Siheyuan: Starting as a Chef Apprentice
Chapter 573
Zhao Jun responded, turned around and hurriedly left the office, and began to contact suppliers nervously.
Wang Jianye picked up the phone and contacted his business partners in Korea one by one. “Hello, President Park, this is Wang Jianye. I have a problem here. The equipment of the original kimchi supplier has broken down. Do you know any reliable kimchi supplier?” “Hello, President Jin. I want to ask, do you know any kimchi supplier with good quality and stable supply? My restaurant is waiting for it.”
Zhao Jun was also working non-stop. He sat at his desk, with all kinds of documents and phone records in front of him. He kept making calls: “Hello, are you the kimchi supplier? We are Wang’s All-in-One Restaurant, and we would like to know about your kimchi supply situation…” “Can you send me a product document and quotation? We are in urgent need of purchasing a batch of high-quality kimchi.”
After some efforts, Zhao Jun selected several suppliers with potential for cooperation. He compared samples of kimchi from these suppliers and made detailed evaluations of the kimchi’s color, smell, taste, etc.
At the same time, Wang Jianye’s business partners also responded to him. One of the partners recommended a supplier called “Park’s Kimchi Shop”. Wang Jianye conveyed the information to Zhao Jun and asked him to focus on this supplier.
After Zhao Jun got in touch with Park’s Kimchi Shop, the other party quickly sent him kimchi samples. Zhao Jun opened the package and was greeted by a rich and mellow kimchi aroma. He took a bite and found the kimchi to be crisp, with just the right acidity and saltiness, and the taste was very authentic.
Zhao Jun immediately sent the samples to the kitchen for professional evaluation by the chefs, who used them to make kimchi soup and other related dishes, and praised them highly after tasting them.
Zhao Jun communicated with Mr. Park, the person in charge of Park’s Kimchi Shop again: “Mr. Park, we have tried your kimchi samples and the quality is very good. But we still need to understand your supply capacity and price. Our restaurant has a large demand for kimchi, and I hope you can provide a stable supply.”
Mr. Park said on the other end of the phone: “Manager Zhao, don’t worry. We have always focused on the quality of kimchi and use traditional craftsmanship. In terms of supply capacity, we have our own factory and mature production lines, which can fully meet the needs of your store. In terms of price, we will definitely offer a reasonable and competitive price.”
Afterwards, Mr. Park sent a detailed supply plan and quotation. After careful study, Zhao Jun felt that the price was reasonable and the supply terms were relatively flexible. He reported the situation to Wang Jianye: “Mr. Wang, I think Park’s Kimchi Shop is pretty good. The kimchi is of high quality, the price is reasonable, and the supply capacity is guaranteed.”
Wang Jianye nodded and said, “Then arrange a meeting with Mr. Park to finalize the specific details of the cooperation. We must ensure that the cooperation goes smoothly and there will be no supply problems.”
A few days later, Wang Jianye and Zhao Jun met with Mr. Park in the hotel conference room. The two sides had in-depth discussions and consultations on the details of the cooperation and finally reached a cooperation agreement.
Mr. Park smiled and said, “Boss Wang, I am very happy to cooperate with your store. We will continue to ensure the quality of kimchi and hope to continue to cooperate with your store for a long time.”
Wang Jianye shook Mr. Park’s hand and said, “Mr. Park, thank you for your support. We also look forward to long-term cooperation with you. I believe that by working together, we will be able to bring customers a better dining experience.”
The food supply problem was solved, and the restaurant’s operation gradually stabilized. With the supply of high-quality kimchi, the restaurant’s kimchi-related dishes regained their former deliciousness and received rave reviews from customers.
In the restaurant, a customer said to the waiter: “Your kimchi soup tastes so authentic and is so delicious.” The waiter smiled and replied: “Thank you for your recognition. We have always been committed to providing customers with the best quality dishes and services.”
As word of mouth spreads, Wang’s All-inclusive Restaurant has become more and more well-known in Korea. It has not only attracted many local customers, but also become a popular check-in spot for foreign tourists to taste Korean fusion cuisine.
During a peak dining period, the restaurant was packed. After finishing his meal, a tourist from the United States gave Manager Jin a thumbs up: “This restaurant is amazing! The food is delicious and the service is excellent.” Manager Jin smiled and replied in English: “Thank you for your compliment. We are glad you enjoyed your meal.”
……
In Seoul, the successful operation of Wang’s full range of hotels made Wang Jianye see the huge potential of the Korean market. In order to further expand the business, he set his sights on the vibrant port city of Busan. On this day, Wang Jianye called the team members to the conference room to discuss the important matter of opening a second branch in Busan. The atmosphere in the conference room was warm, and everyone was looking forward to the preparation of the new branch.
Wang Jianye stood in front of the projector, his eyes firmly scanning everyone present: “Everyone, our efforts in Seoul are obvious to all. Now it’s time to move to Busan. Busan has a unique culture and a huge consumer group, which is a great opportunity for us. But before taking action, we have to carefully consider every link, especially the location of the branch.”
Kim Mi-hee, who was in charge of market research, spoke first. She stood up, holding a thick stack of research materials in her hand, and spoke with confidence: “Mr. Wang, after my in-depth research in Busan these few days, I think the area near Haeundae is an excellent location. As the most famous tourist attraction in Busan, Haeundae attracts a large number of tourists every year. The flow of people there is extremely large. Once our hotel opens there, it will quickly gain high exposure. According to statistics, the number of tourists per day during the peak season can reach tens of thousands, which is a potential customer group that cannot be ignored.” Li Mingzhe, who was sitting next to him and was in charge of operations, frowned slightly. After thinking for a moment, he stood up and expressed his different views. : “Meixi, what you said about the flow of people is indeed correct, but Haeundae also has obvious disadvantages. First of all, the rent of Haeundae is high, which will greatly increase our operating costs. Secondly, due to its nature as a tourist hotspot, the competition in the surrounding catering industry is extremely fierce. In order to compete for tourists, many restaurants often get into price wars, and their profit margins are squeezed very small. In comparison, I prefer the commercial district in the city center. There are dense office workers and residents there, and consumption is stable. Although the flow of people may not be as large as Haeundae during the peak tourist season, it has a stable source of customers and relatively reasonable rent, which can provide a more solid foundation for our long-term operations.”
After hearing this, Jin Meixi shook her head slightly and retorted: “Mingzhe, although the rent of Haeundae is high, the potential income is also great. Moreover, our fusion cuisine is unique in itself and does not need to participate in price wars. As long as we do a good job of brand promotion and service, we can stand out from the competition. Tourists come to Haeundae not only to see the scenery, but also hope to taste unique food. Our hotel can meet their needs.”
Li Mingzhe was about to respond when Wang Jianye raised his hand to signal everyone to pause the discussion: “Everyone’s opinions are reasonable. Site selection is indeed a critical and complex issue, and decisions cannot be made based on simple judgments. So, let’s make two detailed site selection reports respectively, and comprehensively compare factors such as rent, traffic flow, surrounding supporting facilities, and potential customer groups in Haeundae and the city center business district. Let’s speak with data and facts, and make a decision after comprehensive evaluation.” Everyone nodded in agreement.
In the next few days, Jin Meixi and Li Mingzhe each led their teams to engage in intensive research work. Jin Meixi shuttled through the streets and alleys of Haeundae, recording the rental prices of various stores in detail, communicating with nearby restaurant owners to understand the competition, and counting the flow of people at different time periods. While recording, she said to her assistant: “Look, on weekends and holidays, the flow of people here is simply overwhelming. As long as we can gain a foothold here, business will definitely not be bad.” The assistant nodded and responded: “Yes, Sister Jin, but the rent is indeed shockingly high, we have to weigh it carefully.”
Li Mingzhe was busy in the downtown business district, visiting office buildings and residential areas to understand the dining habits and spending power of office workers and residents. He walked into a coffee shop and chatted with several office workers: “Which restaurants do you usually choose for lunch? Do you have any special requirements for the price and dishes of the restaurants?” An office worker replied: “We usually choose restaurants that are convenient, fast and reasonably priced. If the dishes are unique and the environment is comfortable, that would be even better.”
After several days of hard work, two detailed site selection reports were placed on Wang Jianye’s desk. Wang Jianye put on his glasses and carefully read every piece of data and analysis in the report. Jin Meixi and Li Mingzhe stood by, looking a little nervous, hoping that the site selection they recommended would be adopted.
After a long while, Wang Jianye put down the report, raised his head and said, “Both reports are very detailed, and it can be seen that everyone has put in a lot of effort. After my comprehensive evaluation, I think the downtown commercial district is more suitable for our second branch. Although Haeundae has a large flow of people, the high rent and fierce competition are more risky. The stable customer base and relatively reasonable rent of the downtown commercial district are more in line with our long-term and steady development strategy.”
Although Jin Meixi was a little disappointed, she still expressed her understanding: “Mr. Wang, I respect your decision. Although I was more optimistic about Haeundae at the beginning, after this in-depth research, I also realized the advantages of the downtown business district. I believe that under your leadership, we can also succeed in the city center.”
Li Mingzhe breathed a sigh of relief and said, “Mr. Wang, I think this is a wise decision. Next we can focus on finding a suitable store in the downtown commercial district.”
So the team began to search for a suitable store in the downtown business district. They rushed around and checked one property after another. During a field trip, Park Chenghao, who was in charge of leasing, frowned and said to Wang Jianye: “Mr. Wang, the stores here are either too small and don’t fit our plan, or too remote and have poor traffic. It’s not easy to find a store that is suitable in all aspects.”
Wang Jianye patted Park Chenghao on the shoulder and said, “Don’t worry, Chenghao. Site selection is a big deal and we can’t just make do with it. We’ll keep looking and we’ll find the right one.”
Finally, after unremitting efforts, they found an ideal store. The store is located next to the main road in the city center, surrounded by office buildings, convenient transportation, and a large flow of people. The store is spacious and well-planned, making it very suitable for transformation into a restaurant.
After signing the lease contract, the decoration work started immediately. Wang Jianye had high hopes for the decoration team. He visited the decoration site many times to carefully check the progress. On this day, he stood at the decoration site, looking at the busy workers and the store that was taking shape, and said to the head of the decoration team, Li Zaixian: “Zaixian, our decoration style should continue the characteristics of the Seoul branch, while incorporating elements of Busan’s marine culture. Busan is a coastal city, and its marine culture is its unique charm. We want customers to feel this unique atmosphere as soon as they enter the store, as if they were in a wonderful world of ocean and food.”
Li Zaixian nodded to show that he understood: “Mr. Wang, don’t worry. We have designed a detailed decoration plan. For lighting, we use blue as the main color to simulate the depth of the ocean. The tables and chairs are made of wood, which gives people a natural and comfortable feeling. The walls will be hung with carefully selected paintings depicting the seascape of Busan, so that customers can intuitively feel the marine style of Busan.”
During the renovation process, the team encountered some technical difficulties. For example, when installing the lighting device that simulates the effect of waves, a technical failure occurred. Li Zaixian anxiously found Wang Jianye: “Mr. Wang, there is a problem with the lighting device. According to the current progress, it may affect the entire renovation period.”
Wang Jianye said calmly, “Zaixian, don’t panic. Contact professional technicians immediately and ask them to solve the problem as soon as possible. No matter what, we must ensure the quality and construction period of the decoration, and we cannot delay the opening time because of this problem.”
After emergency repairs by technicians, the lighting system finally returned to normal. The renovation work progressed smoothly, and the store gradually took on a unique look.
The day of the Busan branch opening finally arrived. On the opening day, the store was decorated with lights and colorful decorations, and it was very lively. The decoration inside the store was full of marine style, with blue lights swaying like waves, and matched with wooden tables and chairs, creating a warm and romantic atmosphere. The Busan seascape paintings hanging on the wall were lifelike, as if bringing the beauty of the sea into the restaurant.
Many customers come here because of its reputation. As soon as they enter the store, they are attracted by the unique environment. A local resident walked into the store with his family, looked around, and couldn’t help but exclaimed: “Wow, this store is so beautifully decorated and unique. Dining in such an environment makes me feel particularly comfortable.” (End of this chapter)