Chapter 183 The Whereabouts of the Cooking Chef

At nine o'clock in the evening, there were only five or six tables of customers left in the restaurant, and all of Zhao Xiaojing's prepared dishes were sold out.

The three of them made do with the remaining pig's feet and side dishes in the stew pot, and added the last bit of potatoes and beef brisket to their meal.

After dinner, Su Yuchen and Ouyang Yidan cleaned up, and Zhao Xiaojing found a quiet place to call Gu Shanfeng.

The contract for the dessert stall will expire in a few days, and Lu Hongwen will be coming soon, so we have to hurry and hire a cooking chef.

Su Yuchen originally wanted to continue posting a chef recruitment notice online, but Zhao Xiaojing was worried that it would be ignored like the waiter recruitment notice. It took her half a month to recruit one person, and in the meantime, all kinds of people consulted her and asked inexplicable questions, but no one came back, which wasted time.

So Zhao Xiaojing thought of Gu Shanfeng. He had been running a restaurant in Jiangcheng for so many years that he knew a ton of people in the catering industry, but finding a chef was easy. And having a recommendation from someone he knew saved him the trouble of searching online and having to chat with people repeatedly.

"Okay, what kind of person are you looking for specifically? What are your requirements? I'll ask for you." After hearing the purpose of your visit, Gu Shanfeng agreed without hesitation.

"My temple is small, and the work is rather miscellaneous. I have to do everything myself, such as cutting and preparing the vegetables. I definitely cannot hire a chef, and it would be a bit of a waste if he did." Zhao Xiaojing considered it for a moment, and chose to speak bluntly.

"Just find an ordinary cooking chef, the salary is about 5,000 to 6,000, and the details can be negotiated.

"You don't need to be too experienced, but you should be able to avoid being too opinionated. I'm young, but I've been running the restaurant for a while, so I know the general tastes of my customers and have established my cooking style. I'm worried about hiring a seasoned chef who's too opinionated and won't listen to instructions. If you get in the way, it'll be hard to handle conflicts."

Zhao Xiaojing expressed her concerns directly.

The catering industry places great emphasis on seniority. The longer a chef has been in the industry, the more popular he or she is. Therefore, senior chefs have higher salaries, are more experienced, and have a better grasp of their skills.

But at the same time, the disadvantage is that because they have been in the industry for a long time and have sufficient experience, they are very confident and have their own set of insistence. They are unlikely to listen to the advice of people who they think are inferior to themselves, or who have too little experience, and they will not listen to Zhao Xiaojing's instructions. If that happens, it will be like competing in a boxing ring, which is not good.

"I understand what you mean, and you're right.

Let me think about it…” Gu Shanfeng immediately understood what Zhao Xiaojing was worried about and paused to think for a while.

"The last time you came to the restaurant, what did you think of Yun Yongyuan? He was the male apprentice who worked with you in frying the food that day.

He has been learning cooking with me for more than four years, almost five years. Now he can make cold dishes and steamed dishes quite well. He has also been learning hot dishes for a while. He is not good at big dishes yet, but he can make basic stir-fries.

He and Wan Yuyue are my two most capable apprentices right now. It's just that there aren't many opportunities for them to practice in a restaurant, so they usually just listen to me talk. Only when we eat can they practice.

Don't underestimate him because he is just a cook and not a master. This is only because our hotel sells signature dishes and some things are not decided by me alone. Therefore, the rules for cook apprentices say that they cannot cook directly. They can follow the cold dish and steamed dish chef to mix cold dishes and give a helping hand.

But the few times I've eaten his cooking, I feel like he's really reached a certain level. As long as he's given more opportunities to practice, he'll be able to do it right away. Being a chef in a small restaurant won't be a problem for him."

As soon as Gu Shanfeng mentioned him, Zhao Xiaojing had an impression of him. He was one of the two young chefs she was most familiar with when she went to the restaurant to help out last time. He was a boy who was shy at first, but became cheerful after they got to know each other.

After hearing what Gu Shanfeng said, Zhao Xiaojing also felt that he was suitable. They were about the same age, so it would be easier to communicate with him. Moreover, he did not have a certain amount of experience as a master, so it would be easy for him to train him.

What's more, he has been studying with Gu Shanfeng for five years, so he must have some skills. Maybe he can learn something from him.

"I think it's okay. I wonder if he is willing to come? After all, your place is a big restaurant, you can learn more and the environment is better. Although mine is a small restaurant, it may be more tiring because you have to do everything by yourself." Zhao Xiaojing said bluntly.

"Of course he would, what he lacks is a chance to cook for himself! Even though you have to do everything yourself there, the training opportunities are better. On the contrary, working odd jobs in a restaurant every day, you may see enough, but without the opportunity to practice, what can you learn? If I were him, I would definitely agree!"

"I'll ask him for you later. If he doesn't want to, I'll talk to Wan Yuyue. She's not bad either. She started later than Yun Yongyuan, but she's also learning hot dishes. She's not so good at stir-frying, but if you give her more training, she'll be fine!" Gu Shanfeng answered very straightforwardly.

"Okay, thank you, Master Gu." Zhao Xiaojing smiled slightly. "But you're handing over the apprentice you've worked so hard to train for five years to me. What will you do with your own family? I heard Master Sun say before that an apprentice with a formal master can't just go and work for someone else. Does that count as changing the master's family?"

"Hahaha, Xiao Zhao!" Gu Shanfeng laughed heartily upon hearing this, "You really think too highly of me. That refers to a master-level master who can truly teach and pass on his legacy. I'm just a restaurant owner!

Moreover, Lao Sun and I both get along very well with you. We both treat you as our apprentice. How can it be said that my apprentice is changing his master if he goes to another apprentice?

What's more, I have no shortage of masters here. He works as a cook here, and it will take him two years to be promoted to a master. It's not that he doesn't have a foundation, he has a strong foundation, but he hasn't had the opportunity to cook here! After he has practiced well here, if you want to change him one day, he can come back to my place and become a chef directly. I can save time, right?

Even if he doesn't come back, it doesn't matter if he keeps working for you. In a restaurant like ours, we don't lack head chefs, and apprentices are like soldiers coming and going. We've trained too many people, and it's unrealistic for him to stay here forever."

Zhao Xiaojing spoke very directly to Gu Shanfeng, so Gu Shanfeng didn't beat around the bush and told the truth.

Zhao Xiaojing immediately understood that although it was difficult to train an apprentice, it was very easy to train a group of people.

Gushanfeng's restaurant is large and requires a large number of people. If they were to hire handymen and food processors according to the formal regulations, the wages they would need to pay would add up to a considerable amount, which would be a considerable expense every month.

But if you are recruiting an apprentice, you can pay them a lot less, and they will still rush to work, and be diligent and serious.

Even if one starts out as an apprentice, is later promoted to a cook, a side dish chef, and finally to a head chef, it will take a long process. However, Gushanfeng Restaurant has no shortage of head chefs and doesn't care. Instead, what it lacks are those who work as apprentices and cooks.