Obviously, Lin Canrong’s careful and meticulous planning had all paid off at that moment.
Elena said, “Lucas, can I ask you more about Chinese and Western cuisines?” Jia Nuo pondered for a moment. “I’m afraid I don’t know enough to answer your questions, but I can invite the branch manager over.”
Elena: “If it wouldn’t interrupt his work, I would really appreciate it!”
Jia Nuo left the private room and returned a moment later with Lin Canrong in tow.
Lin Canrong smiled and said, “My surname is Lin, and I am the branch manager of this restaurant. Are both of you satisfied with our food and service?”
Although Lin Canrong was also learning English, he was old and busy with work. Thus, it was still difficult for him to communicate smoothly with foreigners.
That was why he had to trouble Jia Nuo to translate his words.
Fortunately, Jia Nuo had worked as a simultaneous interpreter before, and translating Lin Canrong’s words for customers was chicken feet to him.
Elena nodded. “We’re very satisfied! This is the most amazing meal I have ever eaten. You pay a lot of attention to the details and hold yourself to high standards for both Chinese and Western cuisine alike. That has left a deep impression on me.
“I’m a gourmet enthusiast, and I’ve always been confused about something that I want to clarify with you, Branch Manager Lin. I wonder if you can help to resolve my confusion.”
Lin Canrong replied humbly, “I wouldn’t dare to say that I can help to resolve your confusion, but I would be happy to discuss my views.”
Elena asked, “The taste of food is intensifying now, and many dishes are made so that one can no longer taste the original ingredients. I wonder what you think about that, Branch Manager Lin.”
After some consideration, Lin Canrong said, “That is indeed a trend in the world of delicacies.
“I think there are two main reasons for this. “The first is the stiff competition. The food industry is cruel. Even the best restaurants in the world have to continuously research new dishes and provide entertainment in the restaurant.
“If they do not try to spruce up the environment, they would be seen as making no attempt to improve. After all, the customers’ attention can be easily drawn away by other things in the restaurant.
“On top of that, there is the problem with customers’ demands. Many other brands would deceive or tempt consumers, leaving them with too stark comparisons and too much stimulation.
“As a result, consumers lose their ability to appreciate certain flavors and constantly seek more intense ones.
“As the food and beverage industry continues to use intense flavors to excite consumers’ taste buds, a vicious cycle would form. As a consumer, I would definitely want to eat ‘more delicious’ food. However… I think that does not match the philosophy behind Chinese cuisine. “Chinese cuisine is about neutrality. Each dish has its place, with every ingredient having its unique taste. Strive to bring out natural flavors and infuse flavor to those that lack it. There is no one-size-fits-all in food. Cater to the individual’s palate…”
“Simply put, every ingredient should have their own unique taste. When trying to match various ingredients, the chef has to make sure that their natural flavors blend well and not try to forcefully blend them together using artificial flavors.
“A single dish also should not remain the same for too long. Instead, the chef has to match the dish to each consumer’s special requests.
“That’s why our restaurant is constantly trying to balance those two factors. We want to keep the food’s original flavors without adding artificial flavoring or additives, make our food nutritious and healthy, and continuously improve the taste of our dishes at the same time.
“Take the Steamed Chinese Cabbage in Supreme Soup that both of you had today, for example. There’s a saying that cabbage is still the most delicious among all vegetables. Although it’s a very common ingredient, as long as you cook it with care, you could still make it as desirable as other precious and uncommon dishes.”
Jia Nuo accurately translated the message that Lin Canrong was trying to convey, causing the two ladies to nod profusely.
Jessica was listening very intently. If she had heard these words before today, she would have scoffed and acted like she had not heard it. She would write it off as an excuse for Chinese cuisine tasting worse than modern Western cuisine. However, after eating today’s dishes, she could finally understand the rich and philosophical concepts she was hearing now.
‘Steamed Chinese Cabbage in Supreme Soup’ completely embodied what Branch Manager Lin had been saying about the competition being which dish could taste blander. No modern artificial flavoring had been added, and the soup looked extremely clear. Yet, its blandness also contained an exquisite taste. Elena nodded. “Branch Manager Lin, your words make a lot of sense. They’ve been of great help to me. Thank you! How do you view the difference between Western and Chinese cuisine, Branch Manager Lin? Which do you think is better?”
Lin Canrong smiled. “Deliciousness is subjective. Everyone’s taste is different. I don’t think there’s a need to say that one is better than the other.
“Every dish has its roots in its culture. What’s more, Western cuisine seems to be more acceptable to the rest of the world now because Western culture has been more widely accepted.
“Many people are also content with a smattering of knowledge about Chinese cuisine. They judge the food based purely on how intense the flavors are. Obviously, they would be reviewing Chinese cuisine based on the wrong system, and it would be impossible for them to arrive at the right conclusions.
“The beauty of Chinese cuisine has to be understood against its specific cultural backdrop. It’s not just food to satisfy one’s appetite, but it’s also an expression of thought and philosophy. “Take a very common dish, Dongpo Pork[1], for example. If you don’t understand its historical background, it would be no different from ordinary braised pork. “However, if you know the story of Su Dongpo, the reason why he invented this dish and even saw the beautiful scenery by the West Lake in Spring… then, the meaning of the dish would be different altogether.
“Only one who has read Su Dongpo’s poems and seen his calligraphy can taste Dongpo Pork; otherwise, one would only be eating ordinary braised pork.
“Many Westerners don’t understand these and review Chinese cuisine according to Western standards. Of course, they would arrive at the conclusion that Chinese cuisine is worse than Western. However, that would be an obvious mistake.
“Going back to your initial question… “I don’t think it’s wrong for modern Western cuisine to pursue an exquisite taste by controlling quantities. I also don’t think that it’s wrong for Chinese cuisine to focus on its culture.
“Our restaurant does not discriminate against either style but strives to understand every single dish while providing a taste that would best appeal to and suit our diners.”
Jia Nuo elegantly and concisely translated Lin Canrong’s speech while fully capturing the meaning behind every word.
Elena nodded profusely. At last, she sincerely said, “I see! Branch Manager Lin, you have a deep understanding of food indeed. I’m amazed!”
Jessica was moved as well. “I will get rid of my prejudice against Chinese cuisine. So it’s not that it tastes horrible, but that other Chinese restaurants do not measure up.”
Lin Canrong smiled. “Not at all. I am just a struggling student, trying to understand the extensive and profound food culture.”
Elena said, “Branch Manager Lin, I am actually a food blogger. Can I write everything that I experienced today on my blog? You have a unique understanding of the food and beverage industry, and you’ve given me a whole new perspective.” Still smiling, Lin Canrong nodded. “Of course, you can.”
After sending the two foreign friends away, Jia Nuo wiped the sweat from his forehead. “Branch Manager, those two don’t seem like ordinary people
. It’s a good thing that you make us memorize the details of every dish, or I might have made a fool of myself.
“Still, your final speech about the difference between Chinese and Western cuisine and culture was very well-put. I could see that our foreign friends were fully convinced.”
After a moment of silence, Lin Canrong said, “Actually, I only recently realized that by chance. Coincidentally, it came in handy today.” Jia Nuo was stunned. “You only realized that by chance? Branch Manager, that sudden realization really came at the right time, right?”
Lin Canrong looked stern. “It looks like a coincidence, but in reality… it was planned.
“I looked for Boss Pei earlier, intending to open a new branch, but Boss Pei rejected my suggestion. After that, I went back to think hard about what Boss Pei thought Ming Yun Private Kitchen’s role was.
“Subsequently, I understood. Ming Yun Private Kitchen is a unique restaurant that pursues quality over quantity. It’s meant to provide the best experience for all diners.
“The best experience, by nature, cannot be copied. Boss Pei kept emphasizing that Ming Yun Private Kitchen cannot set up another branch but has to spend as much money as possible on improving details. “I kept trying to find gaps to fill so that every aspect of this restaurant could be perfect. Our restaurant would not give foreigners special treatment. Instead, we will treat every customer equally and provide the perfect dining experience for all.
“Today, we only hosted two slightly pickier diners from overseas, but this means a lot because we have passed the test. As long as we take every day as our first day, treat every customer as our first customer, and value every diner’s feedback; we will become the best.
“I learned all of those things while reflecting on Boss Pei’s intentions, including the difference between Western and Chinese cuisine, as well as current developments in the food and beverage industry.
“I think that we can only fulfill Boss Pei’s expectations of Ming Yun Private Kitchen by working hard to meet this same standard!”
[1] This is the traditional braised pork belly.
Chapter 543 - Thinking of Tricks for Shang Yang Games
June 9th, Thursday… After planning for the manufacturing of the Fully-Automated Bickering Machine on Monday, Pei Qian had more free time over the next two days.
Every now and then, he checked in on Tengda Games, Deposit Fitness, and Fish-Catching Take-Out. Everything looked peaceful and calm.
At noon, Pei Qian ate lunch at Fish-Catching Internet Cafe as usual. As he sipped his coffee, he organized his mind map of inter-departmental relationships.
Ding. His cell phone rang. Pei Qian picked it up and frowned at once. It was a message from the Management Trainee at Ming Yun Private Kitchen.
“Boss Pei, there has been an obvious increase in the number of foreigners making reservations at Ming Yun Private Kitchen over the past two days.”
An obvious increase in the number of foreigners? Something seemed fishy!
Pei Qian immediately became cautious.
Before this, during their meeting, he had repeatedly instructed all Management Trainees to report any ‘abnormalities’ to him immediately and not to wait until the next Management Trainee meeting. That way, Pei Qian could greatly minimize the chances of any ‘delayed back-stabbing’.
After all, for many types of threats, a day’s delay in realizing could make a world of difference.
The Management Trainee at Ming Yun Private Kitchen was obviously doing a good job.
“Do you know the reason?” Pei Qian replied at once.
The Management Trainee answered, “I’m not sure. I’m guessing that a particularly influential foreigner came and had a meal here and then shared this restaurant with his or her friends.
“Branch Manager Lin has been focusing a lot on service during this period. The foreigners are having a better dining experience in this restaurant. Explaining the dishes and our country’s traditional food culture in English has been especially effective.”
Pei Qian remained silent for a moment and then answered, “Well done. Thank you.”
Pei Qian was very satisfied with this Management Trainee’s report.
See, this is what I call a professional underling!
I have to single this Management Trainee out and praise him at the next meeting, so that the other Management Trainees will learn from him!
After getting hold of this important message, Pei Qian began to analyze the situation very seriously. He had not expected that Lin Canrong’s decision to make all waiters learn English would be this effective.
However, from the looks of the current situation, things didn’t look that serious.
Lin Canrong was spending more money training his waiters and making them learn foreign languages. However, Ming Yun Private Kitchen’s prices remained the same, and it was still fully booked every day.
So what if there were more foreigners reserving tables? They would not generate more profit for the restaurant, would they? “Hmm… on the surface, it’s not that dangerous. Still, I can’t afford to be careless. What if there’s a hidden and unexpected threat?”
Pei Qian glanced at his watch.
“It’s almost 1 PM. I should stick to my original plan and drop by Shang Yang Games. After that, I’ll figure out exactly what’s happening at Ming Yun Private Kitchen.”
Pei Qian considered it for a long time but could not figure out how an improvement in Ming Yun Private Kitchen’s reputation would pose any real danger to himself. Thus, he cast it aside for now.
In the afternoon, Pei Qian arrived at Shang Yang Games. On the way here, Pei Qian took time to surf the web on his phone and study what netizens thought about the ‘arms race’ between GOG and IOI.
He could only say that the situation did not look good!
If the competition between the two games could be split into two stages, GOG would have already won both stages and put an end to the competition.
In the first stage, GOG had won over the majority of gamers who had been sitting back to observe the industry by turning the game into a dual-terminal game, maintaining a smooth network, enabling quick matching, giving out cash at the end of each competition season, and the like.
On the other hand, IOI had only opened its local server after GOG finished distributing cash, and it did not even have a mobile version.
In the second stage, IOI kick-started the arms race by updating the game at top speed and releasing two new heroes each month, in the hopes of stealing some of GOG’s players away.
However, GOG began crowdsourcing heroes, and subsequently released two incredibly popular heroes, Traveller Bao Xu and the Literary Genius of the Winds, Ruan. It also distributed generous rewards as part of its crowdsourcing efforts, thus keeping its players focused on GOG’s new heroes.
All in all, IOI was updating its game very quickly, but it still could not poach many gamers over.
Although the ‘arms race’ between both games would continue for the next few months or even a year—from the looks of the current situation, there was already a clear winner.
As long as Min Jingchao did not mess up, GOG could continue crowdsourcing heroes to maintain the quality of their heroes and hold the gamers’ attention.
In summary, the entire Internet did not think things would go well for IOI.
Pei Qian was troubled. No matter whether it was GOG or IOI that became popular, he would still generate profits. However, Pei Qian was still rooting for IOI a bit more for now.
After all, he had to send Lin Wan away first.
No matter how much his own game earned, things would still be within his control. He could still distribute cash and share profits with gamers to diffuse the situation.
However, the betrayal by Lin Wan and her siblings was unpredictable. They posed the greatest threat! Just speaking about it made Pei Qian furious. Thanks to Lin Chang, Tomorrow is Beautiful had participated in a film festival, won an award, had its overseas screening ext
ended, and made millions of US dollars. What’s more, it was still a long way from being taken down.
It was clear where the biggest threat lay!
Pei Qian knew full well that everyone in Shang Yang Games was feeling discouraged. It was the perfect time for Boss Pei to offer some encouragement. Once he arrived at Shang Yang Games, Pei Qian walked straight into the conference room.
He already informed them of his visit in advance, and all the core members of Shang Yang Games were already waiting in the conference room.
“Boss Pei.”
Everyone stood up as a form of respect, but they had disappointed expressions. Lin Wan was no exception.
Pei Qian’s heart thudded.
What’s up with all of your faces? Don’t you dare give up!
He cleared his throat and said, “It seems like publicity for IOI’s local server hasn’t been going well recently. Don’t worry, everyone. Don’t look so dejected. Say whatever’s on your mind.”
Everyone exchanged knowing looks. At last, Lin Wan spoke first.
“Now, we understand what it’s like being competitors of Tengda. There’s nothing we can do about it. Our own family members are often the hardest people to deal with. What’s more, we have a useless teammate.”
Pei Qian’s heart sank. “A useless teammate?”
Are they referring to me? Do they know that I was the one who came up with the Literary Genius of the Winds?
Pei Qian began to panic inside
Wang Xiaobin explained, “We’re referring to Finger Games, Boss Pei. We already knew that we would not be able to compete with GOG if things carried on this way, and so we wrote a couple of emails to Finger Games to give them our suggestions. “Yet, from their replies, it was clear that they were rejecting them.
“What’s more, they seemed to be blaming us. Their emails seemed to imply that IOI has been doing well and receiving good feedback in every other region around the world except for ours. Obviously, they think that there’s a problem with our management strategy.”
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