Master Ma was so angry that he saw black.
He could never have imagined that while he was trying to find a solution for his apprentice, his apprentice and his mother were holding him back. In a way that made people suffocate.
With Chen Dong's conditions, is it necessary for him to look for a life partner
It must be that the old man is used to living alone, otherwise, as long as Chen Dong spreads the word, all the matchmakers in the county will come to his door!
Besides, is your mother Ma Dalian pretty or is she agile
An old lady with bound feet, who can’t even recognize a word, can’t even handle the household affairs of her own sons and daughters-in-law, and there are quarrels at home every day, why do you think that Chen Dong, a shrewd man, would fall for her!
Master Ma suppressed his anger and asked, "Do you know what Mr. Chen used to do?"
Ma Yongjun was confused and said, "I heard that they are capitalists, but they are red capitalists."
Master Ma: "He was the young master of the sugar factory before the founding of the People's Republic of China! The largest sugar factory in Nanshao, the land and houses of our hotel, and the yard you live in now, all belong to him! Did you know that Chen Dong's parents were red capitalists? They died for the revolution and were recognized as martyrs. When the People's Republic of China was founded, Chen Dong kept all his family property, so it was not smashed or burned, and he also kept several of the latest sugar factory machines. When the government came, he donated all his family property without even stuttering, and kept three rooms in the yard for himself. He also went to Beijing to meet the leaders!"
Ma Yongjun's heart was pounding: "Ah... Is Master Chen very rich?"
His heart, which was about to jump out because Chen Dong gave him a failing grade, was about to jump out.
He originally thought that what his mother could covet was Chen Dong's house. Now it seems that although Master Chen is a low-key person, his family background must be very rich.
It’s paid, it’s paid. Ma Yongjun’s palms were sweating. He wanted to go back and discuss it with his mother. He had to be more proactive and let Master Chen see how good his mother was.
As a man, who doesn't want a woman to take care of everything? Master Chen usually lives in three separate rooms in the backyard, which is definitely inconvenient for his life. He has to ask my mother to wash clothes and clean for Master Chen often.
Master Chen didn't give him a passing grade today. He must be still testing his mother. It doesn't matter. He can wait!
Master Ma looked incredulous: "I've said this, and you still think your mother has a chance?"
He made it so clear!
It is impossible for Chen Dong to and will never fall in love with anyone else. If he does, it will definitely not be your mother.
How big is this sugar factory in Nanshao County? It's not a large factory with 10,000 employees, but it has several thousand employees.
Chen Dong, the young master of the sugar factory, has managed such a large factory before! Now, he would be the factory director.
He was more than just a factory director. At most, Chen Dong's family business was half the size of Nanshao, and this was only a part of Chen Dong's family business. In the early days, in other places, in Tianjin, and in Guangzhou, people all had businesses.
Master Ma couldn't believe that he had accepted such a stupid apprentice. "With Chen Dong's background, he has been able to come through these two years without any harm. Do you think he is blind? He didn't get married in the early years. Why would he devote himself to your family now that he is in his fifties or sixties? Is your mother a great beauty, or are your brothers so talented?"
The more Master Ma talked, the more he shook his head. Did Ma Yongjun really think that Chen Dong was able to manage the restaurant because of his cooking skills? Only old people like him and Master Su knew.
After donating his family business, Chen Dong could have been settled in Beijing, but he just didn't want to go, saying that he liked to eat and wanted to return to Nanshao to be a chef. Chen Dong even refused all interviews and was unwilling to ask for any benefits, preferring to start as an ordinary chef.
Later, Chen Dong was promoted from level three to level two. Even his leaders respected him. Who didn't know that this old guy had a great background
As a result, his apprentice actually dared to plot against Chen Dong.
Calculation, Chen Dong.
Fuck, it’s so funny to even say this.
Chen Dong is such a cunning person, and you still want to plot against him.
Anyone can see that you are coveting that old guy's wealth!
Ma Yongjun lowered his head, still feeling a little unconvinced. Although his mother was not very good, there were several male children in their family.
Master Chen may not want a woman, but how could he not want a son
He can take care of Master Chen until his death. If necessary, he can even change his surname to Chen!
Master Ma looked at Ma Yongjun's expression, wiped his face and made a decision.
I can’t keep this disciple anymore.
It's so stupid that it's scary.
Even after all the words were torn apart, he still lived in his own fantasy.
And there is his cousin, Ma Dalian, who is still able to play around with his son even at her old age.
He really feels so good about himself that he treats others as fools.
Just wait, Chen Dong will take care of them sooner or later.
Master Ma made a prompt decision. This apprentice was useless. As for the relationship between the two relatives, if they were willing to visit each other in the future, they could do so. If they were not willing, forget it! He had already arranged for his cousin and his wife to work in the restaurant, which was already very considerate. He didn't owe him anything!
Master Ma made up his mind, turned around and went back to the kitchen to continue giving people scores. The difference was that he had a smile on his face, which was very different from the sullen look in the first show.
As soon as Chen Dong spoke, Master Ma followed Chen Dong's lead and was almost flattering him.
Master Su: …
Although it is often your opponent who understands you best, I don’t really understand you either.
Chen Dong just did what he had to do and happily ate and commented on the food.
Wang Ying, who had just listened to the whole conversation outside:…
Just... I have mixed feelings.
She had been in contact with Chen Dong for such a long time, but how come she didn't realize that this man had such a past
Usually he looks like a savvy foodie.
As for his family wealth... I didn't see how rich it was. When he was selling mountain products, he even bargained for a few cents from others. When he got angry, he even said that he would never sell to anyone again.
Wang Ying's expression was indescribable. In Chen Dong's eyes, it seemed that his apprentice's wife wanted to eat.
Chen Dong happily gave some of the picked vegetables to Wang Ying to taste.
Master Su turned his face away and pretended not to see it, but Master Ma was very proactive in pouring a glass of water for Wang Ying.
Wang Ying: …
Let’s just eat some vegetables.
The second person to take the assessment was also a level three chef, a young bald guy. He stood at the side clutching a sweat towel with a nervous look on his face.
Chen Dong took a bite of the stir-fried carrot shreds, which tasted OK and were evenly cut. His knife skills were solid. Then there was a dish of stir-fried lamb with green onions and a dish of shredded pork with fish flavor.
Stir-fried lamb with green onions is not easy to make. To ensure that the lamb is tender and smooth without getting sticky in your teeth, the heat is very important.
What’s rare is that the mutton cooked by Baldy is surprisingly fragrant, and the cooking time is well controlled.
Chen Dong gave it a pass without hesitation, and the other two did the same. The little bald man was so happy that he jumped up and down.
When the third person came in, it turned out to be an old lady who looked to be in her forties. However, she did not look old at all and instead was full of energy.
The three dishes she made were stir-fried shredded tofu, mapo tofu, and the last one was a homemade dish, which she said was called fried tofu eggs.
The eldest sister said confidently: "My family used to run a tofu shop, and I am best at making tofu. This tofu and egg dish is my own idea. Take the fried tofu fruit, take out the pulp in the middle, then add the broken eggs, and fry them again to set the shape. Finally, add the sauce, chili, black fungus and the pulp that was just scooped out, stir-fry for a while, then add the tofu and eggs and stir-fry them in the pan, and finally add starch."
Master Su: "Your name is a bit too careless."
The older sister waved her hand and said, "What's the big deal? It tastes good, isn't it? I've been making this dish for years. Now I work in the cafeteria. I make it once in a while during the Chinese New Year. The young people always lick their bowls."
Wang Ying took a bite. The golden tofu wrapped the tender egg. The outer layer of sauce was just right. The soft gaps in the tofu fruit were filled with sauce, and it was full of juice when bitten.
It’s salty, fragrant and slightly spicy. You can eat it with a bowl of rice, or you can eat the whole pot with rice.
Normally, dishes like this that use too few ingredients are not allowed.
Master Su: "How did you come up with the idea of getting a certificate? Normal canteens don't need a certificate, right?"
The eldest sister said: "Who said no? Old Tang, who has a certificate in our cafeteria, is so arrogant. Why is he in charge of the kitchen? It's because he has a certificate! I have to take the exam to get a certificate, I won't accept his management!"
Chen Dong smiled and said, "I think the elder sister cooked this dish very well, she should be given a chance."
The ingredients used are a bit monotonous, but the requirement of creating one's own dish is also a hard requirement for the first level.
Chen Dong felt that it was not excessive to give someone a third-level certificate.
Master Ma was just worrying about how to turn Chen Dong to his side, so he quickly followed suit: "I think we can!"
Out of three people, two of them approved it, so Master Su had no choice but to agree.
Besides, the fried tofu and egg dish is really delicious, and it is not easy to make. It is also a homemade dish. It is okay to give it a pass.
After completing the first three levels, only the last two levels are left.
Xu Shuang and another man stood beside the stove. Master Su asked them to draw lots, and then they started together.
The requirements for level 3 are not high, there are only three dishes, which can be eaten one after another. But the requirements for level 2 are four dishes, which still have different requirements. It is too late to eat one after another, so two people start together.
Wang Ying looked at Xu Shuang with sparkling eyes. Xu Shuang had been practicing cooking diligently at home these days. However, the strange thing was that Xu Shuang did not focus on cooking the same dish, but made a different one every time.
So Wang Ying herself had no idea what topic Xu Shuang had picked and what she was going to do. She saw Xu Shuang busy with pickling meat, cleaning yams, and cutting chicken.
The young man on the other side was also very skilled, and both sides were nimble and quick.
Old Lady Xu waited outside for a while, and when she saw that it was Xu Shuang's turn, she came in to see. It wasn't just the two of them, there was also a group of waiters hanging out at the kitchen door.
"Wow, these two guys are good. In previous years, it was hard to find one who passed the Level 2 exam, but this year there are only two."
"The key is the talent. Master Chen's apprentice is really good-looking."
"Don't look at it, he got married a long time ago, and his girlfriend still comes to give gifts to Master Chen."
"I saw Yao Shunjuan talking to that young wife last time. Eh? Shunjuan didn't come today?"
"Shunjuan asked for leave, saying that something happened at home."
"I think so. She cares a lot about her looks. If she were here today, she would definitely be squeezing in the front."
"Wow, they both move so fast!"
…
Soon, both of them finished preparing their own four dishes.
Xu Shuang made fried chicken slices in lotus sauce, candied yam, seared fish fillets, and cold-mixed colorful shredded vegetables.
The other young man didn't look very happy.
The ones Xu Shuang did were all of relatively high difficulty, which the young man found very puzzling. Even if she had drawn a difficult question, why didn't Xu Shuang choose an easy one for her own solution
In this contrast, the four dishes I made seemed a little ordinary.
The four dishes made by the young man were sweet and sour pork tenderloin, stir-fried shredded potatoes, twice-cooked pork, and shredded pork with Beijing sauce.
The materials are not as rich as Xu Shuang's, nor do they reflect a very high level.
Chen Dong placed the four dishes made by his apprentice in front of him and picked up a piece of sweet potato with sugar as the first dish. This dish must be eaten while hot; if it is a little cold, the flavor will be lost.
The soft yam is covered with a layer of crystal sugar shell, which is crispy and sweet. The yam can be pulled into threads while retaining its juice.
Master Su looked at Chen Dong with envy, envious of him for having such a capable apprentice.
Master Ma felt very sad.
They are all apprentices. Chen Dong’s apprentice is now at level two, and his own apprentice is a fool!
Woo woo woo, why is God so unfair.
Master Su: "This candied yam is very good."
Then I tried the fried fish fillet. The fish meat was fried just right, and the fried sauce was just right. The fish meat was tender and fragrant, the fish fillets were about the same size and thickness, and the green and red peppers matched the fried fish fillets, which looked good and tasted good.
The cold mixed colorful shreds are the knife-cutting dish given in the title. Vermicelli, cucumber shreds, egg skin shreds, carrot shreds, and potato shreds are all cut into similar thicknesses and mixed with sauce. The colors are colorful, and two drops of sesame oil will give you a fragrant smell.
Finally, we have the Chicken Fillet in Lotus Root. To be honest, the title of this dish only gives a requirement, which is to change the shape of the meat. When Chef Su came up with this dish, he wanted to make a dish with a different presentation. The test is on the shape.
As a result, Xu Shuang gave him a big surprise and made fried chicken slices with lotus leaves.
Master Su was secretly shocked. Even he himself couldn't say whether he could make this dish delicious, but Xu Shuang chose it without hesitation.
To make the chicken slices in lotus leaves, you need to pound the chicken breast into puree and add egg white to make the paste white and semi-fluid. Then you need to start frying the chicken slices in a pan. One of the things you need to do is to make sure the heat is neither too high nor too low. The oil temperature cannot be too high to fry the chicken slices into a different color, nor can it be too low to fry them into a shape.
The finished chicken slices should be a complete circle, smooth and without bubbles on the surface...
Master Su felt that he was in a bit of a predicament.
As soon as Master Ma tasted it, he applauded: "Good, good, good!"
Chicken slices with lotus leaves is a very difficult dish even in Shandong cuisine. It is so rare that Xu Shuang can make this dish delicious.
Master Ma flatters people without asking for money: "Old Chen, I'm afraid your apprentice can even pass the first level exam."
Although there are no original dishes, the quality of other dishes is already very good.
Chen Dong... Chen Dong was busy eating, he responded vaguely.
Wang Ying poked Chen Dong, who twisted his fat belly and reluctantly shared some with Wang Ying. Wang Ying's eyes widened as she ate it. It was the first time she had eaten the Furong Chicken Slices made by Xu Shuang, and it really lived up to the reputation of a state banquet dish. The chicken slices were tender and fragrant, and the soup base was rich in flavor.
Several people have given it.
The young man next to him is now feeling a little uncomfortable.
Chef Su was still frowning and complaining: "The sweet and sour pork tenderloin was not fried enough, and the sweet and sour sauce was too sweet."
"Beijing-style shredded pork has too much salt, it's a bit salty."
“The twice-cooked pork and stir-fried shredded potatoes are good.”
A few people had a few words behind the table and finally decided not to pass it.
The young man's breathing became rapid: "I don't accept it!"
He pointed at Xu Shuang anxiously: "I heard everything. He is the apprentice of your judges. You must be biased! Why did he pass, but I can't! I have been a chef for ten years, why can't I be a level two?"
He didn't have much courage at first, but the more he spoke, the more he felt that he was right, as if the words he spoke really convinced him.
"I don't accept it! Your restaurant is just using connections! You are using insider skills! My cooking skills are not bad, why can't I pass! You are nitpicking just to pave the way for your apprentice! And why did you eat his first instead of mine? Aren't you deliberately ostracizing me?"
The young man kept going further and further, and Master Su's face turned dark.
He is a first-class chef, would he really embarrass a stranger who came to take the exam
Moreover, anyone with eyes can see that the dishes Xu Shuang makes are very difficult and are no longer at the second-level level.
Besides, they were taking the exam together, not competing with each other. It was really unreasonable for this person to vent his frustration about not passing on Xu Shuang.
"That guy, Zhou Yuanchao, right? I have to talk about you. This is not our state-owned restaurant competition. There is no one, two, three to be distinguished. Both of you are here to take the test, and we give you grades according to your level. He has good skills, so he passed, and you don't have enough skills, so you didn't pass. Do I understand? The fact that you didn't pass has nothing to do with others. It's purely because you don't have good skills. You rely on others' skills. Go back and practice on your own."
Wang Ying was stunned. This Master Su had a really vicious tongue. Every word he said was just pointing at other people and scolding them for their poor craftsmanship.
Sure enough, Master Su’s words added fuel to the fire, and the young man’s eyes turned red.
"You're lying! How could my cooking be bad? Everyone praises my dishes! Our restaurant is run by me alone, and so many people say that my cooking is good! I've been learning for more than ten years, how could my cooking be bad?"
Well, the topic has shifted from grades to a debate about whether the craftsmanship is good or not.
Master Su was full of energy: "Comrade, let's be reasonable. The difficulty of the dishes you made is average. A chef with level 3 can make sweet and sour pork tenderloin. And twice-cooked pork, Master Ma's apprentice who didn't pass the level 3 exam is the best at it."
Master Ma who was cueed for no reason: ... Thank you, don’t mention my terrible apprentice.
Master Su: "Take the stir-fried shredded potatoes for example. One of the people taking the Level 3 exam just now made this. You are taking three Level 3 dishes to take the Level 2 exam. Why do you think you will pass?"
Master Su: "We make our living by our cooking skills. You've seen the dishes that Xiao Xu made just now. I won't talk about anything else, just the fried fish fillet and the candied yam. Can you make one for me? I won't embarrass you with the lotus chicken fillet. You can make the remaining two hot dishes on the spot. Since you want to compete with Xiao Xu, then you can make them. As long as you do better than him, you will be awarded the second level."
Zhou Yuanchao's face turned red after being bullied by Master Su: "I won't! Who knows if you will cover up for me again!"
Master Su: "Oh, I have such a bad temper, just do it! At most, there are so many onlookers here, we won't judge, let everyone judge. If it doesn't work, we can just ask people on the street to judge. Why don't you listen? I told you that you can't do it, but you didn't believe me. I said to compete again, but you said you were afraid that I would cover up for you. So what do you want? I will wipe Xiao Xu's level 2 for you? Is this the result you want?"
Zhou Yuanchao was in a dilemma. The waiters leaning against the windows and door were already pointing and talking, and even the diners who came to eat outside came over to watch the fun.
He was too embarrassed to ask for proof, and felt it would be too embarrassing to leave at this moment.
I was just making a fuss in the moment, but now I can't save myself.
Wang Ying could see that Comrade Zhou Yuanchao did not intend to cause trouble. He was just angry. He saw that others passed but he did not, so he got angry for a moment.
Chen Dong stepped out at the right time to smooth things over: "Comrade Zhou, I am Xiao Xu's master. I didn't say anything just now because I didn't come up with any of your questions, so I didn't say anything. In fact, for your age, your cooking skills are quite good. The four dishes just now, the stir-fried potato shreds and the twice-cooked pork were cut very well, which shows that you have practiced the basic skills for many years."
The young man had just been scolded, and now he was suddenly affirmed. He almost cried and said with a nasal voice: "Then why don't you let me pass? I started learning cooking at the age of 15, and now I'm 25. After ten years, I still can't pass the second level?"
Chen Dong smiled and shook his head: "Actually, it's not like that. Learning to cook also depends on the master. The biggest problem with your four dishes this time is that they have no characteristics. As chefs, we can't just cook the dishes that restaurant guests most often order. I don't need to ask to know that the most commonly ordered dishes in your restaurant are stir-fried shredded potatoes and twice-cooked pork, right?"
“It’s good to have your own specialty, but if you want to go further, you still have to set higher standards for yourself.”
"Your master should have taught you that stability is the most important thing, right? Of course stability is good, but our level three is the entry level, and level two is the next level. Naturally, the level two standard is not the level three standard."
"The sweet and sour pork tenderloin is not cooked properly because you were too nervous. I saw you panicking when you turned on the oil in the pan, and you were in a hurry to fish the meat out as soon as it went in. You didn't pay attention to the time at all, you just followed the steps mechanically. And the Beijing-style shredded pork, I saw your hands were shaking when you added the salt..."
"Go back and practice hard. It's not only for the exam, but also for ourselves and our customers."
Chen Dong's conversation made Zhou Yuanchao burst into tears and nodded frantically.
Wang Ying quietly took Xu Shuang's hand and asked in a low voice: "Our master... has it always been like this? Did he also give you chicken soup like this when he was teaching you?"
Xu Shuang didn't know what chicken soup was, but after considering the context, he understood that chicken soup should be Chen Dong talking nonsense
Xu Shuang hummed: "It was like this at the beginning, but not later."
As for why
Because whenever Chen Dong said this, little Xu Shuang would ask three questions in a row, "Can you demonstrate it?" "It's just like that." "Then why are you criticizing me?"
Chen Dong was so angry that he couldn't even drink the chicken soup.
Zhou Yuanchao packed up his things, bowed to Master Su and Chen Dong, and walked out.
He hung his head, looking very sad.
Master Ma rolled his eyes and went out quietly.
Chen Dong came over and patted Xu Shuang on the shoulder: "How do you feel after passing level 2?"
Xu Shuang pulled his hand down: "I just want to ask you when you will take the first level exam."
Chen Dong smiled and said, "Just wait and see. Let's endure for a few years."
The first-level exam has to be taken in the provincial capital, and it’s not that easy.
Chen Dong: "You should transfer to the city first, and then we can talk about the first-level exam. Well, why don't you cook a few dishes to celebrate? Right here."
Not to mention Xu Shuang, even Master Su was speechless.
You are really amazing to ask your apprentice who just passed the exam to cook for you to celebrate his passing.
Chen Dong was not embarrassed at all and ordered dishes: "I'll make some soy sauce meat, spicy fried chicken gizzards, and grilled pork ribs."
Wang Ying: "Master, please eat some vegetarian food."
In the morning, they had chicken soup with bean curd, they also tried dishes in the morning, and they had meat at noon. Wang Ying was really worried that Chen Dong's blood pressure would explode.
Chen Dong reluctantly said, "Then let's have some stir-fried beans."
Wang Ying: "Stir-fry some vegetables."
Chen Dong looked at Wang Ying weakly and said, "Well, let's fry one."
He doesn't like eating vegetables!
Just at this moment, Master Ma came in humming a song.
Chen Dong asked with a smile: "Why? Comrade Ren Xiao is willing to be your apprentice?"