The Cheat Emperor of the Culinary World-Chapter 174 - 173: Zhao Meng Unleashes Another Trump Card
Zhao Meng listened to Gu Yunwu finish speaking and quickly exchanged a glance with Yao Shi before standing up.
He neither evaded responsibility nor was disingenuous, instead, he directly apologized, "We indeed handled this matter somewhat improperly on our side, I should apologize to Chef Gu. Lao Gu, I'm sorry!"
As soon as he finished speaking, everyone present was suddenly left staring at each other!
What's going on?
The straight-talking tough guy Zhao Meng actually apologized to Gu Yunwu?
Never mind others, even Gu Yunwu was caught off guard for a moment.
This...
He just apologized like that?
Isn't it supposed to be a war of words, then the boss decides who's right and who's wrong?
You Zhao Meng weren't like this before!
Also, what do you mean by apologizing?
Oh, you think just apologizing settles it?
What about the customers you took?
Are you not returning my clientele or what?
Thinking of this, Gu Yunwu gritted his teeth in hatred.
Damn you, Zhao Meng!
In front of others, you act like a brute, but in reality, you're the most cunning and slick!
Gu Yunwu was so angry his liver hurt: "Chef Zhao, this isn't something a simple apology can fix!"
Zhao Meng still maintained a look of remorse, sincerely saying, "Actually, even if you didn't mention it today, I was also planning to apologize to you and discuss this matter with the management."
Gu Yunwu: "!"
Are you trying to fool an idiot?
This kind of self-humiliating act, Zhao Meng, could you really pull it off?
Zhao Meng didn't even acknowledge Gu Yunwu's cold expression, earnestly saying to Dong Jun Tian, "Boss, I have here a summary of the dishes ordered from the customer orders. Please take a look."
Saying so, Zhao Meng took out the printed orders he had prepared in advance and distributed them one by one to everyone present.
Everyone accepted the papers in astonishment.
Customer order dish menu?
What's there to see?
For a moment, everyone's curiosity was piqued.
Even Gu Yunwu was closely watching Zhao Meng's every move.
An indescribable sixth sense told him that this old fox Zhao Meng seemed to be readying for another big move!
Having previously suffered twice at Zhao Meng's hand, Gu Yunwu still felt wary at this moment.
Receiving the reservation menu, Gu Yunwu carefully looked through the dishes one by one.
There's nothing special about it?
The customer ordered the house's popular specialty dishes recently, what's there to look at?
Aside from the composed Yao Shi, everyone else wore puzzled expressions, unable to discern what Zhao Meng was getting at.
Dong Jun Tian carefully examined the content of all the orders.
Zhao Meng continued, "These six orders are from the past two days, obtained through promotional giveaways and advertising for our restaurant. The reason I am showing you the details of these orders is that I found a new business opportunity through them which can take our restaurant's marketing performance to new heights."
"All along, our restaurant has focused on traditional authentic old flavors as the main marketing promotion direction. However, like other restaurants, Four Seas Banquet, Ju Feng Garden, and Triple A, while maintaining their characteristic dishes, also promoted innovative cuisine. For instance, the recently popular baked cheese lava hot pot and snail rice noodle family set, and we only started promoting a specialty dish this year, conceived and developed by Fu Yu on our side."
"Young people have a broader perspective than us, and are more receptive to new things, bringing a stronger ability to introduce innovative dishes!
"In fact, we old-timers in the kitchen have a deficiency in innovation, which is an area we need to improve and enhance!"
There was pin-drop silence among the crowd.
Just because of an innovative dish, all customers decided to place orders with Zhao Meng?
How could that be!
Gu Yunwu looked incredulous!
Are you trying to fool an idiot?
This is utterly impossible!
The innovative Harvest Stew has been promoted in the house for a while, and when Zhao Meng introduced it to customers over there, they definitely also introduced it here!
Even if you're going to make things up, it shouldn't be so baseless and forced!
Zhao Meng finished speaking and discreetly observed the reactions of everyone present.
Seeing the atmosphere had been sufficiently set, he then cut to the chase, "Everyone, take a look. These orders actually all have two dishes in common, one is the Harvest Stew conceived by Fu Yu, and the other is the improved Spicy Salt Mantis Shrimp."
"Innovation Harvest Stew, everyone knows what it is, so let me focus now on the improved Spicy Salt Mantis Shrimp!"
Zhao Meng explained in detail how the improved Spicy Salt Mantis Shrimp's presentation had been intricately re-carved, making it easier for customers to peel and eat.
After describing it, Zhao Meng said, "Actually, the reason we were able to attract customers from Chef Gu's side is because we focused on promoting these two specialty dishes. However, technically it's not really poaching because customers made the choice to place orders with us after hearing both sides' promotional introductions."
Following Zhao Meng's explanation, Gu Yunwu was instantly dumbfounded.
This... how is this possible!
After cooking, the shell of the Spicy Salt Mantis Shrimp becomes hard and crunchy. How could it be cut to such a degree that it could be easily opened by hand?
Zhao Meng's talk is absolutely absurd!
Slander!
It's pure fabrication, sheer nonsense!
However, when Zhao Meng uploaded the cooking video of the Spicy Salt Mantis Shrimp to the work group, Gu Yunwu was completely speechless.
Everyone present fell into silence.
Because the operation in the video was so exquisite, like a specially filmed gourmet documentary.
Amateurs watch for fun.
The front-of-house managers, financial accountants, and other front-desk leaders watched the video focusing on those slender hands, their eyes unblinking as they watched those hands skillfully and swiftly carve lines on one shrimp after another.
When it came time to peel the shrimp, the ease was as if simply plucking a side dish off the mantis shrimp, straightforward and effortless.
It looked stunning!
And indeed, the dish was excellently improved!
After watching the hands, followed by the dish, one could only think it was alive with color and fragrance, this Spicy Salt Mantis Shrimp was indeed worth trying.
Professionals look at the method.
Everyone there was an expert, and it could be quickly told that the so-called improvement was actually a test of the chef's knife skills.
Once cooked to a crisp, carving the shells to leave guidelines for easy peeling required quick, accurate, and precise knife work.
When Fu Yu operated, it was clear that he did it easily and very proficiently.
What does this signify?
It signifies that Fu Yu's knife skills are already very impressive.
Gu Yunwu watched the video twice over, especially scrutinizing the few seconds when Fu Yu wielded the knife, pausing and examining repeatedly.
It is precisely because he is professional that he can see the extraordinary aspect within it.
Likewise, for this reason, the shock he felt was even more astounding.
It can't be possible!
Gu Yunwu murmured to himself.
Unable to believe what he was seeing.
