Chapter 341: Chapter 341

After resting for a few days in Eastern Shandong, Jiang Feng arrived in Changsha, busy with the preparations for opening a Hunan Cuisine Restaurant. "Chinese Restaurant" continued its successful run, becoming the hottest variety show at the time. Consequently, numerous variety shows were eager to feature Jiang Feng. After all, high audience approval made it easier to be favored by production teams; many celebrities had even risen to fame through such shows. Among the invitations were some from prominent, mostly slow-paced, lifestyle-oriented variety shows. Jiang Feng could have participated, but he preferred to wait. After all, he was occupied with other matters and would consider these opportunities later when he had more free time.

It’s often said that navigating the world heavily relies on connections and social graces. As Jiang Feng’s career flourished, his network expanded, and so did the number of matters he needed to handle. Sometimes, these relationships proved to be a significant advantage. Many people look down on networking because, in such interactions, they often find themselves only in the role of "asking for favors." For instance, now that Jiang Feng was opening a Hunan Cuisine Restaurant, he needed to find skilled Hunan cuisine chefs. Fortunately, he knew people from the Hunan Cuisine Association. With just a little communication, the chef hiring process was essentially taken care of. Lin Weihai, the president of the Hunan Cuisine Association, was very courteous towards him. In fact, Lin Weihai’s disciple, Zhang Wei, had even paid a considerable sum to learn Jiang Feng’s Fairy Fish recipe. Now that the Hunan Cuisine Association had successfully reproduced the Fairy Fish, it had become a top-tier dish presentable in the finest establishments, and the Association was very grateful to him.

Following further discussion, Jiang Feng directly hired Zhang Wei as the executive chef for the Hunan Cuisine Restaurant, giving him full charge of the kitchen. While learning the Fairy Fish recipe, Zhang Wei had developed a deep admiration for Jiang Feng. Although Zhang Wei was in his thirties and older than Jiang Feng, the fact that he was willing to learn from someone younger spoke volumes about his humble attitude.

Currently, of the five Jiangyue Terrace establishments, with the exception of the executive chef at the Zhejiang Cuisine Restaurant whom Jiang Feng had promoted due to exceptional ability, the other executive chefs were all renowned figures with established reputations. These chefs were all considered his subordinates, and they admired him greatly. Netizens called Jiang Feng the "Culinary God," a title earned through the exquisite food he prepared. Indeed, in terms of his standing in the Chinese culinary world, he was among the very top. He had quite a few prominent and highly capable chefs under his command, experts in various major cuisines. Often, his executive chefs could handle matters without his direct intervention. Jiangyue Terrace’s management team even had vacation time, and occasionally, Jiang Feng would arrange for these executive chefs to gather for a few days at a relaxing retreat. When it came to business, he was certainly resourceful and had plenty of ideas.

Soon, Jiang Feng identified a suitable restaurant location. The subsequent steps involved the transaction, renovation, and chef training. Hunan cuisine boasted many top-tier signature dishes, such as Dong’an Chicken, Chopped Chili Fish Head, Stir-Fried Beef with Peppers, Flavored Shrimp, Flavored Crab, and Crispy Skin Elbow. Each one was a formidable specialty.

「Day one of training.」

Jiang Feng had specifically rented a professional chef training facility. Nowadays, people pursued a wide range of hobbies, from swimming, fitness, and yoga to various sports, and culinary arts classes had also become popular. This facility, resembling a chemistry lab, was equipped with eight cooking stations. The eight head chefs Jiang Feng had recruited gathered there.

"I must make it clear," Jiang Feng began, addressing the chefs, "to work in the Jiangyue Terrace kitchen, your culinary skills must pass my inspection.

"This training serves as both preparation and a selection process.

"Everyone will cook, and then I will critique each dish and provide suggestions for improvement.

"Of course, to ensure fairness and earn your conviction, I will also prepare every dish that you make.

"Those who meet the standards will be hired.

"Don’t be nervous; you’ve all been cooking for many years. Just cook as you normally would, using your own judgment."

At that moment, a photographer was present, capturing the scene. As the owner, Jiang Feng was also paying attention to promotion. Jiangyue Terrace’s Douyin account needed new video content, and this footage would serve as an excellent promotional teaser for the Hunan Cuisine Restaurant’s opening, while also updating his online followers on his current activities.

The chefs felt a little apprehensive upon hearing Jiang Feng’s words. However, they were applying for positions at Jiangyue Terrace, a prestigious establishment known for its good compensation and working conditions. Landing a job there would also elevate their social standing.

"Today, we’ll make just one dish: Dong’an Chicken," Jiang Feng continued.

"Everyone knows Dong’an Chicken is hailed as the foremost dish of Hunan cuisine. I intend to make it the signature dish of Jiangyue Terrace, so we’ll be focusing on refining its flavor.

"Cook it your own way. Let’s begin."

Several apprentices were on hand, distributing fresh, high-quality young chickens and ensuring all necessary ingredients and seasonings were prepared. Seeing this, the head chefs immediately washed their hands, rolled up their sleeves, and readied themselves to cook. Jiang Feng, too, was busy at one of the stoves.

Dong’an Chicken was unquestionably the pinnacle of Hunan cuisine. The dish perfectly embodied the cuisine’s characteristics: a harmonious blend of fresh, fragrant, numbing, spicy, and sour notes—the five key flavors—creating a truly mouthwatering experience. The most prominent flavors were sourness and spiciness. Because the dish required stewing with vinegar, there was even a saying that a single chicken might require half a bottle of vinegar. Using such a generous amount of vinegar truly tested a chef’s fundamental skills. Without a thorough understanding of the ingredients, preparing this dish deliciously was a difficult task.

The preparation of Dong’an Chicken wasn’t overly complicated. First, the chicken was cleaned, placed in a pot with scallions and ginger, and simmered over low heat for fifteen minutes to parboil it. Then, oil was heated in a wok, and Sichuan peppercorns were stir-fried until their aroma was released. Next, shredded ginger and minced Thai chilies were added, followed by the chicken pieces, which were tossed and stir-fried. Jiang Feng then took a bowl of rice vinegar and drizzled it along the edge of the hot wok. Instantly, a sharp, sour and spicy aroma burst forth. The vinegar quickly evaporated in the high heat, its acidic notes infusing the chicken pieces. It smelled incredibly fragrant.

Next, Jiang Feng added some salt for seasoning. Salt can neutralize the vinegar’s acidity, a step that also played a role in balancing the overall flavor profile. After simmering for a while, he added sugar to enhance its savory depth (umami). The chicken he used was inherently flavorful, and this treatment further elevated its taste.

The final step involved adding slivers of red chili pepper and then increasing the heat to reduce the sauce before plating.

This plate of Dong’an Chicken was now ready. The chicken was extremely tender and moist, practically falling off the bone. Taking a bite, the meat effortlessly separated from the bone. The sour and spicy flavors permeated the meat, and as one chewed, the chicken’s savory juices were simply intoxicating. It was, by all accounts, a perfect dish.

There’s a reason Dong’an Chicken is known as the premier dish of Hunan cuisine.

As the chefs finished cooking, they began placing their versions of Dong’an Chicken on the table. Jiang Feng then had the apprentices bring some bowls, and everyone began tasting the dishes made by the others. This was essentially an internal tasting and feedback session within the restaurant. Because their creations would be tasted by other chefs, each chef had put forth their best effort, cooking with intense concentration. Upon tasting, everyone lavished praise on the Dong’an Chicken prepared by their colleagues.

Jiang Feng tasted each dish one by one. After all, they were all top Hunan cuisine chefs, and the flavors they produced were largely similar, with no significant deviations. This particular dish wasn’t overly complex for them, so the results from the head chefs were all quite good.

"Hmm, not bad," Jiang Feng commented after tasting. "The flavors are very authentic. However, there are still some issues. We need to standardize the ingredients. Some dishes are too sour, others too spicy. It’s normal for different chefs to have their own special touches, but since this is a restaurant serving guests, the taste needs to be consistent so customers can’t tell the difference between who cooked it."

The chefs nodded in agreement, listening to his critique.

When everyone got to taste the Dong’an Chicken made by Jiang Feng, their expressions subtly changed. While there wasn’t a vast difference in the basic flavor profile, the texture and tenderness of Jiang Feng’s Dong’an Chicken were clearly superior. The chicken itself was exceptionally smooth, and the sauce was also more flavorful. No one knew exactly how he did it, especially since everyone had used the same ingredients. But Jiang Feng’s Dong’an Chicken undeniably possessed a superior freshness and umami.

Achieving true "xian"—that savory freshness—was a constant challenge for chefs. It’s a taste, yet it’s more than just a taste. Freshly caught fish, shrimp, and crabs are inherently "xian," but achieving that same level of "xian" with chicken or pork is more challenging. This required chefs to have very precise control over the heat: when to adjust the flame, how long to simmer, and when to add seasonings. A discrepancy of mere seconds could result in subtle variations in flavor. This wasn’t something a recipe book could teach; it demanded experience and an intuitive understanding of the ingredients’ condition in the pot. Read full story at NovєlFіre.net

"The boss really knows his stuff!"

"This dish alone demonstrates his skill level!"

"To possess such culinary skill at his young age... it’s hard to imagine how he achieved it."

"Exactly! When I was his age, I was still an apprentice running errands, not even qualified to chop vegetables."

"No wonder he’s the boss!"

The chefs murmured among themselves, a sense of awe for Jiang Feng dawning on them. Their respect for him grew. He was wealthy, skilled, and their boss—he definitely commanded their respect.

"Alright," Jiang Feng announced, "I’ll speak with each of you individually later to give feedback.

"After the feedback, make the Dong’an Chicken one more time.

"That will conclude today’s training."

"Yes, boss," the chefs replied in unison.

Providing individual feedback was a considerate approach. After all, these were all head chefs; pointing out their mistakes in front of others would undoubtedly cause them to lose face. Jiang Feng was very thoughtful.

Soon, Jiang Feng called the chefs over one by one, in the order their dishes had been plated. He offered suggestions on aspects like ingredient quantities, heat control, and the size of the chicken pieces. His advice was highly professional, covering specific points. After hearing his suggestions, everyone mentally noted them and began to implement improvements based on his teachings. Previous training sessions for Jiangyue Terrace restaurants had generally followed this format. This meticulous training by Jiang Feng was a key reason why Jiangyue Terrace’s dishes were so popular. Behind such success, there was always a great deal of unseen effort.