CHAPTER 800: CHAPTER 404: BOSS SU’S SKILLS

After an intense conversation about matters Qin Huai was unaware of, Zheng Da burst into the kitchen of Huang Ji to make snacks at 4:18 PM.

Yes, you read it right, to make snacks.

Since there wasn’t enough time to knead the dough, Zheng Da directly repurposed the dough kneaded by Qin Huai and Zheng Siyuan, without caring what they originally planned to make, he just started making things chaotically.

The snacks that Qin Huai could recognize include: Qianhua Gongdeng Bun, Crab Cake, Dragon Beard Candy, lotus cake, Lychee Dumplings, Apple Dough Balls, Red Date Dumplings, Four Happiness Rolls, Goldfish Dumplings, several moderately difficult flower shaped buns, and some snacks that Qin Huai didn’t quite recognize but looked very appealing.

All these snacks required a high level of finger skill.

Zheng Da worked from 4 PM to 9 PM, over five straight hours without stopping, speaking, or responding to anyone, not even when Huang Shengli asked what was going on, he acted as if he couldn’t hear.

He didn’t make a lot of any snack, just one or two of each, making everyone curious about his intentions.

Even if he had taken the wrong medicine, you must find out which one it was.

Everyone, including Qin Huai, simply stayed in the kitchen of Huang Ji watching Zheng Da craft beautiful snacks until 9 PM. During this, Qin Huai briefly left the kitchen to consult Su Qian about the situation at Zhiwei Restaurant.

Qin Huai had already booked his journey to Zhiwei Restaurant the day after tomorrow and picked out a place to stay.

A two-bedroom house under Boss Su’s name, Qin Huai suspected that he got accustomed to living in two-bedroom places recently. Whether in Yunzhong District or at Huang Ji’s, the accommodations were two-bedroom, making him now feel that two-bedroom places are particularly nice.

A one-bedroom is a bit small, a three-bedroom has too much space, two-bedroom is just right. If friends or his sister come over, they can stay together, very convenient.

Boss Su was very efficient, quickly ordering a high-speed rail ticket for Qin Huai, along with a Hangzhou travel guide.

Hangzhou, famous as a tourist spot, has many places worth visiting. Boss Su mentioned to Qin Huai that visiting Zhiwei Restaurant doesn’t have to be solely about learning; the apprentices here engage in competitive learning, but the master chefs never do.

For example, Master Zhou enjoys strolling by the lake in the midday or afternoon breeze. Maintaining a pleasant mood and a leisurely routine helps the master chefs create outstanding snacks.

Qin Huai promptly saved the travel guide.

Previously, when he was at Huang Ji, he would visit Gusu during breaks, exploring gardens with Dong Shi. Although Dong Shi usually arranged his break times to match Qin Huai’s, guiding him around Gusu’s famous spots so Qin Huai wouldn’t get swindled or confused.

Qin Huai appreciated Dong Shi’s thoughtfulness but remarked it would be better if Dong Shi talked a bit less during their outings.

Compared to Dong Shi’s attentiveness, Boss Su’s thoughtfulness had a more measured touch, simply providing a travel guide without arranging a guide for Qin Huai.

With just that travel guide, Qin Huai sensed the difference between Zhiwei Restaurant and Huang Ji.

Though Huang Ji is a high-end restaurant, it essentially operates as a family-run business. The Young Master, regardless of capability, is still the Young Master, destined to inherit the restaurant.

All current and future chefs in the kitchen are apprentices of Huang Shengli, virtually eliminating outsiders. Even auxiliary workers are long-term, nearly apprentice-level assistants.

This model imbues Huang Ji with deep personal warmth but also presents challenges—such as when the head chef Huang Shengli faces unexpected issues, like health problems render him unfit for the role. The Young Master possesses inadequate management skills, and Huang Ji lacks professional management talents, not even having a professional accountant, under which circumstances, the business could suffer catastrophic setbacks.

Zhiwei Restaurant is quite the opposite of Huang Ji.

Though it follows a traditional master-apprentice model, Zhiwei boasts plenty of master chefs who can be differentiated into various specialties.

Having many people and factions fosters conflicts and complex interpersonal dynamics. Often the conflicts don’t need flat antagonists as in novels or films; mere mutual displeasure or critique of craftsmanship suffices.

For instance, Master Zhou dislikes Zheng Da.

Is Master Zhou an antagonist? Clearly not, to cast the foremost pastry master as a villain would be wasteful.

Has Zheng Da done anything to offend Master Zhou? Certainly not. Master Zhou spends every day at Zhiwei Restaurant making snacks and teaching apprentices, while Zheng Da is usually in Gusu, traveling for business, rarely crossing paths, yet it doesn’t stop Master Zhou from disliking Zheng Da.

Sometimes at exchange meetings, Master Zhou sneers at Zheng Da, casting sideway glances, playing the role of a simplistic antagonist.

Theoretically, such a complicated kitchen environment isn’t suitable for the long-term development of a high-end restaurant. While restaurant management is complex, cooking and snack making are pure crafts.

Zhiwei Restaurant’s resilience over the years owes much to Boss Su’s adept management.

Boss Su and Huang An Yao seem to be two extremes. Before taking over Zhiwei, Boss Su was also a Young Master. Zhiwei is a renowned old brand in Hangzhou, founded by Boss Su’s great-grandfather.