The first thing I did was to find out

Chapter 428 Mixed Vegetable Buns
To Qin Huai's surprise, the most delicious of all the various snacks on the table was actually the seemingly most ordinary-looking steamed bun.

It's still vegetarian steamed buns.

Mixed vegetable buns.

Since the word "mixed" is used, there are many kinds of vegetarian dishes, such as green vegetables, fresh bamboo shoots, dried tofu, daylily, yam, carrots, wood ear fungus, fried gluten, shiitake mushrooms, and ginkgo. The ingredients are so abundant that they can all be stir-fried into a mixed dish. However, Chef Zhou turned such fillings into fillings for buns.

Qin Huai felt that he had been eating a lot of these delicious steamed buns lately, which were like having a variety of stir-fried or stewed dishes wrapped inside.

Is this the true essence of making steamed buns?
A good steamed bun filling only needs a plate of delicious stir-fried vegetables.

Qin Huai remained silent, only continuing to eat his steamed buns.

The dining table was quiet, with only the sounds of Shi Dadan and Chef Zhou chatting.

Master Zhou could chat because he made all the snacks; he didn't have much of an appetite. Shi Dadan could chat because he had the ability to talk while eating, speaking clearly and eating at a decent pace.

He was confident in his own stomach capacity and that everyone else's stomach capacity was too large to finish all the snacks on the table, so he would have to finish them off in the end.

Shi Dadan was chatting with Master Zhou about everyday things.

Qin Huai had already noticed this when he appointed Shi Dadan as his top assistant. Shi Dadan was a very good listener and a master at getting others to talk. Perhaps it was his honest and simple nature that made people feel close to him at first glance, or perhaps it was his pleasant way of speaking. In any case, Shi Dadan was very good at getting people to talk.

Often, he doesn't even need to deliberately try to get information out of people; they just speak up on their own initiative.

Qin Huai only learned today that Master Zhou had two daughters and a son, but neither of them followed in his footsteps, and their professions had nothing to do with cooking.

Master Zhou's eldest daughter runs a travel agency, his second son is a math teacher, and his youngest daughter is currently studying abroad. This situation is rare among master pastry chefs, especially those who are very famous.

It's worth noting that even Boss Su's daughter is a pastry chef.

The culinary industry is very traditional, and in the past, it was a system where the business was passed down from father to son. If the father was a famous chef, the son would definitely be a chef, even if he wasn't talented. The father would only pass on his unique skills to his own descendants, not to other apprentices or younger brothers.

Of course, not every famous chef does this. Many relatively enlightened chefs choose to pass on their unique skills to their apprentices. However, if given a choice, they would definitely prioritize their own descendants.

This method of inheritance is very reliable, allowing the skills to remain at home. However, it is also extremely risky, because being a chef is actually very much a test of talent. Bloodlines can be inherited, but talent cannot. Many famous dishes and desserts have been lost because renowned chefs have no successors.

However, the rise of many famous dishes and snacks is also due to the fact that the unfilial descendants of famous chefs could not make a living and sold off their ancestral recipes.

It can only be said that fate has its way with people.

Normally, it's the standard practice for someone like Tan Wei'an, whose biological father isn't good enough, to have his grandson take over. Besides, Tan Wei'an's biological father wasn't without culinary experience; he studied but lacked talent and couldn't make a name for himself in the industry. In contrast, his own father was incredibly successful, allowing Zhiweiju to grow and thrive, ensuring a comfortable life for him. He could retire simply by relying on annual stock dividends.

In a sense, Tan Weian's biological father was the real winner in life. He retired before the age of 40, letting his son take over the family business, truly achieving the ideal of having both elderly parents and young children to care for.

Shi Dadan expressed his strong agreement with Master Zhou's open-minded philosophy. He also felt that there was no need to force children to inherit the family business; for example, he never forced his children to study hard and get into a good university.

There's no need for the idea of ​​a son following in his father's footsteps. Shi Dadan got so engrossed in the conversation that he accidentally let slip that he thought his child probably wouldn't be able to be a driver in the future.

But it doesn't matter, since no one present knows his background anyway. To this day, Master Zhou still thinks Shi Dadan is some cousin of Qin Huai, and even asked Shi Dadan in a slightly complaining tone why Qin's relative didn't choose to try it out back then, since it's really easy to get into Zhiweiju, and recommendations from regular customers count as recommendations.

If Qin Huai had been brought over 10 years earlier, Zhao Cheng'an wouldn't have stood a chance. He could have been handed over to Master Hua, since he also quite enjoyed making noodles.

Zhao Cheng'an: ?

Master, I'm still sitting at the table eating snacks. Is it really okay for you to say that?

"You're also good at stretching noodles." Qin Huai discovered another of Zhao Cheng'an's strengths.

"I studied it for a while, and I can do it, but I'm not an expert." Zhao Cheng'an readily admitted, "When I first became an apprentice, I felt like I was a once-in-a-century genius. It's already remarkable for an ordinary chef to be proficient in one thing, and an excellent chef can be proficient in one or two things. Even the master chef at Zhiweiju has his own strengths and weaknesses."

“At the time, I thought they couldn’t do it because they were bad at it, but I was sure I could. So I learned everything. If my master hadn’t been studying Western pastries at that time, I would have wanted to learn Western pastries as well.”

"And then it's like what you see here. I tried to learn everything, and I know a little bit of everything. I can't do anything too difficult, and I can't do anything too complicated. After all these years of learning, my best skills are still puff pastry and pastries with powder filling. I thought I could at least specialize in one or two things, but after all this time I haven't mastered any of them. I'm not even as good as my senior brothers and sisters."

Zhao Cheng'an took a bite of the pine-flower palace lantern bun with great nonchalance: "But before I met you, I still thought I was a genius. The reason I haven't specialized yet is just because I haven't had enough time. Give me another 20, 30, 40, 50, or 60 years and I will definitely be able to specialize in everything."

Putting everything else aside, Zhao Cheng'an has a really good attitude and is very dedicated to his work.

Listen to this! He's even willing to make dim sum for another 60 years. What dedication!
"And now?" Qin Huai asked, sounding rather smug.

Zhao Cheng'an gave Qin Huai a disapproving look, then secretly glanced at Master Zhou. Seeing that Master Zhou and Shi Dadan were chatting happily and hadn't noticed him at all, he lowered his voice and said, "Of course I'm a genius now too!"

"It's just that you're a little more talented than me, but that doesn't mean I'm not talented. I'm incredibly talented, okay? Otherwise, my master wouldn't like me so much!"

Qin Huai smiled. He suddenly understood why Master Zhou liked Zhao Cheng'an so much.

Because Zhao Cheng'an is very confident. He was confident when he believed he was exceptionally talented, and he remained confident even after discovering that he wasn't actually the number one genius.

In literature, there is no first place; in martial arts, there is no second. Similarly, dishes and desserts can be ranked in order of priority.

Craftsmanship is craftsmanship; diners can tell just by tasting it. Everyone may have their own preferences and different perspectives, but no one can say no to absolute skill.

Making desserts is a process of constantly recognizing geniuses and constantly acknowledging that you are actually quite mediocre.

You may be one in a hundred geniuses, but there are many geniuses in this world who are one in ten thousand, one in a hundred thousand, one in a million, or even one in ten million.

Mindset is very important.

The reason why Pei Xing, as someone with connections, didn't participate in the Zhiweiju restaurant's promotions is because he no longer had the mindset to do so.

All the master chefs at Zhiweiju were once exceptional geniuses, selected from among thousands, when they were apprentices. Yet, upon arriving at Zhiweiju, they too could become mere "Master XX," possessing only a surname and no real name. Even Master Zhou, the top chef in pastry making, would one day be replaced by a newer, more skilled master chef, becoming the former "Master XX."

Qin Huai spent so many days at Zhiweiju, and besides looking at the dim sum, he also saw many other people. The reason why the master chefs at Zhiweiju have such complicated relationships, and why they often dislike or are dissatisfied with each other, is because even in middle age, they still retain the arrogance and sharpness of their youth.

Even though Chef Hua's ranking in the list of famous chefs was a full 37 places lower than Chef Zhou's, he still dared to challenge Chef Zhou to a fight by the lake. Although everyone thought he definitely couldn't beat Chef Zhou, neither physically nor technically.

Why has Master Zhou been so annoyed with Su Qian lately, constantly berating him, to the point that he hasn't had time to check on Qin Huai's progress?

It's because Su Qian no longer possesses that arrogance and confidence. When Su Qian was the deputy team leader at the Cloud Cafeteria, Qin Huai could see the arrogance in Su Qian that belonged to an elite apprentice and someone with super connections. But after returning to Zhiweiju, whether it was a problem with making egg tarts or some other accident, Su Qian became somewhat timid and hesitant, and his strength and condition were not as good as before.

Therefore, Qin Huai did not feel that Master Zhou was deliberately not teaching him during this period; he genuinely believed that Master Zhou was busy with Su Qian's affairs.

Of all the guesses Zhao Cheng'an made in the kitchen earlier, Qin Huai only believed the one about Chef Zhou's penchant for showing off. Zhao Cheng'an is very professional when it comes to gossip—he only accepts genuine gossip, not fake gossip—but when it comes to analyzing this matter…

He is not as good as Dong Shi.

At least Dong Shi was always able to come up with very exciting and bizarre stories.

"Qin Huai, why are you eating steamed buns all the time?" Zhao Cheng'an asked, glancing at the dazzling array of pastries on the table as he spoke. "Is it that the sesame seed cakes aren't good, or the shortbreads aren't good? I admit that many pretty pastries are just for show, but the pretty pastries my master makes are definitely not just for show. His mixed fruit is really delicious; I ate the whole bunch of green grapes."

"I know," Qin Huai said. "I just think this vegetarian bun is especially delicious."

“This assorted vegetarian bun is made using a recipe from Boss Su’s family. Zhiweiju started out using this bun, and it’s said to have originated from the palace,” Zhao Cheng’an said. “Don’t let its vegetarian appearance fool you; the filling is incredibly complex. But because it’s vegetarian, it doesn’t command a high price. The chef knows too many pastries and doesn’t usually make them. Boss Su doesn’t make buns much these days either, so you can’t normally buy them.”

“I can taste it.” Qin Huai nodded. “You can tell from the taste that the greens in this bun filling have had their roots and yellow leaves removed, and they’ve been blanched, chopped, and squeezed dry repeatedly.”

"The ingredients are plentiful, all diced, and seasoned very little, mainly soy sauce, sugar, and salt. The filling is definitely cooked and broth is poured over it, but it's definitely not clear broth or stock; it should be a specially cooked vegetable soup. Finally, it's thickened with cornstarch. With such a complicated preparation method, and yet it's a vegetarian bun, it's highly likely to be a royal pastry."

Zhao Cheng'an was dumbfounded.

"Tan Wei'an even told you this? That's not right. Tan Wei'an shouldn't even know how to make mixed vegetable buns. This is Boss Su's secret recipe. One of the conditions Boss Su used to recruit my master to Zhiweiju was to give him this recipe."

"You sent a spy to our Zhiweiju restaurant?"

"That's even more suspicious. Boss Su doesn't have any apprentices. My master only has three apprentices, including me. Did you bribe my senior brothers and sisters? Is Sister Yan desperate for money to buy that school district house?"

Qin Huai: ...

Dude, do you want to hear what you're saying? Believe me or not, I'll record what you just said and send it to Sister Yan right now. Tomorrow, I guarantee you'll walk into Zhiweiju upright and come out horizontally.

"Of course, it's something you can taste." Qin Huai was a little speechless. "I can only taste these things. There must be more subtle differences. For example, this green vegetable is so tender. Something must have been added when blanching it. There must have been a special technique when repeatedly squeezing out the water. All the other vegetables besides the green vegetable are there to enhance the flavor. The role of these other vegetables is to complement the green vegetable, which is the main ingredient. The proportion of ginkgo must be very important."

"Not to mention the final gravy and thickening, you couldn't even make up a specific recipe or method for it."

"When I said I could tell, I meant I could tell this bun wasn't an ordinary bun. Remember when I told you I have a younger sister? She really wanted to eat those palace-themed desserts when she watched palace dramas. I've studied every single one of the palace-themed dessert recipes in the dessert encyclopedia. The steps and processes for these palace-themed desserts are pretty much the same: either they're rolled up to look good, or they're rolled up to taste good. Rolling up to look good is easier, but rolling up to taste good definitely requires a lot of effort in the filling. Pouring soup and thickening the sauce are essential."

Zhao Cheng'an looked at Qin Huai and really wanted to ask him: Dude, are you from a professional acting background or am I?

When it comes to the category of royal pastries, I'm practically a greenhorn compared to you.

An Youyou sat opposite Qin Huai. After listening to the entire conversation between Qin Huai and Zhao Cheng'an, she hurriedly swallowed the pastry in her mouth, then reached for the assorted vegetable bun with her chopsticks and took a big bite.

"Master Qin, if the vegetarian buns in the imperial palace are so delicious, must the large meat buns be even better?" An Youyou asked curiously.

"I don't know." Qin Huai indicated that this involved his area of ​​ignorance. "If the Five-Ingredient Bun is considered a large meat bun from the imperial court, then it depends on your judgment."

“I still prefer meat buns,” An Youyou said. “Meat buns are more expensive; a five-ingredient bun costs tens of yuan.”

(End of this chapter)