Chapter 486 Public Relations Artifact
No matter what, "Zhang Dashao's" pursuit of raw materials cannot compare with the effort he put into the production process.
To be honest, even though the chef stands still in front of the stove and manipulates the spatula like a famous actor on stage, it is a wonderful moment that takes one minute on stage and ten years of work off stage.
But this wonderful minute, which can only be mastered in ten years, only accounts for a very small part of the success factors of a dish.
Because a real celebrity chef not only knows extremely superb skills on the stove, but also knows how to properly handle raw materials.
After "Zhang Dashao" gets the raw materials, there are a lot of things he has to do seriously.
How to clean, how to wash, how to choose, how to cut, how to make, in order to achieve the best results.
In the production process, should it be boiled or steamed, fried or fried, and what heat is required.
Use high or low heat, or alternate low and high fire.
Even what pot to use, what knife to use, whether to use firewood or coal fire, it is almost all about the details.
That is knowledge that ordinary people neither understand nor can see.
For example, it’s because Ning Weimin and Zhang Shihui always “play together every Monday.”
After a long time, they will inevitably feel embarrassed.
Sometimes I would take the initiative to help "Zhang Dashao" with some chores, act as a kitchen worker, and so on.
Unexpectedly, their good intentions hit a snag every time.
The old man just said that they only need to pay for the food.
They are not even allowed to wash the dishes or wash the bowls.
At first Ning Weimin and Zhang Shihui thought it was quite beautiful, thinking that the old man took them seriously and was unwilling to work for them.
But as time went by, they slowly figured it out.
It turns out that this old man actually dislikes them washing vegetables with hands that have been washed with soap, which will contaminate the vegetables with an undesirable smell.
In addition, they don't like that their hands can't stand hot alkaline water, and they worry that the temperature is not enough to clean the dishes and the greasiness will not be removed.
This is something "Zhang Dashao" can never stand.
Look, they can be so harsh.
According to Zhang Shihui's private words, "This "Zhang Dashao" must have mysophobia. A cook treats hygiene issues more excessively than a doctor. Isn't there something wrong with that?"
But the problem is, it takes exactly this kind of weirdo who is determined to go to extremes and do things to the extreme to create amazing delicious food.
Just in April this year, "Zhang Dashao" asked Ning Weimin for help in urgently obtaining pine branches from the Temple of Heaven Park for fire use. The more the merrier.
It was rare for the old man to speak, so of course Ning Weimin wanted to help.
So I informed the gardener of the Temple of Heaven Garden, and within two days, mountains of pine branches were transported from the garden, filling a quarter of the space in the small courtyard of Huanghua Gate.
Ning Weimin originally thought that "Zhang Dashao" was for cooking, so he put it into the stove and burned it fiercely.
Unexpectedly, I guessed only half of it right. "Zhang Dashao" turned out to be burning slowly in the courtyard, emitting only smoke but no fire.
And the food he makes is also somewhat unexpected.
It is an iron grate set on a pine branch, and on the grate are placed the meat sausages he has made.
Completely different from the sausages sold on the street, the sausage stuffed in "Zhang Dashao" is cooked in a pot before being smoked with a grate, and it can only be smoked with pure pine branches.
Based on time, a batch of sausage needs to be slowly smoked for at least three or four days before it can taste.
This job is extremely troublesome, and it takes a long time.
Although there is no need to worry about them, the intestines are in the smoke and let nature take its course.
But because we have to make fifty kilograms of sausages at one time.
Watching the fire, adding branches, and smoking day and night all require people to watch.
It turned out that Zhang Dashao was a man with a fiery temper and a quick temper.
He actually just sat in the courtyard watching the sun and moon, patiently roasting by the smoky fire, watching the completion of his loose intestines.
Nearly a hundred hours of curling green smoke completely blended the fragrance of pine branches with the meat sausage.
In gratitude for the favor, "Zhang Dashao" gave Ning Weimin and Qiao Wanlin two pounds of pine intestines each.
They ate like heavenly delicacies.
Even Kang Shude tasted what Ning Weimin brought back and said it was a good taste, thinking it was a rare and rare taste in the world.
How can such a method make people dissatisfied?
Soon Ning Weimin was even more surprised to learn that "Zhang Dashao" had also made great contributions to "Polar Bear" with this batch of sausages and helped the factory a lot.
The reason for this affair was all the "Polar Bear"'s official business.
If the factory wants to increase its production workshop and buy more advanced cold drink equipment, it will need a lot of foreign exchange quota.
The application of "Polar Bear" collided with the foreign exchange application of the sister unit Yili Food Factory.
The superiors can only approve one, and the other one can only use domestic equipment.
So the two factories started competing for public relations.
Sending gifts and building relationships in private is of course inevitable, but that’s where the difficulty lies.
The gift is too heavy, but the superiors dare not accept it for fear of taking responsibility.
Perhaps you may also think that there is some unhealthy trend below and try to corrupt the leadership.
The courtesy is too light, and it’s a bit hard to do anything about it. The people below are also worried about whether their superiors will feel guilty.
And it is also very particular about who gives more and who gives less. If you don't do it well, you will offend the person.
So the director of "Polar Bear" was really worried.
Thanks to "Zhang Dashao" who volunteered and came up with such a good idea, he had this batch of pine intestines to give away.
Needless to say, this is a perfect gift.
You can’t buy it outside, but it is still a meat product. It seems sentimental and has just the right value.
The key is that it tastes amazing. No one will say good things about it after eating it.
So much so that many leaders who had tasted it took the initiative to call and want more.
There are even people who come here after tasting it.
For this reason, "Zhang Dashao" had to work again for a few days, smoked a batch and sent it out as a favor to the factory.
Fortunately, the pine branches are enough.
In this way, "Polar Bear" finally got his wish and added a production line, while Yili Factory could only look on with envy.
"Polar Bear" has even changed the factory's promotional slogan. Now the factory's propaganda direction is to sprint towards the 100 million yuan mark in output value.
It cannot but be said that the homemade loose sausage made by "Zhang Dashao" is the public relations tool of "Polar Bear".
The Yili Factory never dreamed that they were actually defeated by a cook.
However, the most amazing thing is that as a chef, "Zhang Dashao" not only knows how to use his hands, he can also use his mouth.
Whenever you sit down after cooking, the charm of "Zhang Dashao" will not disappear, but will double.
Because the old man has a deep understanding of food culture and has rich life experience.
He is well aware of famous chefs and restaurants in various places, and he is very knowledgeable about delicious food.
He can tell you a lot about the origins and historical origins of various famous dishes.
These real things in the stomach can indeed make people learn more and gain insights.
Even the philosophy of life, this old man can point out with the help of food and witticisms that amuse Menzi.
For example, when it comes to fried dough sticks, he would say that if you don’t suffer, you won’t mature. If you are always suffering, you will become an old fritter.
Where are the steamed buns?
When you are small, you are more fulfilled. After greatness, it becomes empty.
Noodle?
If you want to succeed, you have to rely on others to help you.
Dumplings?
Too thick-skinned is not a good thing.
Soda?
If you have to be careful, there will always be time for you to bubble up when the time comes.
Steamed crab?
The red day is the time of great tragedy.
Tofu?
The critical stage requires enlightenment.
Wotou?
As a human being, it is better to be cautious...
To be honest, these jokes are not just listening to Coca-Cola. If you think about it carefully, they are quite in line with the world.
Think about it, for such a chef, even if you haven’t seen him cook precious delicacies from the mountains and seas with your own eyes.
But who can say that he is not an expert in the kitchen? Don’t you have the style of a master?
But then again, the biggest problem is that it is difficult to persuade such an expert to help.
Because the temperament that achieves his or her skills determines that such a person must be stubborn, resigned to death, have a big temper, and be confident and proud of his or her skills.
To put it bluntly, it means that you have your own backbone, and if you identify it, you will find your way to the dark side, and you are not easily swayed by money.
If the old man is willing, of course everything will be easy to talk about.
But if you are not willing, you will definitely be hit by a soft nail. I am afraid that even eight horses will not be able to pull you back, and it will be useless even if you try hard.
How on earth can this god be moved? Ning Weimin was really unsure.
You must know that understanding a person is like wading in a river. Only after you have waded all the way can you understand the nature of water.
"Zhang Dashao" must have a lot of hidden things.
But he neither dared to ask, nor could he ask, so naturally he could not respond in a targeted and effective manner.
The only feasible solution is to be compassionate and sincere.
Ning Weimin could only hope that his sincerity and the long-term friendship would soften this strange old man.
(End of this chapter)