Siheyuan: Starting as a Chef Apprentice

Chapter 610

The designers listened carefully to Chen Yu’s suggestions and began to carefully prepare a new brochure. In the brochure, each dish is accompanied by exquisite pictures, which detail the source of the ingredients, the cooking process and the characteristics of the dish. At the same time, Chen Yu also placed advertisements in local newspapers and radio stations, and invited some well-known food bloggers to the restaurant to try and recommend.

On a sunny afternoon, a food blogger came to Wang’s All Series Restaurant. He was dressed fashionably, holding a camera in his hand and with an expectant smile on his face. Chen Yu greeted him warmly and said, “Welcome to our restaurant. I hope you can taste the delicious dishes here and give us valuable suggestions.”

The food blogger nodded, walked into the restaurant, and began to taste the various dishes. While tasting, he used his camera to record the appearance of the dishes and his feelings. When he tasted the maple syrup barbecue, his eyes lit up and he praised it highly: “This barbecue is so delicious, the sweetness of maple syrup and the aroma of meat are perfectly blended, and the portion is large, it is very satisfying. I have never eaten such a unique barbecue, it is really great!”

After returning home, the food blogger posted a detailed tasting report on his social media, with pictures of the dishes attached. This report quickly attracted the attention of netizens, and many people became interested in Wang’s full range of restaurants after seeing it.

As time went by, the business of the store gradually improved. More and more customers came into the restaurant to taste the delicious fusion dishes. A local office worker came to the restaurant every day after get off work. He smiled and said: “I have fallen in love with the dishes here. Every time I come, there are new surprises. The grilled meat and pasta here are my favorites. The taste is really unique.”

Looking at the lively scene in the restaurant, Wang Jianye, Chen Yu and Master Li were filled with satisfaction. They knew that all the efforts were worth it.

……

The sea breeze of Vancouver gently blows through the streets. The Vancouver branch of Wang’s All-Series Restaurant has already established a firm foothold in the local area. The restaurant is always full and full of laughter. However, Wang Jianye, Chen Yu and Master Li are not satisfied with the current achievements. They have set their sights on the wider territory of Canada and are planning new expansion plans in their minds.

In a spacious and bright conference room, sunlight poured in through the huge French windows and danced on the solid wood conference table. Wang Jianye, Chen Yu and Master Li sat around a long table, on which were placed a detailed map of Canada and a stack of market research reports. Wang Jianye, dressed in a neat suit and with a focused look, stood up and pointed to the large map of Canada hanging on the wall, accurately pointing to the locations of Toronto and Montreal, and said, “Toronto and Montreal are very influential cities in Canada with huge market potential. If we can open branches in these two cities, we will be able to further expand the brand influence of our Wang’s entire hotel series. What do you think?”

Chen Yu pushed his glasses on his nose, his eyes behind the lenses sparkling with wisdom. He nodded slightly and responded, “Mr. Wang, I fully agree. But the cultural heritage and eating habits of these two cities are very different from Vancouver. Take Toronto for example, it is a melting pot of multiculturalism; Montreal is full of rich French culture. We must re-launch a comprehensive and in-depth market research, flexibly adjust the dishes and business strategies according to the actual local conditions, and must not copy Vancouver’s successful model, but must adapt to local conditions.”

Chef Li crossed his arms over his chest, frowned slightly, and said seriously: “Yes, every city has its own unique features. It is not an easy task to deeply understand the local special ingredients and the taste preferences of the residents and develop dishes that suit the tastes of the locals. It requires a lot of time and effort. But I firmly believe that with our team and unremitting efforts, we can definitely do it.”

The eyes of the three people were full of determination and expectation, and a new challenge and opportunity had already begun.

Chen Yu quickly devoted himself to market research. He sat at a desk piled with documents, sometimes staring at the computer screen to browse information, and sometimes picking up the phone to communicate with people. Through various personal connections, he contacted local chamber of commerce members, food bloggers, and senior practitioners in the catering industry in Toronto and Montreal. He frequently called and emailed these people, asking in detail about the local catering market dynamics, consumers’ eating habits, and competitive situations. In order to get a more intuitive feeling, Chen Yu decided to go to these two cities for field visits in person.

In Toronto, the busy streets are crowded with cars and tall buildings. Chen Yu walked through the streets and alleys, entering restaurants of different styles. He sat in a noisy and lively restaurant, tasting a variety of delicacies while chatting enthusiastically with the customers around him: “Hello, I want to know what type of food you usually prefer? Can you accept dishes that combine different cultural elements?” Some customers responded enthusiastically and shared their preferences; others just answered politely. Chen Yu listened carefully and recorded these valuable opinions one by one in the notebook he carried with him. He found that Toronto has a very strong multicultural atmosphere. In addition to many Chinese, there are also a large number of immigrants from Europe and Africa. These people from different cultural backgrounds gathered here, bringing their own unique eating habits and taste preferences. In a restaurant with a strong African style, Chen Yu tasted the spicy and rich African food. When communicating with the restaurant owner, he learned that the local African immigrants missed the taste of their hometown very much, but they were also eager to try new fusion flavors. This made Chen Yu realize that in Toronto, the diversity and uniqueness of dishes would be the key to attracting customers.

In Montreal, the whole city is filled with a romantic and elegant atmosphere. The buildings on both sides of the street are full of French style, and the aroma of coffee and baguettes wafts through the streets. Chen Yu strolled along the ancient streets, feeling the strong French cultural heritage. He walked into a French restaurant with exquisite decoration. The lights in the restaurant were soft, and there were exquisite oil paintings on the walls. The waiters were dressed in neat uniforms and were polite. Chen Yu ordered an authentic French steak and French dessert, savoring the delicate taste and exquisite presentation of the food.

He sat with the chefs in the restaurant and discussed cooking techniques and experiences: “What do you think Montreal customers pay more attention to in terms of food? Is it the freshness of the ingredients or the creativity of the dishes?” The chefs expressed their opinions one after another. They emphasized that Montreal people have extremely high requirements for the quality of food and dining atmosphere. They not only pay attention to the taste of the dishes, but also pursue a refined and romantic dining experience. This gave Chen Yu a deeper understanding of Montreal’s catering market.

At the same time, Chef Li also started intensive research and development work in the kitchen. The kitchen was filled with the aroma of various ingredients, and the flames on the stove jumped happily. Chef Li led the chef team to consult a lot of information about Toronto and Montreal’s specialties, from traditional French cooking books to classic recipes of African cuisine, filling the entire workbench. They repeatedly tried to match local specialties with Korean and new cooking methods.

When they developed African spice roasted chicken with Korean kimchi fried rice for the Toronto market, Master Li personally stood in front of the stove to guide the chefs to adjust the proportion of African spices. He picked up a spoon, scooped up a spoonful of powder mixed with various spices, and carefully sprinkled it on the tender chicken, saying as he sprinkled: “The rich aroma of African spices is the soul of this dish. You must master the amount to perfectly blend with the tenderness of the roasted chicken.” Then, he turned around and guided the chef to stir-fry Korean kimchi fried rice. Looking at the rice and kimchi constantly being stir-fried in the pot, Master Li emphasized: “The sour and spicy taste of kimchi can add a unique flavor to this dish. You have to stir-fry the aroma of kimchi, but you can’t let it cover up the aroma of rice.” After many attempts and adjustments, this fusion dish was finally born. The rich aroma of African spices is perfectly combined with the tenderness of roasted chicken, and the sour and spicy taste of Korean kimchi fried rice is even more memorable.

For Montreal, when developing the cheese curry baked seafood, Chef Li and the chefs kept trying different types of French cheese with Singaporean curry. They put pieces of cheese into the pot, watching the cheese slowly melt and blend with the curry, exuding an alluring aroma. Chef Li frowned and carefully observed the changes in the pot, saying: “The mellowness of French cheese and the spiciness of Singaporean curry must be perfectly balanced, and neither side should be too prominent.” When the fresh seafood is put into the pot and baked with the cheese curry, the whole kitchen is filled with rich fragrance. This dish finally presents a rich taste and distinct layers, with both French romance and oriental mystery.

Wang Jianye actively expanded his network in the local area and looked for suitable business partners. He was dressed in a decent business suit and shuttled between various business activities. At a high-end business reception, the lights were bright and people were holding wine glasses and chatting and laughing. Wang Jianye held a glass of red wine and smiled, actively communicating with entrepreneurs and businessmen around him: “Hello, I am Wang Jianye from Wang’s All-Series Hotel. We are committed to creating a gourmet restaurant that integrates multiple cultures. We have achieved good results in Vancouver. I think the market potential in Toronto (Montreal) is huge. I hope to find like-minded partners here and develop together.” Through such exchanges, he got to know many influential local people.

However, difficulties also ensued during this process. There are many differences between local business regulations and those in Vancouver, and some clauses and regulations confuse Wang Jianye. He sat in his office, with various legal documents piled in front of him, frowning and flipping through them. In order to better understand the relevant regulations and policies, he actively communicated with local lawyers and business consultants. In a simply decorated law firm, Wang Jianye talked face to face with a lawyer: “Mr. Lawyer, there are still many things I don’t understand about the business regulations for opening a restaurant in Toronto (Montreal). For example, tax policies, employee employment regulations, etc., can you explain them to me in detail?” The lawyer patiently answered his questions, and Wang Jianye listened carefully, and from time to time he wrote down key information in a notebook.

The recruitment and training of employees also face challenges. Wang Jianye discussed the recruitment plan with the human resources expert. He said with a worried look on his face: “We need to find a group of employees who love food and can adapt to our restaurant culture. But the current recruitment situation is not ideal. Do you have any good suggestions?” The human resources expert gave some targeted suggestions. Based on these suggestions, Wang Jianye developed a complete employee recruitment and training plan. He personally participated in the interviews and had in-depth exchanges with the applicants to understand their career plans and understanding of food. For new employees, he arranged systematic training courses, and conducted detailed training from food knowledge to service skills to ensure that they can provide customers with high-quality services.

As the preparations gradually progressed, the branches in Toronto and Montreal finally ushered in the opening day. On the opening day, the entrance of the Toronto branch was decorated with colorful balloons and ribbons, and the huge signboard shone in the sun. Wang Jianye, dressed in a formal dress, stood at the door to welcome guests with a joyful smile on his face. A customer from Africa walked into the restaurant. He curiously ordered a roast chicken with African spices and Korean kimchi fried rice. When the dishes were served, his eyes flashed with anticipation. He picked up the knife and fork, carefully cut a piece of roast chicken and put it in his mouth. After chewing it a few times, a look of surprise appeared on his face. He was so excited that tears filled his eyes. He stood up, held Master Li’s hand tightly, and said in a trembling voice: “This taste, this taste is so familiar! It reminds me of my hometown instantly, but there are some new surprises. I never thought that I could eat such authentic hometown flavors in a foreign country, and it also integrates the characteristics of other cultures. Thank you so much! You let me feel the warmth of home in a distant place.”

In the Montreal branch, the restaurant is warm and romantic, with soft lights shining on the dining table, which is decorated with exquisite tableware and flowers. A French couple sat by the window, with a beautiful street view of Montreal outside. They ordered cheese curry baked seafood. When the dish was served, the girl was attracted by its exquisite presentation and couldn’t help but exclaimed. She picked up the spoon, gently scooped a spoonful and put it into her mouth. A happy smile immediately filled her face. She turned to the boy and said, “My dear, this dish is amazing! It has the mellow romance of French cheese and the mysterious spiciness of oriental curry. This is really an unprecedented wonderful taste experience. This restaurant is really special. We will definitely come here often in the future.” (End of this chapter)