Zhang Fenglin looked at the coordinates displayed on his partner's mobile phone, which was Laojie. His expression suddenly became a little complicated.
While the partners were still nagging, imagining that they could open a shop on the old street and make great achievements on the old street, Zhang Fenglin could surpass others in the old street with the cooking skills of the chef of Fujinglou.
Zhang Fenglin's apprentice Liu Quan finally couldn't help but said, "Boss Ji, we can't open a store on that street."
Ji Renjie looked at Liu Quan and asked in confusion: "Why? Is it because the old street is going to be rebuilt? You don't have to worry about this. I have asked my friends and the street is going to be restored to its original state and will not be demolished as a whole.
Moreover, many shops there are being sold at low prices due to news of renovations, which is a good opportunity for us."
Ji Renjie wove a bright future for the master and his apprentice.
"We first buy a shop with a suitable price, and then we can lower the price by claiming that the old street is being renovated. We will then directly rent it for three or five years at a low price.
Then we won’t move there directly. We will wait and see what happens. After the reconstruction of the old street begins, we will start the renovation.
The progress is about the same. When the old street is renovated and we are done with the decoration, our restaurant will open directly. This way we can seize the first opportunity.”
Ji Renjie really weaved a very bright future, as if their restaurant would become a hit.
Zhang Fenglin looked very unhappy, and finally couldn't help but said, "Old Ji, let's forget about opening a restaurant over there. Our current location is already the best. It's the same as running the restaurant well."
After hearing what Zhang Fenglin said, Ji Renjie was really helpless: "Old Zhang, I really don't have to change places, but you can see that our business is very bad now."
After a pause, Ji Renjie said very seriously: "And I tell you the truth, the reason why our business is not doing well here is because we are incompatible with the atmosphere here."
Zhang Fenglin looked at Ji Renjie with some confusion. He didn't quite understand what the so-called "incompatible atmosphere" meant.
Seeing that Zhang Fenglin didn't quite understand, Ji Renjie could only say, "Old Zhang, to put it simply, some of the things in our restaurant can't keep up with the preferences of young people here and are out of date."
Zhang Fenglin still didn't quite understand. He had studied cooking for so many years, so how come he suddenly fell behind here
Could it be that no one appreciates traditional cooking skills anymore
But Fujinglou’s business is still good
Seeing that Zhang Fenglin still didn't understand, Ji Renjie could only pull Zhang Fenglin out of the restaurant and stand in front of their restaurant door pointing around.
“Look for yourself. We are standing in a modern commercial center. The restaurants here mainly serve Western food, and there are also various Internet celebrity restaurants full of fashionable things.
Compared to others, a store like ours really doesn’t fit in here at all, we’re too traditional.”
Zhang Fenglin stood in front of the door and looked around. All he could see were tall buildings with glass walls.
Their restaurant is located in a circular commercial food street, surrounded by modern street scenes, with beautiful floor tiles underfoot, and modern buildings connected to each other by flying bridges.
After seeing this, Zhang Fenglin had to admit that a restaurant like theirs really seemed out of place here.
Next to their restaurant is a very famous Western restaurant.
One is a fashionable restaurant filled with trendy elements, which is very much in line with the petty-bourgeois tastes of young people.
Being sandwiched between these two restaurants, Zhang Fenglin's restaurant really didn't have any advantages. The guests who came here didn't even want to take a second look at their restaurant.
Liu Quan followed out at this time and stood beside his master. He saw his master looking around and his expression gradually became helpless.
Finally, the apprentice couldn't help but say, "Master, I've heard some guests who passed by say that our decoration is too rustic, and our dishes don't look fashionable at all."
This situation really made Zhang Fenglin feel deeply frustrated for the first time.
Mingming has learned cooking for many years and has even become a top chef and the head chef of the most famous Fujinglou.
As a result, now that I open my own restaurant, I am not even as good as some second-rate or third-rate chefs nearby.
All this was really a blow to Zhang Fenglin.
This blow was even greater than when he was driven out of Fujing Building and a young girl in Fujing Building replaced him.
Ji Renjie saw that Zhang Fenglin was silent and his expression gradually became very bad.
Ji Renjie said quickly: "Lao Zhang, this is not your fault, you don't have to blame yourself, this is mainly due to my choice of address, I shouldn't have chosen such a place, it doesn't fit our characteristics, and it's not suitable for your identity.
So, Lao Zhang, let's change places and go to that old street. That's the most suitable place for us. I believe we will be able to regroup there."
After listening to Ji Renjie's words, Zhang Fenglin suddenly came back to his senses, smiled and asked: "Old Ji, how much money did you invest in this restaurant?"
Ji Renjie was a little surprised: "Why are you asking this? Oh, don't worry, you don't have to worry about that little money. We are just testing the waters, and then we can start over in another place."
Although Ji Renjie was not a wealthy boss, this restaurant did not cost him much money in just one week.
That's why Ji Renjie thought of changing places as soon as possible, finding a more suitable place, and stopping the loss in time.
Zhang Fenglin thought for a moment and said, "Old Ji, when you rented this store, you paid three months' rent, plus a deposit, so the total should be nearly 500,000, right?"
Ji Renjie nodded subconsciously and continued to ask curiously: "Lao Zhang, what do you mean? You really don't have to calculate so clearly. Since we are partners, I am prepared to lose money."
Zhang Fenglin nodded and said, "Well, I am prepared to lose money, so I plan to give you the rent money and I will bear the risk for the next six months alone."
Ji Renjie was stunned for a moment, and Liu Quan was also stunned.
Zhang Fenglin said very seriously: "I am the head chef of Fujinglou. I have been learning cooking and working as a chef for more than 20 years. Now I am indeed frustrated, but I cannot be defeated and I cannot just give up.
So I decided to work hard for half a year, and I will continue to stay here. Next, I will renovate our store based on the actual situation of the surrounding area, and I will also make some improvements to the dishes. "
Having said this, Zhang Fenglin looked at Ji Renjie who was stunned and completely speechless.
"I can't let you try with me and lose money with me, so I decided to return your investment to you and bear all the risks alone. If it doesn't work after half a year, then I accept it."
Ji Renjie was really completely confused after hearing this.
But when Liu Quan looked at his master, he seemed to understand what his master meant.
The master was unwilling to give in. He had his pride and he still had to persevere. He wanted to prove that as the former head chef of Fujinglou, he had the ability to run his own restaurant.
At this moment, Liu Quan felt that his master had become very tall and responsible.
Ji Renjie finally came to his senses and asked in confusion, "Why? Lao Zhang, after this week, you should have realized that we may not be suitable for this place."
Zhang Fenglin shook his head and said, "No, it's only been a week. I won't give up just like that."
Ji Renjie looked helpless: "But, we obviously have better options and can succeed more easily."
Zhang Fenglin looked at Ji Renjie and asked very seriously: "Do you think that if we move to the old street and open a business there after the renovation is completed, it will definitely be better?"
Ji Renjie said with certainty: "Of course, I have done research there. It is a traditional cultural area. The cooking skills you learned, Lao Zhang, are definitely the most suitable there. I dare say there is no one more suitable than you in Huaicheng."
When Liu Quan heard this, he couldn't help but look at his master. He felt that Ji Renjie's words were really too much.
Not to mention the top devil on the old street.
If Zhang Fenglin was the most suitable person for Huaicheng, then why was he driven out of Fujing Tower by a little girl
Of course, Liu Quan just thought about this in his mind. He didn't show any disrespect to his master. He just felt that Ji Renjie's flattery was too obvious.
Sure enough, Zhang Fenglin said directly after hearing this: "You are clearly flattering me, Old Ji, don't you really know that there is a real devil in the culinary world hidden in that old street?"
Ji Renjie asked curiously: "The Great Devil in the Culinary World? What does that mean?"
Zhang Fenglin continued, "I recently took time to chat with my son and heard this word from him while watching some cartoons. It means that there is a more powerful being on that old street that I cannot defeat at all."
Ji Renjie was a little surprised: "Yes, is that so? There is such a person? Even more powerful than the girl in Fujinglou?"
After saying this, Ji Renjie quickly apologized to Zhang Fenglin: "Ah, I'm sorry, Lao Zhang."
Zhang Fenglin didn't mind: "The girl from Fujinglou is young and promising, and she is indeed very strong, but compared to the girl on the old street, she is just a small ant that can't make a difference."
Ji Renjie was even more surprised: "Old Zhang, you are not trying to scare me, are you? Is there really such a powerful person? Would he open a restaurant on such an old street?"
Zhang Fenglin did not answer, but asked: "Old Ji, how did you notice the old street?"
Ji Renjie said, "Oh, isn't this the latest issue of Fei Chang Zhi Jian? I saw quite a few people watching and chatting about it, so I took a few glances and felt that the atmosphere of that place is really suitable for you, Chef Zhang."
Zhang Fenglin then asked: "Have you finished watching the episode where Fei Chang witnessed it?"
Ji Renjie was stunned: "I really haven't finished reading it."
Zhang Fenglin nodded: "Well, then you'd better go and watch it, then you will understand everything."
Ji Renjie hesitated for a moment, and seeing that Zhang Fenglin and Liu Quan were very serious, he could only walk back to the restaurant. He took out his mobile phone, connected to the restaurant's WI-FI, and watched the video on his mobile phone.
Zhang Fenglin continued to stand at the door, observing the surrounding environment. This was the first time he took it so seriously.
During the week he has been here, Zhang Fenglin has spent most of his time in the kitchen and rarely observes his surroundings so carefully.
What partner Ji Renjie said today made Zhang Fenglin start to face the problem.
After all, he is no longer the head chef of Fujinglou.
Now that I am running my own business, I need to calculate everything myself. I have to observe and seriously consider many things. I cannot expect another operator to do it for me.
Zhang Fenglin stood at the door and observed, writing down some of the shops that were frequently visited.
He decided to visit those stores to learn about the preferences of the customers here and the characteristics of those stores.
Zhang Fenglin has already decided in his heart that he will never back down easily this time. He will cheer up and work hard again to open a restaurant of his own with his own abilities.
Now his target in his heart is Su Ji, but he also knows that he can't really do what Su Ji did.
But Zhang Fenglin decided to follow the same path as several generations of Su Ji’s predecessors and to forge his own path.
Zhang Fenglin carefully noted the locations of some nearby stores and planned a route to visit them.
At this moment, Ji Renjie exclaimed in the restaurant: "Oh my god, is this true? Oh my god, is this a dish? This is simply a work of art. I didn't know that there really is such a top chef in Huaicheng?"
Hearing Ji Renjie's exclamation, Zhang Fenglin also led his apprentice Liu Quan back to the restaurant.
Walking up to Ji Renjie, Zhang Fenglin smiled and asked, "Do you think it's okay for us to open a store in the old street now?"
Ji Renjie was stunned for a long time, then he said directly: "Who said that? Who said we're going to open a store there?"
Liu Quan couldn't help laughing: "Hahaha, Teacher Ji, this is so true, isn't it? Didn't you say that my master is the best? If we open a store over there, it will definitely be a big hit."
Ji Renjie was exposed, and said helplessly: "Okay, I admit that I was blind. I never thought that there was such a true god hiding on that old street."
Zhang Fenglin nodded and said, "He is indeed a true god, a great devil. After all, he is the true successor of Su Ji, and I only learned a little bit from Su Ji."
Hearing this, Ji Renjie was a little surprised: "Lao Zhang, you just said that you also studied in this Su Ji?"
Zhang Fenglin glanced at his partner, then at the apprentice beside him. Finally, he could no longer hide the fact and told his partner that he was forced by his father to learn cooking at Su Ji.
Not to mention Ji Renjie, even Liu Quan heard about it for the first time. He didn't hear much of the last conversation between his master and Feng Yifan.
Liu Quan had never imagined that his master was so rebellious when he was young, and he had never expected that his master would say it so frankly.
Ji Renjie was stunned for a while after hearing this, and suddenly said, "Great, Lao Zhang, since you have such a relationship, you can go to Su Ji to ask that big devil for advice. He has been abroad before, so he must know how to deal with the two stores next to us."
Zhang Fenglin was very excited about Ji Renjie's words, but he was a little hesitant when he thought about meeting his father at Su Ji.