Chapter 202: Chapter 202: Sichuan Restaurant Opening, the First Day’s Delicacies!
The restaurant’s opening was naturally a bustling scene. Flower baskets, a red carpet, and celebratory firecrackers—it had everything.
Liew Mei was specifically called over to coordinate many of the restaurant’s affairs. With the experience from the first restaurant, opening the second was a natural progression.
Jiang Feng appeared during the ribbon-cutting segment, and many cameras were aimed at him.
"Boss Jiang, you’ve finally returned!"
"Returning with such a grand gesture!"
"I just want to ask, does the Sichuan restaurant sell steaks and crayfish?"
"I want to eat Bobo Chicken!"
Many regulars shouted from the periphery.
Many bloggers came as well. For example, Liu Bao made a special trip from Eastern Shandong. He addressed his live-stream camera, introducing to his followers in Eastern Shandong, "Everyone, take a look! Executive Chef Jiang’s new Sichuan restaurant, located in the bustling downtown area of Chengdu, is also called Jiangyue Terrace. He really did have a plan when he came to Chengdu! Amazing, two restaurants opened in just six months!"
The audience in the live stream found this scene astonishing.
[Wow, Executive Chef Jiang is quietly achieving great things!]
[Running a stall is just a hobby; opening restaurants is his real business!]
[Having a master like him cook for me at a food stall—that’s something to brag about!]
[He’s building a restaurant chain!]
[I want to ask, can we franchise?]
The chat instantly buzzed with excitement.
It wasn’t just Liu Bao; many local social media influencers were there too. Some were even live-streaming. Live streaming wasn’t allowed inside the restaurant, but no one minded it happening outside, which only added to the lively atmosphere.
There were many familiar faces in the crowd, like the wealthy scions Du Wei and Du Yuxuan, whose main hobbies were eating and drinking. They had tried Jiang Feng’s steak before and had been his fans ever since. Also present were Liu Lei’s family, who had eaten his crayfish, and Wu An, the college student who had been captivated by Jiang Feng’s breakfast on the mountaintop. And many others.
Jiang Feng was quite popular locally. For food enthusiasts, he was the embodiment of the Culinary God. Anything he made was synonymous with deliciousness. It was hard not to love his food.
The crowd bustled and swarmed. Standing in the central position, Jiang Feng looked at the onlookers and had only one thought: So many people!
Indeed, there were many, and everyone was filming with their phones. Jiang Feng also spotted the reporter from the city news, who had come over with a cameraman. He had established a firm foothold in Chengdu, at least securing a group of loyal diners.
He would use the same old method: attract guests himself, and then let them taste other Sichuan dishes. That way, everyone would become more familiar with the Sichuan cuisine prepared by other chefs. Business would be much easier in the future.
The ribbon-cutting required waiting for the auspicious moment. Just then, someone suddenly darted out from the crowd, knelt down immediately, and shouted, "Boss Jiang, can you take me as your disciple? I am willing to acknowledge you as my master!"
This person was young, dressed in a white chef’s uniform, and looked somewhat crazed. Behind him, someone was specifically filming.
This sudden appearance stunned everyone. What’s going on? Is this an attempt to disrupt the event?
Considering the person was being filmed, it all made sense. After all, some internet celebrities would do anything for views, completely unafraid of social embarrassment. Jiang Feng was a prominent figure, attracting a lot of attention, so it was inevitable that some would try to ride his coattails. The world was indeed a bit mad.
Liew Mei looked towards a nearby security guard. "Security, where’s security? Get him out of here!"
Two security guards quickly rushed over and politely escorted the young man away. People treated it as a bit of entertainment, laughing heartily. This little episode made the atmosphere even livelier.
Coincidentally, the auspicious moment arrived. Jiang Feng and several management personnel cut the ribbon together, and Jiangyue Terrace Sichuan Restaurant finally opened.
Jiang Feng secretly breathed a sigh of relief. It’s finally over.
Afterward, leaving two pretty young women at the front to welcome guests, Jiang Feng went to the back kitchen to get busy. After all, the dish he was preparing was still stewing.
The dish Executive Chef Jiang was preparing today was a famous Sichuan specialty: Dongpo Pork Elbow. There are many ways to prepare pork elbow, and Dongpo Pork Elbow, while retaining the rich flavor of the meat, adds a touch of spiciness and the taste of broad bean paste. Jiang Feng had cooked pork elbow before, so making Dongpo Pork Elbow was a familiar task, merely requiring a final pour of spicy sauce over it. On the opening day, such "heavyweight" dishes were necessary to satisfy the diners’ expectations.
Just as Jiang Feng entered the kitchen, the system’s voice suddenly rang out:
[Task commenced: Serve as the head chef at Jiangyue Terrace Sichuan Restaurant for seven consecutive days, hosting 200 guests daily.]
[Task Reward: One box of Longquan Seal Paste, one larderite stone-carved Seal specially made.]
[Do you accept?]
It had been a while since a task had appeared. Unexpectedly, just as Jiang Feng’s restaurant opened, a task automatically started.
Not bad at all.
The system offered not only a final reward for the task but also additional daily rewards upon completion. The extra recipe rewards were also quite impressive.
The system is quite timely this time. It seems like whatever I plan to do, the system issues a corresponding task. Pretty good.
The system issuing tasks was truly the icing on the cake. Being able to "freeload" many rewards at the restaurant’s opening felt really great.
Jiang Feng started to get busy. Because he was using a pressure cooker for the pork elbows, the preparation time was greatly reduced; a batch could be ready in about half an hour. The seasonings in the pot were all meticulously prepared, and a tempting aroma wafted out. The kitchen of the Sichuan restaurant was very large, as per Jiang Feng’s request; it had been expanded from its original size, and two more stove stations were added.
At this very moment, Chief Executive Chef Hu Youwei was filled with surging emotions. I’m back!
The kitchen used to be his domain, but after a change in ownership and many frustrating incidents, he had been forced to leave. Now that Jiang Feng had bought the restaurant and rehired him as the Chief Executive Chef, Hu Youwei only wanted to repay Jiang Feng’s kindness and recognition. This emotion was somewhat like Manager Ye in "Pegasus 2"—everything else could be set aside, but the work at hand had to be done impeccably.
The other chefs also had clearly defined roles and were ready for action. Sun Zhuangfei was responsible for preparing side dishes here. If it got too busy, he would also step in to cook a couple of his specialty Sichuan dishes. He had always planned to make a living through his culinary skills. Although his musical talent was average, his gift for cooking was remarkable. Moreover, having studied with Jiang Feng for a long time and learned through constant exposure, he had mastered many techniques for handling ingredients. Consequently, his culinary skills had significantly improved.
Soon, orders started pouring in, and the kitchen team got busy.
「Front of the house.」
Du Wei and Du Yuxuan were led by a waiter to a table and couldn’t wait to start ordering.
"Let’s have the Dongpo Pork Elbow first," Du Yuxuan said as she sat down.
"Wait a second," Du Wei interrupted her.
Du Yuxuan looked at him, slightly astonished. How could we come to Jiangyue Terrace Sichuan Restaurant and not order the Dongpo Pork Elbow personally made by Boss Jiang?
Then, Du Wei calmly said, "We’ll have two."
Du Yuxuan was a bit stunned. "Brother, do you know how big a pork elbow is? One is more than enough for the two of us, and you want two? Even if it’s delicious, we can’t possibly finish both!"
Du Wei waved his hand. "We can get another one to go. We can eat it tonight, or let Mom and Dad try it. Pork elbow is fine cold; you just reheat it."
Hearing this, Du Yuxuan gave him a thumbs up. "Leave it to you. Alright, two pork elbows it is."
Just as they finished speaking, the waiter, who had been wanting to interject, spoke with a hint of apology, "Sorry, during these first few days of opening, dishes prepared by our boss, the head chef, are limited to one per table. The boss’s exact words were, ’I can’t possibly make enough.’ We hope you understand."
Hearing the waiter, Du Yuxuan and Du Wei sighed. They could only order one then. Who would have thought Jiang Feng’s dishes would be so popular that he couldn’t keep up with the demand?
The two then ordered husband-and-wife lung slices and Mapo Tofu, along with two bowls of rice.
There were many items on the menu; besides home-style dishes, one could also order hot pot. For example, the beef tripe hot pot would be served in a large pot brimming with chilies and tripe—a favorite among tripe lovers. The menu was comprehensive, covering the vast majority of Sichuan dishes available on the market. Moreover, the restaurant’s decor was impressive, with a serene and high-end ambiance. After all, it had undergone renovations throughout the winter, and Jiang Feng had spent a considerable sum, so the results were certainly excellent.
Having placed their orders, the two sat back, waited, and looked around.
Du Wei exclaimed, "This place is finally worthy of our status! Eating at street stalls was always a bit low-brow."
Du Yuxuan, on the other hand, said, "I actually like the bustling atmosphere of eating steak at a roadside stall.
"It’s convenient; you just order and then sit down to eat.
"But this restaurant’s decoration and everything are quite good, and the prices are reasonable too. If the food tastes good, business will definitely be great. I’m planning to invite my girlfriends over in a couple of days."
The two chatted idly for a while.
Soon, the waiter arrived carrying a large pork knuckle, vibrant red and glistening, its surface sprinkled with chopped green onions. Steam rose from it, its skin translucent and shimmering with a glossy sheen. A rich, aromatic sauce covered the entire plate. That sauce was not only perfect for mixing with rice, but noodles were also available as an option. One could put the noodles directly onto the plate, letting them soak up the pork knuckle sauce before eating. It was comparable to the best zhajiangmian.
Seeing such a delicious and hefty pork knuckle, the siblings’ attention was instantly captivated.
Du Wei picked up a piece of the pork knuckle skin. With a gentle tug, it easily separated from the meat. A slight lift, and a piece of tender skin was raised. Held between his chopsticks, the pork knuckle skin swayed, demonstrating its elasticity. Juices trickled down the skin. From the inside out, the skin exhibited a deep, glossy, sauce-like color, emitting an alluring shine.
Du Wei put the piece of pork knuckle skin into his mouth.
SLURP!
Because he ate so eagerly, sauce smeared the corners of his mouth. The skin bounced in his mouth as he chewed, broth bursting forth, filling his mouth with flavor. A comforting sensation spread from his palate throughout his body. An incomparable texture, an ultimately delectable taste. Du Wei’s focus was entirely in his mouth. He felt as though he were rolling on clouds as soft as cotton candy. It was pure bliss, an addictive ecstasy.
Du Yuxuan picked up a piece of pork knuckle meat. It was infused with the sauce color from the inside out, but she still dipped the meat in the sauce on the plate before taking a large bite.
For a meat lover like her, this was heaven.
It was truly satisfying!