Su Jinrong seemed to have already known the purpose of his uncle's visit today.
Knowing that Zhuang Daozhong came here in the hope that Feng Yifan could accept the challenge and compete with Su Lanxin and Chen Wei, he could resolve Su Lanxin's knot and then the people of the Su family could cooperate.
Su Jinrong was silent for a long time, and then he responded to his uncle very seriously: "You can compete. I'll set the topic, but it won't be made public. We'll take care of the banquet."
This time, Su Jinrong's attitude was very firm. He said that they could compete in private, but the questions had to be set by Su Jinrong.
The most important thing is that regarding the Su family's "Su Banquet", he doesn't want Su Lanxin and Chen Wei to participate.
Zhuang Daozhong hesitated for a moment, but still said softly: "In fact, Lanxin Company has been doing really well in recent years. She has relatively strong financial resources. If she helps you, it should be much easier."
After a pause, Zhuang Daozhong continued, "Moreover, it's not just your family's Suzao Banquet, but also your Su Province's Red Mansion Banquet, which may require your participation."
This time when Zhuang Daozhong came, he really hoped that the Su family could join hands.
Because this "Chinese Cuisine" brand is really a major event in the national catering industry, and it is also a major test for Chinese culinary masters.
In particular, many of the banquets representing various provinces may have been lost, so some chefs are needed to study them together and deduce the cooking methods.
Just like the Red Mansion Banquet, which originated from Su Province and is probably the most famous, in Zhuang Daozhong's opinion, many of the dishes there may only be authentically made by Su Ji.
Therefore, Zhuang Daozhong hopes that Su Ji can work together to contribute to Chinese cuisine and restore the classic banquet.
Su Jinrong was silent again, and finally said, "If you need me, let Yifan go."
Zhuang Daozhong was a little disappointed when he heard this, but then he thought that this might be the best solution, and it was the biggest concession Su Jinrong could make.
After figuring this out, Zhuang Daozhong nodded and said, "Okay, let's do as you say, Jinrong."
Feng Yifan saw that Mr. Zhuang was looking at him, and said with a smile: "I will definitely listen to my father. In short, I will do my best to deal with it."
Zhuang Daozhong then said, "I also want to tell you that we may need to adjust the format of the review program you mentioned earlier."
Yesterday, Zhuang Daozhong discussed with the people from the Catering Association for a whole day and finally came up with a cooking competition plan that everyone agreed to.
To put it simply, the title is to list the most representative dishes of Jiangsu Province.
Then the chefs participating in the cooking competition have to prepare those classic dishes, which will then be judged by the catering association, the organizers and some selected public judges.
Zhuang Daozhong said to Feng Yifan seriously, "The competition system is temporarily set like this. The auditions will still be about basic skills like knife skills, and then the preparation of classic dishes. So our program may also need to be adjusted so that you can prepare those dishes."
Hearing this, Feng Yifan couldn't help but laugh and said, "Master Uncle, if you arrange it this way, aren't you intentionally favoring me?"
Zhuang Daozhong couldn't help laughing when he heard this: "Okay, okay, don't be so good. I remind you, this is a competition for the entire Su Province. Be careful not to capsize."
Feng Yifan restrained his smile and nodded seriously: "Yes, Uncle Master, don't worry."
Zhuang Daozhong went on to say, "As for the distance competition you mentioned, it may still happen. Fujing Tower will definitely do something similar."
Feng Yifan smiled and said, "Isn't this more interesting? If my aunt and the others can heal themselves and challenge me, then come on."
When Zhuang Daozhong heard Feng Yifan's confident words, he really looked at him with a new respect.
However, the shrimp dumplings he had this morning made Zhuang Daozhong realize that Feng Yifan did have the strength he was so proud of.
Zhuang Daozhong sat down and chatted for a while. When the Lin family breakfast shop business was over and Lin Ruifeng came over to clean up, the old man stood up and said goodbye. He still had to contact many things to do next.
Before leaving, Zhuang Daozhong said to Su Jinrong, "Jinrong, you have my phone number. When you have decided how to compete, tell me and I will notify Lan Xin and the others."
Su Jinrong nodded: "Okay, thank you for troubling me, uncle."
Zhuang Daozhong smiled and said, "I am an old man who cannot sit still. Running like this makes me feel healthier."
When he was about to leave, the old man turned around and waved to Feng Ruoruo: "Little girl, say goodbye to your great-grandfather."
Feng Ruoruo also ran forward, sent her great-grandfather out the door, and stood on the street waving goodbye to him: "Goodbye, great-grandfather, please come again and eat the food made by dad with Ruoruo."
Zhuang Daozhong laughed and responded, "Okay, great-grandfather will definitely come again."
After seeing off Mr. Zhuang, Feng Yifan pushed his father-in-law to the kitchen to prepare ingredients for today's business. At the same time, he also chatted with his father-in-law about the "Su Zao Banquet" that Mr. Zhuang mentioned, which was related to the Su family.
Su Jinrong also knew that his son-in-law would ask about this, so naturally he agreed to tell his son-in-law.
Little Feng Ruoruo also wanted to go in, but Chen Yaofei and her grandparents came at that moment. The little girl had a good friend to play with, so she stopped clamoring to go into the kitchen to play.
Feng Yifan didn't let Lin Ruifeng come over either. There were only him and his father-in-law in the kitchen.
Su Jinrong told his son-in-law the whole story without reservation.
Su Zao Banquet was not actually created by Su's ancestors. Instead, it was inherited from others when Su's ancestors worked as chefs in the imperial city, and then developed and expanded upon by Su's ancestors.
It is said that the earliest Suzhou Banquet was created by a chef from Suzhou specifically for an emperor.
Because the chef was born in Suzhou, the emperor named the dish "Su Zao Banquet" after tasting it.
Later, when the Suzhou chef retired and returned to his hometown, he left the recipe of Suzhou Banquet in the palace.
However, due to some open and secret struggles in the imperial kitchen, the recipe was lost later, and the Su Zao Banquet became a banquet that was only heard of but no longer seen in its actual appearance.
Perhaps it was a kind of fate pulling us together, or maybe it was just a coincidence.
The lost recipe book was accidentally found by the ancestors of the Su family many years later.
Moreover, the ancestors of the Su family once won the appreciation of the emperor in the imperial city with the classic dishes on their menus.
Later, the dynasty collapsed, and the ancestors of the Su family naturally returned to the common people.
The cookbook was brought back by the Su family's ancestors.
Feng Yifan was a little surprised when he heard this and asked, "Dad, is the recipe book you gave me the recipe for Su Zaoyan?"
Su Jinrong nodded: "Yes."
Feng Yifan then asked curiously: "But why are there only the names of the dishes on the menu?"
The recipe book that Su Jinrong gave to Feng Yifan is now just a thin booklet, which only records the relevant banquet equipment, the names of some dishes on the banquet, and the order in which the dishes are presented.
However, the recipe does not have a very detailed cooking process. Many dishes only have names, and even the specific ingredients are not known.
Su Jinrong sighed helplessly: "I don't know the specific reasons, but it was already like this when your grandfather passed it down."
Feng Yifan also felt a little sorry after hearing this: "It's really a pity."
Su Jinrong also expressed that it was a pity, so he actually hoped that Feng Yifan could try his best to restore the recipe.
"Dad will help you, we will work together."
When Feng Yifan saw the fighting spirit burning in his father-in-law's eyes, he suddenly felt that it was a good thing that his uncle-in-law came.
The uncle-master mentioned the "Su Zao Banquet" and said that this banquet dish was recorded in the royal family's meal files. This naturally aroused Su Jinrong's fighting spirit.
Now the "Chinese cuisine" brand promotion plan happens to be an opportunity.
Su Jinrong also wanted to recreate the banquet passed down by his ancestors with the help of this "Chinese cuisine".
Before, after Su Jinrong suffered a stroke, he became indifferent to many things and no longer wanted to fight for fame and fortune. He thought that having a stable family was a kind of happiness.
But now, the task of restoring the ancestral recipes has made Su Jinrong find a sense of mission again.
According to traditional concepts, the Su family line had come to an end when it came to him because he had no son.
Although Su Jinrong had already accepted it in his heart, he passed on all his cooking skills to his son-in-law without reservation.
However, Su Jinrong still felt that restoring the recipe was an important thing he should do as a member of the Su family.
He came to assist his son-in-law and restored the recipe.
Su Jinrong would feel that he had done his best to live up to his ancestors, and at the same time, his son-in-law had restored the recipe, which meant he was truly qualified to pass on the recipe.
In Su Jinrong's mind, this is a kind of inheritance that connects the past and the future, and he must complete it with his son-in-law.
Understanding his father-in-law's intention, Feng Yifan said to him seriously: "Dad, don't worry, I will definitely study it with you and try to restore that Su Zaoyan."
Su Jinrong nodded: "Well, let's work hard together."
As soon as the words fell, another voice suddenly rang out: "Let's work together, Ruoruo has to help too."
Then, another voice was heard: "Ruoruo, if you shout like that, you will be discovered."
Then another voice said, "Yes, Ruoruo, we have been discovered."
Feng Yifan looked over in the direction of the sound and saw that Yang Xiaoxi had also come. The three little girls got together and naturally started to make a noise, and then they all quietly ran into the kitchen together.
After hearing what her father and grandfather said, Feng Ruoruo couldn't help but shout out loudly.
Feng Yifan walked over and saw three little girls huddled together at the door, which really made him laugh and cry.
"Why are you three here?"
In fact, it was because Yang Xiaoxi came with her mother today. Then Yang Xiaoxi's mother and Ruoruo's mother chatted together, and soon the grandparents also joined in, ignoring the three little girls.
When the three little girls saw the adults chatting, they gathered together and whispered something, then quietly ran into the kitchen to take a look.
When Feng Ruoruo saw that she was discovered by her father, she simply stopped hiding and pulled her two good friends to stand in front of her father.
"Dad, Xixi, Feifei and I can also help you and grandpa. Let's work together."
Yang Xiaoxi and Chen Yaofei were a little embarrassed when they were pulled out, but with Feng Ruoruo's encouragement, the two little girls finally plucked up their courage and said they would help.
"Dad Feng, Xixi will also help."
"Father Feng, Feifei will also have to help and work hard with everyone."
After hearing what the three little girls said, Feng Yifan couldn't help but smile and said, "Okay, since the three of you want to help, then let you help too. Let's all work hard together."
In fact, the three little girls didn’t quite understand what they were working hard for together.
But when they heard that they could participate, they were naturally very happy and held hands and cheered.
"Okay, let's work together."
"Great, let's help together."
"Yes, if we help and work together, we will definitely succeed. This is called strength in numbers."
Su Jinrong heard the three little girls shouting and a smile appeared on his face. He felt that with these three little happy people around, restoring the recipe would be full of joy.
Although the matter was important, Su Jinrong was willing to do it in a pleasant atmosphere.
Thinking of this, Su Jinrong called out to his granddaughter, "Ruoruo, Ruoruo, bring your little friend here."
Feng Yifan heard his father-in-law calling him and said to his daughter, "Grandpa is calling you. Hurry up and take the children with you to go to Grandpa's place."
Feng Ruoruo quickly agreed and pulled her good friend to run to her grandfather: "Grandpa, what do you call Ruoruo?"
Su Jinrong smiled and said, "Ruoruo, Xixi, Feifei, you all need to help. Stand here with grandpa. Let's watch daddy work first, okay?"
Feng Ruoruo smiled and nodded after hearing this: "Okay, we'll stand next to grandpa and watch, so as not to disturb dad."
Yang Xiaoxi and Chen Yaofei also agreed.
"Okay, we won't disturb Father Feng."
"Well, we'll just stay by grandpa's side and watch."
Feng Yifan walked up to the children and said with a smile, "Okay, then you just stay beside grandpa and watch. Dad Feng will start preparing for the dishes. This process is called preparing ingredients."
Feng Ruoruo showed her class representative status: "Ruoruo knows that preparing ingredients means washing and cutting the vegetables to be cooked first."
Feng Yifan nodded: "Well, Ruoruo is right, but it's not comprehensive. We not only have to wash and cut vegetables, but also make some soup, and process some meat, fish, chicken, and duck."
As he spoke, Feng Yifan walked towards where the various ingredients were kept and began his busy work of preparing ingredients for today.
The three little girls were all very surprised when they saw Father Feng busying around.
Of course, Feng Yifan would not show the children the process of slaughtering and dissecting chickens, ducks and fish. In front of the children, he basically cut vegetables or peeled potatoes in a fancy way.
These are not very sophisticated techniques, but they will look very amazing to little girls.
"Ruoruo, Father Feng is really amazing. He can do so many things with just a knife."
"Yes, Father Feng is so good. The knife didn't even cut his hand."
Feng Ruoruo said proudly: "Dad is very good, so he won't cut his hand."
The three little girls didn’t stay awake for long. The parents outside noticed that the girls were missing, so they hurried into the kitchen and took the three little girls out.
Lin Ruifeng was also called back soon. Then Su Jinrong took over the supervision in the kitchen while the master and apprentice were busy preparing the ingredients.