books44 Chapter 456 Controversy
Chapter 456 Controversy
"The entire capital? Mr. Misser, are you kidding me?"
A torrent of discussion and doubts poured in on Fan Wei, with no one believing the proposal was feasible.
Many people laughed and expressed their disapproval, while others even felt that if this was all the darling of the culinary gods was capable of, then their chance had come!
"We understand you've only been in Beijing for a short time, and your restaurant has just opened, so you might have some misunderstandings about how to run one..."
Some chefs who advocated for a peaceful approach tried to smooth things over, but they were also subtly indicating to Fan Wei that his idea wouldn't work.
With a calm smile on his face, Fan Wei listened patiently until everyone had finished expressing their opinions before he said seriously, "I have indeed been in the capital for a very short time, and there are certainly things I don't understand."
"Fellow practitioners, could you tell me why you can't do it?"
True understanding requires patience and sincerity.
Fan Wei believes that if you want to build a good relationship with chefs in the capital, you need to have a deeper conversation with them and understand their thoughts and the problems they actually face.
However, many people think this attitude is a bit foolish.
Why can't it be done? Is that even a question?
"Mr. Mischel, do you know the maximum number of guests a chef can serve in a day?" asked a chef with a long, thin face and a meticulous demeanor, sporting a golden mustache.
"About three or four hundred people?"
Based on past experience and the typical situation of chefs, Fan Wei gave a rather modest number, considering his current skill level.
"Hahaha~"
The chefs all burst into laughter, as if confirming that Fan Wei had no experience in restaurant management.
"Three or four hundred people? This is not the kind of stew you make to fool the workers in a workshop."
“Listen carefully, Mr. Mischel, to an elegant, high-quality, tasteful, and respectable restaurant.”
"The head chef will not serve more than forty customers a day! If he does, it means the quality has dropped and customers are dissatisfied."
"Is that so?" Fan Wei seemed to be deep in thought.
Thinking about it, it makes sense. People in this other world have huge appetites, and the workload for a chef to satisfy a customer's appetite is at least five or six times greater than back home.
Moreover, restaurants in the capital city are not roadside eateries; they are actually upscale venues and symbols of luxury.
Almost every dish presented to customers is made individually, without the special restaurant assistance that Fan Wei possesses, or the monstrous level of skill.
Thirty or forty people a day is indeed the limit.
"If we change the cooking mode, could we increase the number of guests we can accommodate?"
Contrary to what many chefs expected, Misr Van did not remain silent after hearing the truth; instead, he continued to question them with an inquisitive look.
The thin-faced chef with the mustache who had responded earlier frowned slightly. "Mr. Misser, what do you mean?"
“Scaling up the cooking process,” Fan Wei said, explaining his idea. “Making a larger batch of a dish at once can greatly improve efficiency and serve more people.”
"That's wishful thinking!"
Before the chef in front of him could answer, other chefs nearby immediately spoke up.
"Isn't the way you described just the tasteless, low-class way of cooking that people from the lower class do? Ignoring the combination of ingredients, throwing them into a pot, adding water, boiling them, and then randomly adding some salt?"
“Mr. Mischel, is this what you consider cooking? This is blasphemous!”
Many chefs reacted strongly, looking at Fan Wei with suspicion.
"Of course it's not that simple. Large-scale cooking can also be both exquisite and delicious." Fan Wei really didn't understand their excitement.
Investing effort in one dish may result in a more refined product than in a whole pot of dishes, but the marginal effect is not actually significant.
As long as you have enough skill, there is no difference between cooking by the pot and cooking by the plate. In fact, if you have enough skill, you can make the flavor even richer and more fragrant.
Looking at the chefs present, Fan Wei felt that this level of skill should be no problem for them.
“Mr. Mischel, your most urgent task now is to forget those vulgar cooking methods of the past,” a senior chef with a high ranking stepped forward and solemnly advised.
"The value of food is not in filling one's stomach; that is its least meaningful part."
"Deliciousness, elegance, and the series of enjoyments that come with tasting are the essence of culinary art. Sometimes it's a beautiful piece of music, a captivating dancer, or a stunning view."
"It may be more significant than the taste of the food itself!"
Fan Wei squinted, as if suddenly enlightened. He finally understood where his misunderstanding had gone wrong. It turned out that from the very beginning, he and all the chefs in front of him were completely different beings!
"Cooking is a refined art; no artist would produce the same painting in large quantities."
Amidst a quiet chorus of agreement, the veteran chef continued to elaborate on the philosophy of chefs in the capital city.
"The great painter, Master Nevalian's famous painting 'Endless Snow'! Worth 700 gold coins, while the paintings made by the painters who imitate her work are only worth 30 copper coins."
"That's the difference between the mundane and the artistic!"
"We are chefs, masters in the culinary field! It is our duty to strive for the finest flavors and bring the most wonderful taste experience to our discerning diners."
"As for making some mixed soup in a big pot, let's leave that to those amateur cooks on the street!"
The old chef's arrogant and proud speech won a round of applause. This is what makes the chefs of the capital proud, even though they are appendages of the aristocracy and suffer from and resent the oppression of the aristocracy.
But deep down, they are proud of the recognition they receive and regard the gap between their status and ability and that of people from the lower classes as a kind of nobility.
Their core clientele has always been the nobility, and all their value comes from the nobility.
Therefore, their work and research are fundamentally inseparable from the constraints of 'higher culture'!
"I don't agree with that."
Fan Wei shrugged, mercilessly interrupting the chefs' applause, "It's certainly not wrong to pursue exquisite and delicious food, but forgetting the essence and only chasing after trivial details is not the right thing to do."
"They've really gone astray!"
Seeing the group of chefs looking at him in surprise, Fan Wei also shared his philosophy: "I believe that enabling more people to eat well is the inherent responsibility of a chef."
"More people? You mean those poor wretches who can't even afford a single dish?"
Some people immediately mocked.
"The restaurant door is open. If you can't get in, it's definitely not our fault!"
The crowd was in an uproar, each clinging to their own reasoning. Seeing that the newly established food association was about to experience disagreements and divisions over its principles, the president broke out in a cold sweat and hurriedly stepped in to mediate.
"Everyone, stop and calm down!"
Now he's in a bind. On one side is the representative of the God of Cookery, and on the other is the basic base of chefs in the capital. He's caught in the middle, in a real dilemma. The chairman is now starting to regret not insisting on making Fan Wei the head chef.
With a forced smile, he awkwardly addressed Fan Wei.
“Mr. Misel, what everyone is saying makes sense. That’s just how things are in the capital. What you’re saying may be right, but we can’t do it.”
The president strives to maintain a balance between offending the culinary god and alienating his colleagues.
“It’s impossible… perhaps that’s true.” Fan Wei nodded seriously, but seemed to have no idea that he was going to compromise for the time being, and continued to speak with a firm look in his eyes.
"Just because you don't have the ability to do it doesn't mean you should forget your ideals and goals, or give up trying and striving towards them! My opinion is very simple!"
"When the God of Food arrives, change follows!"
"The God of Food has arrived, and a new world has begun!"
"I've come here on behalf of the God of Gastronomy, and the capital must change!" Standing before a group of chefs, Fan Wei's gaze was as firm as iron.
"That's exactly what I mean!"