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Chapter 333: Chapter 273: Change the Company (Subscribe Please!)_1
After finishing business negotiations.
With a few drinks and not having seen each other in a while, Li Jianguo opened up about the origins of the dishes on the table. Some were traditionally learned from books while others were derived from ’inspecting’ offerings at other restaurants. Himself a master chef, a few bites were all he needed to discern the ingredients and even the order in which they were combined. With a bit of home practice, his imitation would be very close to the original dish.
After endless tweakings, Li Jianguo managed to stabilize the flavour. All Tang Qing, the taster, could do was give him the thumbs up as the taste was truly amazing.
In the past, Li Jianguo had only run small restaurants, with a few employees. He was so busy everyday he barely had time for anything else. Exhausted when he got home, he was sick at the smell of cooking and only wanted to sleep. Ever since BaiWei opened, his work has gotten easier, which gradually changed his mindset. He realized that working oneself to death is not a recipe for success. This led him to his ambition - to make more money.
He has gone on to teach his disciples everything he knows. Now, apart from a few complex dishes and new food exploration that require his oversight, he hardly cooks. This has freed up more time for him to consider the business side of things, something he had always considered a lofty concept.
He is not worried about being replaced by his disciples. After all, BaiWei is not some insignificant restaurant that can be easily duplicated for competition. In his mind, the most important thing about the restaurant is him-- the ceaseless spirit for progress, not the individual elements that have been studied and understood.
Having heard the introductory tour of the last dish, Tang Qing praises: "After listening to my uncle’s introduction, I am confident with the further development of the company."
Li Jianguo was pleased to hear Tang Qing’s praise: "That’s good enough. I was worried you think it’s evaporating into thin air. Now the catering industry is extremely competitive. One can either reach for the stars, like those large hotels, western restaurants, and seafood restaurants, focusing primarily on the atmosphere and secondarily on the taste.
Another way is to go deep. Although your uncle cooks Chinese food, he is not rigid. If one only makes Chinese food, one is on a dead-end road. Therefore, the uncle plans to go high and go deep at the same time."
"High" corresponds to the aforementioned aims. I plan to start with seafood restaurants and buffets. BaiWei, I hope, will not just be a stir-fry restaurant.
"Deep" would be easier. I could create a product with unique features. It could be a local snack or an evolution of another Chinese dish. The whole thing would be developed into a central kitchen model. All the ingredients would be prepared and then directly managed or franchised depending on the circumstances. Of course, these are just rough ideas at the moment. I will consult with your experts later. However, my initial idea is to start with a seafood restaurant..."
Afterwards, Li Jianguo, the ’seasoned amateur expert, gave Tang Qing a lengthy, non-stop discourse, although it was a bit chaotic and idealistic, lacking many details. But Tang Qing understood. Li Jianguo barely finished primary school, expecting him to produce a perfect business plan immediately is unrealistic. No problem, there was Sky Eye. Let them do the planning. That’s what Sky Eye does.
After they finished eating and drinking.
"I’m going to die... I’m going to die..."
"I can’t move, what should I do..."
Li Kai collapsed on the chair, tilting his head on the chair back, squinting his eyes, rubbing his belly, with a tell-tale "I’m going to pass out" expression.
"Serves you right, who told you to eat that much." Tang Qing replied irritably.
Li Kai replied: "Of course I’m going to eat a lot if it’s good. Oh no, I can’t move anymore. Old Tang, can I go to class later in the afternoon?"
"You rotten kid, trying to cut class, aren’t you?" Li Jianguo scolded with a laugh.
"No big deal, with Old Tang here, the teacher will definitely not complain." Li Kai is not scared at all.
"You have the nerve." Li Jianguo said.
Li Kai changed his posture, leaning against the chair sideways, and said confidently: "What’s wrong with that? Old Tang, just say the word, I really can’t move." After saying that,he leaned his body against the chair back in a feigned feminine way.
Tang Qing got goosebumps watching it.
"Stop it..., well, let’s rest for a while. When Li Kai is this full, he won’t be able to concentrate in class." Tang Qing shook his head and told Li Jianguo. He originally wanted to call Li Kai "flirtatious", but with Li Jianguo there, he couldn’t.C
"Xiao Tang, I’m afraid it might delay your studies." Li Jianguo said.
Before Tang Qing could show his modesty, Li Kai jumped in: "Dad, how could that be possible? Old Tang is the top of his class, his scores are almost perfect. He can easily become the top student. If I had these scores, I would have stopped going to school a long time ago."
After hearing this, Li Jianguo glared at his son and said: "Fortunately, you’re not. Learn from Xiao Tang. Despite his excellent grades, he still insists on going to class. What excuse do you have to slack off?" 𝔫𝖔𝖛𝖕𝔲𝔟.𝔠𝖔𝖒
Tang Qing was once again compared to other people’s children, so all he could do was smile bitterly.
"Alright, I got it..." Li Kai replied, unenthusiastically.
"You know nothing. Less than two months left until the National College Entrance Examination. If you don’t do well, see if I don’t punish you." Li Jianguo warned.
"What’s the standard for doing well? I’m definitely not as good as Old Tang, but is there any reward if I do well?" Li Kai started to negotiate terms.
Li Jianguo thought for a moment and said: "Of course there’s a reward. It’s not even a high standard. If you can get into a second-rate college, I’ll reward you with a computer. If you get into a first-rate college, I’ll reward you with a good computer, a good mobile phone, and two thousand yuan in cash." He knew his son’s grades weren’t great, so he set the condition just so he wouldn’t slack off.
