After putting on the uniform, Qin Huai felt like he had completely integrated into the kitchen of Huang Ji Restaurant.
He basically knew everyone.
Huang Shengli had a total of 9 apprentices. Zheng Siyuan said that this number of apprentices is considered a lot in the chef world. After all, Huang Shengli takes on proper apprentices, who are taught hands-on. In earlier years, the apprentices even lived and ate at the master’s house, quite similar to being a part of the family.
Moreover, Huang Shengli’s span of taking on apprentices was very long, from the first disciple to the closed-door disciple Dong Shi, spanning a whole 19 years.
Qin Huai basically knew all these apprentices. When Huang Shengli conducted his online classes, they all showed up, and there were a few whose names Qin Huai even remembered. For instance, the sixth disciple who was troubled by hair loss had a name that didn’t match his appearance—a handsome name, Wang Jun.
Among Huang Shengli’s many disciples, aside from Dong Shi and Dong Li, Qin Huai was most familiar with Huang Jia.
Huang Jia was Huang Shengli’s nephew. He apprenticed under Huang Shengli at the age of 11 and is not yet 30 today. In terms of age, Huang Jia is younger than the third and fourth apprentices who joined with skills, but perhaps because he apprenticed from a young age among many junior apprentices, Huang Jia very much has the demeanor of a senior apprentice, both in doing things and speaking, he is very proper and organized.
Usually, the snacks and tea that Huang Shengli eats during online classes are prepared in advance by Huang Jia, which is very considerate.
To help Qin Huai adapt to the work environment quickly and better, Huang Shengli arranged for his considerate senior apprentice to show Qin Huai around the kitchen.
As soon as Qin Huai saw the culinary table at the chopping block, he asked a very rookie question.
"Brother Jia, Master Huang has you 9 apprentices. When I came to the kitchen just now, I saw quite a few other chefs in the kitchen. Adding them up, the restaurant should have around 10 chefs?"
Huang Jia smiled and explained, "In a sense, everyone can be considered a chef, but perhaps not the kind of stir-fry chef you understand."
As he spoke, Huang Jia pointed to Dong Shi, "For example, Little Junior Brother is a chopping chef, specializing in cutting vegetables. The kitchen also has a dedicated water station, specializing in the slaughter and cleaning of fish and seafood. What you saw at the kitchen entrance just now were probably the dish helpers, responsible for plating and passing the dishes."
"The kind of chefs responsible specifically for stir-frying are the stove chefs. In the restaurant, there are only seven or eight of them, and they take turns resting."
Passing by, Dong Shi protested discontentedly, "Senior Brother, both my brother and Brother Seven are chopping chefs, why single me out? Qin Huai, let me tell you, I feel I’ll soon become a stove chef, definitely faster than my brother! You have to believe me, I learn things way faster than my brother."
Huang Jia completely ignored the chattering Dong Shi and continued the introduction, "In our kitchen, during working hours, the temperature near the stove is usually very high. Qin Huai, you do pastry work, and you’re definitely not used to it. The last time we had a pastry chef in the restaurant was three years ago, and the previous snack-making area has long been changed; it can’t be reverted in a short time."
"So I took the liberty of clearing a spot for you over there. That place is far from the stove and separated from the water station, so you won’t smell the fishiness and don’t have much traffic of dish passing. The only downside is that the storage room door is nearby, so occasionally people might come and go."
"As for the pastry-making tools and machines, isn’t Si Yuan’s pastry shop under renovation? Junior Master Zheng directly brought all the stuff from Si Yuan’s shop over here. I feel it should be quite complete. If anything is missing, just let me know anytime, and I’ll get it sorted."
Qin Huai felt that there was nothing left to nitpick. Huang Jia even considered the temperature in the kitchen and specially chose a relatively cool spot for him. With such thoughtful consideration, what more could he say?
Qin Huai rolled up his sleeves, stepped to the sink, and carefully washed his hands, "Brother Jia, no need to say more, this is my culinary table, right?"
"Let me first make a few trays of fermented rice with steamed buns for everyone to taste my skills."
Qin Huai was very good at making fermented rice with steamed buns.
Fermented rice with steamed buns was a regular at Yunzhong Restaurant, made every morning. Today, Qin Huai hadn’t made it yet and still had the buff; the employees at Huang Ji Restaurant’s kitchen were fortunate.
The diners eating dinner in the evening were also fortunate.
Based on Qin Huai’s experience, although the fermented rice with steamed buns buff has nothing to do with work, diners who have eaten the buns with the buff seem to have quite the energy when going to work.
Of course, it might also be because the morning diners at Yunzhong Restaurant are mostly corporate workers who have to go to work right after eating.
The ingredients at Huang Ji Restaurant were very complete, with fermented rice and several different qualities of fermented rice. Qin Huai picked one that was closest to what he usually used to make the buns and got to work.
Crushing the fermented rice, he was unhurried.
Kneading the dough, he was confident.
Rolling, without any mistake.
Waiting for fermentation, full of confidence.
Rolling again, with ease.
Second fermentation, relaxed as if walking in a courtyard.
Until the steamed buns with fermented rice were placed in the steamer, Qin Huai felt that even though today was a guest appearance, his performance was outstanding, perhaps even a bit beyond what he usually does.
With so many people watching, it would be embarrassing to slip up.
It’s not that Qin Huai was being sassy; he genuinely felt that the employees at Huang Ji Restaurant were indeed a bit too free.
After working hard all noon, instead of finding a place to rest for a nap, they all gathered in the kitchen to watch him make steamed buns.
What’s so special about making buns? The uncles and aunts at Yunzhong Restaurant have seen enough of it. Now, unless Qin Huai did something fancy in the kitchen, the uncles and aunts wouldn’t even bother to glance into the kitchen.
What Qin Huai didn’t know was that everyone was indeed watching him make buns with great interest.
They really hadn’t seen much of it.
The last time Huang Ji Restaurant had a pastry chef was three years ago.
It can be said that when Qin Huai was making fermented rice with steamed buns, aside from Huang Shengli, who felt that he should maintain a master chef’s dignity, keeping some distance and not crowding around to watch Qin Huai make buns, everyone else who appeared in the teaching videos was present, one after the other, all gathering to watch.
Dong Shi was particularly aggressive in watching, squeezing in the closest.
Not only did everyone watch, but they also discussed.
"Qin Huai’s dough kneading, it seems really good. Is it my imagination? Why do I feel like his dough kneading is even better than Si Yuan’s."
"It does seem a bit better. I feel like the dough Little Qin kneads is more... comfortable, obedient? Anyway, it’s smoother."
"The buns look really good in appearance."
"Indeed, I feel like Little Qin’s skill is above Si Yuan’s. Didn’t Si Yuan go over specifically to teach Little Qin this time? What did he teach Little Qin?"
"I think it was fire control."
"Oh... fire control."
"I can teach fire control too, I’m really good at it!"
The last sentence was said by Dong Shi.
Dashing over from home in a hurry, as soon as he entered the kitchen, Zheng Siyuan heard everyone dissing him: ...
You group of meat chefs, what do you know about kneading dough?!
Obviously, what Qin Huai excels at compared to him is seasoning!
No one cared about Zheng Siyuan, who had arrived late, and no one even noticed him. As soon as Qin Huai finished making fermented rice with steamed buns, he had completely integrated into Huang Ji Restaurant, as if he had passed some kind of test and successfully joined the team. With Dong Shi leading, all the spectators gathered around, chattering about how Qin Huai’s practice with fire control was going recently.
Dong Shi regretfully mentioned that Qin Huai hadn’t been attending online classes frequently lately, and he didn’t have a chance to chat gossip with him in the afternoon.
Wang Jun asked if Qin Huai’s fire control skill had improved, stating that his fire control was pretty good and that Qin Huai could ask him any questions or needs anytime, as he had plenty of time, having recently broken up with his girlfriend, having nothing but time.
Huang Jia directly asked what type of broth Qin Huai had been practicing recently and inquired about his learning progress.
The other people also demonstrated their specialties, ensuring there would be no lack of guidance, warmly welcoming the new colleague.
Then they asked Qin Huai what kind of snacks he was good at, and whether he would be interested in being responsible for employee meals, as there hadn’t been snacks in the employee meals since the last pastry chef at the restaurant left.
Huang Shengli walked in with a smile, patting Zheng Siyuan, who was standing at the back.
"Si Yuan, how’s life over there in Shan City? Are you used to it?"
Zheng Siyuan replied, "Pretty good, just have to get up early every day, but I’m accustomed to it, so it’s fine."
"Getting up early is good for young people’s health," said Huang Shengli with a smile, "Earlier, I was worried that Little Qin wouldn’t be able to integrate after changing places, but it seems he’s integrated quite well now."
"Your father told me you came back for something. Apparently, it has to do with some issues you and Little Qin encountered with snack making, what help can I offer with snacks?"
Hearing Huang Shengli bring this up, Zheng Siyuan quickly switched to a humble mode and respectfully said, "Uncle, this help can probably only come from you."
"I remember you know the big spoon stir-frying technique."
Huang Shengli nodded somewhat confused, "I do, but I wouldn’t call myself proficient."
"Do you think it’s still time for me at my age to start learning the big spoon stir-frying technique?" asked Zheng Siyuan.
Huang Shengli was genuinely puzzled, "Si Yuan, do you... want to switch to meat cooking? You should discuss this with your father. If he agrees... I mean, such a decision requires serious consideration."
"It’s not what you think. It’s about the snacks that Qin Huai and I have been practicing recently. You know the recipe, the guo’er one."
"Qin Huai and I discovered that using the big spoon stir-frying technique on the filling of the guo’er might make it turn out even better. I just wanted to ask if it’s still possible to learn at my age, and if so..." As he spoke, Zheng Siyuan himself found it rather absurd and instinctively glanced at Qin Huai.
Just the day before, Qin Huai was still trying to perform a big spoon stir-fry when preparing the filling.
Though Zheng Siyuan felt that since meeting Qin Huai, he had been increasingly led astray, many of the absurd ideas, while seeming ridiculous, he really wanted to try them out.
"Stir-frying the filling."
"Requires the big spoon stir-frying technique?"
That recipe, though already quite outrageous, didn’t have such an outrageous process described within it.
This is beyond absurd.