Chapter 529

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Protagonist:

Lu Feng

"Mm, that's good then."

Yang Zhenguang gave a slight nod, his tone steady as he instructed, "In a bit, hold a short meeting with the chefs. Have them go over the workflow for the dishes they're each responsible for tomorrow one more time. Emphasize the plating standards and serving speed. Once everything's confirmed correct, let everyone get off work early and rest up to face tomorrow's opening."

"Got it!"

The Head Chef agreed readily, turned around, clapped his hands, and shouted at the chefs, "Everyone, come over here for a meeting. I'll brief you on tomorrow's work!"

The chefs gathered around one after another. Although their faces showed some fatigue, there was even more anticipation for tomorrow's opening.

Yang Zhenguang did not join them for the meeting, but continued checking the kitchen one by one.

As the restaurant's General Manager Chef, even though the Head Chef had just said everything was ready, he still had to personally verify every detail to be completely at ease.

He had always been extremely meticulous in his work. Tomorrow's opening was not only the restaurant's first debut to him, but also an important milestone in his culinary career. He absolutely would not allow any mistakes to appear.

"Special Chef Yang, I've already checked the front of house. There are no issues at all."

At this moment, Zhou Li walked into the back kitchen and reported to Yang Zhenguang with a serious expression.

Yang Zhenguang stopped, looked at Zhou Li, and asked, "Manager Zhou, roughly how many tables can we seat with tomorrow's guests?"

Upon hearing this, Zhou Li pulled a black notebook from her pocket, flipped to a page, quickly scanned the recorded data, and said, "Based on the number of invitation cards sent out by our Market Department, tomorrow's guests can fill the entire restaurant. However, considering some special circumstances, five to six tables might be left empty."

"How could there still be empty tables?"

Yang Zhenguang's brows immediately furrowed, his tone carrying clear dissatisfaction: "Tomorrow is the restaurant's first day of business. For us, if the occupancy rate can't reach one hundred percent, that's not a perfect start. It would also make our restaurant look like it lacks popularity. This won't do!"

"It's like this, Special Chef Yang."

Zhou Li closed the notebook, walked up to Yang Zhenguang, lowered her voice, and explained, "The invitation cards we sent out this time were actually mainly targeting the core customers of the Lu Family Restaurant next door. According to Market Department feedback, some of them accepted the invitation cards but explicitly stated they wouldn't come tomorrow. These people are uncertain factors. By our calculation, there might be around five tables' worth of vacancies from this portion of customers."

"But Special Chef Yang doesn't need to worry. For this situation, our Market Department has other solutions. This afternoon, the Market Department sent out another batch of invitation cards, inviting elite personnel from various industries in Jiang City. The response rate from this group of guests is quite high, and they can completely fill those vacancies. Tomorrow the restaurant will definitely be packed to capacity."

After listening, Yang Zhenguang's tightly knit brows gradually relaxed. He nodded, showing approval: "Mm, good. Then let's arrange it like that."

He then turned his gaze to the Head Chef not far away and instructed solemnly, "Head Chef, you do one last careful check of the back kitchen's fire safety equipment, the gas valves, and the water and electricity switches. If there are no problems, everyone lock up and get off work in a bit."

"Received!"

The Head Chef immediately responded.

Yang Zhenguang glanced at this battlefield that would face its test tomorrow. After confirming there were no omissions, he greeted Zhou Li and was the first to leave the restaurant.

After Yang Zhenguang left, the chefs in the back kitchen also left one after another.

As the person in charge of the restaurant, Zhou Li's rigor in work was in no way inferior to Yang Zhenguang's.

She was the last to leave. Before leaving, she did another comprehensive inspection of the entire restaurant. Only after confirming there were no issues did she lock the door and leave the restaurant.

Zhou Li passed by the entrance of the Lu Family Restaurant next door and glanced at the signboard above the gate.

The formal confrontation between the two restaurants would draw its curtain tomorrow.

Only this time, Zhou Li was full of confidence in her heart.

She did not believe a small restaurant with an area not even one-fifth of theirs would be their match.

…………

The next day at noon, although the Lu Family Restaurant didn't open, Sunshine Garden's grand opening ceremony still attracted many onlookers from the Food Street.

During this time, Zhou Li also took a moment to look at the Lu Family Restaurant side. Seeing their gate tightly shut, with no promotional activities or countermeasures posted on the door, she felt slightly more at ease.

After all, the Lu Family Restaurant was the only competitor on Food Street. If they launched some promotional activity at this time, relying on the influence they had accumulated on Food Street over the years, it would very likely have more or less of an impact on their restaurant's first day of business.

But judging from the current situation, that Boss named Lu Feng probably knew the huge gap between him and their high-end restaurant and didn't plan to put up any futile resistance.

Zhou Li turned back to look at the customers packed three layers deep inside the restaurant, and a confident smile appeared on her face.

Perhaps, when the Lu Family Restaurant opens for business this evening, their business will plummet.

Zhou Li really wanted to go see at that time what kind of expression would be on that Boss named Lu Feng's face...

"From today on, this restaurant will have to trouble Mr. Yang to take great care of it."

After the incomparably lively opening ceremony ended, Guo Mingyuan held Yang Zhenguang's hand and said very warmly.

As Zhou Li's direct superior, the General Manager of Sunshine Garden Catering Group's Jiangcheng Branch, and also the person who approved the plan to open a restaurant on Food Street, Guo Mingyuan undoubtedly attended today's opening ceremony.

"You're too polite, General Manager Guo."

Yang Zhenguang said with a smile.

"I've long heard of Mr. Yang's culinary skill and have always wanted to try it, but never found the opportunity."

Guo Mingyuan laughed heartily, looked at Yang Zhenguang, and asked, "I wonder if there's a chance today to satisfy this little curiosity of mine?"

"Yes, the restaurant has prepared plenty of ingredients today. If General Manager Guo wishes, you can certainly taste them."

Yang Zhenguang nodded in agreement after hearing this.

"Then I'll have to trouble Mr. Yang."

Guo Mingyuan said with a smile, then called to the several accompanying personnel behind him: "Mr. Yang, they are all senior management of our company, and they also hold your culinary skill in high reverence. If I eat alone and let them stand watching on the side, I'd feel rather uncomfortable. How about troubling Mr. Yang to make a portion for each of them as well?"

"Mm, just a moment."

Yang Zhenguang didn't say much else, just gave a faint nod, then turned and walked into the kitchen.

For his somewhat reluctant demeanor, Guo Mingyuan didn't mind.

After all, getting this Yang Zhenguang to be the restaurant's Head Chef had cost their company no small price.

But he has the skill; no matter how great the cost, it's worth it.

Guo Mingyuan knew Yang Zhenguang's temper very well too.

Before the opening, he had wanted to taste Yang Zhenguang's cooking, but was ruthlessly refused on the grounds that their cooperation hadn't officially begun yet.

Still, Guo Mingyuan wasn't angry; capable people were more or less proud and arrogant, and in his view it was nothing out of the ordinary.