future."

Feng Zhengming said: "If that day comes, I hope Mr. Chang will show mercy."

Chang Zongfu already understood that Feng Zhengming wanted to stick to traditional Shandong cuisine and compete with himself with traditional Shandong cuisine.

Understanding this, Chang Zongfu said: "I am looking forward to it."

Feng Zhengming smiled and extended his hand to Chang Zongfu, and Chang Zongfu also extended his hand to shake Feng Zhengming's hand.

When the two shook hands, Feng Zhengming said: "I am also looking forward to it. I want to see what kind of restaurant Mr. Chang will make?"

Chang Zongfu said confidently: "I think I will let everyone see different Shandong cuisine and understand how Shandong cuisine should keep pace with the times."

Feng Zhengming took back his hand with a smile, said goodbye to Chang Zongfu, and then turned back to the venue to find his family.

Chang Zongfu stared at Feng Zhengming's back, his heart filled with fighting spirit.

When Feng Zhengming returned to his family, his grandfather immediately asked: "Does Mr. Chang still want you to join him?"

Feng Zhengming nodded: "Yes, he wanted me to work as a chef in his restaurant, but I refused. I don't like working for others. I still prefer to be my own boss, even if it's just a small boss of a restaurant."

After hearing this, Feng Jiandong said: "Yes, Zhengming, you are capable, so you should do it by yourself. If you need anything, tell your third uncle, and your third uncle will give you his full support."

Feng Zhengming responded with a smile: "Thank you, Third Uncle. If necessary, I will definitely contact Third Uncle."

(End of this chapter)