Cooking System: Street Food Rules

In the kitchen of the Jiangsu Cuisine Restaurant.

The lobby manager walked over to Jiang Feng and reported, "Boss, there's a situation in the restaurant. Two people who claim to be Michelin inspectors wish to see you. I've checked their credentials; they are indeed Michelin inspectors. It seems they want to discuss the restaurant's star rating."

Upon hearing the lobby manager's message, Jiang Feng, who was preparing squirrel-shaped mandarin fish, was slightly taken aback.

"Michelin inspectors? What are they doing here?"

The lobby manager had thought Jiang Feng had invited these two. When she saw he was also unaware, she too became puzzled.

"Never mind, let's see what they want."

Jiang Feng had just finished making two squirrel-shaped mandarin fish and was free, so he decided to go check it out.

Such matters were definitely not suitable for discussion in the lobby due to the risk of being misunderstood, so Jiang Feng asked them to come to a quiet meeting room.

Upon Jiang Feng's arrival, Ding Hu proactively and enthusiastically greeted him, "Boss Jiang, hello. Allow me to introduce myself. I am Ding Hu, a one-star Michelin inspector. This is my colleague, Wang Xiaohui; she's also a Michelin inspector."

Wang Xiaohui added her greeting, "Boss Jiang, hello."

Jiang Feng's expression remained largely unchanged as he replied politely, "Hello, what can I do for you?"

Hearing Jiang Feng's response, Ding Hu hastily said, "Boss Jiang, the situation is this: after our evaluation, we found the dishes at Jiangyue Terrace Restaurant to be exceptionally delicious, and they fully meet the judging criteria for a Michelin restaurant.

"We plan to submit an accreditation report and application to the Michelin Guide.

"Normally, with our level of authority, we can only submit a report for a Michelin one-star accreditation.

"However, I've spoken with our general manager, and we can directly grant Jiangyue Terrace a two-star accreditation."

Hearing Ding Hu's words, Jiang Feng didn't seem particularly impressed and simply asked, "Does this accreditation require anything from our restaurant?"

Ding Hu explained, "Well, we will send specialized personnel to verify your business license and identification documents.

"Furthermore, there's an annual accreditation fee. Of course, given the exceptional quality of Jiangyue Terrace's food, the first year's fee can be waived."

Jiang Feng understood. This accreditation is essentially like paying Michelin for the privilege of displaying their plaque—a sort of protection fee.

The lobby manager, Li Jiao, stood beside Jiang Feng without uttering a word. After all, decisions like these were Jiang Feng's to make.

"Hmm," Jiang Feng responded calmly before saying, "Thank you for recognizing Jiangyue Terrace, but this accreditation isn't necessary. I'm not interested."

Hearing Jiang Feng's words, Ding Hu and Wang Xiaohui were both slightly stunned.

Ding Hu hurriedly said, "Boss Jiang, in the catering industry, Michelin accreditation is very prestigious. In the entire country, only 106 restaurants have been awarded three Michelin stars, and they're mainly located in first-tier and new first-tier cities.

"A Michelin three-star plaque is an undeniable symbol of a high-end, excellent restaurant.

"It represents the restaurant's status.

"Countless restaurants apply for Michelin evaluations every year. This time, we've taken the initiative to approach you, and we're even willing to waive the first year's accreditation fee.

"Would you please reconsider?"

"There's no need to reconsider. I'm busy. You can see yourselves out," Jiang Feng waved his hand, feeling there was no need to continue the conversation, and turned to leave.

Ding Hu and Wang Xiaohui were flabbergasted.

They were accustomed to their elevated status and the deferential treatment they received from other restaurants, leading them to assume that every establishment desired Michelin accreditation.

But Jiang Feng clearly didn't care at all!

This was Michelin's star rating!

Any respectable, high-class restaurant that receives a Michelin star rating is bound to see its business flourish. Moreover, even the world's top restaurants would never refuse Michelin accreditation. After all, it's a feather in their cap, and why would a top-tier restaurant care about an annual accreditation fee of a mere hundred thousand yuan or so?

"He refused?" Wang Xiaohui said in disbelief.

Ding Hu wasn't willing to give up yet. Seeing Jiang Feng turning to leave, he quickly added, "Boss Jiang, please wait! We can apply for a three-star Michelin accreditation for you. This is the highest level of certification, representing the pinnacle of restaurant standards, recognized worldwide."

Jiang Feng turned back and replied unhurriedly, "I know what Michelin accreditation means, and I understand it's indeed very prestigious.

"But I don't really need it.

"As for global recognition, I don't need that either.

"My customers' approval is enough.

"I have to get back to the kitchen. Please excuse me."

Jiang Feng left straight away.

For him, every Jiangyue Terrace location was already packed to capacity; there was simply no need for additional promotion. Moreover, he had always believed that the taste of the food and the reputation spread by customers were the true cornerstones of Jiangyue Terrace's success. Therefore, certification was unnecessary. Besides, the thought of paying an annual certification fee didn't sit well with Jiang Feng at all.

And just like that, Jiang Feng left.

Ding Hu and Wang Xiaohui looked at each other, at a loss for words.

He had actually refused Michelin accreditation! This was unprecedented!

Any restaurant that received Michelin accreditation would be ecstatic, typically holding a certification ceremony and taking photos to commemorate the occasion. Yet Jiang Feng was so nonchalant; he genuinely seemed uninterested.

At last, Wang Xiaohui spoke, "Does he not understand what Michelin accreditation signifies?"

Before Ding Hu could respond to Wang Xiaohui, Li Jiao, the lobby manager, interjected, "Our boss has already said he understands what Michelin certification means, but Jiangyue Terrace isn't interested.

"Personally, gentlemen, no matter how big the Michelin brand is, it can't possibly surpass our boss's reputation here in China.

"The restaurants our boss opens genuinely don't need anyone else's certification.

"He himself is the restaurant's golden brand.

"The most prominent golden brand, at that.

"Thank you for visiting Jiangyue Terrace. If there's anything else, you can discuss it with me."

Li Jiao had clearly indicated it was time for them to leave. Ding Hu and Wang Xiaohui, feeling it would be awkward to linger, departed from the meeting room.

They stepped outside Jiangyue Terrace.

It was still swarming with people outside. There were diners queuing, streamers broadcasting live, and fans hoping to catch a glimpse of Jiang Feng.

It was extremely bustling.

Ding Hu realized then that Jiangyue Terrace truly didn't need Michelin certification.

Ding Hu called his manager and reported the incident.

"He refused? Does he not understand what this certification means?"

The manager's reaction was identical to Wang Xiaohui's. This reaction was actually quite normal. After all, with so many restaurants actively applying, it created the illusion that "every restaurant in the world wants to be certified." Many top restaurants even paid for their certification, which only bolstered their sense of superiority.

"He knows. He just said it's unnecessary. I even mentioned we were willing to grant him a three-star certification, but he flatly refused without a moment's hesitation," Ding Hu continued reporting.

"Well... if that's the case, so be it. There's nothing we can do. Jiangyue Terrace certainly doesn't lack customers.

"Have you tried their food? How does it taste?" the manager asked over the phone.

Ding Hu replied honestly, "The food is excellent. Especially the squirrel-shaped mandarin fish personally prepared by Jiang Feng—it's exceptionally delicious, definitely the work of a top-tier chef."

Hearing Ding Hu say this, the manager nodded.

Things having reached this impasse, there was nothing more they could do. They had bestowed Michelin stars upon so many restaurants, many of which paid handsomely for the honor. Yet now, when they had personally approached a restaurant, they were rejected.

They had no choice but to give up.

In truth, their proactive visit indicated they were drawn by Jiangyue Terrace's fame, or more accurately, by Jiang Feng's renown. If the Culinary God were to receive Michelin certification, it would undoubtedly elevate the prestige of the Michelin Guide itself. But now, that was merely a fleeting thought.

Jiang Feng returned to the kitchen and resumed cooking squirrel-shaped mandarin fish.

He paid the recent incident no mind whatsoever. After all, he'd encountered similar situations many times before.

In the dining hall, servers brought out plates of exquisitely prepared squirrel-shaped mandarin fish, placing them on the guests' tables. Each squirrel-shaped mandarin fish was artfully presented in a curved posture, resembling a carp leaping vigorously towards the dragon gate; the visual appeal was superb.

The guests were delighted, and a vibrant atmosphere filled the restaurant.

Meanwhile, news that Jiang Feng had declined Michelin certification spread among the restaurant staff.

The employees all felt elated.

"An annual certification fee? Why should we pay them? Does Jiangyue Terrace even need their certification?"

"Exactly! Michelin actually came to our doorstep asking for money!"

"Foreigners might buy into that, but we don't. Here, people go where the food is good."

"Our boss's approval is all that matters."

The staff chatted amongst themselves in private, their admiration for Jiang Feng growing even stronger.

The little episode that had occurred in the restaurant had no impact on Jiangyue Terrace's business. Its popularity remained undiminished.

Many netizens went to the official account to leave comments.

"Why isn't Boss Jiang live-streaming anymore?"

"Where's the video of him making squirrel-shaped mandarin fish? Without a video, how can I be sure the dish I'm eating was made by Boss Jiang himself?"

"Tell your boss to start live-streaming immediately! I want to learn cooking from him!"

"I suggest your boss live-stream 365 days a year, demonstrating a new dish each day!"

The fans clearly yearned to see Jiang Feng.

The social media account operator read these comments with a sense of helpless amusement. What the boss decides to do is beyond our control. He's the boss, after all.

Jiang Feng himself would occasionally check the Jiangyue Terrace social media account. When he saw everyone's comments... he pretended he hadn't seen them.

Many dishes require extensive preparation time. For instance, some meats need to be marinated a day in advance, and some soups must simmer for several hours. Consequently, these are not well-suited for live-streaming and are better presented as edited videos. Only specific culinary techniques are suitable for demonstration during live streams.

Jiang Feng understood this, which was why he only live-streamed occasionally. On most days, he focused on filming videos.

This week, he was cooking at the restaurant.

He now owned multiple establishments and had shifted his focus more towards managing them. While cooking, he could also oversee some of the restaurants' affairs. If necessary, he would open even more restaurants. Then, whenever he had free time, he could visit different locations, research new dishes, and let the customers try them. That way, he wouldn't be mobbed by overwhelming crowds like during his street vending days, when he could barely move.