Chapter 448 - Tong Zhenzhen smiled triumphantly. (2)
The others were less jealous upon hearing that.
That really was not meant for just anyone. Any mishap and they just might lose their job.
On top of that, she had to take such a long train ride out of town over the New Year holidays and had to prepare food for such a big crowd. That was no easy feat.
After their shopping trip, Chef Lui snuck to the rest area upstairs when the others were not looking.
“You mentioned that you almost had frostbite, Manager Tong. That should not be taken lightly. If you don’t get rid of it altogether, it will flare up again when the weather is cold next year. I have a pass-me-down folk remedy at home. Let me share it to you.”
Tong Xuelu smiled and said, “Why, thank you so much, Chef Lui. Chef Lui’s Tsu City cuisine is very popular among our customers. Keep up the good work this year, Chef Lui. Ideally, you will come up with a couple new dishes and make our restaurant the most unique restaurant in Capital City!”
Chef Lui was so emotional from Tong Xuelu’s words that his face turned beet red. “Yes, Manager Tong. I will definitely work on coming up with more delicious new dishes!”
Tong Xuelu nodded. “Our restaurant needs chefs like Chef Lui. You are driven and competent. I have high hopes in you!”
After Chef Lui returned downstairs, he was excited as though he had injected chicken blood in him. He slammed the meat so hard that the noises could be heard miles out.
Shortly after Chef Lui had left, Chef Meng came upstairs.
“Manager Tong, I have lots of experiences with frostbite. I just write this folk remedy out. Here, give it a try. I guarantee that it will work like a charm!”
Tong Xuelu took the prescription from him and smiled with appreciation. “Thank you, Chef Meng. You should just call me Xuelu when we are alone, just like you used to. Had it not been you, Chef Meng, I would never be where I am today.”
Chef Meng felt passionate and comforted when he heard that. “No, I should address you as Manager Tong. We don’t want others to overhear it otherwise.”
Tong Xuelu nodded. “You are right, Chef Meng. You are such a cautious person. Okay, let’s stick with Manager Tong then. Chef Meng is now the most experienced chef at our restaurant and you had been around the blocks a few times. Our restaurant will be relying on Chef Meng for our future development.”
Chef Meng had been out of work for a few times because of his broken wrist and he was both unhappy and worried when he returned and saw the new chef at the restaurant.
He worried that his position would be taken away by the newcomer. Tong Xuelu’s words had greatly comforted him.
Tong Xuelu was sure an appreciative one. He was right to have been so nice to her.
Chef Meng patted his own chest as he reassured Tong Xuelu. “I won’t let you down, Manager Tong!”
Tong Xuelu smiled and nodded. “I sure am glad to hear that, Chef Meng. That being said, what’s most important in a restaurant isn’t how tasty the food is; its whether everyone can come together as a team. Look when Liu Dongchang was manager. Our restaurant was divided into to sides and look what happened in the end? That was because we were not all rowing in the same direction.”
Chef Meng couldn’t agree more.
Back then he couldn’t stand Liu Dongchang and would head butt with him from time to time. Liu Dongchang, too, would pick on him from time to time. That was why the restaurant never moved moved Tier 2.
After Chef Meng went back downstairs and ran into Chef Lui, who was chopping meat, he smiled at him for the very first time.
When Chef Lui saw that, he was so startled that he almost chopped his own hand.
After Chef Meng was gone, Tong Xuelu twisted opened her military canteen and took a sip of the ginger and brown sugar soup from it. A burning sensation hit her mouth and throat.
She was really getting better and better at this.