Wang Jianye frowned and fell into deep thought. He paced back and forth in the office, thought for a moment, and said calmly: “Xiao Chen, we can’t panic. We can’t solve the problem in a hurry. So, you and David should study Vancouver’s business layout carefully and dig deeper to see if there are other potential good locations. At the same time, we can also expand the search scope appropriately, not necessarily limited to the city center. Some emerging business districts or community surroundings may also have good opportunities.”

Chen Yu took a deep breath, nodded, and contacted David again. The two of them traveled through the streets and alleys of Vancouver, inspected every possible store, and repeatedly communicated and negotiated with the landlords. After hard work and in-depth investigation and analysis, they finally found a store near Vancouver’s Chinatown. Although this store is not in the bustling core area of ​​the city center, there are many Chinese communities around it, full of a strong oriental cultural atmosphere, and there are also many popular tourist attractions with a large flow of people. More importantly, the rent is relatively reasonable and within their budget.

After Wang Jianye learned the news, he immediately flew to Vancouver. As soon as he got off the plane, he went straight to the store. Standing at the door of the store, he carefully looked at the surrounding environment. Pedestrians came and went on the street, full of the breath of life. The exterior of the store looked a bit old, and the paint on the wall was mottled and peeling, but the interior space was very spacious and the layout was also very regular. Wang Jianye walked into the store, walked around in each room, and silently sketched out the appearance after the renovation. He was more and more satisfied, and immediately signed a lease agreement with David.

After returning to Spain, Wang Jianye did not stop for a moment and immediately discussed the follow-up plan with Chen Yu and Master Li. At this time, Master Li’s new dish research and development has also made significant progress. He has developed a series of dishes that incorporate Canadian characteristics, such as the attractive maple syrup barbecue, where each piece of meat is wrapped in maple syrup and exudes a sweet aroma; ice wine seafood pasta, where the mellowness of ice wine and the freshness of seafood are perfectly combined, paired with chewy pasta, making people salivate; and the refreshing blueberry kimchi salad, which combines the sweet and sour blueberries with the sour and spicy kimchi, creating a wonderful taste experience.

“Mr. Wang, I have asked the chefs to test these new dishes countless times, and the taste is absolutely guaranteed. I have full confidence in these dishes, and I believe Canadians will like them.” Chef Li said confidently with a proud smile on his face.

Chen Yu also said excitedly: “I have already communicated with a very creative local designer about the store’s decoration design. The designer’s concept coincides with ours. He will incorporate some oriental elements and Canadian characteristics, such as decorating the walls with maple leaf patterns to show the unique style of Canada, while retaining some Chinese-style screens and lanterns to create a strong oriental atmosphere. This decoration style can not only attract local customers, but also make Chinese customers feel the warmth of home.”

As the opening date approaches, all preparations are being carried out in an intense and orderly manner. Chef Li carefully selected several experienced and skilled chefs and went to Vancouver in advance to train the local chef team. In the training kitchen, the atmosphere was warm and focused. Chef Li demonstrated in person, from the selection and cutting of ingredients to the cooking temperature and the use of seasonings, explaining every step in detail.

“Everyone, pay attention. When marinating barbecued meat, the amount of maple syrup should be controlled just right, so that it can add sweetness without covering up the aroma of the meat itself.” Master Li said loudly while demonstrating, making sure that every chef could hear clearly. The local chefs gathered around, watching Master Li’s every move intently and asking questions from time to time, and Master Li patiently answered them one by one.

Chen Yu also arrived in Vancouver and devoted himself to supervising the store renovation and promotion work. At the renovation site, workers were busy shuttling back and forth, and the sounds of electric saws and hammering were endless. Chen Yu was on site every day, carefully checking every detail of the renovation to ensure that the renovation effect met expectations. In terms of promotion, he also racked his brains and developed a series of detailed plans. He contacted local newspapers and radio stations to place advertisements; he also created an official account for the restaurant on social media, posted exquisite pictures of dishes and interesting promotional videos, and attracted the attention of many local food lovers.

However, just when they thought everything was ready and they were just waiting for a great opening, another problem quietly emerged. A local food critic questioned their fusion cuisine concept and published an article in his column, saying that it was disrespectful to the food culture to piece together the food elements of Korea, Singapore and Canada, and it was impossible to make truly delicious dishes. Once this article was published, it caused an uproar in the local food circle, and many customers who were originally full of expectations for Wang’s full-line restaurants began to waver in their attitudes.

Wang Jianye, Chen Yu and Master Li felt a great deal of pressure when they heard the news. They knew that this food critic had a certain influence in the local area, and if they could not deal with it properly, it would have a serious impact on the restaurant’s opening and subsequent operations. The three of them held an emergency meeting to discuss countermeasures.

“Mr. Wang, what should we do? The words of this food critic have made many customers suspicious of us.” Chen Yu said anxiously, his face full of worry.

Chef Li frowned, thought for a moment and then said, “I think we can’t just sit there and wait for death. We have to take the initiative. We can invite the food critic to the restaurant and let him taste our dishes in person and let the facts speak for themselves.”

Wang Jianye nodded slightly and said, “Lao Li’s idea is good. Xiao Chen, please contact the food critic as soon as possible and sincerely invite him to taste the food in our restaurant. At the same time, we can also post some of the production processes and cultural stories behind the dishes on social media to let customers have a deeper understanding of our fusion cuisine concept and eliminate their doubts.”

Chen Yu took immediate action and contacted the food critic through various channels. At first, the food critic was indifferent and unwilling to accept the invitation. But Chen Yu did not give up. He communicated sincerely many times and introduced the restaurant’s dish features and research and development process in detail. Finally, the food critic was moved by his sincerity and agreed to come for a taste test.

On the day of the tasting, the atmosphere in the restaurant was tense and expectant. Chef Li personally cooked several signature fusion dishes. The food critic sat at the table, looking at the delicious dishes in front of him, with a flash of surprise in his eyes. He picked up the cutlery and tasted it carefully. After taking a bite, his expression gradually relaxed and a satisfied smile appeared on his face.

“Mr. Wang, I must admit that I was too one-sided before. Your fusion cuisine not only does not destroy the food culture, but cleverly combines the food elements of different cultures to create brand new delicacies.” The food critic said sincerely.

Wang Jianye smiled and responded, “Thank you for your recognition. We have been committed to promoting the exchange and integration of different cultures through food, so that customers can enjoy a unique food experience.” After returning, the food critic published a follow-up article in his column, praising the fusion cuisine of Wang’s entire restaurant series. This article quickly turned the situation around, and the originally skeptical customers changed their views one after another, and their expectations for the restaurant soared again.

……

On the streets of Vancouver, the sun shines warmly on the sign of Wang’s All-inclusive Restaurant, and the opening day has finally arrived. At the door of the restaurant, the national flags of China and Canada sway gently in the breeze, and colorful ribbons flutter in the wind, creating a festive and warm atmosphere. Wang Jianye is wearing a neat suit, Chen Yu is wearing a neat shirt, and Master Li is wearing a clean apron. The three of them stand at the door with smiles on their faces, but their hearts are full of tension and expectation. Despite a lot of publicity and promotion in the early stage, they are still not sure whether Canadian customers will recognize and like their carefully crafted fusion dishes.

As time went by, more and more customers came into the restaurant. At first, there were not many customers and the restaurant seemed a little empty. A local customer with a beard sat by the window, frowned, tasted the dish in front of him, put down his cutlery, and said slowly: “This taste is a bit strange, not quite the same as what I’ve eaten before. I’m used to the traditional Canadian flavor, and this fusion flavor is a little hard for me to accept.”

A young lady next to me, with stylish short hair and a look of curiosity and expectation in her eyes, took a sip of the drink and said, “I think it’s OK, quite creative, but some of the tastes need to be adapted. After all, this is a fusion of different cultures, and it’s good to have such an attempt.”

Wang Jianye silently observed the customers’ reactions. When he heard these comments, his brows slightly furrowed, and a trace of worry flashed in his eyes. Chen Yu paced back and forth in the restaurant, looking at the customers’ tables from time to time, his face full of anxiety. Chef Li stood at the door of the kitchen, his hands crossed in front of his chest, his eyes revealing a trace of anxiety, and he was secretly thinking about how to improve the dishes.

Wang Jianye, Chen Yu and Master Li knew that if they wanted to gain a foothold in the Canadian catering market, they had to make changes as soon as possible. So they decided to take the initiative and actively collect customer feedback to improve the dishes. Chen Yu quickly gathered all the waiters and said with a serious look and firm eyes: “From now on, after every customer finishes their meal, you must politely ask for their opinions and suggestions on the dishes, and be sure to record them in detail. Don’t miss any details. This is related to the future of our restaurant, everyone must take it seriously.”

In the following days, the waiters were busy shuttling around every corner of the restaurant. Whenever a customer finished their meal, they would smile and ask softly: “Hello, are you satisfied with our dishes today? If you have any comments or suggestions, please tell us and we will try our best to improve them.” Some customers patiently put forward their ideas, while others just said a few simple words, but the waiters carefully recorded these feedbacks in their notebooks, not daring to slack off.

Chen Yu sat in his office, with a pile of notebooks filled with customer feedback in front of him. Wearing glasses, he carefully flipped through each record and made marks on the notebook from time to time. Master Li also sat next to him, frowning and looking at the feedback intently. After several days of collection and analysis, they finally found the key to the problem.

Chen Yu put down the notebook in his hand, pushed up his glasses, and said, “Mr. Wang, Master Li, I found that Canadians do have high requirements for the taste of dishes. They pay attention to the original flavor of the ingredients, pursue the natural and pure taste, and like a rich and diverse taste experience. Some of our dishes are over-seasoned, which completely covers up the taste of the ingredients themselves. This is a big problem. Moreover, the portions of some dishes are too small for Canadians. They are used to eating larger amounts, and such portions may make them feel that they are not enough.”

Chef Li nodded, a serious look on his face, and said, “Indeed. It seems that we have to make a comprehensive adjustment to the dishes. Reduce the seasoning of some dishes, highlight the original flavor of the ingredients, so that customers can taste the most authentic taste of the ingredients. At the same time, increase the portion of the dishes to meet the appetite of Canadians. For example, we can change the original small portion of barbecue to a large portion, and add more vegetables and staple foods to make the dishes more rich and nutritious.”

Wang Jianye frowned slightly, thought for a while, and said, “Okay, let’s do as you said. Chef Li, you should arrange for the chef team to make adjustments as soon as possible, and you must ensure the quality of the dishes. Chen Yu, you should also readjust the publicity strategy to let customers better understand our dishes. We can’t let customers misunderstand our restaurant, we must let them know that we are making delicious food with our heart.”

Chef Li returned to the kitchen and immediately called the chef team together. He stood in the middle of the kitchen and said loudly: “Guys, we have encountered some problems, but this is also our opportunity to improve. From now on, we will reduce the seasoning of the dishes and highlight the original flavor of the ingredients. At the same time, we will increase the portion of the dishes so that customers can eat satisfactorily. Everyone must strictly follow the standard operation to ensure that every dish can achieve the best taste.”

The chefs nodded and started to get busy. They carefully adjusted the amount of seasoning for each dish and carefully selected the ingredients to ensure that each dish met the new requirements. Chef Li kept patrolling on the side, giving guidance and suggestions from time to time.

Chen Yu also began to re-formulate the promotion strategy. He found a well-known local advertising company and had in-depth communication with the designers. He said: “Our restaurant specializes in fusion cuisine, and each dish has a unique source of ingredients, cooking methods and characteristics. We need to convey this information to customers in detail so that they can understand the stories behind our dishes.” (End of this chapter)