Chapter 88 First Visit to the Fresh Brine Shop
The first thing Song Xinran did upon arriving in the city was to go to the furniture market to look at furniture. Renovating is a troublesome task, but renovating a second-hand house is much easier than a new house. However, comparing prices of furniture materials from various sources still takes a lot of time.
Midway through, Fang Jianmin called her: "Isn't Boss Song in town?"
Song Xinran said, "I've been away for the past two days. Is there anything I can help you with, Director Fang?"
Fang Jianmin chuckled and said, "It's nothing, just a reminder that you shouldn't forget to sign the contract this weekend."
Song Xinran felt slightly strange. In her memory, Fang Jianmin was not a talkative person. He had already told her the address and time to sign the contract. This call, which was supposed to be a reminder, seemed a bit redundant.
"I remember." But since the other party didn't say what it was about, she didn't ask any further. She just planned to work at the braised food workshop for a year as a temporary measure and was too lazy to flatter the leaders.
Fang Jianmin hung up the phone without saying anything, then called Wei Dong to inform him: "Chef Song is unavailable today, let's meet again this weekend. Thank you for your hard work, Wei Dong!"
Wei Dong quickly replied, "It's no trouble at all, it's my duty! Since Chef Song is unavailable, let's get to know each other at the restaurant first, so we can be more familiar with each other when we start the trial operation."
Fang Jianmin smiled and said, "Okay, I trust you with the business of the braising shop."
Even though Fang Jianmin couldn't see, Wei Dong immediately put on a smile: "Chairman Fang, I will definitely do my best to run the braised food business well!"
After expressing his loyalty, Wei Dong hung up the phone, walked into the braised food workshop, and looked at the two employees in the shop. Wei Dong said, "Today, the three of us will familiarize ourselves with the equipment and environment, and strive to have a smooth trial operation next Monday!"
"Manager, when is Chef Song coming?" The speaker was a young man in his twenties. "It was supposed to be 9:30, but it's already 10 o'clock."
Wei Dong said, "Chef Song has something to do today and won't be coming."
The female employee in the store couldn't believe it: "She's not coming? Isn't she one of our employees?"
Wei Dong coughed lightly: "Chef Song is a chef specially invited by Chairman Fang. The taste and sales of our braised food workshop depend entirely on her. Strictly speaking, she is not an ordinary employee like us."
"Manager Wei, you're the manager, how can you say such a thing!"
The three of them were employees that Fang Jianmin had transferred from his other restaurants. Wei Dong was a junior manager at the original restaurant, Shi Hui was a junior chef at a restaurant, and Fan Qiu, a female employee, was a waitress at a restaurant.
Fang Jianmin hired three complete strangers to work at his newly opened braised food workshop because he didn't want them to gang up on each other and cause trouble in the shop. In addition, because he valued the braised food workshop, he specifically hired experienced people to work there.
The three met for the first time today, but Shi Hui and Fan Qiu, wanting to make a good impression on the boss at their new place, arrived early and bumped into Wei Dong. The three chatted for a while.
"Making the three of us wait for her for so long, she really has a lot of face," Fan Qiu said, pursing her lips.
Shi Hui felt uneasy. The boss had already asked him to work as a chef at the braised food workshop, but then they hired another head chef. This made him feel extremely insecure, worried that he would be fired. He said sarcastically, "This person was personally invited by Chairman Fang, so he must have a lot of influence. He just stood us up. Does he look down on the braised food workshop?"
Fan Qiu said unhappily, "If you don't like it, don't come. If you're getting paid, do your job properly!"
"Alright, alright." Seeing his two employees' hostility towards Song Xinran, who hadn't even shown up yet, Wei Dong had to step in as a peacemaker. "Stop talking. Now that you're here at the braised food shop, you're our colleagues. Colleagues are meant to be united. Chef Song must have had something come up today, so don't make wild guesses. Let's familiarize ourselves with the shop and do a thorough cleaning so we can make a good impression on our customers when we open!"
Encouraged by Wei Dong, the two men wiped things, mopped the floor, and moved tables and chairs until they were panting heavily. When they thought of Chef Song, who hadn't shown up yet, they couldn't help but feel more resentful. They were working themselves to the bone here, while Chef Song would just come and enjoy his retirement.
"Alright, everyone go back and rest. Come back to the braised food workshop tomorrow for pre-job training!" Wei Dong said, and the two men below dared not disobey.
They dared not defy the store manager, but they had even more opinions about Song Xinran, who had escaped unscathed. The two chatted for a long time as they left.
Wei Dong inspected the store and was quite satisfied with his territory. He used to be a supervisor at a large restaurant and did a good job, which caught Fang Jianmin's eye. That's why Fang transferred him here and told him to do a good job. He said that the braised food workshop was going to open a chain in the future and gave Wei Dong a 5% profit share every year.
Wei Dong understood the meaning of profit sharing, and was overjoyed. He was filled with ambition, but his enthusiasm for expanding his business plummeted when he learned that a special chef would be coming to the braised food workshop.
Wei Dong considered himself the boss as the manager of the braised food shop, but Fang Dong's words showed a lot of appreciation for Song Xinran, which made Wei Dong feel a serious sense of crisis. He was afraid that his position would be taken away, so he wanted to please Fang Jianmin even more. Before the trial operation even started, he told Fang Jianmin that he wanted to train the employees in advance.
Seeing how hard his employees were working, Fang Jianmin readily agreed.
Wei Dong was surprised that Song Xinran was so arrogant that she directly rejected Fang Jianmin.
Wei Dong felt more than just a sense of crisis; he also felt that Song Xinran was a difficult person to deal with. However, he had experience as a supervisor, and to suppress such a person, he naturally had to suppress her arrogance from the beginning and make her behave herself. Since she was working in the store, she would definitely have to listen to him, the store manager.
At least for now, Wei Dong feels it's in his best interest, as both Shi Hui and Fan Qiu clearly dislike Song Xinran.
*
Song Xinran was unaware that she had been hated simply because she hadn't shown up. In fact, she had no idea that the braised food workshop had any kind of advance training program.
Even if she knew Song Xinran wouldn't go, she was already very familiar with making braised food, so any prior training would be unnecessary.
During her two days in the city, Song Xinran first stayed in a hotel, then went to a furniture store to buy a bed frame and mattress, and then went to a department store to buy a new four-piece bedding set and a quilt. Once these items were placed in the new house, she could easily move in.
At 10 a.m. on Sunday, Song Xinran arrived at Fang's Fresh Braised Food Shop on time and signed a contract with Fang Jianmin. Fang Jianmin then introduced her to the staff: "Chef Song, these are all the shop's employees."
After introducing himself to Song Xinran, Fang Jianmin said hello and then left.
Song Xinran turned to her colleagues, a professional smile on her face: "Good morning, everyone."
Unexpectedly, Shi Hui and Fan Qiu, who had just been very respectful and smiling in front of Fang Jianmin, suddenly turned serious.
Shi Hui said, "I haven't had breakfast yet. I'll go out and buy a bowl of porridge."
Fan Qiu said, "I'll go with you. Is the store manager going?"
Wei Dong shook his head, maintaining a smile on his face: "I'm not going. I'll talk to Chef Song about things at the restaurant."
The two left without giving Song Xinran a friendly look.
Song Xinran felt a little confused. Had these two taken the wrong medicine?
In her previous life, Song Xinran had also worked in a restaurant and knew that interpersonal relationships were the most troublesome thing. Everyone had their own little thoughts, but no matter what they said or thought behind someone's back, they would never show it too much on the surface.
These two practically wore their dislike for her on their sleeves; this was their first meeting.
Song Xinran only briefly considered these thoughts; she didn't really care. She was only going to work at the braised food workshop for a year, and they wouldn't have much interaction afterward, so she was too lazy to put in the effort.
"Manager Wei, tell me about work-related matters at the store." Song Xinran emphasized work, implying that she didn't want to waste time mentioning the two employees.
"Okay, Chef Song, come with me." Wei Dong led her into the kitchen, glancing at her out of the corner of his eye.
The chef specially invited by Chairman Fang was much younger than he had imagined. Being young was a good thing; it meant being inexperienced and unreliable, which put Wei Dong at ease.
However, the other party didn't seem to care at all about Shi Hui and Fan Qiu's cold treatment. He straightened his back, remained calm, and spoke in a tone that was neither humble nor arrogant, which made Wei Dong look at him with new respect. He didn't seem like a typical person in the service industry.
Wei Dong introduced Song Xinran to the working hours, job duties, and responsibilities of Fang's Fresh Braising Workshop. Finally, Song Xinran said, "I understand. I will make a batch of braising liquid first, and then Chef Xiao Shi will make the rest when he returns. This is the training content for employees that Chairman Fang told me about. After Chef Xiao Shi finishes making it, Chairman Fang will personally come and taste it."
Upon hearing Fang Jianmin's name, Wei Dong immediately became serious: "Okay, I'll have Xiao Shi come back as soon as possible. We haven't officially opened for business yet, so I've been managing everyone rather leniently."
Song Xinran nodded indifferently.
When Wei Dong called Shi Hui back, his displeasure was obvious on his face.
Shi Hui said, "I thought he was so great, but all he knows is to use Chairman Fang's name to intimidate people. If he's so capable, he should do it himself. What do you need me for?"
Despite his complaints, Shi Hui returned to the braising shop and prepared to go into the kitchen.
At this moment, Song Xinran was simmering the braising liquid. Under the scorching heat of the fire, the deep amber-colored broth bubbled and gurgled, the braising liquid carrying spices and swirling. The mellow aroma of cinnamon mixed with the spiciness of star anise took the lead, followed by the rich aroma of soy sauce, with a hint of sweetness from the melting rock sugar. Finally, they blended into a unique and rich aroma of braised food that lingered on the tip of one's nose.
The rising steam surged up to the kitchen ceiling, filling the kitchen completely, and then kept rushing out, filling the entire braised food stall with its domineering aroma.
Standing outside, Wei Dong's eyes widened as he peered intently into the kitchen, his Adam's apple bobbing almost imperceptibly. It was clear that the pot of braised food had whetted his appetite.
Song Xinran stood in the kitchen, her wrist flicking slightly as she skimmed off the foam with a long ladle. Ginger slices, scallions, and garlic swirled on the surface of the soup. Her expression was calm, seemingly unmoved by the rich aroma. She scooped up some soup with the ladle and poured it into a bowl, turned the heat down a bit, and carried the bowl out of the kitchen.
She walked straight up to Shi Hui.
Shi Hui, who had been full of complaints but had nowhere to vent them, suddenly felt all his anger vanish in the blink of an eye after that one look at him. He even felt a little nervous that shouldn't have been there: "W-what's wrong?"
Song Xinran said, "Why are you so late?"
Shi Hui suddenly felt like he was being questioned by his chef in a restaurant kitchen, and answered very quickly: "I was eating breakfast outside, and I came back as soon as Manager Wei called me."
I was afraid of being criticized after I finished speaking.
But Song Xinran didn't say anything, and directly handed him a bowl containing half of the braising liquid: "Try it."
Shi Hui pointed to himself, still a little confused: "Me, me?"
Song Xinran glanced at him, somewhat puzzled. He had been giving her a cold shoulder when they left, but now he was pretending to be clueless. She nodded indifferently without saying a word.
Shi Hui took the porcelain bowl with both hands, solemnly brought it to his lips, and took a small bite with great seriousness.
When he returned, he smelled the rich aroma of braised food, which was hundreds of times more delicious than the breakfasts he ate outside, or rather, incomparable to them. Now that he had the opportunity to taste it, he was naturally extremely eager to try it.
"How is it?" Song Xinran asked.
Shi Hui swallowed the braising liquid, only to find a slight aftertaste in his mouth. It is difficult to make the aftertaste of braising liquid well. If it is too strong, it will ruin the original salty and fresh taste and seem out of place. If it is too light, it will not be sweet and the taste will be compromised. But this bowl of braising liquid did a good job of doing this.
It has a distinct salty and savory flavor, with a sweet aftertaste on the tongue, and is three times saltier than the final braised dish.
"It tastes great, the spices aren't overpowering at all, and the saltiness is just right!" Shi Hui said.
Song Xinran hummed in agreement: "The braising liquid is ready. Go and braise the vegetables."
Shi Hui's eyes widened in disbelief, and he pointed at himself again: "Me, me?"
Song Xinran said, "Chairman Fang will come to taste your cooking tomorrow. If you don't want to make it for me to try beforehand, you can come again tomorrow."
Song Xinran maintained a completely businesslike attitude.
Shi Hui immediately said, "I'll do it!"
He strode towards the kitchen, but frowned as he was about to enter. He wanted to say something to Song Xinran. His hesitation wasn't because he didn't want to do it, but because he was worried that his skills would ruin the pot of braising liquid.
Shi Hui was able to be transferred by Fang Jianmin to work as a chef at Xianlufang, which means he was definitely not just a pretty face. He had been quite diligent in his apprenticeship at the restaurant, and it was the head chef who recommended him to Fang Jianmin.
Shi Hui could naturally tell that the braising liquid was very well made. Braised dishes may seem like a simple dish, but the simpler something is, the harder it is to make it well.
All kinds of meat and vegetable dishes have been prepared. Shi Hui first put the meat dishes such as chicken feet and duck necks into the braising pot. Braising the meat first and then the vegetables allows the vegetables to also absorb some of the meat flavor, making them more flavorful.
After serving the dishes, he couldn't help but glance at Song Xinran, but all he saw was Song Xinran gently shaking her head. Shi Hui panicked immediately, wondering if he had done something wrong.
However, I managed to calm down, and it only got worse when I started thinking wildly while cooking.
Shi Hui remembered his master saying to add braising liquid according to the weight of the meat to ensure it would absorb the flavor. However, the braising liquid in the pot was plentiful, so he couldn't put too much meat in. After all, the signature dish was freshly braised meat, which meant it had to be made on the same day. Today's activity was just pre-job training, to let Song Xinran taste it.
First, braise beef, duck necks, and duck legs for 20 minutes. Then, add pork head meat, pig ears, duck heads, and duck gizzards and cook for 10 minutes. Next, add chicken feet and chicken wings and cook for 15 minutes. Finally, add vegetables such as lotus root and potato balls and cook for 10 minutes. After cooking, turn off the heat and let it soak for 15 minutes.
While doing these things, Shi Hui felt his vest sweating and his clothes were soaked. Of course, the heat was one reason, but his nervousness was another. He opened the kitchen door, wanting to ask Song Xinran how it was cooked.
Just then, a woman in her forties came to the entrance of the fresh braised food shop and asked, "What kind of braised food do you sell? Weigh some for me. It smells so good outside!"
Upon hearing this, Wei Dong's face lit up with a smile, and he quickly stepped forward and said, "Hello, our braised food shop is not open yet!"
What a good omen! Before the business has even opened, customers have already come to inquire. The business is sure to be booming. Wei Dong couldn't help but imagine the bright future ahead.
The woman asked, "When will you open?"
"Tomorrow, we'll be having our soft opening. You're welcome to come tomorrow!" Wei Dong said, his voice brimming with excitement.
"Alright then." The woman left, saying as she went, "This is so fragrant."
Shi Hui could not hide his joy. He had cooked some dishes in restaurants before, but those were just small dishes, and he did so under his master's guidance.
This was his first time cooking independently in the restaurant, and the result was surprisingly good.
Shi Hui couldn't help but look at Song Xinran again. Of course, he also knew that the strong aroma of the braised food was inseparable from the braising sauce made by Song Xinran.
Wei Dong patted Shi Hui on the shoulder and laughed, "You're a good kid, keep up the good work tomorrow!"
Shi Hui: "Yes, store manager!"
Song Xinran couldn't bear to watch any longer. She turned to leave, not wanting to be the one to spoil the fun. But Fang Jianmin was coming to the shop again tomorrow to taste the food. If the taste in the shop was too different from the braised food at her stall, Fang Jianmin would definitely have a problem with it. Song Xinran didn't want to be fired yet.
She stood up.
Although Shi Hui was excited by Wei Dong's praise, he still kept an eye on Song Xinran out of the corner of his eye. When he saw her get up, he immediately became breathless.
Song Xinran looked at him and said, "There's something wrong with how you braise it."
His tone was calm, his voice indifferent, completely out of place with the temporary cheerful atmosphere in the store, instantly plunging the atmosphere into a freezing point.
Fan Qiu was also happy, thinking that if the fresh braised food business was good, her salary would be higher, as Fang Jianmin had promised. But when she suddenly heard Song Xinran's words, her mood plummeted, and she snorted, "What do you know?"
Shi Hui wasn't as arrogant as Fan Qiu. He was a chef, and Song Xinran's skill in making the braising liquid was already impressive enough. However, being criticized, especially being completely rejected, made him feel uncomfortable, especially since the braising method was taught to him by his master.
Shi Hui stood still without saying a word.
Wei Dong quickly stepped in to smooth things over: "Chef Song, I know you are a chef personally invited by Chairman Fang, so you must have your own skills, but Xiao Shi also cooks quite well. Look, even guests are coming because of the aroma."
Song Xinran thought to herself, Shi Hui should know very well whether the flavor came from the ingredients or the braising liquid.
As expected, Shi Hui's face flushed slightly, and he hesitated for a moment before remaining silent.
Song Xinran said, "Chairman Fang will be coming to taste the food tomorrow. Shi Hui, do you think you can pass the test?"
Shi Hui initially thought it was possible, but Song Xinran's question made him uncertain.
Song Xinran checked the time and asked, "How long do you want it to simmer?"
Shi Hui said sullenly, "Fifteen minutes."
“Okay, then wait here. After you’re done, I’ll take it out and braise it again. You can see if there’s any difference,” Song Xinran said.
Fan Qiu stood to the side, her lips twitching with displeasure. She felt that Song Xinran was simply trying to get attention; as the saying goes, "a half-empty vessel makes the most noise."
Fan Qiu returned later. When she came back, Shi Hui was cooking braised food. As soon as she entered the door, she smelled the rich aroma of the braised food, and her mouth watered so much that she couldn't tell that she had just eaten breakfast.
I never expected Shi Hui to be such a good cook!
Fan Qiu and Shi Hui came to the store a few days earlier. As employees, they worked and ate together and developed a mutual respect. Naturally, Fan Qiu sided with Shi Hui and found Song Xinran even more displeasing. She thought, "Was she a cat reincarnated in her past life? She loves to nitpick."
When Shi Hui's braised dishes are scooped up, they can be described as having a glossy, oily sheen and an irresistible aroma.
Fan Qiu exclaimed dramatically, "This tastes amazing! I've never smelled such fragrant braised food before. Shi Hui, your cooking skills are so good you could be a guest chef!"
Wei Dong couldn't help but nod: "Xiao Shi truly lives up to his reputation as someone personally selected by Chairman Fang."
But Song Xinran remained calm and composed, turning and heading to the kitchen.
Shi Hui's heart skipped a beat, feeling as if he had already lost in terms of momentum. However, he didn't intend to compete with Song Xinran. He just felt that Song Xinran was too impolite, but somehow he seemed to have been pushed around.
Fan Qiu and Wei Dong both picked up food and started eating.
Fan Qiu exclaimed even more dramatically, "These are so delicious! I've never had such delicious braised chicken wings before. Shi Hui, you'll definitely make money if you open your own shop in the future! The boss really should give you a raise!"
Wei Dong simply commented with two words: "Not bad."
In fact, Wei Dong felt a little strange. The braised food smelled so good, but it tasted a little off.
Wei Dong used to be a supervisor in a fancy restaurant and had eaten a lot of good food.
Shi Hui's mind was not on this at all. He looked around the kitchen again and again, his mind was in turmoil, and he doubted himself. His master was a veteran chef who had been working for decades. How could what he taught him be wrong?
But Song Xinran didn't seem like a charlatan. Just from this pot of brine, Shi Hui knew she had real skills.
Seeing Song Xinran scooping up leftover vegetables in the kitchen, reheating and seasoning the broth, and even scooping half of the braising liquid from one pot into another, her movements were methodical and unhurried.
Shi Hui knew he was at a disadvantage, but he was still a little confused. How could what his master had taught him be wrong?
Song Xinran braised meat in one pot and vegetables in another. The meat needed to absorb the flavor through braising, while the vegetables required precise control of the heat, especially leafy greens like phoenix tails. The cooking time had to be accurate to the second; too much and they would be too tough and salty, too little and they would be too raw and bland. Leafy greens like these didn't need to be braised, so Song Xinran immediately scooped them onto a plate as soon as they were cooked.
In another pot, meats that don't withstand long cooking were added. Once all the ingredients were added and looked cooked, the pot was covered and simmered.
Meanwhile, the other side of the vegetables was almost ready, and Song Xinran scooped them up one by one.
The separately braised vegetables have a more refreshing taste and are less greasy. The plain ingredients absorb the broth, and the steaming heat carries the natural fragrance of the ingredients.
Song Xinran placed the plate on the table.
Wei Dong craned his neck to take a look. Every piece of vegetable was crowded together. The kelp was full and translucent, the phoenix tail was green, and the holes of the lotus root slices were filled with braising liquid. There was a light layer of amber braising liquid at the bottom of the plate.
It smells both rich and flavorful like braised dishes, yet also refreshing like vegetarian dishes.
Wei Dong couldn't help but think that even though it was the same pot of braising liquid, the aroma and color of the cooked dishes seemed to be quite different.
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