Chapter 419: He’ll Have to Thank Us

Chapter 419 -207: He’ll Have to Thank Us

“Hmm?” Kong Guodong was a little surprised. “Manager Liu, are you thinking of having them come work at Le Ming?”

Liu Ye smiled and nodded. “I saw in the news report that they’re both self-employed right now. I know it isn’t easy being self-employed, and their talent shouldn’t be buried in a small town.

Here at Le Ming Restaurant, the guests we receive are leaders, foreign dignitaries, and other respectable clientele. If they do well, their chances of being transferred to Rongcheng, or even the Capital, will be much greater.

Look at Fang Yifei and Song Bo—they both came from Le Ming. One went to the Capital, and the other even went abroad with a senior official. And Yunliang is also doing very well at the Rongcheng Restaurant now.

A big restaurant will always have more opportunities. Tell them not to worry. It’s a tradition at Le Ming Restaurant that if a chef has a chance to move up, we give them our full support. We’ll never hold them back.”

“Le Ming is definitely top-notch in that regard, and Xiao Lei knows that himself.” Kong Guodong smiled and nodded. “I appreciate the generous offer, Manager Liu, but I can’t make the decision for them to come work here. I’ll make a trip to Suji later and ask what they think, see if they’re willing. Xiao Lei has already made a name for himself as a countryside caterer with Yunliang’s apprentice, and Zhou Yan opened his own restaurant in Suji Town that’s supposedly doing very well.”

“Alright, then I’ll have to trouble you to make the trip in person.” Liu Ye nodded and looked at Kong Guodong. “Guodong, tell me honestly, when you had Zhou Yan’s Snowflake Chicken Porridge the other day, was it authentic?”

Kong Guodong replied without hesitation, “I’ve never had the Snowflake Chicken Porridge made by Luo’s father, but Zhou Yan’s version is delicate, smooth, and melts in your mouth. It fills your senses with the aroma of chicken, yet you can’t feel the texture of the meat at all. Luo cried after tasting it and said he wanted to learn the dish from Zhou Yan. Luo has the day off today; he probably went to Suji.”

Liu Ye’s fingertips tapped lightly on the table. He said, “You must do your best to recruit Zhou Yan. With his talent, his future achievements are limitless. Who knows, maybe he’ll be another renowned Grandmaster Chef to come out of Le Ming Restaurant.

Snowflake Chicken Porridge used to be a signature dish at Le Ming Restaurant, deeply loved and praised by the leadership. If he comes, we can add another signature dish to our menu.

As for salary and benefits, we can discuss the details after he comes for an interview. But as long as his cooking is truly good, I’ll offer him a top-tier salary.”

“Got it. I’ll head to Suji tomorrow then,” Kong Guodong nodded.

Liu Ye looked at him and said earnestly, “Guodong, I’ll be transferring back to my hometown in a year at most. You must take this matter to heart. If Zhou Yan comes to Le Ming Restaurant, it will still take a few years for him to make his mark. That’s precisely when you’ll need support the most. This is about paving your own way.”

“Manager Liu, I understand.” Kong Guodong immediately sat up straight.

As Kong Guodong went downstairs and out the door, he happened to run into Luo Han riding his bike toward the dormitory building. He quickly called out, “Luo!”

Luo squeezed the brakes and looked back at Kong Guodong. “Guodong, what’s up?”

“You’re back from Suji?”

Luo nodded. “Yeah, just got back from Zhou Yan’s restaurant. I went to become his apprentice and learn from him.”

“How did it go? Did you figure out the Snowflake Chicken Porridge?” Kong Guodong asked with a smile.

Luo grinned. “Zhou Yan is on another level. I spent half the day learning from him, and I actually get it now. My technique is still miles behind, though. Now I just have to study and practice a lot. I couldn’t figure it out for over twenty years, and he made it all crystal clear for me in a single morning.”

“You’re that impressive?” Kong Guodong was very surprised.

“It’s not that I’m impressive, it’s that Zhou Yan is on another level. He coached me on the spot, and his advice was so incisive and spot-on. He explained it all so thoroughly,” Luo said with emotion.

Kong Guodong asked again, “Luo, how do you think Zhou Yan’s Snowflake Chicken Porridge compares to the one your father used to make?”

Luo mulled it over for a moment. “To be honest, the finished products are nearly identical. But in terms of details, Zhou Yan is even a step above. His control over the cooking process is extremely strict and meticulous.

My father wasn’t as good as him in that regard. That’s why my father’s Snowflake Chicken Porridge sometimes got complaints from customers about the texture. But with Zhou Yan’s technique, the quality of the final dish should be incredibly consistent.”

“In that case, the Kong Sect has really produced a genius,” Kong Guodong laughed heartily.

“I know, right? I’ve never seen a young man like him,” Luo nodded in agreement.

The two exchanged a few more pleasantries before going their separate ways.

…

「The Qiu Family’s Old Mansion.」

“Grandma, look! Zhou Yan is in today’s Jiazhou Daily!” Duan Yuyan said as she walked into the study with a newspaper, her pretty face full of surprise. “It says he helped an overseas Chinese find his relatives. Qian Siyuan? That name sounds a little familiar.” ℴ

“Let me see.” Mrs. Qiu put down her calligraphy brush, took the newspaper, and started to read. After a moment, a smile appeared on her face. “This child is kind-hearted and eager to help others. If it weren’t for his help, that overseas Chinese man probably would have never found his mother’s hometown in his lifetime.”

“He really is a good person,” Duan Yuyan nodded in confirmation, then asked curiously, “Grandma, what kind of dish is Snowflake Chicken Porridge? Is it good?”

“Snowflake Chicken Porridge…” Mrs. Qiu had a thoughtful look on her face. “The last time I had it was more than thirty years ago. There used to be a chef at the old Le Ming Restaurant named Luo. His Snowflake Chicken Porridge and Pottery Pork were both excellent, and I would often go eat there with your grandfather.

Back then, Kong Huafeng was also at Le Ming Restaurant, and its reputation was even greater than Feiyan Restaurant’s. When your grandfather and I got married, we specially invited Luo, Kong Huafeng, and Kong Qingfeng to cook a couple of dishes for us.”