The Cheat Emperor of the Culinary World-Chapter 32: The Difference Between a Head Chef and an Executive Chef
The next day.
When the kitchen staff of both shifts were present, Yao Shi suddenly said, "The accountant from finance just came to see me."
As soon as he spoke, there was a buzz of discussion among the staff.
Everyone thought it was about the restaurant expansion finally being on the agenda.
But Yao Shi said, "It’s almost the end of the month, and finance has been compiling the daily consumption and purchasing details, and found that our kitchen’s consumption is a bit over budget."
Hearing this, everyone immediately heaved a sigh of relief.
The consumables for the kitchen are nothing more than seasonings, ingredients, utensils, and cleaning supplies.
Whatever was needed, they would report directly to the buyer.
The buyer would get the funds from finance, purchase the items, store them, and whoever needed them could take them.
However, there indeed was a monthly over-expenditure situation in the kitchen.
This was something unavoidable.
Things were indeed used up.
Everything procured for the kitchen was for commercial use, even seasonings like salt and chicken essence came in bulk containers, and no one would sneak them home.
But sometimes, waste did indeed occur.
For instance, when chefs were cooking, they occasionally added too much seasoning in the hustle, which would directly spill onto the countertop, and they’d just wipe it up with a rag instead of putting it back in the container, finding it too troublesome.
Or the special napkins used for wiping the edges of plates and bowls would often be used by chefs to wipe their hands and faces, and sometimes they’d take several at once and use them all.
The same with the dishcloths for washing dishes, which assistants often discarded several of in one day, given the heavy workload in the kitchen, they’d just toss them when they got too grimy instead of thoroughly scrubbing them clean.
Every end of the month, when finance compiled the accounts, they’d come to Yao Shi to settle the numbers.
After agreeing with finance, Yao Shi would turn around and supervise his subordinates.
However, he understood that this situation was impossible to eradicate, so he merely voiced his concerns in a perfunctory way.
The staff understood this perfectly well too.
They knew their boss made a big fuss over nothing, so they didn’t take it seriously, letting it go in one ear and out the other.
Yao Shi always kept his meetings short and sweet.
From gathering everyone to announcing the end of the meeting, it took just five minutes.
While everyone was there, Sun Qingning quickly went to Zhao Meng to ask for leave.
His girlfriend rarely had time off, and he wanted to take an extra day to be with her.
Zhao Meng said nothing, but his opinion of his subordinates had dropped significantly due to the previous incident.
His attitude towards Sun Qingning was noticeably indifferent: "Find someone to swap shifts with, and you can take the day off."
With the month-end evaluation approaching, Zhao Meng didn’t mention keeping Sun Qingning to practice, having already decided in his heart against the possibility of Sun Qingning becoming permanent.
Sun Qingning, having gained the head chef’s approval, gleefully turned to ask Fu Yu to switch shifts with him.
Fu Yu didn’t mind. Here, he had no family or girlfriend to accompany; whatever day he took off was just another day to clean Zhao Meng’s place.
He had no expectations.
Fu Yu agreed readily.
Sun Qingning promised to bring him some of his girlfriend’s research institute’s latest Dandong Strawberry No. 005 upon returning.
Fu Yu’s eyes lit up. Dandong strawberries were delicious indeed, large and tasty, just expensive, costing thirty to forty per pound in the supermarket.
He usually couldn’t afford to buy them.
Zhao Meng took the opportunity to call Fu Yu over and instructed him: "I’ve taken on two more events and can’t be away; the music restaurant has a large wedding banquet and needs people. I’ve talked to Chef Yao to have you assistant there. Make sure to work hard, ask Chef Yao if you need anything. He’s a nice person, not picky, you don’t need to be too reserved around him."
Fu Yu was thrilled: "Really? Thank you, Chef Zhao!"
For kitchen assistants, getting a chance to actually cook was incredibly rare and precious.
Usually, big chefs would say they were training assistants but merely used them as errand boys.
They not only wouldn’t teach culinary skills but would also more or less guard against them.
Fearing that one day, teaching the apprentice would starve the master.
But Zhao Meng was genuinely good to Fu Yu.
Not only did he personally guide and teach him with care.
But now he also connected him with Yao Shi, a head chef with high-level skills.
Creating a better learning opportunity for Fu Yu.
Zhao Meng waved his hand: "No need for flattery, once you’re there, grab the chance to practice. I’m telling you, never underestimate these banquet dinners, perfecting even a single dish is a skill!"
Fu Yu nodded, "I understand, but banquet dinners, however perfected, won’t they be cold once served?"
Zhao Meng widened his eyes: "You think the music restaurant grew fast and well by luck? Staying competitive, how?"
Fu Yu, curious, asked, "How?"
Zhao Meng explained seriously: "Large banquets’ cold dishes are simple, since guests aren’t there just for the food, the focus is on the events."
"But making cold dishes with distinction is a real skill. If guests remember and praise a dish after an event, you know how hard that is?"
"Unchangeable conditions aside, you can start elsewhere. For instance, choosing ingredients, plating, and pairing—it’s all wisdom. If you suddenly receive a family gathering order, guests arriving at different times, needing a gradual serving, how would you adjust so that latecomers enjoy their meals too?"
Fu Yu was perplexed.
He hadn’t considered this problem at all.
After all, he was just a kitchen assistant at a regular restaurant, not a music restaurant handling large events.
The two seemed worlds apart.
But Zhao Meng was now telling him all restaurants were essentially the same; skills learned anywhere could be applied creatively across the board.
Zhao Meng advised earnestly: "Cooking isn’t just theory; there are no strict boundaries. Customers each have their own preferences; their cravings are whims."
"As cooks, our job is to master every dish, and if we cook it, it must be the best."
"I’m telling you all this for your own good, hoping you’ll seize the opportunity and elevate your skills before the evaluation."
Fu Yu couldn’t help but say, "Chef Zhao, I’ve worked with Chef Yao twice, but didn’t find anything particularly remarkable about him. His technique with butter-roasted lobster isn’t as smooth as yours, to be honest."
Zhao Meng sighed: "If Chef Yao were that ordinary, how could he become the head chef? Do you know the difference between a head chef and a senior chef?"
Fu Yu: "Management skills? Response capabilities? Communication ability..."
Zhao Meng cut sharply: "A head chef’s role is to resolve issues when a chef’s dish doesn’t satisfy the customer, and to do so with the ability to make them happy. The foundation for this is excellent culinary skills, as customers come to eat, and only when they eat well are they satisfied."
Zhao Meng counseled earnestly: "You’re still young, plenty of time to hone yourself, but opportunities are rare. Now that you have one, make sure to seize it, understand?"
Fu Yu felt a warmth in his heart, nodded: "Rest assured, Chef Zhao, I understand."
Fu Yu had been a kitchen assistant for almost a year, doing miscellaneous chores.
Now it felt like Zhao Meng was genuinely pulling him up to cook, personally guiding him towards a higher level.
