The Northern Stories of Chef Lao Tan

Chapter 158 It's a mule or a horse
Minister Zhao and Chairman Lang are old buddies, they have been friends for many years.

Minister Zhao retired immediately, and now he doesn't have any specific work, so he just walks around all day to pass the time.

Mr. Wang used to be the manager of Xibei, and he and the boss are fellow villagers.I worked in Xibei for ten years, and then started my own business with the help of the boss, and developed very fast.Young and promising, with a shrewd mind, the future is limitless if you stick to it.

During the National Day last month, Mr. Wang's Noodle Village held a food festival, which was strongly supported by President Lang, and the TV station's food column also reported on it, which was relatively successful.

In order to express our gratitude, Chairman Lang and Kang Min are invited to a banquet today.

After President Lang received the invitation, he called his old buddy, Minister Zhao. Minister Zhao was chatting with Gu Yi at the chamber of commerce, and brought Gu Yi along by the way.Secretary Ulan Gaowa and Kang Min are college classmates and good best friends, she was brought by Kang Min.

Before the meal, the six of them chatted together and talked about the restaurant.

Kang Min is the editor of the food column group. He is very concerned about eating because of his professional relationship. He knows very well what new restaurants have opened in any place.She said: "There is a new dumpling restaurant opened on Haidong Road, and the business is very good. You have to queue up for dinner on Saturday and Sunday. When I went there last week, it was full, and I had to wait for half an hour to eat."

"Is it the one in Renhe Community?" Chairman Lang asked.

"That's the one, Ah Qiao Dumpling Restaurant." Kang Min said.

Gu Yi and Minister Zhao couldn't help looking at each other and smiling when they heard that it was Aqiao Dumpling House, but they didn't say anything right away, wanting to hear what they had to say.

"I've been there too. His dumplings are delicious and the dishes are authentic. I read the recipes and they are very well designed. Six kinds of dumplings, eight cold dishes, eight handmade products, and twenty hot dishes. It doesn't look like much, But all of them are high-quality goods, with outstanding features and distinct primary and secondary. At first glance, it is an expert, and the cooking of an old catering person is not inferior to Xibei." President Lang praised and gave a very high evaluation.

"Well, the design is pretty good." Mr. Wang said slowly with a warm smile on his handsome face, "I think the most attractive thing in his house is the dumpling wine. The history of dumplings and wine culture are introduced very well, which catches people's attention. The health-preserving wine is well blended, the taste is good, and some of them are quite suitable for women to drink."

Mr. Wang obviously didn't approve of the dishes in the dumpling restaurant, but expressed his appreciation for the health-preserving wine, which he thought was very good.In addition, Ah Qiao is a small shop of [-] square meters, which is not on the same level as his big shop of [-] square meters.

"His family is busy but not chaotic, very well-organized, and the serving speed is fast. Five people order six dishes and three plates of dumplings, and they are guaranteed to be ready in half an hour. This speed is not achieved by many. A glimpse shows the whole picture, and the management is in place. , the employees are well-trained, there are processes and standards, and it is worth learning." Chairman Lang commented from a professional perspective.

Minister Zhao said with a cheerful smile, "Do you know who opened it? My hometown!"

"You fellow? I haven't heard you say that." Chairman Lang was a little disbelieving.

"Hehe, his shop is small, so it won't catch your eye."

Minister Zhao said in a joking tone, which contained dissatisfaction with Mr. Wang who looked down on the dumpling restaurant.After all, he has a good relationship with Lao Tan's hometown, and with the deep-rooted rural concept, he doesn't want to hear words that look down on his fellow villagers.

"Hey, there is no distinction between high and low dishes, and no distinction between big and small restaurants. If you cook well, you are doing well. You can't accept it. Old Zhao, call your fellow villagers here and get to know each other." President Lang said.

Minister Zhao was quite satisfied with his old friend's attitude, turned around and said to Gu Yi: "Call Lao Tan and see if he has time."

Gu Yi picked up the phone to make a call, and Lao Tan's call came in.

Several people chatted for a while, and the topic never left the restaurant.

Kang Min said: "There are quite a lot of Northeast restaurants in Hohhot. Dadongbei and Xiaodongbei are the leading figures, and they are well-known to everyone. But their dishes are salty, especially Dadongbei, which is very salty. I never felt so salty before."

"In the past, people could eat salty food at that time. If it wasn't salty, it would be tasteless. There is an old saying that there is a light taste in the salty food, and that's the reason. Now people pay attention to nutrition and don't eat salty food anymore. Now the dishes pay less attention to food. Oil, less salt, less sugar. In the past, the oil was brighter, and the more appetite the better, but now it is less oil and thinner, so it looks bland.

Having said that, the society is better, and the quality of life has improved. If it was not possible to eat food before, let alone salty, pickled vegetables are good things, so you have to rush to eat them. "President Lang said.

"That's not true. I remember that I didn't have much to eat when I was a child. In winter, it was pickled vegetables, or stewed frozen cabbage. A small pot of pickled sauerkraut can only be eaten when the family comes. What do you eat in summer? Scallion leaves dipped in salty salt water, Or the sun-dried pickle lumps, which are hard and hard, but don’t say, those things are hard to bite and delicious, the more you eat, the more you like them.” Minister Zhao recalled.

People who have lived through that era are deeply impressed by the pickles. Now that life is better, the pickles have become memories, but the aftertaste is endless.

"The most difficult thing for a chef is saltiness, and the most difficult thing to do is character. Whether a restaurant can be successful in the long run depends on whether the food is good or not on the surface, and whether the service is warm or not. From the inside, it is about being a human being. A good person does good deeds and has no virtue. It won't last long--" President Lang said realistically.

"I agree with this." Gu Yi said: "It's not just chatting, I have a good relationship with Brother Tan from the dumpling restaurant. But what should I do? His family is really good. I don't know anything else, so I just use the salary of the employees to talk about it." Well, the highest in Hohhot, the salary is good, three days off every month, and overtime pay. The employees who live in the dormitory are all lower bunks. Water shower, WLAN, washing machine, everything except cooking.”

"The food is also good, the food is good." Minister Zhao added.

These two people did not hesitate to praise the restaurant opened by the fellow, but they did not exaggerate, the real situation was indeed the case.

President Lang said: "I can see that the boss can be a man, and the employees will not be like that if the boss is not good. Besides, the smiles on the faces of the waiters are real, and they can't pretend. This can't fool people. The happiness of the employees The index is written on the face, and fakes cannot be hidden."

Treating guests at his own restaurant, and listening to guests praise other restaurants, Mr. Wang felt a little uncomfortable, and the gentle smile on his handsome face gradually disappeared, replaced by indifference and disbelief.

He is a relatively conceited person, very similar to Mr. Xu from the Guandong family.

37 years old, successful career.There are three stores in five years, each with an area of ​​more than 40 square meters. The business of each family is booming, with an average daily turnover of [-].The three stores sell more than [-] million yuan per month and [-] million per year, which is also a lot in Hohhot.

I think my restaurant is very good and does a good job. Although it has not achieved the highest salary and the best benefits for the employees as Gu Yi said, I don't think Lao Tan's dumpling restaurant can achieve it. The ingredients that fellow brags about.

No matter how powerful Aqiao is, it's still a small shop, 10,000 yuan a day is enough to support her, and it's not at the same level after all.

After thinking that the dumpling restaurant was not on the same level as his own Noodle Village, he couldn't help but feel a little relieved, and his face slowly returned to normal.

Here is an introduction to Mr. Wang.

His surname is Wang and his name is Pengfei. He is from Bameng.Handsome and quick-witted.After graduating from high school, he went to work in Xibei, and was appreciated by the boss because of his outstanding work, and was promoted to be the floor manager.

Working in Xibei for ten years, he has made great contributions to the company from a minister to a manager, store manager, regional manager, and marketing director. He is the right-hand man of the boss.

He left Xibei six years ago and started his own business.After five years of hard work, the catering brand of Youmian Village was established, occupying a place in the catering industry in Hohhot.

To be sure, he is a successful restaurant worker, who spent 18 years from a migrant worker to a boss with tens of millions of assets. He is the envy of many restaurant workers.

So I have the capital to be proud, but also the confidence to look down on Aqiao Dumpling Restaurant.

After Lao Tan sat down, he began to serve the food.

Mr. Wang first expressed his gratitude to Chairman Lang and Kang Min, and then made some courtesy to get to know Minister Zhao, Gu Yi, Lao Tan and Ulan Gaowa, and drank the opening wine.

Old Tan originally planned to invite Gu Yi to drink, but he didn't expect to come to this occasion, but he was very happy in his heart.It's not to save money on drinks, but to be happy to meet the president of the Catering Association and the TV host.It is inevitable to deal with these two people in the future, it is of course good to know each other in advance.

After three rounds of wine and five flavors of food, everyone's interest rose, and the atmosphere became lively.

"Mr. Tan, our column team is going to launch Inner Mongolia on the Bite of Your Tongue. Your dumplings are delicious. I hope I can help you when the time comes." Kang Min said to Lao Tan.

Lao Tan smiled and said: "It is necessary. Assisting you is equivalent to promoting my family and giving strong support. It's just that my family is new here, and I don't have much foundation, let alone background, so don't delay your business."

"Isn't your home a chain store? Brother Gu said that the headquarters is in the provincial capital, and there are four stores. The second store in Hohhot has also started to be renovated." Kang Min said.

"Yeah, but it's just the beginning, and it's far behind Mr. Wang, and it's a big witch." Old Tan praised Mr. Wang by the way.

Mr. Wang said in the tone of a successful person: "Your home is doing very well, don't worry, take your time, and it will grow bigger with a little bit."

Lao Tan said: "Learn more from Mr. Wang, your family has a lot to learn from us, and we will communicate more in the future."

"Learn from each other." Mr. Wang said politely.

Chairman Lang said: "Yes, you both work in restaurants, you should communicate more, learn from each other's strengths, and make progress together."

"We are going to do a phase of Northeast Cuisine. We have contacted Northeast Taste before, and his family seems not very enthusiastic. Mr. Tan, can your family help?" Kang Min asked.

It is generally believed that being reported by the TV station is a good thing, which is equal to free publicity, and no restaurant is not happy, or even supports it with both hands.

This is not the case.

It is a good thing to be reported by the TV station, and a good thing is a good thing, but how many people watch TV now?
Most of the people who can enjoy food programs are housewives, and they still mainly learn how to cook.It's not easy for them to eat in a restaurant, they all belong to the group who know how to live on a budget.Women who always eat in restaurants don't watch gourmet shows, so they might as well go shopping when they have that time.

Therefore, many restaurants are reluctant to shoot programs, which not only wastes time but also wastes raw materials, and the advertising effect is not great, which is a waste of time and money.

Of course, except for those who just want a name.

The food festival held by Mr. Wang is mainly to expand the influence of Youmian Village, hoping to attract the attention of the government, and then become a famous private enterprise. Fortunately, the tax on invoices can be reduced by a few points.

"Okay, as long as you think my house is suitable for filming, go and support me." Old Tan readily agreed, and then said: "My shop is small, the environment is average, and the kitchen is even smaller, so the filming will delay your filming."

"It's okay, don't delay." Kang Min said.

"That's fine."

"Mr. Tan, your Northeast cuisine is authentic, can you hold an event or something when we are filming, so that it can stand out." Seeing Lao Tan's promise, Kang Min hit the snake with a stick.

"Activity? What activity?" Old Tan asked suspiciously.

"For example, hold a chef cooking competition." Kang Min reminded.

Old Tan thought about it, but he hadn't thought about it.

At this time, President Lang said: "Mr. Tan, your family's business is booming, and many people who cook Northeast cuisine are not convinced. I want to compete with your family. This is just an opportunity. It's a mule or a horse that comes out for a walk, and I see the real chapter under my hand. "

This old man has the fiery temper of a young man.

(End of this chapter)