Chapter 79: The advertisement posted by the CEO of Koubei Changting is quite valuable...

The famous dish "Phoenix Raising Nine Chicks" is said to have been created by nine renowned chefs from across the country on the day of Empress Dowager Cixi's birthday. Each phoenix feather was prepared using a different method.

Zhuang Fuyao also went to great lengths to find the descendants of the imperial chefs from back then and monopolized the recipe.

This dish uses luxurious ingredients and involves complicated procedures. Only twenty servings are available each day, and customers who make a reservation on the same day can participate in a lottery on the mini-program to purchase it.

When the first batch came out of the pot, all twenty portions were sold.

In a private room at the Tang and Song Pavilion, a group of people sat at a table according to their social status and age. The person sitting in the main seat was an elderly woman with gray hair, who looked sickly and haggard.

A serious-looking middle-aged man sat next to the old lady. He said softly, "Mom, please try a bite and see if it tastes like you remember."

Others chimed in, "Yes, you should try it."

The old lady sighed.

She was ninety years old this year, and had lived a peaceful and smooth life with many children and grandchildren. But she couldn't escape the inevitable cycle of birth, aging, sickness, and death.

Five years ago, her health deteriorated significantly. Over the years, she has been relying on expensive medications to keep her alive. After New Year's Day, she had a vague premonition that she might not make it through the year.

People often miss their mothers especially when they are dying.

Even 90-year-olds are no exception.

Back then, my mother became pregnant out of wedlock, and my father hesitated because of my grandmother's opposition. My mother was heartbroken and raised her alone when she met Uncle Nian.

Uncle Nian's ancestors were imperial chefs in the palace. He was a skilled cook with a kind personality. He loved her mother very much and treated her like his own daughter.

Those beautiful memories accompanied the old lady throughout her life, and she still cherishes them now. However, she can no longer remember what Uncle Nian looked like, but she still remembers the shock she felt when she tasted the nine phoenix chicks.

Later, her mother passed away, and she lived with her father. During the war, she lost contact with her uncle's family.

After that, she searched for that taste for most of her life, but to no avail, and it became an obsession for her.

It's about this dish, and it's also about that memory.

The rapid development of the internet has brought this famous dish back into the public eye. Some people have tried to replicate the dish by imitating ancient books, but the taste is far from the original.

So, looking at the decent-looking dish in front of her, she didn't have high expectations, assuming it would be the same as before.

After finding this restaurant, her whole family accompanied her from Yanjing to Jiangshi. Her children and grandchildren are truly exceptional in their filial piety.

To make her children and grandchildren appreciate her hard work, she picked up her chopsticks and took a slice.

He chewed on it silently for a long time. Suddenly, a tear fell.

She choked up as she said, "Okay...okay, that's the taste."

Smiles spread across the faces of those around them, the previously somber atmosphere dissipated, and the family gathered together in a joyful mood.

The old lady wiped away her tears, her finger trembling as she pointed towards the door, "Go...go find the boss for me, I want to see her."

“Okay, Grandma.” Her little grandson, who was sitting to her right, immediately stood up.

Upon hearing the customer's invitation, Zhuang Fuyao calmly followed, only to be slightly surprised once inside.

The people at this table had a great presence that matched the environment perfectly. When they first entered, it felt like stepping into a grand, aristocratic household in ancient times.

After hearing the whole story, Zhuang Fuyao breathed a sigh of relief and immediately smiled, "The secret recipe for this dish comes from one of the chefs in my restaurant, and the young chef demonstrating the cooking process outside is that chef's son."

"Are their surnames Nian...?"

Zhuang Fuyao nodded, "Yes."

The old lady's eyes were filled with tears. "Young lady, can I meet the chef you mentioned?"

Qingfeng Restaurant places great emphasis on service quality, and customers often find themselves wanting to meet the chef after tasting exceptionally delicious dishes.

However, this time seemed a little different; the other party even knew the chef's surname was Nian. Although Zhuang Fuyao was curious, she didn't ask any further questions and politely smiled, "Of course, please wait a moment."

Zhuang Fuyao called Chef Nian over.

Half an hour later, Chef Nian came out of the private room, and she asked what had happened inside.

After listening, Zhuang Fuyao couldn't help but feel moved, thinking that it was a very fortunate thing for the old lady to be able to find her old friend in her final days.

She suddenly remembered her grandmother.

Sixteen years have passed, and Grandma Zhuang is no longer as energetic as before...

She thought that she should spend more time with her grandmother whenever she had free time.

...

Customer reviews of Phoenix Nurturing Nine Chicks were even better than expected.

This led to a surge in reservations over the following days, with many people coming specifically to visit, bringing Qingfeng Pavilion's visitor numbers closer and closer to their peak.

But the good times didn't last long.

What's infuriating is that Qingyuefang next door started copying them, launching the same dish, "Phoenix Raising Nine Chicks," priced at one-third of Qingfengguan's, and even engaging in media marketing.

Many netizens commented that the two restaurants tasted pretty much the same, but Qingyuefang offered better value for money.

Just when everyone thought Qingfeng Restaurant's business would fall into another slump, a food influencer with millions of followers, "Zhuangzhuang's Food Diary," posted a test video of a phoenix raising nine chicks:

Because the two restaurants use similar methods, the taste is not much different at first bite. However, after chewing carefully, a significant difference emerges. Qingfeng Restaurant's "Phoenix Nurturing Nine Chicks" has distinct layers of flavor, leaving a lingering fragrance in the mouth, and it's not cloying even after eating it for a long time. According to ancient records, this is exactly what the authentic "Phoenix Nurturing Nine Chicks" tastes like. On the other hand, Qingyue Fang's flavor is very simple, and it's easy to get tired of it after eating it for a while. In fact, towards the end, it even has a strange roast duck flavor...

"Zhuangzhuang's Food Diary" is characterized by its sharp reviews, and many highly-rated restaurants have been criticized by him.

His highest rating for a restaurant so far is "not bad," until he encountered the Phoenix Nurturing Nine Chicks at Qingfeng Restaurant, where he did not hold back his praise for the dish.

If it were any other food influencer, some might suspect they were paid for advertising, but for "Zhuangzhuang's Food Diary," fans have absolutely no doubts.

Besides his work account, "Zhuangzhuang's Food Diary" also has a personal account where he shares his extravagant daily life. He is a native of Beijing and is said to have a family background related to the Communist Party. He makes videos purely for leisure.

After the video was released, fans commented:

[Hahaha, what's with the roast duck flavor?!]

[The person who updates monthly has updated so quickly? If I'm not mistaken, it's only been half a month since the last update.]

I've been seeing a lot of reviews for these two places lately, but many people say the taste is similar while the prices are drastically different. Has anyone tried them? I'd love to hear their feedback.

I've tried both places, and it's definitely as Zhuangzhuang said. After all, this dish is quite expensive. If you want to experience the ultimate imperial cuisine, you should go to Qingfeng Restaurant.

[Agreed. Although Qingyuefang's products are cheap, they always give me the feeling of being a poor imitation, a hodgepodge.]

[yysy, it's not very cheap, just a bit cheaper compared to Qingfeng Pavilion.]

Since Qingyuefang's food is similar to Qingfengguan's, and the roast duck is similar to Qingfengguan's "Phoenix Raising Nine Chicks," I think that eating the roast duck is practically equivalent to eating "Phoenix Raising Nine Chicks," right? (Raising the banner of ally) My point is, either don't eat there, or just go to Qingfengguan.

Zhuang Fuyao also came across the video. Based on the background and the clothing of the people next to her, she recognized Zhuangzhuang as the grandson of the 90-year-old woman.

She thought it was the person who had helped the old lady find her old friend last time.

On the same day, "Zhuangzhuang's Food Diary" followed her and sent her a private message, sincerely praising Qingfeng Restaurant and emphasizing that it was all from the heart and not because of what happened last time.

This is probably the most heartwarming thing that has happened to me since I started my business.

Zhuang Fuyao's soft heart made her even more determined to create gourmet dishes.

That evening, during a video call with Liang Huaixu, she brought up the matter. Watching her speak animatedly, Liang Huaixu's eyes softened with a gentle tenderness. He jokingly called her "President Zhuang" and wished her continued success in her business.

Zhuang Fuyao flattered each other, saying, "Then I also wish President Liang continued success in his career and happiness every day!"

After hanging up the video call, she went to wash up and then played on her phone for a while. Surprisingly, she came across Liang Huaixu's post on WeChat Moments.

The picture posted was of a dish called "Phoenix Raising Nine Chicks," accompanied by the caption: "[For authentic imperial cuisine, look for Qingfeng Pavilion [thumbs up]]"

The advertisements posted by the CEO of Changting Group are quite valuable.

No wonder Liang Huaixu suddenly asked her for photos.

Zhuang Fuyao smiled and sent Liang Huaixu a message: [To thank President Liang for the publicity, I'll grant President Liang a small wish.]