I Can Talk to the Internal Organs-Chapter 278 - 244: Medicinal Cuisine Department

Medicinal Cuisine Division.

Lu Jiu walked in.

Rather than calling it a Medicinal Cuisine Division, it might as well be referred to as the hospital cafeteria.

However, the menu posted in this cafeteria is somewhat unique.

Six Treasure Mushroom Wontons, Poria and Yam Pancakes, Yam and Kudzu Root Corn Soup, Turtle Shell and Rose Jelly, Poria Hawthorn Egg Puff…

This Medicinal Cuisine Division offers staples, soups and porridges, health-preserving snacks, and so on.

There's a wide variety, and each category has several specialty dishes.

Counting carefully, there are about thirty to forty types.

This dish collection is practically equivalent to a small restaurant.

"Director Yuan, how is the research on medicinal cuisine going?" Lu Jiu asked.

Upon seeing Lu Jiu, Yuan Bin immediately put down his chopsticks, "Dean, the research is going well currently. The prescription formulation has no issues, and the effects of food therapy shouldn't be compromised. It's just the taste that's somewhat unsatisfactory."

Lu Jiu said, "How so?"

Yuan Bin replied, "If we want to ensure that the prescription is not compromised, we have to be extremely strict with the choice of ingredients and seasoning. Over the past days, I've worked with these chefs, trying many dishes. To make something taste good, some seasonings inevitably include a mix of additives. You and I both know how harmful these additives can be to the human body. The people coming to the hospital are mostly suffering from lifestyle diseases, meaning they've consumed too many additives, whether at home or in the hospital."

"Nowadays, breakfast, takeout, even milk tea drinks, all contain additives. Although individually they meet standards, combined and consumed daily, they can be quite harmful. When I was in Jinling, a fifteen-year-old child started drinking beverages as water from age three, twelve years straight. This directly led to brain atrophy. The parents thought it was a sudden illness with the child. I was so angry; I wanted to scold the parents then and there. A perfectly fine child got ruined like that at the age of fifteen with brain atrophy. What about their future life?"

"Dean, don't blame me for opposing additives. I admit they enhance food's flavor, but does it mean without them, delicious food can't be made? I don't believe it. The culinary culture passed down by our ancestors for thousands of years can't possibly be defeated by additives."

Lu Jiu smiled, "I won't blame you. If we don't use additives, we don't. But this way, costs will rise, meaning our pricing can't be too low. Otherwise, the Medicinal Cuisine Division, a main profit center of the hospital, might not operate sustainably."

Yuan Bin said, "My suggestion is, better to be expensive than inferior. Honestly, I was very excited when I first heard the idea of the Medicinal Cuisine Division. My dad is a cook who has cooked for many leaders in Jinling. I may not be an expert, but I've tasted food without additives - it was truly aromatic."

"I had this idea long ago, but never had time or a platform to execute it. Unexpectedly, this opportunity with Dean Shen in Jianghan happened. I immediately asked Dean Shen to let me be this division's director, for nothing else but to do something big."

"So, Dean, tell me, what level do you want the Medicinal Cuisine Division to reach?"

Seeing Yuan Bin's seriousness, Lu Jiu didn't hesitate, "Director Yuan, you should understand my intent. The core departments in the hospital aren't necessarily those treating illnesses. Moving forward, I believe the two directions the hospital should strive for growth are the Health Preservation and Rehabilitation Department and the Medicinal Cuisine Division."

"Traditional Chinese Medicine inherently needs to promote preventive care, and these two departments are the key. What our Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital should do is enable people to experience fewer illnesses, or none at all!"

With a gleam in his eye, Yuan Bin said, "Great, with your words, I know what to do."

"Wait a moment, I'll make a call!"

With that, Yuan Bin took out his phone and dialed a number.

A few seconds later, the other end picked up.

"Hello?"

"Mom, is Dad home?"

"What's up?"

"I want to borrow some people from Dad."

"Borrow people? Who?"

"Chefs, the chefs from his hotel."

"Why does a doctor need to borrow chefs?"

"Don't ask, anyway, Dad must support me on this!"

"Okay, I'll decide for your Dad. Who do you need?"

"Brother Xiang and his apprentices."

"Zhixiang? He's your Dad's prized apprentice. What happens to the hotel if you borrow him?"

"I won't need them for long, just half a month. As long as he develops all the dishes I need and teaches others to make them, that's fine!"

"I see, okay, I'll call Zhixiang."

"..."

A few minutes later, Yuan Bin finally secured the staff.

"Ha ha ha, Dean, it's settled. Once my friends arrive, ensuring the dishes are visually, aromatically, and gustatorily appealing, and therapeutically effective, is no problem at all."

Lu Jiu was very curious, "Director Yuan, is your Dad's apprentice really that skilled?"

Yuan Bin replied, "Not too bad, I heard he earned a National Professional Qualification Level One Chef Certificate ten years ago."

Lu Jiu immediately looked it up, oh boy, it's the pinnacle certificate among chefs.

Sufficient to be a head chef at a five-star hotel.

Having such a person come to this small hospital to study medicinal cuisine?

"Director Yuan, what do you think is an appropriate salary?" Lu Jiu asked.

Yuan Bin waved his hand, "No salary, this is a piece of cake for him. I'll just treat him to a few meals of crayfish later."

Lu Jiu shook his head, "That's not right. He's here to help. We can't handle it on a personal basis. Whatever it's supposed to be, it should be."

Seeing Lu Jiu's firm stance, Yuan Bin knew it wasn't easy to refuse, "Alright, I'll ask him later and offer him a half-month salary."

Only then did Lu Jiu smile, "Alright, in that case, the Medicinal Cuisine Division is in your hands, Director Yuan. Whenever you feel ready to open, the Medicinal Cuisine Division will be open to the public. We'll watch and see what effect it achieves."

Yuan Bin was full of confidence, "I guarantee our Medicinal Cuisine Division will become the hospital's biggest gold-standard brand!"

Lu Jiu smiled and left the Medicinal Cuisine Division.

In fact, Lu Jiu acknowledged some of Yuan Bin's ideas.

What is the core of medicinal cuisine?

It's health!

Since it's operated by a Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital, it must ensure that it's pure and pollution-free.

Therefore, the freshness of the ingredients, and zero additives, is an absolute standard.

On this basis, with higher prices, Lu Jiu believes many people should not reject it.

Perhaps a medicinal meal might be more expensive than a dose of Chinese medicine or a regular meal. But if a medicinal meal equates to having both a meal and a dose of Chinese medicine, and tastes great, many people should understand its value return.

These days, people scrutinize ingredient lists when buying essentials like rice, oil, vinegar, and tea.

If there's a place where they can eat worry-free, it will undoubtedly become many people's first choice.

Especially with the younger generation being frail and unable to cook at home, they'll unquestionably become loyal customers of the Medicinal Cuisine Division.

Now with Yuan Bin bringing top chefs to research medicinal cuisine, while ensuring therapeutic effects and maintaining good taste, success is nearly foreseeable.

Thinking of this, Lu Jiu felt that one day, when the hospital's Medicinal Cuisine Division grows stronger and even offers delivery services, it might ultimately transform the dining scene of Jianghan City.

...