Starting from a Bankrupt Sichuan Cuisine Restaurant

Chapter 265: Chapter 162: Inheritance

He controlled his body and floated toward Master Luo and his two apprentices as they began their prep work, but he suddenly hit an invisible wall.

He tried to peek, but his vision turned into a vast expanse of white. He tried to eavesdrop on some techniques, but his ears just buzzed, and he couldn’t hear a thing.

Zhou Yan retreated behind Kong Qingfeng, and Master Luo and his two apprentices came back into focus.

’He had a rough idea now.’

Kong Qingfeng’s memory fragments were always centered on his perspective. Any details he couldn’t see or hear, Zhou Yan naturally couldn’t perceive either.

"If a Chef wants to make a name for himself, to become a renowned chef that people talk about, he needs a signature dish. A so-called signature dish must not only be delicious, but it also has to be something that an average Chef can’t make, or at least can’t make as well as you can." Kong Rui said this while taking vegetables out of a back basket. "What is our Kong Family’s signature dish?"

"Fish!" the three answered in unison.

Kong Rui smiled and nodded. "That’s right. Fish is my specialty. All the old gourmands in Jiazhou City know I cook fish well. That’s why the Duan Family ordered three fish dishes today: Crispy Skin Fish, Dry-Burned Rock Carp, and Braised Yellow Perch. You could say they’re all my representative dishes.

"Next, the eel from our Linjiang region is also very famous. I’m decent at cooking it, so they ordered a Linjiang Shanshi and also a Pocket Tofu."

"Huaifeng has pretty much learned these five dishes, but the flavor is always just a little off. Do you know why?"

Kong Qingfeng asked, confused, "Master, I think Eldest Apprentice Brother already cooks them very well, no?"

"Exactly!" Kong Qingjie chimed in.

But Kong Rui just smiled and shook his head. "It looks good, but in reality, the Fire Control and seasoning are a bit lacking. The reason is simple: when he’s helping in the kitchen, he mostly just assists me. He doesn’t often get the chance to cook on his own.

"Practice makes perfect. No matter how much a master teaches, it’s no substitute for the insights gained from cooking with your own hands.

"Starting tomorrow, he’ll be in charge of the wok himself. He’ll get more and more proficient, gradually polishing his skills to perfection."

Kong Huafeng said with a serious expression, "Master, I will humbly reflect and continue to improve."

Kong Rui said, "Come on, let’s start by prepping the eel threads..."

The back kitchen gradually got busy. The coordination between the master and his three apprentices was already well-practiced and smooth, with a clear division of labor.

Zhou Yan was a bit dazzled watching them. He could only remember the general process; his hopes of learning the craft within the memory were dashed.

However, when Master Luo from the station next door served his Snowflake Chicken Porridge and Boiled Cabbage, Zhou Yan was stunned.

On a large white porcelain plate was a pile of flawless, snow-white chicken porridge, dotted with a few tiny red particles. When the waiter lifted the plate, the "snowdrift" quivered delicately, its white tinged with red. It looked absolutely stunning.

The Boiled Cabbage looked plain and unremarkable, but it was served in a Blue and White Porcelain Bowl. The light yellow broth was as clear as water, without a single trace of oil, with a few small cabbage leaves floating in it.

Kong Huafeng, Kong Qingfeng, and Kong Qingjie all turned to look at the finished dishes, their eyes filled with surprise.

"Can boiled cabbage really be a representative dish?" Kong Qingjie whispered.

"Shh," Kong Qingfeng shot him a glare.

"Boiled Cabbage is a famous dish. The skill isn’t in the cabbage, but in the broth. Because it looks so fresh and refined, many celebrities and elegant people like to order it," Kong Huafeng explained to the two of them. "The Boiled Cabbage and Snowflake Chicken Porridge made by Master Luo are signature dishes of our Le Ming Restaurant."

"Huaifeng, you have a better eye than your Old Man." Luo was currently scooping out Pottery Pork and said with a laugh upon hearing this.

"Hmph, what’s so special about a pot of clear soup? I’ll go look through some old cookbooks tomorrow, I can make it too," Kong Rui muttered with a smirk.

"Oh, give it a rest. You just stick to making your fish," Luo said.

One after another, dishes were carried out of the kitchen.

Kong Huafeng made an excuse about needing the latrine, but he actually slipped out to the front hall to see what was going on.

A waiter pushed open the door to a private room while carrying a dish. Inside, it was filled with men and women in lavish clothes, all fawning over a little young master dressed in blue silk, as if he were the center of the universe.

Zhou Yan followed his gaze and took a look. The young master was handsome, with delicate features and an air of wealth and nobility.

...

「The scene changed.」

Kong Qingfeng was now a young man, standing before the stove with a slightly tense expression.

"Qingfeng, don’t be nervous. Today is your first time manning the wok alone. Just relax. As long as your dish passes muster with the proprietor and Master, you’ll be able to cook some of the simpler dishes on your own from now on," Kong Huafeng said, standing to the side with a warm, comforting smile.

"Second Apprentice Brother, you can do it!" Kong Qingjie cheered him on, pumping his fist.

"I will." Kong Qingfeng’s expression relaxed slightly. He glanced back at his master and the proprietor standing outside the kitchen, took a deep breath, and picked up a kitchen knife to start slicing the pork liver.

Zhou Yan looked at the red date on the wall: March 28, 1925.

「Four years had passed in a flash.」

The Kong Qingfeng of today should be twenty-one years old. Seven years had passed since he became an apprentice and finally took charge of the wok.

If he could pass today’s test, he would be considered to have graduated from his apprenticeship.

Kong Huafeng was twenty-four now. He had lost the clarity of his youth, gaining a mature and steady demeanor, with a touch of scholarly elegance in his eyes.

As for Kong Rui, who stood outside the door, the corners of his eyes had a few more wrinkles. He looked a bit older than he had four years ago, but his spirit was still good, and his complexion was ruddy.

’Looks like the dish he has to cook today is Stir-fried Pork Liver.’

’That makes sense. It’s a dish that really tests one’s skill with seasoning and Fire Control.’

Kong Huafeng and Kong Qingjie stepped aside, quietly watching Kong Qingfeng chop the vegetables and stir-fry.

Soon, a serving of Stir-fried Pork Liver was ready.

Zhou Yan glanced at it.

[A Decent Serving of Stir-fried Pork Liver]

’I can’t believe it,’ he thought. ’The Identification skill works even in a memory fragment.’

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