The Northern Stories of Chef Lao Tan

Chapter 355 Food tasting before opening
Lao Tan has been testing dishes for the past few days.

The store has been renovated and the staff have been trained. It is reasonable to say that it can be opened, but Lao Tan always feels that the dishes are almost lacking, so he insists on not opening.

Xiaofeng came over from the provincial capital in early December and fulfilled Han Jun's wish.But Xiaofeng still treats him the same as before, treating him like a younger brother.

Today, Wei Jianshe and Lao Tan's two friends from the catering industry in Changsha, Mr. Wang and Mr. Yuan, the owner Du Hongmei, his daughter Bai Jiaqi, and Hao Nansheng came to taste the dishes.

Du Hongmei was invited by Lao Tan, because the electricity needs to be increased during the renovation, which is difficult to do anywhere.Lao Tan was going to find Wei Jianshe, but he consulted Du Hongmei first. The homeowner knows more about the electricity consumption of his house than others.

Unexpectedly, Du Hongmei said that she took care of this matter-her brother is from the Electric Power Bureau, and he is also a leader of a certain size.

Difficult things can be solved easily, so it is natural to invite others.

Bai Jiaqi was invited by Han Jun to repay the favor she received when renting the dormitory.In addition, Bai Jiaqi was the first friend Han Jun made after arriving in Changsha. The two kept in touch and sometimes had dinner together. They got along very well.

Hao Nansheng came here shortly after returning from Suzhou, and now he has become a regular visitor.

"Everyone give me some advice." Lao Tan pointed to the dishes on the table and said.

"I eat very well, especially the dumplings, which are delicious!" Wei Jianshe spoke first.

"Dumplings are really delicious, no problem, they are worthy of a well-known brand. The dishes are also authentic, especially the pot-packed meat, the authentic Northeast recipe, with moderate sweet and sour, crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, with a long aftertaste. I think this dish will be popular, People in Changsha love spicy food, so it’s good to change it up.” Mr. Wang said.

Mr. Yuan said: "Old Tan, there is nothing wrong with the dishes, the dumplings are delicious, and the health-preserving wine is unique. Don't worry, the opening is ready."

Old Tan laughed.

"I have eaten almost all the dumpling restaurants in Changsha. To be honest, they are not as good as they are today. I have only heard about the pot of meat before, but I have never eaten it. Today it is really good. It is sour and sweet. I love it." Du Hongmei Say.

"I also like to eat pot-packed meat, but yours is different from others'. Others' ones are red and made with tomato sauce. They look good, but they are not as good as yours." Bai Jiaqi finished. Glancing at Han Jun beside him, I mean, am I right?

Han Jun smiled and said, "It's a new way to put tomato sauce. It's orange in color and tempts the appetite. My family uses the traditional method. It's cooked in pure sweet and sour sauce and pays attention to the cooking time."

"It's very crispy and tender." Bai Jiaqi said.

"Yes, this is the characteristic of traditional pot-packed meat. I tell you that making pot-packed meat is very particular, and it can't be made in one day. The starch used to paste it needs to be raised 24 hours in advance." Han Jun said.

"Really? You can teach me when you have time." Bai Jiaqi said.

The conversation between the two caught the attention of two other women, one was Du Hongmei and the other was Xiaofeng.Du Hongmei pays attention to whether her daughter likes Han Jun; Xiaofeng pays attention to the attitude of Korean dramas towards Bai Jiaqi.

Each is different, each has its own thoughts.

Old Tan didn't feel anything, looked at Hao Nansheng who was silent, and said, "Brother, give me some advice."

Hao Nansheng smiled and said, "Brother Tan, I'm not a professional. I eat all these dishes very well, especially this wine, as Mr. Yuan said just now, is unique and unique, and there must be many people drinking it.

Not only men love to drink it, but also women. Rose wine and Sanhua wine are just for women. "

Lao Tan nodded and said: "I don't worry about the health-preserving wine and dumplings, these are Aqiao's signatures. The main dishes are all good individually, and there is nothing wrong with them, but they don't feel special when combined together. Fusion."

"It's already very good, Mr. Tan, don't ask too much. If it's too high, can we, local restaurants, survive?" Mr. Wang joked.

Old Tan said: "It's because we Changsha people pay attention to food that we don't dare to be sloppy. I dared to venture into the wharf. People all over the country know that foreign food and beverages are difficult to enter Changsha. If they don't do well, they will die. I can't lose." rise."

Mr. Yuan said: "We in Changsha do reject foreign restaurants, but those who reject are those who can't do it, and those who do well are kept. Tan Dong's Aqiao is definitely good. I believe that within two years, we will be able to make a breakthrough in Changsha. Famous name."

"Okay, let me borrow Mr. Yuan's auspicious words." Old Tan smiled.

Then ask Xiaofeng to pour wine for everyone.

After dinner, Hao Nansheng sent everyone away, but he didn't leave, and talked to Lao Tan about another matter alone.

It turned out that the friend Wei Jianshe introduced to Lao Tan who was transferring to a hotel was the partner who drove with Hao Nansheng.

Hao Nansheng knew that his partner's restaurant was going to be transferred out, but he didn't know that Lao Tan had talked about it, and the partner didn't tell him.Recently, he always went to Lao Tan, and his partner asked him what he was up to. He said that a good brother came to Changsha to open a restaurant, and he went to have a look.

The partner heard that his good brother opened a restaurant, so he asked him to ask this good brother if he wanted to open a restaurant again, and if he did, he would transfer his own restaurant to him.

"The store you mentioned, haha, I went to talk about it, but I don't know your friend's." Old Tan laughed.

Hao Nansheng didn't expect Lao Tan to talk about it, so he was a little embarrassed, and said: "So you talked about it." Then he asked: "Is it not ideal, you don't like it?"

Lao Tan said: "That's not true. The location is good. It's a place to open a restaurant. The decoration is also good. I like it, but the transfer fee is too high, 800,000, which is a bit unsuitable.

You've also seen that his store is in the same style as Aqiao's. If it is reversed, it will have to be redecorated, and nothing in it will be used.He felt that the decoration cost a lot of money, but it was useless to me.

In addition, the area of ​​his store is a bit big, and Ah Qiao is a small dumpling restaurant, so it doesn't make sense to be too big.It is just right to be a central kitchen, and I am also rushing to be a central kitchen.

It's just that there is only one store now, and there is no need for a central kitchen, so I didn't talk about it. "

"That's the case." Hao Nansheng nodded, thought for a while and said, "Brother Tan, I don't know anything about catering, but I know you definitely didn't fail by building one. In this way, I can be the master of his store, and you will be charged for the transfer." Don’t think about it, just do it.”

Hao Nansheng spoke very seriously and sincerely.

Old Tan smiled and said, "Brother, the elder brother knows what you mean, no need, this is tantamount to looking down on your elder brother.

He still has one year's rent, so he was told to keep it open.I guess no one can change the price he asked for. After the new year, I will see how the business here is. To be honest, I have no idea. You are from Changsha, you know, it is difficult for foreign restaurants to stand firm. cross the river.

You can see what it looks like after three months of opening. Once it stands firm, you will immediately build a second store. "

"That's good." Hao Nansheng was also a cheerful person, and said, "Wait until the Chinese New Year is over."

After Hao Nansheng left, Lao Tan returned to his residence, still thinking about the food in his mind.

Soon someone knocked on the door, it was Li Jian, the head chef, and two chefs of Hunan cuisine.

Li Jian is 40 years old, big and slightly fat. He cooks authentic Northeast cuisine, and he cooks the pot-packed pork.The two chefs of Hunan cuisine are Ma Jianhua and Huo Meng, who came from Yiyang.

Unsatisfactory dishes put pressure on the chefs, and Lao Tan would call them over every time he finished trying the dishes.

"Every dish today is very good. Everyone has tried their best. It is better than the last two times." Old Tan said.

Li Jian said: "Boss, after serving the dishes, I chatted with some chefs for a while, and I felt that the clay pot should not be all local dishes. It should be good to serve our Northeast casserole."

This old Tan didn't expect that he had been staring at the cooking these days, and he was a little neglected.

"Tell me in detail," Old Tan said.

"Actually, it doesn't need much. Just serve the casserole tofu and Northeast New Year dishes. These two dishes look simple but are difficult to make. We have done our best. They are not only delicious, but also unique and representative. I think it will work." Li Jian said.

Lao Tan thought about these two dishes in his head, and he thought about the whole production process and the tableware used.

Then he said: "The casserole tofu can be improved, adding local minced yellow beef and white pepper, and adding a little spicy millet, this taste will come up. The recipe is the same as that of Northeast cuisine, adding thirteen spices and soy sauce."

Li Jian nodded.

Lao Tan went on to say: "The New Year's dishes are delicious, but they don't look good. I suggest replacing the dried cabbage with local cabbage and marinating them in advance. The time should not be too long. Keep the green color, then this dish will have a taste."

(End of this chapter)