Chapter 203: Chapter 203: Rabbits are so cute, why eat them?
"This pork knuckle is fantastic!"
"It’s completely stewed until tender; it just falls right off the bone!"
"The flavoring is also spot-on!"
"Worthy of Boss Jiang’s reputation!"
Inside the restaurant, the customers were very satisfied with the pork knuckle. It was even better than expected. Jiang Feng’s culinary skills had once again been affirmed.
It wasn’t just Jiang Feng; the other chefs had also showcased their signature skills. And after Jiang Feng’s pre-shift training, their control over flavors had been elevated to a new level. The one involved is often blinded, while the bystander sees clearly. Many chefs are constrained by their fixed mindsets; if they cooked for many more years, their food would taste the same, with minimal improvement. Unless a more skilled chef offered guidance from a higher perspective, their culinary skills would rarely see significant progress. During the pre-shift training, that’s exactly what Jiang Feng did. After all, they were working for his restaurant, so it was fine to teach them a few things.
Within the Jiangyue Terrace Sichuan Restaurant, waiters bustled through the corridors, carrying delicious dishes. From the private rooms to the common seats, all were occupied—families of seven to eight people dined together, as did couples and groups of friends. There were people of all sorts. The pork knuckle was a must-order item, and the other dishes were also very popular. After a few more visits like this, the restaurant’s reputation would be firmly established.
Jiang Feng’s business model could be considered perfect, something others couldn’t easily replicate. First, he built a team of outstanding chefs. Then, he used his own popularity to drive the restaurant’s development, allowing the restaurant to capture this influx of customers. The customers spread the word, and gradually, business at the restaurant stabilized, never lacking patrons.
Since it was the opening day, Jiang Feng occasionally went out to greet customers. He saw many familiar faces. The most unexpected was Zhang Dashan.
"Mr. Zhang, you’re here too," Jiang Feng said, going over to greet him with a hint of surprise in his eyes.
"I heard you’re making Sichuan dishes, so I specifically came to try them. I’m really lucky to catch the pork knuckle on the first day," Zhang Dashan said. He ate quite heartily, positioning the plate of pork knuckle right in front of himself, looking like he planned to devour the entire thing alone.
He had come with his employees. His employees only got to eat a small piece of pork knuckle at the beginning, but they couldn’t say much. After all, Zhang Dashan was the boss!
"I thought Sichuan cuisine was all about spicy and numbing flavors," Zhang Dashan said with a chuckle, biting into the pork knuckle.
Jiang Feng replied, "Most Sichuan dishes are characterized by their numbing, spicy, fresh, and fragrant flavors, but there are also items like the sweet and sour Kung Pao Chicken with a hint of spiciness. The Dongpo pork knuckle also carries a hint of spice. Overall, the emphasis is on the fragrance of the sauces."
Many diners turned to look at Jiang Feng, and everyone pulled out their phones to take pictures. Jiang Feng waved to everyone and then headed back to the busy kitchen.
Having experienced the opening of the Shandong Cuisine Restaurant, Jiang Feng was already adept at handling this second opening, feeling virtually no nervousness. What truly delighted him was the gathering of excellent Sichuan chefs in the kitchen. Many of these chefs specialized in Sichuan cuisine and had a deep understanding of the style. In this way, this branch of cuisine was also being passed on.
He would be at his stall for a total of seven days each week. Jiang Feng planned to cook two dishes each day, fourteen in total. He intended to prepare all the most famous Sichuan dishes, thus allowing customers to taste his culinary skills.
The restaurant was bustling with activity, and outside, a long line had formed. Many people were waiting for tables. With Chengdu’s population of twenty million, it seemed that Jiangyue Terrace Sichuan Restaurant would be this popular for a long time.
「Meanwhile, on the official account of Jiangyue Terrace Shandong Cuisine Restaurant.」
The official account currently had over seven hundred thousand followers, many of whom were personal fans of Jiang Feng. The latest video on the account featured Jiang Feng cooking Shandong Cuisine at the restaurant.
Right now, a large number of netizens were flooding the comments section of the video:
"Shandong Cuisine Restaurant, your boss has a new love!"
"Executive Chef Jiang has opened another Sichuan restaurant; what do you guys think?"
"Is there an internal competition?"
"Go for it, you should definitely surpass the Sichuan restaurant!"
Netizens always enjoy a spectacle. With such an entertaining topic, everyone naturally joined in the fun.
The operations team for the Shandong Cuisine Restaurant called Liew Mei. After confirming the response strategy with her, they replied in the comment section: "Friends in Chengdu, welcome to Jiangyue Terrace Sichuan Restaurant. Jiangyue Terrace Sichuan Restaurant has gathered a large group of outstanding Sichuan chefs. There, you can savor delicious Sichuan cuisine. Your support is appreciated."
Seeing the Shandong Cuisine Restaurant advertising for the Sichuan restaurant, the netizens lost their urge to stir trouble. Thinking about it, since Jiang Feng owned both, they were essentially the same establishment. The netizens’ attempts at instigation were ineffective.
Chengdu has many top-tier Sichuan restaurants and even more nationally franchised brands. It might take some time before Jiangyue Terrace Sichuan Restaurant becomes widely recognized. Jiang Feng wasn’t in a hurry; he’d take it slow.
In the kitchen, the chefs were busy at the stoves. Inside the kitchen, various side dishes, meats, and ingredients were neatly arranged. They all looked fresh and vibrant, having been purchased that same day. The stoves and range hoods were very clean. Jiang Feng was very demanding when it came to ingredients. He sourced ingredients directly from primary markets. These items, freshly picked from the fields and not yet available in regular markets, were brought straight to the Sichuan restaurant.
Previously, Jiang Feng hadn’t been idle. He hired someone to manage the markets, sign contracts, and establish exclusive supply agreements with various villages and pastures, ensuring all purchased ingredients were top-quality. That’s why the quality of Jiangyue Terrace Sichuan Restaurant’s food was so good. To build a major brand, quality had to be guaranteed.
The health inspection department also came to inspect the premises. Seeing the state of the kitchen, they were very impressed with Jiangyue Terrace’s hygiene standards, noting it was rare to see such a clean, large kitchen. Opening a restaurant was not easy; competitors made countless reports—reporting on ingredient sources, hygiene non-compliance, water quality not up to standard, and so on. Only by opening a restaurant yourself do you realize how difficult it is to handle these things.
Fortunately, Jiang Feng strictly adhered to all regulations, leaving no room for criticism. Furthermore, Chengdu was a relatively open-minded major city, and the relevant departments didn’t intentionally create trouble or engage in extortion, which saved a lot of hassle. Thus, the restaurant opened smoothly, without major hitches.
Dish after dish of Dongpo pork knuckles was served from the kitchen. Today, the opening day, was a carnival for meat-loving patrons. Everyone ate to their heart’s content and showered Jiangyue Terrace with praise. Many also shared their experiences on platforms like Dianping and Meituan, nearly all giving five-star rave reviews. The restaurant’s ratings were also very high. Everything proceeded in an orderly fashion.
In the afternoon, Jiang Feng decided to prepare a classic Sichuan dish: water-boiled fish. Made with tender fish fillets, chili peppers, and broad bean paste, its flavor also received unanimous approval from the diners.
Busy as ever, the restaurant didn’t close until after nine in the evening, and only then did the diners’ buzz gradually subside. Although the staff members were tired, they were all especially happy. Because Jiang Feng offered good compensation, if the restaurant’s business was good, they could work there long-term. They had inquired beforehand about the compensation at Jiangyue Terrace Shandong Cuisine Restaurant; it was 20% higher than similar restaurants, and they also had more holidays. Jiang Feng was truly a conscientious boss.
「At this moment, Jiang Feng chose to claim his system reward.」
[Daily Task Completed.]
[Obtained Extra Reward: Cold-Eat Rabbit Recipe]
Today’s reward was a recipe for rabbit. To be precise, over the next week, every daily extra reward would be a different way to prepare rabbit. It seemed the system was fixated on rabbits, but that was normal. In Sichuan, people genuinely love eating rabbit, and there are numerous ways to prepare it. Not a single rabbit could make it out of Sichuan alive. Rabbits are so cute, why do they have to be so delicious?
Previously, Jiang Feng had never specifically cooked rabbit; at most, he had eaten roasted rabbit. Now that he had acquired the recipe for Cold-Eat Rabbit, he could give it a try.
If I have stall tasks in the future, I can sell Cold-Eat Rabbit.
It’s quite suitable for a stall.
Jiang Feng mused to himself. Having come to Sichuan, not making a few rabbit feasts would feel like something was missing. There are so many ways to eat rabbit here. For example, hand-shredded rabbit, fresh-pot rabbit, rabbit with young ginger, rabbit with pickled peppers, rabbit with green peppers, cold-eat rabbit, spicy rabbit heads, dry-fried diced rabbit, and so on. The people here really love rabbits. Of course, this love refers to their mouths and stomachs.
The first day of business came to a successful close. The restaurant’s business was as booming as ever, and Jiang Feng also felt relieved.
That evening, the news of Jiangyue Terrace Sichuan Restaurant’s opening rose to the number one spot on Chengdu’s trending list.
#BossJiang’sRestaurantOpening#
This topic spurred much discussion among the public. If people hadn’t realized Jiang Feng’s strategy with the opening of the Shandong Cuisine Restaurant, they certainly understood his intentions by the time he opened the Sichuan Restaurant.
Many commented in the comment section:
"Boss Jiang is truly amazing. He first sets up a stall to build his reputation and attract customers, then, in a quick transformation, opens a large restaurant. How could customers not go there?"
"Indeed, after eating at his small stall, I’ve been wanting to visit his restaurant!"
"Ultimately, it’s because his food is delicious. Try running a stall if your food isn’t good. Forget opening a restaurant; you’d struggle just to feed yourself!"
"The fundamental reason is that his food is delicious and his skills are excellent. Even if he opened a restaurant directly, business wouldn’t be bad!"
"The key question is, how does he know how to cook everything? Wasn’t he said to be a master chef of Shandong Cuisine? How can he be so good at Sichuan dishes too?"
"That’s talent for you! Look how young he is, yet his culinary skills are so proficient. He must have started practicing from a young age!"
The online discussion was lively. Everyone acknowledged Jiang Feng’s culinary talents. Moreover, his success was truly not something that could be replicated. Not everyone operating a small stall could achieve a level that would have people lining up.
「At this exact moment, Jiang Feng was resting at home.」
He wasn’t paying too much attention to the restaurant’s affairs. He planned to continue building the Jiangyue Terrace brand and wasn’t in a hurry. Stabilize the base, and proceed slowly. Perhaps Jiangyue Terrace could become a century-old establishment in the future. If so, he would be considered the founder of a culinary school or tradition.