Starting from a Bankrupt Sichuan Cuisine Restaurant

"That’s actually a great idea!" Huang Bing’s eyes lit up. He had just been considering switching to a bicycle for deliveries, but that would mean four round trips a day, which would be exhausting.

Following Zhou Yan’s method, he could just make one trip on his motorcycle. With a twist of the throttle, he could get the braised meat back to the restaurant in twenty minutes.

"Yan, you’re the man! You’ve got a sharp mind," Huang Bing said sincerely.

Zhou Yan smiled and handed over a round bamboo basket. "Here, this is today’s braised meat. Eight catties of braised pig’s head, and 1.2 catties each of braised pig’s ears and braised pig’s snout. The total comes to twenty-one yuan, seventy-six fen. Just give me twenty-one yuan and seventy fen."

The bamboo basket was covered with a white cheesecloth, which both kept dust out and shielded it from view.

"Alright." Huang Bing took it without a second glance and immediately pulled out two Great Unity notes and two yuan, handing them all to Zhou Yan.

Zhou Yan gave him thirty fen in change and wrote out a receipt by hand, noting down the weight and the price.

Huang Bing glanced at it and said, "Why don’t you write it up for a couple more yuan?"

"And what happens when your old man weighs it back at the restaurant? What would that make me?" Zhou Yan rolled his eyes at him.

"I was just kidding." Huang Bing laughed, put the receipt away, and carried the basket out. He carefully placed it in the metal box on his bike, twisted the throttle, and left.

Zhou Yan watched the deliberately slow speed of the motorcycle and nodded with a smile. ’Young Master Huang seems pretty reliable after all.’

Huang Bing rode carefully all the way back to Feiyan Restaurant. He parked his motorcycle by the back door, looked left and right to make sure no one was around, then opened the box, and hurried inside with the braised meat.

"Old Man!" he started shouting the moment he entered the back kitchen.

In the back kitchen, Li the Third was talking with a few chefs and kitchen helpers. They all turned to look at him.

"Li, you guys are busy, don’t mind me." Huang Bing smiled and waved his hand. Spotting Huang He sitting in the main dining hall, he quickly walked out.

"You’re back with it?" Huang He had already heard the commotion and stood up to meet him.

"Yeah." Huang Bing nodded, leaning in to whisper, "Two pig heads, ten-point-four catties, twenty-one point seven yuan. There’s a receipt."

Huang He nodded calmly and said in a low voice, "You hold onto the receipt for now. Don’t take it out in the restaurant. From now on, when you get the meat, take it straight to the kitchen and leave it there. Just say you brought it from the old family home. Don’t carry it through the main dining hall."

"Got it." Huang Bing nodded.

"Follow me." Huang He headed for the back kitchen.

Huang Bing hurried after him, carrying the meat.

"Boss." Li the Third greeted Huang He when he saw him.

Huang He looked at him and said, "Master Li, I plan to introduce a few braised dishes today. I need to confirm the portion sizes and plating with you first."

"Braised dishes?" Li the Third was a little surprised. He glanced behind Huang He, but there was no one there besides Huang Bing. "Did the cold dish chef you hired arrive, Boss?"

Huang He smiled and said, "I didn’t hire a chef. I’ve successfully recreated my family’s ancestral braised meat recipe. The flavor is way better than what any of those cold dish chefs can make. From now on, Feiyan Restaurant’s century-old braising tradition is going to be slowly restored."

"You braised it yourself, Boss?" On top of his surprise, Li the Third’s expression turned a little strange.

He’d worked at Feiyan Restaurant for over ten years; he knew exactly what Huang He was capable of. The man didn’t know the first thing about braising meat.

He had heard the rumors about Feiyan Restaurant’s century-old braising legacy after he started working here.

But he had never seen it, nor had he ever tasted it.

Back when the restaurant was state-owned, it was understandable that the owner would hide the secret recipe.

But the restaurant was returned to the Huang Family two years ago, and even though old customers asked about the braised meat every now and then, the boss never put it on the menu.

Just a short while ago, he was asking around for a cold dish chef. Li the Third had even recommended a junior of his from Rongcheng, and he heard they’d gotten as far as negotiating the salary.

’How could he suddenly whip out the century-old recipe himself?’

But he had to give the boss face and didn’t dare to ask too many questions.

"Where would I find the time to braise meat? It was my cousin who inherited the skill, and now he’s finally perfected it. The Huang Family’s handed-down craft is in a different league from the braised meat you find outside." A hint of pride showed through Huang He’s smile. He waved a hand. "Huang Bing, bring the meat over. Let the masters here have a look, and then we can discuss how to slice and plate it."

Huang Bing stepped forward, placed the bamboo basket on the counter, and lifted the cheesecloth covering it. He revealed the braised pig’s head and pig’s ears piled inside, their reddish-brown color glistening with an enticing sheen.

Li the Third and the other chefs all crowded around, their eyes lighting up.

"What a beautiful color on this braised meat! That reddish-brown sheen, that’s how you know the caramelized sugar was done right!"

"The braised aroma is so tempting, too. The spices are blended perfectly, not that overpowering kind of smell."

"Truly worthy of the boss’s family’s century-old legacy. You can just tell it’s different by looking at it."

The chefs all sang its praises, not forgetting to butter up Huang He a little.

"It really is a cut above. The presentation is just beautiful." Li the Third was equally amazed. His own braising skills were lacking, but he’d been around and knew good from bad.

Huang He and his son Huang Bing both lifted their chins, the corners of their mouths turning up in identical expressions.

That smug look on their faces, you’d think they had actually made the braised meat themselves.

Huang He said with a smile, "Come, Master Li, let’s first decide on the slicing method and portion sizes."

"Will do." Li the Third nodded. An apprentice immediately brought over his personal cutting board and cleaver. After washing and drying his hands, he picked up a piece of the braised pig’s head from the basket.

Just holding the braised pig’s head, he could tell the Fire Control was perfect. It was soft but not mushy; it wobbled when shaken, yet there was a resilience to it.

Pig’s head shouldn’t be too tender. Something without a good chew isn’t right for pairing with drinks.

"The braised pig’s head should be sliced five centimeters wide and one qian thick. One portion should be about four taels. This plate should be just right for it." Huang He picked out a white porcelain plate and placed it next to the cutting board.