Chapter 146: Chapter 146 Carp leaps over the Dragon Gate, stunning knife skills!
#The true taste of braised intestines in brown sauce#
#Restoring the good name of braised intestines in brown sauce#
#The authentic braised intestines in brown sauce#
Jiang Feng had indeed gained a certain level of popularity.
On the city’s charts, these terms were all hotly discussed.
Jiangyue Terrace had become a Shandong Cuisine Restaurant suitable for all ages. Young people could date here, and families with elderly members and children could also come together for meals.
One evening, while Jiang Feng was checking on the work, the head manager Liew Mei happily approached to report to him, "Boss, the braised intestines in brown sauce you made have hit the local popularity list again, everyone’s talking about it."
"Now, the fame of Jiangyue Terrace has spread, and everyone in the city knows about our restaurant."
"Business is also particularly good; tables are almost never empty."
Upon hearing this, Jiang Feng also became curious.
"Popularity list? Is braised intestines in brown sauce that popular?"
Liew Mei smiled and said, "This dish became popular on the internet earlier because of a show, and people love to join in on the hype, so they learned about the name of braised intestines in brown sauce."
"Today, after letting the customers taste the flavor of braised intestines in brown sauce, they understand the deliciousness of this Shandong Cuisine dish and naturally want to share it with others."
"I guess there will be plenty of people ordering it from now on."
"That’s good," Jiang Feng nodded.
He took a simple stroll around the restaurant.
As the owner, he didn’t need to worry about these details. As long as the head manager was responsible, everything was under her watchful eye.
Liew Mei was just such a person, and Jiang Feng was reassured.
Jiang Feng was inspecting the restaurant’s environment.
The atmosphere here was great, with abundant greenery, lanterns hanging high, full of the classical charm of China, and very high-end aesthetics.
After making his rounds, Jiang Feng rested for a while, changed into fresh clothes, and then drove his off-road vehicle home.
Today’s extra rewards from the system excited Jiang Feng:
Aside from two Shandong Cuisine recipes, there was also a Stretched Leg Staring Eye Pill.
The effects of this pill were to enhance one’s constitution, improving one’s strength, endurance, and agility somewhat.
In line with China’s traditional medicine and health principles, it could be considered the best kind of supplement.
Just in time, he had been busy in the kitchen these past few days and needed some rest.
Afterward, Jiang Feng did not plan to stay in the kitchen forever; doing this every day would be exhausting.
If the boss works harder than his employees, then what’s the point of being a boss?
Once this week’s tasks were completed, he’ll first engage in some lighter work, or look for an opportunity to open another restaurant. Later on, he’d visit Jiangyue Terrace every once in a while.
He was like a pillar of Jiangyue Terrace; as long as he was there, the business would not falter.
Just like Dong Yuhui was at the previous Oriental Selection.
However, the difference was, Jiang Feng was not just a pillar, but also the owner.
Jiangyue Terrace Restaurant started closing at nine in the evening, and by the time Jiang Feng drove out, it was already 10 o’clock.
There were many cars on the road, the streetlights were bright, and light was everywhere.
He merged into the traffic, moving forward at a steady pace, becoming part of the city’s night scenery.
Life was beautiful. Jiang Feng enjoyed his life while working hard.
With the system by his side and his own hard work, the life he led was naturally not bad.
That night, Jiang Feng took the Stretched Leg Staring Eye Pill.
This time, the feeling was not as strong as before, but he still lay in bed and felt comfortable for a while.
As a result, his Staminia also became more abundant.
「The following day.」
On the third day of Jiangyue Terrace Restaurant’s opening, it had already become a famous establishment in the city.
Other restaurant owners who knew about the rise of Jiangyue Terrace were quite surprised.
Many were studying the path Jiang Feng took to success.
"Jiangyue Terrace just opened, how did it get so popular all of a sudden? How did he do it?"
"First, set up a stall for two months to build up popularity, then announce the opening of a restaurant? Is that possible?"
"Should we try it too, to see if it works!"
"We could give it a shot!"
In a city, almost every day restaurants opened.
Almost every day restaurants closed down too.
Many restaurants had grand openings with firecrackers blazing.
But the business that followed was often dismal.
This line of work really isn’t easy.
Before, many people saw Jiang Feng’s videos and knew he was a particularly outstanding street stall owner.
But no one ever thought his restaurant would emerge out of nowhere. It then took the number one spot in the neighborhood and even showed potential to become the city’s signature Shandong Cuisine Restaurant.
This rise to success was truly frightening.
So, before long, the city saw an increase in delicious street stalls.
These people wanted to follow Jiang Feng’s example by running a stall for a while before changing locations.
Unfortunately, in the end, they only managed to produce imitations that failed to achieve the original’s effect. After moving, no one went to find them, let alone knew where they had gone.
They found that using the skills of a great chef to run a small stall earned them less and was a thankless endeavor.
Gradually, they gave up.
Even so, they still couldn’t fathom how Jiang Feng managed it.
The reason is actually quite simple. The answer is just two words:
Extremely delicious.
The dishes he made were extremely delicious, making people yearn for more, causing them to line up time and again. With a steady accumulation, his popularity built up.
Even if he didn’t set up a stall and worked directly in a restaurant, as long as he kept at it, his popularity wouldn’t wane.
On the third day of opening, Jiang Feng still prepared renowned Shandong Cuisine.
Sweet and Sour Carp.
This dish is also a famous Shandong Cuisine dish, almost a must-order on the New Year’s banquet menu in the Eastern Shandong Region, symbolizing the "carp leaping over the dragon gate."
The Sweet and Sour Carp is golden in color, crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, with a delightful sweet and sour taste, making it very popular.
Even the selection of ingredients is meticulous; the best Sweet and Sour Carp is made with wild Yellow River carp.
The cooking method seems simple, but the most crucial part consists of two steps.
One step is to butterfly the fish, making cuts every 2.5 centimeters along both sides, then flipping the knife to turn the flesh out.
The second step is to prepare a bowl of delicious sweet and sour sauce, blending it well before drizzling it over the fish.
This time, Jiang Feng was responsible for butterflying the fish himself.
His knife skills were extremely steady.
The chef in charge of chopping vegetables looked over at Jiang Feng, his face filled with shock.
Chefs at their level, who handled vegetable preparation, typically had only a year or two of experience. Their basic skills were solid, but seeing Jiang Feng’s proficiency, they realized the vast gap between themselves and a master chef.
At this moment, Zhang Hu came over and, seeing this situation, said to the two young chefs who were chopping, "Did you see? It’s not so easy to get to the head chef’s level."
"Knife work must be precise and stable."
"If you get a chance, learn more from the boss and practice."
"When there is downtime, I’ll let you take a turn at the stove."
Hearing Zhang Hu say this, the two chopping chefs hurriedly agreed, and their cutting became even steadier.
Both of them were mentored by Zhang Hu.
They had culinary skills and could make some home-cooked dishes for their families, but there was still a gap to working the stoves in a restaurant.
Here, each dish served to customers had strict standards.
It isn’t easy to build a reputation, but it could be destroyed in a moment.
So they had to be cautious.
Jiang Feng successively prepared many carps.
After cutting, he coated each with a starch paste to set the shape, deep-fried them to a golden hue, then braised them with the sweet and sour sauce.
The final Sweet and Sour Carps had a curved shape, like the moment of leaping over the dragon gate.
They were supported by the belly and fixed on the plate, with both the tail and head pointing towards the sky.
He poured the prepared sauce over them. The thick sauce dripped onto the Sweet and Sour Carp, constantly trickling down, seeping into every inch of the carp’s skin.
A small red tomato was placed in the mouth of the carp, and several lotus seeds were scattered around.
The overall presentation was beautiful and quite artistic.
Upon closer examination, the rich sauce was steaming, still flowing over the body of the carp.
The carp seemed to leap into the air, captured in the very moment of the leap, embodying China’s aspiration towards the "carp leaping over the dragon gate."
The symbolism was excellent, and so was the taste.
Indeed, the Sweet and Sour Carp was a "soul dish" worthy of being featured at a banquet.
Jiang Feng was very satisfied with the Sweet and Sour Carp he had made.
The other chefs were also amazed and lauded it in soft whispers.
"It seems like the boss can make any dish; there’s nothing that can stump him!"
"Each Shandong Cuisine dish is authentic; I can’t believe he had no master to teach him."
"That knife work! He must have been learning to cook from a young age!"
"There must be a master behind the boss!"
"The presentation of this Sweet and Sour Carp is truly great!"
The chefs in the kitchen deeply admired Jiang Feng.
The strongest restaurant owner on the surface of the earth!
Even more formidable than the best chefs in the restaurant!
With such an owner presiding, which chef would dare not put in their full effort?
Jiang Feng himself represented the standard of the Jiangyue Terrace Shandong Cuisine Restaurant.
For this reason, customers also trusted Jiangyue Terrace.
Other owners were busy socializing and drumming up business, but Jiangyue Terrace’s owner was a master chef himself, focusing on the kitchen. How could the Shandong Cuisine dishes he made not be delicious!
With just one Sweet and Sour Carp made, Jiang Feng fulfilled an order.
As he made one Sweet and Sour Carp after another, the orders increased even more.
The business was booming beyond words.
He didn’t feel tired. On the contrary, the good business put him in a good mood.
After all, he now owned his Shandong Cuisine Restaurant.
Being able to pass on Shandong Cuisine, one of the "Eight Culinary Traditions," was also something worth celebrating for him.