Many times, when the master is speaking, the disciple may not be able to fully understand, but if there are other fellow disciples nearby to help and give some guidance, they can better understand the master's meaning.
Ning Cheng was like this. Feng Yifan taught him for a long time at night, but he didn't understand it clearly.
But after having a midnight snack with Lin Ruifeng and the others, and sleeping on bunk beds in the same room with Lin Ruifeng, Ma Xiaolong, Hans and Tom at night, and chatting about many things, Ning Cheng gradually understood.
He also understood Feng Yifan's intention of keeping him alone to teach him how to prepare employee meals.
In the end, Tom asked Ma Xiaolong to help translate his words.
"You have to understand that among all the chefs in our restaurant back then, John was the only one who could follow your master to prepare employee meals. So John was recognized by your master and was able to become his apprentice and learn a lot from him. In fact, we could only help him."
After Ma Xiaolong translated Tom's words, he couldn't help but ask back: "Hans, Tom, are you two really jealous of me for always making employee meals?"
Hans also said: "Of course I envy you. I wanted to replace you several times, but the chef wouldn't let me."
Tom said, "Don't be so proud. Only those who can prepare employee meals can be considered recognized by the chef."
Ma Xiaolong and the other two communicated in French, so Lin Ruifeng and Ning Cheng couldn't understand them.
Ma Xiaolong had no choice but to translate for the two people again.
Lin Ruifeng heard this and said, "No wonder. When I was at Su Ji, my master always asked me to cook for him and me after the business was over at noon."
At this point, Ma Xiaolong and Lin Ruifeng instantly had a common topic.
The two were fellow apprentices who often prepared employee meals for Feng Yifan, and they had a very heated discussion.
"In fact, Master can obviously do it himself, but he just wants us to do it for him."
"Yes, and then the master would definitely complain that what we cooked was really awful. When I first started cooking, he even threw it away several times in front of everyone in the restaurant."
"I haven't had that experience, but there have been many times where I've made too much, and then Master wouldn't eat any, so I had to finish it all by myself."
"Yes, I have to finish it. After he throws it away, I have to pick it up and eat it."
…
Listening to the conversation between Lin Ruifeng and Ma Xiaolong, Ning Cheng unconsciously felt a little envious and wanted to be like his two senior brothers.
Ning Cheng also wanted to cook for his master himself, even if his master didn't like him eating it all.
At least that way I can be considered to be actually cooking.
Lin Ruifeng chatted with Ma Xiaolong for a while, and Ma Xiaolong went to translate for Hans and Tom.
Lin Ruifeng said to Ning Cheng: "Don't worry, you don't have any basics, so you still have to lay a solid foundation. Otherwise, if you want to go back and learn the basics in the future, you may not have the opportunity like now."
Ma Xiaolong heard it, and left Hans and Tom and said, "Yes, the basics are very important for us chefs."
After listening to the two brothers' words, Ning Cheng couldn't help but ask, "But when can I cook?"
Ma Xiaolong immediately said, "It can be done tomorrow. Let's start with the staff meal."
Lin Ruifeng thought for a moment and said, "How about we wait a little longer? Thinking about the employee meal that Ning Cheng will prepare for us tomorrow, I am really a little scared."
Ma Xiaolong thought about it and said with a bit of fear: "Well, let's take a long-term view."
Ma Xiaolong translated it for Hans and Tom, and they both said they would wait.
Ning Cheng saw that everyone was a little worried, but he felt very excited and wanted to do it once to show everyone.
With such a firm belief, Ning Cheng gradually fell asleep.
In his dream, Ning Cheng dreamed that he finally succeeded, gained everyone's recognition, became the best chef in the world, and was sought after by many people.
It’s a pity that everything is just a dream.
When Ning Cheng was about to hold the world's highest chef trophy, he was woken up by someone.
When I opened my eyes, I heard Lin Ruifeng's urging voice: "Hurry up and get up. Master and I are going to buy groceries today. If you don't get up, Master will definitely be angry."
Then Ning Cheng also got up and saw that Ma Xiaolong, Hans and Tom had already gotten up.
While everyone was going downstairs to wash up, the sound of a whistle was heard outside.
That was Feng Yifan urging them to speed up.
Ma Xiaolong couldn't help but say, "Hey, why does Master come so early every day?"
Lin Ruifeng smiled and said: "Not every day, this happens only three or four times a week."
Ma Xiaolong said helplessly: "Three or four times a week is not enough? If it's like this every morning, who among us can stand it? It's really unbearable."
Although he complained, Ma Xiaolong still quickened his pace and finished washing up.
The group went out of the house and walked to the end of the back alley, where they saw Feng Yifan's car parked on the side of the road.
The group quickly got on the bus.
Feng Yifan drove to the market in the night.
In the car, Feng Yifan asked, "What do you want to buy today?"
Lin Ruifeng immediately said, "Today we need to buy catfish, beef, eel, and some shallots and garlic, as well as scallions and green onions. We need everything."
Ma Xiaolong continued, "There are some other fish, and we may need to buy some shrimps. Oh, Master, it seems that crabs are available recently. Should we buy some as well?"
Feng Yifan shook his head and said, "No hurry, it's not the best time yet."
Hans and Tom also listed some things they needed to buy.
Feng Yifan smiled and asked, "Hans, now that you have started cooking, you can no longer use those snacks as dishes."
Hans quickly said, "Don't worry, Chef, it won't be used again."
Ma Xiaolong also took the opportunity to expose some funny things Hans had done.
"You probably don't know that Hans used to be the best pastry chef in our restaurant, but he wasn't content to be just a pastry chef, so he started to try cooking. As a result, he came up with a series of dessert dishes that almost made us all sick to death."
Lin Ruifeng asked curiously: "Cooking in the style of desserts?"
Ma Xiaolong nodded: "That's right, it's really amazing that he could come up with this idea."
Lin Ruifeng thought about it carefully and felt that it was indeed a bit unbelievable, but he had to admit that Hans was bold.
Ning Cheng couldn't help but say, "It's not impossible, for example, squirrel mandarin fish is generally sweet, so it can be considered a snack dish, right?"
Feng Yifan immediately said, "What do you know? Sweet dishes, are they cooked the same way as desserts? And have you forgotten? What did we talk about yesterday? You didn't make the employee meal, so you can't participate in such discussions for the time being. You still need to continue practicing."
Ning Cheng was stunned for a moment, but he quickly said, "I understand, Master."
The atmosphere in the car suddenly became silent.
Everyone was a little surprised that Feng Yifan got angry.
But if you think about it carefully, Feng Yifan got angry like this to motivate Ning Cheng, just like in the Perovence restaurant before, who hasn't been angry with Feng Yifan
So Ma Xiaolong comforted him gently and warned Ning Cheng to keep working hard.
Ning Cheng felt a little aggrieved, but he still believed in Feng Yifan's abilities, so he didn't complain in the end.
After the group arrived at the market, Feng Yifan assigned tasks to his disciples and asked them to go shopping.
He took Ning Cheng to Old Zhang's vegetable stall.
When coming here, Feng Yifan also introduced some things to Ning Cheng, which was considered as telling Ning Cheng the basics on how to select some vegetables.
When Lao Zhang saw Feng Yifan coming, he smiled and said, "Yifan, you are very famous now. People in our market are saying that whoever can do business with you is like clinging to a big thigh."
Feng Yifan smiled and said, "Uncle Zhang, then you must have embraced it."
Lao Zhang continued, "That's right. Even if you don't buy vegetables from me now, you still have to buy all kinds of onions and garlic from me."
Feng Yifan nodded: "Yes, I still have to look for you, Uncle Zhang."
At this point, Feng Yifan asked curiously, "By the way, where is Zhang Qiang?"
As soon as he finished speaking, without Lao Zhang having to say anything, Zhang Qiang appeared from nowhere.
"Brother, you called me?"
Feng Yifan looked at Zhang Qiang and said with a smile: "What have you been busy with recently? I heard from Uncle Zhang that you seem to be in a relationship recently? And you don't work hard anymore?"
Zhang Qiang immediately said, "No way, brother, you can't just listen to my dad's one-sided words."
Feng Yifan then asked: "So your love affair is fake?"
Zhang Qiang hesitated for a long time and could only say: "It's true that we are in love, but I didn't delay my work."
Zhang Qiang's father immediately said, "You little brat, you still say you didn't delay work? We were waiting for you to deliver the goods the other day, but where were you? You came back so late that you almost delayed the delivery."
Zhang Qiang quickly said, "I didn't delay in the end, did I?"
Lao Zhang immediately threw a potato out of it: "You stinky boy, you still have the nerve to say that."
Feng Yifan reached out and caught the potato, then threw it back with a smile: "Okay, Uncle Zhang, this is a good thing, don't complain. Aren't you afraid that you'll lose your wife?"
Zhang Qiang also took the opportunity to say, "That's right, you always urged me to get married, and now I've found someone, and you're still not happy?"
Lao Zhang suddenly felt very annoyed: "Hey, you are still excited, right?"
Feng Yifan raised his hand and patted Zhang Qiang lightly: "Alright, stop talking nonsense with your dad here, do your job well, and after you're done, go and have a good relationship. Your sister-in-law and I will go to your wedding."
Zhang Qiang said with a smile: "Brother, actually, I want you to host a wedding banquet for me."
Feng Yifan smiled and said, "Okay, you are quite picky, but Su Ji is too small. How about you treat us at Fu Jing Lou? If I have time, I will cook for you."
As a result, Old Zhang said, "No, it's fine to stay at Su's. There aren't many people in our family."
When these words were spoken, the vegetable vendors nearby became unhappy.
"Hey, Old Zhang, you are so stingy. Why don't you invite us to your son's wedding?"
"Mr. Zhang, this is not right. You make a lot of money every year, don't you? Are you so stingy to treat me to a banquet?"
"That's right, we'll all go there then."
"Yes, I'll go even without an invitation."
The words of the group of people made Lao Zhang laugh: "Okay, let's all go, it depends on this kid's ability. If it really works, I will treat everyone at Fujing Building."
Feng Yifan said cheerfully: "Okay, I'll give you a discount then."
We were chatting animatedly when suddenly an acquaintance came over.
Feng Yifan turned his head and saw that it was Qi Deqiang who had left Fujing Building. Following him were several young chefs, one of whom was Lin Ruifeng's cousin, Lin Ruilong.
When they arrived at the vegetable stall, Qi Deqiang and others saw Feng Yifan, and they all felt a little uncomfortable.
Originally, this group of people were domineering in the vegetable market. When they arrived at any stall, they would be treated like big bosses and flattered.
The reason is simple. Everyone in the vegetable market knows that Qi Deqiang and his group are chefs from a big restaurant, so they want to curry favor with them so as to get this big order.
This also invisibly increased the arrogance of Qi Deqiang and others.
Along the way, as the vegetable vendors offered their services one by one, Qi Deqiang did not hesitate to offer benefits such as kickbacks.
Although the deal has not been finalized, Qi Deqiang has gained a lot of benefits along the way.
But once people start something, they are not easily satisfied.
So Qi Deqiang walked over here again, obviously wanting to get some more benefits.
But he didn't expect to meet Feng Yifan in front of this vegetable stall.
Facing Feng Yifan, Qi Deqiang hesitated for a moment, but still said hello: "Hello, Chef Feng."
Feng Yifan looked at Qi Deqiang, then at the group of people behind him, especially at Lin Ruilong, and just responded calmly: "Well, you guys are here to buy vegetables too?"
Qi Deqiang was no longer as humble as before, but said calmly: "Yes, there is a restaurant that invites me to go."
Feng Yifan nodded: "Yes, I know. It's the one that has always been competing with Fujinglou and wants to take the title of the No. 1 restaurant in Huaicheng, right?"
Qi Deqiang said: "Yes, it is Dexing Building."
Feng Yifan added: "Yes, you, the first place winner of the Huaicheng Chinese cuisine selection, are worthy of being the head chef of Dexinglou."
Old Zhang saw Feng Yifan and Qi Deqiang chatting and thought they were acquaintances. Without thinking too much, he greeted them, "Head chef of Dexinglou? What's your name?"
Zhang Qiang still knew about Qi Deqiang, and immediately helped to answer: "Dad, he is Qi Deqiang. He used to work in Fujing Building, but now he has changed jobs to Dexing Building."
Seeing that Zhang Qiang's tone was wrong, Feng Yifan smiled and said, "Zhang Qiang, don't be like this. Everyone has their own aspirations."
Qi Deqiang did not stay here. He said goodbye to Feng Yifan and left with his men.
Before Zhang Qiangren left, he deliberately said loudly to Feng Yifan, "Brother, you may not know that these people came from there and took a lot of benefits from there. But I'm afraid those families just spent that little money in vain, and they didn't intend to buy from them at all."
When Qi Deqiang and his group heard what Zhang Qiang said, they were all a little dissatisfied, but Qi Deqiang kept his head down and quickened his pace, so the others could only hurry to catch up.
Feng Yifan looked at the group of people fleeing and couldn't help but shake his head and sigh.