Chapter 6 — 10 Years Working as a Kitchen in the Hau Palace

The man in his forties had tears in his eyes. "The cost of organizing a summer party is twice as high as in previous years, but it makes the Hau palace lose face. The chambers and institutes also rioted, demanding to build their own kitchens, which is a huge expense. Now the lady is in a dilemma, only you can solve the problem!" He thought I would compromise, but I just showed no expression and knelt down straight in front of him. Their eyes were equal, I said softly: "There's no need to bother the manager to convey the message to the lady. Right now she's only looking for me because the fire has burned to her feet, she needs someone to come back and clean up the aftermath, not because she really appreciates me. The contract has ended, the two sides no longer owe each other. Please don't continue to bother me in the future." "A Lien..." I didn't pay attention to his call to hold back, stood up, pushed open the small courtyard door, and without hesitation slammed the door. I slept fitfully all night. The next day, as soon as it was bright, we were on our way to the restaurant to officially celebrate the opening day. The young lady had her father, the Prime Minister, backing her. That day, guests came like clouds, people crowded together. I was so busy in the kitchen that I didn't even have time to take a sip of water. Halfway through, the lady called me to her private room. "There is a distinguished guest who wants to see you." I was stunned. Miss worked as fast as the wind, didn't give me time to think, and directly pulled me away. The person sitting in the main position in the private room somewhat resembled a young lady. I vaguely guessed his identity. He pointed to the crab stuffed with oranges in front of him. "This dish is not bad. The oranges eliminate the fishy smell of the crabs, and the crabs retain the aroma of the oranges. Unlike other places, it is especially fresh. Is there anything worth mentioning about the method?" This is the first time a diner is interested in the story behind the dish. I immediately concentrated my mind, neither arrogant nor self-deprecating, and said: "Choosing an orange is very important. You must choose a fruit with a thick skin and a slightly sour taste. The crab must use one male and one female, steam eight parts, then remove the meat, mix well with orange juice, salt and vinegar. Finally, stuff the orange peel back, steam until fully ripe, the flavors will blend." Having finished speaking, I pointed to the tea cup in his hand. "Ripe Pu-erh tea is warm, has a warm nature. can neutralize the coldness of crab, it is most suitable to use together.” Everyone sitting at the table nodded slightly, obviously very satisfied with the dishes. The prime minister smiled softly: "No wonder my daughter values you and took the trouble to invite you back. It's truly worth it!" After returning to the kitchen, I still had a faint smile on my face. The main chef saw this and asked curiously: "What's wrong, miss, did you reward yourself with silver?" I just pursed my lips and smiled, not saying anything. It's not silver, but it's a better reward than silver. 13 Late at night, after all the guests had left, I sat with the young lady at the counter. She played the abacus and exclaimed: "Ah Lien, fortunately with you, today could go smoothly, without any mistakes." A few days before preparing the ingredients, the young lady and I had different opinions. Initially, she created a dense menu. "Opening today, we must show our strength." I looked at the menu for a long time, cruelly crossing out more than half of the dishes, only keeping a few typical dishes and family dishes. The young lady looked puzzled. "A Lien, what are you doing?" "The first day there are many guests, and there are two tables reserved for the banquet. The workload in the kitchen has almost reached its limit. Too many dishes will easily cause chaos and errors. Just take care, pray for stability, and ensure the quality of the dishes. Guests will not compare the quantity, only pay attention to the taste." The lady pondered for a moment and then immediately stopped.

agreed. "Okay, listen to you. You are more professional than me." Today was indeed as I predicted, everything was under control. I thought for a moment. Knowing that pouring cold water will make others uncomfortable, I still remind: "On the opening day there will be discounts and gifts, so of course there will be many customers. After these few days have passed, we will still have to regularly update the dishes. The dishes that customers like will be kept for a long time, and the dishes that customers don't like will be completely eliminated. People must be mobile, the menu must also be mobile." The lady's action of plucking the abacus stopped. I thought she was unhappy, but I didn't expect her to turn around and look at me seriously. "A Lien, meeting you is my blessing." The sound of someone knocking on the clock rang out three times, and the lady finally put down her books and stretched her back. She did not hide anything, directly informed me of today's revenue. "A hundred and fifty taels! This is only the first day. Ah Lien, we are about to make a fortune!" The restaurant's business is extremely prosperous, and my reputation has secretly spread throughout the city. "I heard that she is a female chef from the Marquis palace, her skills are unique." "Not only that, even the Prince has become a regular customer, only likes to eat her dishes." "The price is not high. to the point where we can't reach it. Us commoners who have saved up money can also come and taste it."