Chapter 574: Chapter 567: Regaining One’s Spirit
Fu Yu neatly prepared the tofu blocks for stuffing, with substantial meat filling, yet the tofu remained intact without any tearing.
He placed the pan on medium heat, added an appropriate amount of lard, and heated it to seventy percent hot.
He placed the stuffed tofu into the pan one by one, frying them until golden brown, then added more lard and fried the other side.
While the tofu was frying in the pan, under Wang Yulong’s guidance, Fu Yu prepared another pan with broth, MSG, refined salt, soy sauce, and lard, bringing it to a boil.
Once the tofu blocks were done frying, he put them directly into the broth to cook.
At this point, he just waited for the sauce to reduce, then it would be ready to serve.
If one person finds another pleasing to the eye, then no matter what the other does, they find it delightful.
Wang Yulong now found Fu Yu particularly agreeable.
So while waiting for the sauce to reduce, he chatted with Fu Yu for a bit.
"To make good tofu, the choice of coagulant is very important."
"The tofu shop we order from uses brine as a coagulant, which gives it a particularly tender and smooth texture, although it is a bit more challenging to cook with."
"If the tofu is too tender, it easily falls apart, especially for this stuffed tofu dish. To make it look beautiful, you have to be very careful during the process."
As he spoke, the sauce in the pan had already reduced.
Fu Yu plated the dish from the pan.
Wang Yulong casually mentioned, "The stuffed tofu at our restaurant is exceptional—salty and fresh, with a rich, delicate sauce and a tender, smooth, and delicious taste."
"You might not know this, but at the main store, many old customers specifically inquire about when we will serve this dish and make reservations in advance, so the kitchen always prepares extra ingredients."
Once plated, the stuffed tofu looked especially appetizing and smelled aromatic.
Just by cooking it, he could tell how good the dish would taste without even trying it.
After hearing Wang Yulong say this, Fu Yu felt a bit hungry.
Two plates of stuffed tofu were successfully completed, and soon a waiter came over to take them to the front hall to be served.
Fu Yu didn’t stop to rest; he immediately started cooking the dish again.
With the experience from the previous batch, Fu Yu found the cooking process even smoother this time.
Fu Yu took half an hour to make the first two plates of stuffed tofu; the second time, he only took twenty-four minutes.
He managed to do it much faster.
Fu Yu looked at the time on the wall with satisfaction.
He planned to challenge himself to finish in twenty minutes next time.
He was so focused on the cooking that he didn’t pay attention to the surroundings.
So when Liu Yunong came over, he was engrossed in stuffing, and it wasn’t until he had filled all the tofu blocks with meat and was about to heat the pan to fry them that he noticed Liu Yunong had arrived at some point and was watching him work at the kitchen counter.
Fu Yu was a bit surprised and quickly greeted her, "Chef Liu!"
Liu Yunong nodded, her expression calm.
In truth, Liu Yunong was taken aback, truly surprised!
No!
To be more precise, she was thrilled!
How long did it take this kid to do the stuffing yesterday?
It must have been a lot longer than just now.
How much time did it take this time?
Moreover, yesterday’s technique seemed somewhat clumsy.
Although the final product was alright, the process was full of stumbles and mistakes.
And now, after just one night, he’s already proficient at stuffing.
Did he practice specifically after going home last night?
But even if he practiced all night, this learning efficiency is remarkable!
Even she herself, with the stuffing operation, practiced for several years.
To reach this level, it’s astonishing...
Thinking of this, Liu Yunong was utterly amazed. What kind of young man was this?
It was truly frightening!
At this rate, how far could he grow in the future?
Liu Yunong marveled inwardly and, upon raising her head, saw Wang Yulong looking over, so she nodded approvingly.
When she arrived at the back kitchen earlier, Wang Yulong had signaled her to watch Fu Yu’s cooking.
She originally thought something had gone wrong, only to find out it was because Fu Yu’s stuffing was done perfectly.
Not only was his technique precise, but the speed was also incredibly fast.
She just arrived at the store and didn’t know about Wang Yulong’s injury, observing the kitchen where Liu Zhangpeng and Fu Yu each wielded their ladles, with helpers busy plating and assisting.
She thought everything in the shop was running as usual.
And because of Liu Yunong’s action, the others in the kitchen also started paying attention to Fu Yu’s operation.
When Liu Zhangpeng saw this scene, he froze on the spot, almost burning a pot of food if not for the helper beside him reminding him.
He found it hard to believe.
Finding it hard to believe someone could stuff so quickly!
Liu Zhangpeng felt a long-lost emotion stirring within him.
How long had it been since he felt so inspired?
He felt as if someone suddenly threw a cold water bucket over his head!
The previous smugness from being sent to the branch melted away in a wave of awe.
He always considered himself a highly talented individual.
Gifted, smart, socially adept, diligent, and serious about his work.
He apprenticed under a highly skilled chef.
In just a few years, he mastered the Liu Family Cuisine exceptionally well.
Now, he was even personally assigned by the owner to co-manage the kitchen with his mentor.
He figured in a few years when he could manage on his own, he would be appointed head chef at a new store.
This blind confidence, as if he could see his bright future, made him unknowingly complacent.
His attitude toward work lost its previous rigor, and his work ethic wasn’t as strong as before.
The ever-present sense of urgency he had at the main store also disappeared.
Every day, he handled kitchen duties lazily, yet he still felt life was quite good.
If this continued, not to mention his culinary skills, he wouldn’t even be able to answer to his mentor.
The thought alone sent shivers down his spine.
A series of self-examinations felt like a series of loud slaps, awakening this confused and immature chef, Liu Zhangpeng.
However!
Quickly, Liu Zhangpeng regained his spirits.
Something called ambition began to slowly emerge within him.
At thirty-something, as a chef in charge, he was in the prime of his years, the best time for accumulating experience.
Without the desire to improve, without ambition, how could he enhance his professional competence and operational skills!
He had indeed become somewhat lax, accustomed to routine, content with the status quo, and lacking the drive to advance.
In retrospect, he realized he was too complacent.
Thinking of this, Liu Zhangpeng was filled with renewed vigor.
Suddenly he was infused with unprecedented courage.
He looked at the young chef engrossed in cooking not far away.
Feeling the indescribable inspiration radiating from within him.
It seemed like everything had become somewhat different.
