Qianlima Restaurant is one of the top old-brand restaurants in Bei’an.
Getting a job here, especially in the crucial kitchen, is very challenging!
Currently, they recruit outstanding graduates recommended by culinary schools, and even if it’s an external recruitment, one needs at least five years of experience on the stove.
Moreover, according to the store’s rules, moving from an intern to a full-time position, from a junior worker to a head chef, all requires strict evaluation and selection; it’s not just about years of work.
What does that mean?
It means even if you’ve been an apprentice in the kitchen for three to five years, if the head chef doesn’t like you, doesn’t give you a chance on the stove, you have no opportunity to shine, and if the head chef doesn’t support your full-time position, no matter how long you endure, it’s in vain.
This is a necessary condition for conversion to a full-time position and promotion.
And in the kitchen, besides becoming a full-time employee, the head chef position also requires years of experience.
Just like Zhao Meng and Gu Yunwu.
At their level, unless they don’t want to work, even the owner and the head chef have to pamper and keep them.
With leadership backing, their daily work is certainly much more comfortable, with a team working under them, usually only needing to take orders and cook.
As for Head Chef Yao Shi, he basically doesn’t have to cook much, only needing to coordinate everything among the kitchen staff, report kitchen matters to superiors, and convey the owner’s various instructions.
Even though they all work in the kitchen, the positions are different, and so is the work content.
In comparison, someone like Liu Yunong is what all kitchen workers aspire to be, a true winner in life.
In her early thirties, wealthy, with a career, fame, and prestige, she owns a business, holding both executive and decision-making power.
Look at her, and then look at ourselves.
Fu Yu...
Forget it, better not mention it.
However, thinking about it, Fu Yu truly feels, no wonder they say comparisons are odious!
Being able to reach Yao Shi’s level in the future would make him very satisfied, as for Liu Yunong, a bit of envy in the heart is enough.
Take on challenges according to one’s ability.
Ever since following Liu Yunong in learning culinary skills, Fu Yu’s somewhat wavering mindset has become grounded again.
In terms of culinary skills alone, he has only learned the tip of the iceberg, with a very long learning path ahead!
While lost in thought, Liu Yuqing came over to deliver a takeaway order ticket just in time.
Fu Yu hastily stopped her, jokingly whispering, "Xiaoqing, to be honest, are you with me purely for my good looks? I mean, I have no money, no family background, just a cook, not even a head chef... thinking about it, apart from having a good appearance, I seem to have nothing else."
Liu Yuqing was slightly surprised, not expecting Fu Yu to suddenly make such a statement.
Looking at Fu Yu’s handsome face, she thought, he’s not wrong.
After all, everyone loves beauty, and it’s because Fu Yu is handsome that she noticed him in the first place.
But so what if he’s a head cook?
No money, no power, that’s nothing.
Besides, being able to rely on looks is a skill in itself.
Moreover, if they really get married in the future, Fu Yu’s sister-in-law is a top figure in the industry.
Not that she understands this field, but with Fu Yu’s excellent cooking skills and intelligence, now learning from his sister-in-law, he’s undoubtedly the heir to the family business in the future.
After all, they’re a family, nobody would mistreat him!
Thinking about this, Liu Yuqing can’t help but feel a bit smug; her sister is her confidence and support.
But these things aren’t something she can tell Fu Yu.
Even though she knows that three-tenths of what Fu Yu said is true and seven-tenths is a joke, hearing him belittle himself like that, Liu Yuqing still feels a bit of heartache.
Thinking it over, she couldn’t help but comfort him: "It’s okay, I’m a sucker for good looks, as long as you have a nice face, it’s enough to attract me."
Fu Yu was amused by Liu Yuqing’s words, this girl really is adorable!
...
With Fu Yu’s current level of cooking, combined with his workload in the kitchen, he’s entirely capable of taking on a head chef position.
However, the head chef position isn’t something one can be promoted to just because they have the skills; it depends on whether there’s an available position in the kitchen.
No vacancy, no promotion.
Fu Yu sees this very clearly, so he’s in no rush.
In his view, things are actually best this way now.
He holds the title of cook while secretly learning culinary skills at Shangshi Private Kitchen, with Zhao Meng’s cover.
If he were to become a head chef, his every move would be noticed by many, and things wouldn’t be as convenient as they are now.
However, thinking about it, if he can really be promoted to head chef, and then work hard to become a successor to the head chef.
Thinking about it, he feels that his future is indeed bright...
Looks like he needs to work harder and learn to cook with Liu Yunong.
...
Sun Qingning is never one to keep quiet.
Seeing Fu Yu return from Yao Shi’s area, he hurried over to chat.
"Chef Fu, with your connection to Chef Zhao, why didn’t you learn to cook under Chef Yao?"
Water from a fat field shouldn’t flow to others’ fields!
Everyone sees how good Zhao Meng is to Fu Yu.
Not to mention just now, Zhao Meng was the one who reminded Fu Yu to assist Chef Yao.
No matter how good Zhao Meng’s cooking is, his level is only that of a head chef.
Yao Shi is different; he’s a renowned figure in the industry with exceptional culinary skills that are very convincing.
Fu Yu hesitated, unsure of what to say.
Should he tell them that he has already apprenticed under the famous chef Liu Yunong?
Fu Yu sighed deeply.
Sun Qingning, seeing Fu Yu’s sigh, immediately understood the situation; likely, Yao Shi wasn’t impressed with Fu Yu and didn’t want to take him as a student.
Thinking this, Sun Qingning hurriedly consoled, "Ah, Chef Fu, don’t be upset. After all, someone like Chef Yao surely has high standards; if he wanted to take an apprentice, he would have done so long ago. He hasn’t taken any apprentices yet because he hasn’t found anyone impressive enough."
"Besides, his level is even higher than our Chef Zhao’s, so his standards for apprentices must be really high!"
Zhang Jinyu couldn’t help but chime in, agreeing, "Exactly, Chef Fu, don’t be discouraged. Besides, our Chef Zhao is also quite good, he’s very skilled. You can learn a lot from him too."
Both of them chattered on, taking turns to comfort Fu Yu.
Actually, everyone in the kitchen sincerely believes that Fu Yu is quite good, friendly, diligent, and extremely talented in cooking.
Faced with their concern, Fu Yu could only sigh silently.
Could he tell them that Yao Shi actually wished to snatch him away from Liu Yunong?
Moreover, he could dare say that Yao Shi originally intended to transfer him to the music restaurant, but now he’s apprenticing under Liu Yunong and who knows what future luck that might bring!
Forget it, forget it!
Fu Yu estimated that if he really said it aloud, they would be insanely jealous.
Being too excellent is always likely to arouse envy!
No matter what time it is, staying low-key is still the best!
...
Liu Yunong got up early and rushed to the shop, bustling about with the store’s affairs.
On the day of the Little New Year, there were many pre-orders that the staff paid great attention to.
After all, it’s the first major holiday that Shangshi Private Kitchen has faced since opening.
Originally, everything was arranged in an orderly manner, and the pre-order customers were slotted into private rooms in sequence according to their dining times.
Besides that, three private rooms were specifically reserved for any unexpected honored guests.
As for the public hall, customers were to queue up for dining according to their arrival order.
Unexpectedly, during the dinner rush, a server hurried over to the kitchen to deliver some news.
They said that the customer from yesterday had come back with another VIP voucher for dining.
Liu Yunong was taken aback upon hearing this.
A VIP voucher.
Was Vice President Wang here again?
Soon after, the server handed over a bag of live fish.
Liu Yunong took a closer look and was speechless.
Goodness!
Back again!
Sure enough, the server reported, "Boss, the customer said they want to order another serving of the live-cooked carp dish from yesterday."