At the 2020 "Shanghai Craftsman" Tree Selection and Naming Conference, 98 Shanghai craftsmen were commended and awarded the "Shanghai Craftsman" Bronze Medal. In Zhijiangxi, Liu Genbiao, the 45-year-old executive chef of Shenyan Restaurant, is a "Shanghai craftsman" winner.
From a Young Man in Shanghai to a "Shanghai Craftsman", what has Liu Genbiao experienced?
In the middle is Liu Genbiao
<h2>▌ Start your career as a chef at a ramen restaurant</h2>
At the age of 16, Liu Genbiao left his hometown in Anhui and came to Shanghai alone to work hard. Introduced by his cousin, he worked as a helper at a small ramen restaurant. This humble ramen restaurant kicked off Liu Genbiao's career as a chef. At a ramen restaurant, Liu Genbiao met his first enlightenment master, Li Yongchun. In the face of this teacher who has done a very good job in this gang, Liu Genbiao regards him as his own example, preferring not to have a penny to follow the master to do chores. Half a year later, Li Yongchun decided to take Liu Genbiao to the Seagull Hotel as an apprentice.
Having a heart for excellence is the best respect for the work. During the period of learning art with his master, Liu Genbiao always practiced diligently during his rest time, lest he waste a minute. After practicing the basic skills for up to two years, Liu Genbiao can finally start cooking, although it is only to make a simple staff meal, but this also makes Liu Genbiao excited. In two years, Liu Genbiao learned to cut vegetables, side dishes, mix cold vegetables, etc., even if it is only in small places, he has always been refined, because his heart has always remembered the words his mother said to him: "Cooking is very exquisite." ”
(Image source: Station Cool Helo Plus)
Liu Genbiao wanted to take a step forward in technology, so he began a life of receiving special chef training at the Central Asian Catering Training School while continuing to study at the Seagull Hotel. Liu Genbiao spent 3 years studying here, and his skills were gradually recognized. Soon, he was hired by a small restaurant with a monthly salary of 1700 yuan. In 1996, this was not a small amount.
<h2>▌ Learn your skills from a good teacher</h2>
While studying at the Central Asian Catering Training School, Liu Genbiao met his lifelong mentor, Principal Gu Mingzhong, a Master of Chinese Cooking. "Master Gu inspected me for a full 5 years before taking me as an apprentice. He took in apprentices, and the most important thing he valued was the virtue of cooking. Good cooking, good cooking. Liu Genbiao said. Among all the students of Gu Mingzhong, Liu Genbiao was not the best at cooking, nor was he the most talented, but he was the hardest. Liu Genbiao was eventually able to successfully worship the teacher, precisely because Gu Mingzhong saw his character. When he was studying at school, Liu Gen marked a fellow villager who was in urgent need of money because his relatives were ill. At that time, Liu Genbiao himself was not rich, but seeing that his fellow villagers were impatient, Liu Genbiao went to ask his friends to borrow money and give them to his fellow villagers for emergency relief. "Master not only taught me to cook, but also influenced me in terms of being a person. Much of what I know about ingenuity comes from my master. Liu Genbiao said.
When asked about the dish that impressed him the most, Liu Genbiao blurted out: "Spring silkworm spit silk." "Spring silkworm shreds are a dessert made from cashew nuts, walnut kernels, etc. into a five-kernel filling, wrapped in glutinous rice, shaped with abrasives and wrapped in a layer of shredded coconut. Because it resembles a silkworm cocoon, it is named spring silkworm spit silk. Many people think that the technique of pulling silk is the key to this dish, but in fact, the test begins with boiling sugar. "Chinese food often depends on the heat, but this fire depends on your own understanding." In order to learn this dish, I practiced for 3 months. Liu Genbiao said with emotion.
Over the years, Liu Genbiao has been constantly seeking innovation and breakthroughs while retaining the essence of Shanghai cuisine. Among the several dishes he developed and innovated, the drunken crab is the most famous.
Drunken crab is a common dish on the table of Shanghainese, but how to introduce the old? The drunken crab developed by Liu Genbiao uses crabs from Nanning, Guangxi, which are the most suitable for drunken crabs in terms of size and meat quality. The wine is made of 10 years of Shaoxing flower carving wine and a little brandy. It looks like crab yellow is full of lids, and when you eat it, crab yellow splashes and your lips and teeth are fragrant. In order to ensure the best taste of drunken crab, Shenyan's old Shanghai classic drunken goods series seasonal products are only available from November to March every year.
Drunken crab
As soon as liu genbiao's drunken crab was launched, it was widely praised, and the innovative drunken crab allowed everyone to taste the most delicious taste, and everyone's praise for drunken crab was also a recognition of Liu Genbiao's cooking skills.
After tasting drunken crab, Mr. Wang, who lives on Datong Road, insisted on meeting Liu Genbiao and asked him about a very classic but now few people can cook a Shanghai dish - blue fish bald lungs. It turned out that Mr. Wang's parents had been living abroad for a long time, but they still remembered the dish of blue fish baldness. Both parents are old, and returning home this time may be the last time they will return. In order to meet the wishes of his parents, Mr. Wang inquired in many ways, but no one would ever do it, and Liu Genbiao's superb cooking skills made Mr. Wang regain confidence. After Liu Genbiao learned about Mr. Wang's intentions, he carefully prepared raw materials, and finally when Mr. Wang's parents returned to China, he let him eat the bald lungs of the blue fish that he never forgot. Today, Mr. Wang's family and Liu Genbiao are still in regular contact.
In addition to developing new dishes, doing a good job in kitchen management and talent training is also Liu Genbiao's job as an executive chef. Like his master, Liu Genbiao also regards kitchen ethics as an important part of the management and talent training of the back kitchen.
Today, even as an executive chef, Liu Genbiao insists on going to the stove for an hour a day, and he firmly believes that it is because of his love of cooking that he has supported him from a nobody to today's height. It is worth mentioning that Liu Genbiao also has a public welfare heart, every Mid-Autumn Festival, Chongyang and other traditional festivals, he will go into the residential area, or teach community residents to cook home cooking, or cook good dishes to pack and bring them to the elderly in the community to taste, adding fireworks to the Zhijiangxi community.
"Any position is white, choose a career to grow old", in the current era of all efficiency, Liu Genbiao is calm and calm, not impetuous, and adheres to the clearest original intention.
Source: Thoughtful Shanghai Author: Zhang Cuiling