Shen Lingqing glared at her assistant for taking the first bite from her lunch. She really hated it when people tried to steal from her, but it seemed like Qiao Lian was already immune to her glare and continued to eat happily.
Shen Lingqing sighed and ate in silence. It was pointless to intimidate her assistant at this point. The others also took this time to have their lunch, conversing in low voices as they wondered if their Director Shen approved of the dishes made by Liu Jinfei and Lin Xiao earlier.
Once they were done with lunch, everyone helped clean up, while Lin Xiaoyu served Shen Lingqing newly brewed tea. When everyone was done with their task, Shen Lingqing summoned the two chefs to her office to have a private word with them.
“Although both dishes are good, I don’t think they are suitable enough to represent our restaurant’s signature dish,” she told the two.
“So if we couldn’t come up with a decent signature dish, do you have a backup plan, Director Shen?” Chef Lin asked. It was a pity that neither he nor Liu Jinfei managed to impress Shen Lingqing with their dishes.
“The other way to choose a signature dish is to see which of the dishes on the menu customers like the most. I decided to open Savory next Monday, and Chef Liu and Chef Lin would undergo training under my watch to improve the quality of their cooking skills. I hope you two would cooperate with me. Your Mapo Tofu and Biang Biang Noodles will remain on the menu as the chefs’ specials, but I need the best version of your signature dishes before we open our doors to the public.”
Lin Xiao was stunned by what he heard. Did he hear Shen Lingqing correctly? Did she just say she would train them to improve their skills in the kitchen?
“I know you think I’m too young, and I didn’t want the two of you to misunderstand my intention,” Shen Lingqing tried to explain.
“Oh, no, Director Shen. Not at all!” Lin Xiao broke from his trance. If Director Shen was willing to help him improve his cooking skills, who was he to deny her request?
However, it couldn’t be said for Liu Jinfei who had graduated from Silver Leaf and garnered enough experience as a chef. He was slightly conflicted as to why Shen Lingqing thought his skills were lacking.
“Director Shen, I understand why you are doing this, but can you tell me where I am lacking?” He confronted his boss, ignoring the way Lin Xiao looked at him confusedly.
Shen Lingqing clasped her hands together and stared at Liu Jinfei straight in the eyes.
“You really want to know?” She said after a long silence between them. ρꪖꪕᦔꪖꪕꪫꪣꫀꪶ
“En.” Liu Jinfei gathered enough courage to hear the truth from Shen Lingqing’s lips. No matter how harsh her comments were, he decided to accept them wholeheartedly.
Seeing that Liu Jinfei wouldn’t back down and made up his mind, Shen Lingqing supposed that he deserved to hear her answer truthfully. No—in fact, it would be much better if Liu Jinfei understood it himself, where he was lacking.
Shen Lingqing picked up her phone and dialed her assistant’s number. Since Qiao Lian was downstairs, helping to double-check the inventory of the herbs and spices at the pantry; Shen Lingqing was alone with their two chefs in her office.
“Lian, can you reheat a portion of the Mapo Tofu Mom made for me this morning and bring it to my office? Please hurry,” she said before hanging up.
The three waited in silence. It took about ten minutes before they heard a knock on the door and saw Qiao Lian enter the office with a small bowl of Mapo Tofu on the tray she was holding.
“Here’s what you need, Director Shen. Please excuse me as I’m not done yet with my task,” she said, leaving the Mapo Tofu bowl on Shen Lingqing’s table and walking out at once.
“This is my mother’s Mapo Tofu. She made this one for me early this morning. Chef Liu, please feel free to have a taste.”
Liu Jinfei’s jaws hardened. If Shen Lingqing was expecting him to make a Mapo Tofu that was as good as Lu Xinyi’s, wasn’t that unfair for him?
Who didn’t know that Madam Shen was known as the Food Goddess of her generation? After graduating at Silver Leaf with flying colors and acquiring restaurants one after another along with her husband, she had cemented her name in the culinary world as a chef with a superb palate.
Sighing to himself, he picked up one of the spoons Qiao Lian brought for them to use and took a spoonful of the Mapo Tofu before placing it on his mouth. Liu Jinfei stood still in shock as the taste of the dish spread all over his mouth, rendering him immobile as he stood in front of Shen Lingqing.
He understood then what he was lacking. The balance and harmony that teased his senses as he chewed the firm and silken tofu in his mouth made Liu Jinfei finally understand Director Shen. This was the kind of Mapo Tofu customers would surely never get enough once they tasted it.
He brought down his spoon and fell silent. It just made him fully aware that after over a decade of cooking, his ability was still subpar compared to Lu Xinyi.
“You don’t have to be so hard on yourself. This kind of cooking… I’m sure you would be able to attain it with proper training and guidance. I’m sure my mother took some time to learn what she knew today.”
While some people were born talented, most of the successful people Shen Lingqing knew in her life were hard workers. Hard work paid off, especially to those people who never gave up on their dreams.
“I understand now. I apologize for doubting you, Director Shen.” He lowered his head in shame.
