Chapter 123: Chapter 123: Prepare to Stew Some Turtles!
The rural feast was truly a magnificent spectacle.
People sat around the tables, enjoying one delicately prepared dish after another.
Some said that despite the simple environment of a rural feast, there never seemed to be any issues with the food. The reason was that most rural feasts used locally sourced ingredients, with both meat and vegetables being extremely fresh. Sometimes, one could even see the live animals, destined for the table, still munching on greens.
The guests dined al fresco in the courtyard, adding to the festive, bustling atmosphere of the host family’s home. The lively ambiance felt wonderful.
At this moment, another dish was served: Shandong-style braised chicken, personally cooked by Jiang Feng. The chicken was stewed until it was fall-off-the-bone tender, its skin glistening with a reddish, shiny glaze. Someone with quick eyes and hands immediately grabbed a chicken drumstick. The piece of meat was still steaming, exceptionally tender and fragrant where it connected to the bone.
These chickens were all bought from the village. They were processed and marinated the day before and cooked today—absolutely delicious! Because of the honey massage, the chicken skin had a hint of sweetness that complemented its natural umami, making each bite exquisitely fragrant.
A woman was holding a child. She had been avoiding sweets lately to control her weight. Now, tasting the hint of sweetness in the chicken wing, the delicious flavor flooded her senses, nearly making her cry out in delight. This chicken is too delicious! The skin was crispy with a hint of sweetness, while the meat was satisfyingly chewy and springy.
Everyone stopped talking to eat. The previously noisy chatter died down as people focused solely on selecting and eating the food.
The Liu family also ate their fill. They had been exhausted and had little appetite these past few days, a time when they desperately needed to replenish their energy and nutrients. This delicious rural feast was just the thing to stimulate their hunger, and eating heartily felt wonderful.
The tastiest dish had been the ribs from earlier. The freshest was this braised chicken.
With everyone taking turns with their chopsticks, it didn’t take long for only the chicken skeleton to remain. All the meat was eaten clean. Looking closely, the bones were smooth, without a scrap of meat left on them. It was a mystery how the chicken could be deboned so thoroughly yet remain so incredibly fresh-tasting.
Just then, the sound of a baby crying suddenly came from inside the house. A woman enjoying her meal was taken aback. Oh no! I forgot about the three-month-old baby inside! Since the child had been asleep earlier, she had put him in the crib in the house. Now that the baby was crying, he must need something. The woman wanted to tend to the child but didn’t want to miss out on the delicious banquet. So, she came up with an idea: she kept piling food into her bowl until it formed a small mound.
"I’ll go check on the child," she said, and, bowl in hand, hurried inside.
The scene outside remained extremely lively. Luckily, there was plenty of food; even with everyone eating vigorously, they wouldn’t run out. The village was reasonably well-off. At banquets, hosts worried about the dishes being completely finished, as it might make them appear stingy. Generous portions were key, as it made for an impressive and prestigious spread.
The braised chicken was stewed so tenderly that it practically melted off the bone at the touch of chopsticks; the meat was smooth and had a wonderful texture. People ate with great relish.
Jiang Feng was also dining with the chefs. He treated everyone equally, whether they worked at the stove or assisted, always eating together. His leadership fostered a strong sense of unity among them. Moreover, Jiang Feng was generous—far better than most bosses they’d worked for—which made everyone very happy.
"These past few days have been hard work, but the food turned out great, and the clients who booked the banquets are very satisfied," Jiang Feng praised everyone.
Upon hearing this, they responded:
"Boss, it’s your skill that’s commendable! Many people come just for your reputation!"
"It used to be hard to take on village feasts because the pay was usually low. A high-paying one like this is rare."
"It feels really good to cater a village feast."
The atmosphere was very relaxed.
At that moment, Jiang Feng continued their conversation, "Our reputation has suddenly surged, and lots of people are seeking me out to book banquets. I just got a few more bookings for the upcoming days."
Upon hearing Jiang Feng’s words, a young man named Wu Hui spoke up, "Boss, let’s just take them all! Everyone’s been saying they have nowhere to go while the restaurant is being renovated, so earning some extra money would be great."
This was exactly what Jiang Feng had been waiting to hear.
The others chimed in:
"Yeah, I’d like to do more banquets too."
"Since the restaurant is being renovated, let’s make more money; we’d all be happy."
"Right, a village banquet doesn’t need that many people anyway. Anyone who needs time off can definitely take it."
Jiang Feng had already accepted the system’s task: host a banquet within seven days for a reward of 1,000,000 yuan for a single event. For him, ideally, he would host banquets for seven consecutive days to maximize profits. His employees’ enthusiasm really resonated with him.
Being the boss feels pretty good.
Jiang Feng maintained his composure and nodded. "Alright, then I’ll take on all the banquets. Everyone will have to work hard."
"Don’t worry, bonuses won’t be shortchanged; they’ll be paid out the same day. I won’t delay."
Jiang Feng was indeed generous. He had offered 300 yuan to regular cooks and 600 yuan to head chefs, but in reality, he gave the head chefs 800 yuan each, a little extra. After all, the head chefs were key. An extra 200 yuan, more or less, was trivial; winning their loyalty was paramount.
All three head chefs were legitimately from large restaurants. Working at a village banquet was somewhat below their skill level, but they were happy to do so as long as they were paid well.
And so, the Jiangyue Terrace chef team officially began their season of catering banquets.
Typically, people booked banquet chefs several days in advance, but unexpected situations could always arise. Thus, Jiang Feng quickly secured all the banquets for the next four days.
Jiang Feng announced, "There’s an old man’s 80th birthday tomorrow, so everyone get ready.
"I’ll have Old Zhang post the menu in the group chat shortly. Make sure everything is arranged: marinate the chicken that needs it, and start simmering any necessary broths.
"It’ll be just like today.
"Our part in the banquet will be over once they finish eating. Then, we’ll just need a few people to wash and collect the dishes, and that’s it."
Upon hearing his words, Zhang Hu immediately said, "Boss, just leave this to me. Everything will be arranged perfectly. You can go ahead if you have other business."
"Okay." Jiang Feng nodded.
There’s a saying: "If you can’t lead a team, you’ll work yourself to death." Leading a team was simple, really: manage your subordinates well and assign tasks efficiently. Then, the subordinates would get the work done properly.
Jiang Feng ate a leg from the Dezhou braised chicken, had two pieces of ribs, and also tasted some cold dishes and desserts. He fed the chicken bones to Little Black, who was at his feet.
Little Black had been very happy these past few days. Being a local dog, he quickly made friends with the dogs belonging to the families booking the banquets. However, Little Black was visibly taller and better built; clearly a superior dog. After all, as a "Dog King," he was an outstanding example among local dogs, naturally a cut above the rest.
Jiang Feng ate and drank his fill. The remaining cleanup didn’t require his attention. He just needed to contact the next client.
Tomorrow was an elder’s 80th birthday celebration. Jiang Feng actually knew the person organizing it—a regular customer named Wang Lei. Wang Lei knew Jiang Feng was catering village banquets recently. Since he also needed to celebrate an elder’s birthday, he immediately contacted Jiang Feng. He then cancelled his booking with the previous chef team, paying a breach of contract fee as agreed. To him, securing Jiang Feng was what mattered most.
Wang Lei was all too familiar with Jiang Feng’s culinary skills. He had often visited Jiang Feng’s small stall in the past, tasting his buns and braised meat. He was very pleased to have Jiang Feng cook for the banquet. Moreover, Wang Lei hoped Jiang Feng could personally cook three dishes, at least for the main table. The goal was to ensure the elder and other seniors had a delightful meal.
Seeing Wang Lei’s filial piety, Jiang Feng readily agreed.
Tomorrow’s banquet involved fifteen tables, with a standard of 1,500 yuan per table, meaning higher quality ingredients would be used. This was a good booking, and he was determined to make the dishes exceptionally appealing.
Daily task complete. Reward: 1,000,000 yuan.
High client satisfaction. Additional reward: Braised Soft-Shelled Turtle Recipe.
It was as if his wishes were being granted instantly. Just as he was wondering what to make, the perfect idea arrived. The dishes for a longevity celebration all had auspicious names.
Jiang Feng selected a few dishes. One was called "Wealth of a Region," which was Braised Soft-Shelled Turtle. Stewing a few soft-shelled turtles would be very nourishing.
Another dish, "Like a Fish in Water," was simply steamed sea bass. The delicate flavor of sea bass made it perfect for banquets.
And yet another, "Happiness as Vast as the East China Sea," would be stir-fried shrimp with fluffy egg whites.
With the ingredients decided, all that was left was to showcase his skills tomorrow.
The tasks for the week were quite favorable, and Jiang Feng enjoyed the feeling of hosting large feasts in the countryside.
Everything was well organized. Jiang Feng made another trip to the restaurant to check on the renovation progress. After only a few days, the renovation’s progress wasn’t dramatically visible yet. But because Jiang Feng had opted for a quick completion and paid well, the workers were putting in intensive overtime. The basic structure was already taking shape.
Upon entering, the first thing one saw was a beautiful screen, with a counter to one side and a rockery landscape to the other. Guests would enter from the counter and proceed down a corridor into an interior with a classically elegant ambiance. A straight pathway, lined with tables and adorned with overhead lanterns, led deeper into the restaurant. The layout would be convenient for diners.
Everything was developing for the better.
After inspecting the premises, Jiang Feng left with satisfaction. For now, he decided to focus on completing the week’s banquet tasks.