Chapter 240: Becoming Famous (1)
“Sleepy birds return to the forest at dusk, floating clouds return to the mountain when it’s clear. Congratulations to Guilin Restaurant for its grand reopening!”
Guilin Restaurant, Guilin Restaurant?
So it’s Guilin Restaurant!
Many of the old gourmands standing below the stage had a sudden spark of realisation. Following that, they shouted out in excitement.
Others in the crowd stared strangely at the old foodies.
A white-bearded old gourmand posed in deep thought as he stroked his beard. He made sure that the people around him were itching with curiosity before he started speaking, “This Guilin Restaurant is one of the old well-known restaurants in the capital. It’s located where the entrance of the old west market used to be.”
So it was a restaurant!
The crowd finally realised what was going on.
After such a huge buzz, it was just a restaurant? And here they were thinking that it was some grand event!
The news spread quickly, and the originally festive atmosphere brought about by the lion dancers and the lively song dampened a little.
Some people reacted with disdain.
“I was wondering what was going on. So it’s just the opening of a restaurant, and an old poor one at that. It’s even located in that desolate old west market. Does the owner of the restaurant even know how to do business? Who’s going to go to a place like that?”
“A restaurant? They actually dared to open a restaurant? There are already over ten or more famous restaurants on Zhuque Avenue alone. They’re really overestimating themselves.”
“I think we can all just leave now. What else are you waiting for? Let’s go, let’s go!”
Not far off, the watching Manager Qin smirked.
By this time, a young server had come up to greet him. “Master Qin.”
“Is everything ready?”
The server stood to the side and revealed the things arranged behind him.
“The other five points in the city are also ready.”
Manager Qin’s gaze landed on the three mid-sized jars behind the server and he nodded at the young man.
“Bring them up.”
The server immediately called up a few men behind him to help.
Just as the crowd was about to disperse, Manager Qin walked up onto the stage.
The moment he entered the stage, the drummers in the troupe hit their drums with two forceful strokes.
The crowd’s attention was once again drawn to the stage.
Manager Qin was dressed in a sapphire blue brocade robe. His black hair was tucked away neatly into his headpiece. Dressed as he was, he didn’t seem like a servant; rather, he seemed more like a scholar.
Manager Qin was someone who knew how to give off a good impression. He bowed slightly in a semicircle facing the crowd, instantly drawing their favour.
With a slightly raised voice, he said courteously, “It’s the opening of my master’s restaurant today. Firstly, thank you all for coming.”
After this first line, Manager Qin bowed to the crowd once again before continuing.
“My master would like to pass on these words. Guilin Restaurant is one of the old restaurants in this capital after all, so it wouldn’t be good if it were to fail in her hands. For today’s opening, my master has specially instructed me to treat everyone to a taste of Guilin Restaurant’s cooking. If you think it’s good, you can draw a lot to win a seat at today’s free tasting feast in Guilin Restaurant. My master said this: we’re going to make our Guilin Restaurant the best restaurant in this capital, or quit the business entirely!”
Wow, what a boast!
Manager Qin’s words had practically drawn all the hatred of the other restaurants.
His words had offended all the famous restaurants in the capital at once. Quite a few of the people in the crowd today were the managers and servers of the big restaurants in the capital!
Without waiting for those managers and servers to stand out to scold him, some of the ardent supporters of those restaurants had already stepped up.
“Nonsense! It’s obviously Yuehong Restaurant that makes the best food in the capital!”
“…what?! It’s De’an Restaurant’s feast that’s the best! You’re just a nameless little rascal, how dare you talk so wildly!”
……
The huge crowd of people had a favourable impression of this scholarly manager at first. However, after his great boast, they only thought that he couldn’t tell good from bad and was too cheeky for his own good.
In an instant, the sounds of chiding and cursing filled the area below the stage.
TL Note: ‘Sleepy birds return to the forest at dusk, floating clouds return to the mountain when it’s clear.’ – This is a pretty Chinese poem incorporating Guilin’s name, which means ‘return to the forest’.
Regarding the managers, servers, and other staff of the restaurant, the modern English terms don’t quite match the context of the ancient Chinese restaurant staff, but I tried my best so that we don’t have more pinyin terms in the text.
Manager – runs the restaurant on behalf of an owner/master
Server – mid-level staff who can wait on tables and settle bills
Runner – welcomes customers from the street, waits on tables
Why not ‘waiter’? Well, the servers here are doing all sorts of menial labour too, which is not quite related to the term ‘waiter’, which makes me think of high-class restaurants. I thought that ‘server’ might be a more neutral term. Give me your thoughts on this!
Customers will also call for the staff by their titles, but it would be weird to hear, “Server! Runner!” so this might be replaced by “Waiter!” when it appears. >w<
