Generally speaking, there are two kinds of chefs, the older generation learns the art from the teacher, and learns the craft by entering the master's door; the other is what we often call "vocational training", which is also the "academic school" often called by many "wild road" chefs who enter the industry, and Feng Zhixiong, who happens to meet me today, is such a "academic" Hunan cuisine master who pays more attention to the principle of cooking.
The term "academic school" often appears in the field of art, and the traditional art culture of old China is often taught in the form of oral transmission by master and apprentice, whether it is art, music, opera, seal engraving, paper art, etc., all of which rely on the masters of the Kaizong founding school. The establishment of the modern education system has just broken this inheritance, and there is no longer the bad habit of "passing on men and not women" and "peering like kou enemies", and the skills and skills that have been covered up in previous years have been made public.
This new type of education also breaks the inheritance convention of the chef industry.
Before stepping into the gate of Hunan Cuisine College, I had 10,000 kinds of imaginations of Feng Zhixiong: an old scholar under heavy glasses; an old teacher with a serious and majestic hand behind his back; a clean cook with deep eyes and slightly clear eyes. It wasn't until I met me that I understood that the so-called people should not be disguised.
Perhaps having seen too many educators, it is difficult for me to overlap the thick, kind-eyed middle-aged man in front of me with the imaginary appearance. It is also difficult for me to imagine how a person who loves the chef industry can become a teacher who teaches cooking.
In 1990, on the recommendation of his uncle, Feng Zhixiong was admitted to the culinary major of the former Changsha Commercial Vocational Secondary School with the first place.
Of course, now it seems that a person's development not only depends on his own hard work, but also on the trend of history, in that era of general attention to secondary school students and distribution, Feng Zhixiong, who graduated from Zhounan Middle School, is undoubtedly correct in his choice. In the chaotic market after the reform and opening up, how to choose the industry that has settled down is the difference between taking the big road and taking the small road. Similarly, Feng Zhixiong, who had entered the culinary world at that time, was also somewhat dead-eyed in the eyes of some people at that time, did not go to the "dream of getting rich overnight", and after careful and careful consideration, chose catering and never looked back.
In the three years of school, Feng Zhixiong learned a lot, and also met such as Xu Juyun, Wang Moquan and other previous masters and cooking giants. Under the guidance of these masters, he liked this profession even more.
In 1993, the class teacher, Teacher Tang, informed Feng Zhixiong that there was a entrance examination, which was to go to the cooking school of Hunan Normal University Vocational School, and it was necessary to come back to participate in it.
"It's really good," Feng Zhixiong said.
"Is it particularly good?" I asked.
"Great," Feng Zhixiong laughed, "at that time, I went home to discuss with my parents, and it was decided very quickly." You can also go to school and read, or read your favorite major, such a good thing, not everyone can encounter. ”
In this way, Feng Zhixiong, who was about to graduate and enter social work, returned to school. Perhaps it was this decision that determined the path that Feng Zhixiong would take in the future.
When it comes to the preparation day, Feng Zhixiong laughs, because the summer of 1993 is so unforgettable.
The days of the previous step-by-step routine are gone, and the rest of the time Feng Zhixiong is almost studying day and night. He once again fell into the boring life of two points and one line, woke up to do the inscription endorsement, tired to lie down and rest for a while, sometimes with his head down for a long time, he looked up at the square top window, and looked through the window at the dark blue starry sky. At that time, there was no air conditioning in the home, the creaking head fan had almost become the only source of coolness, and he had no time to stop and look at the changsha under construction, to see the daylight falling through the thick slits of camphor leaves.
In the race against the time taken away by the Xiangjiang River, Feng Zhixiong "ran" out of a Changsha first.
In this way, almost "ravaging" himself to pursue the process of yearning for the goal, not only this entrance examination, but also the growth of age and the development of the industry, greater challenges have found him.
In 1996, Feng Zhixiong, who graduated with honors, was recalled by his mother, Sha Commercial Vocational Secondary School, as the head teacher of the culinary profession.
Feng Zhixiong, who is only 21 years old, has experienced these things, afraid of being timid in front of students, and even more afraid that he has not taught students well, and Feng Zhixiong, who is the class teacher, has worked harder. Every morning, I get up at six o'clock, review the content to be taught today, sort out the syllabus, and dare not go after school, and practice what I want to teach the next day many times. Sometimes too tired, dozing off at seven o'clock at night, hearing the sound of the knife cutting on the cutting board, and will be frightened by a spirit, wake up and continue to work until more than nine o'clock before daring to go home.
In 2003, the merger of the Commercial Vocational School and the Changsha Commercial School to form today's Changsha Vocational and Technical College of Commerce and Trade tourism, because of the internship work experience, the school transferred Feng Zhixiong to the Department of Tourism as a lecturer in the hotel management course, until 2006, the college once again attached importance to the Hunan cuisine industry, opened a higher vocational major in culinary technology, Feng Zhixiong was able to return to the podium he was most familiar with.
"At that time, it was the first enrollment, only 13 people were recruited," Feng Zhixiong laughed, "we all laughed and called the Thirteen taibao, because there were too few people, so our two teachers were playing with fate, and the students were also very competitive, they were all playing with fate, and they won the award the next year." ”
"What award?" I asked.
"Well, in the province, the fifth cooking technology competition held by the Provincial Catering Association, the leaders of the hospital also looked at it, and if they wanted me to get an award back, I said to take an award and get an award." After speaking, Feng Zhixiong laughed.
Yes, outsiders listening to this, it is really like blowing the atmosphere, but in the end, he won the glory for the newly established culinary profession with the innovative traditional dish of "Orchid Thousand Pieces of Meat". But what outsiders don't know is that in order to prepare another watch plate carving, because the daytime teaching is too tired to concentrate at night, Feng Zhixiong slid a knife into the finger slit, a wound, deep visible bone. It is precisely because of this serious personality that Feng Zhixiong was later able to shine in the national competition.
In 2012, initiated by the Ministry of Education, the first National Vocational College Skills Competition was held in Yangzhou, which is a major event for all middle and higher vocational colleges that open culinary majors, and in the eyes of Feng Zhixiong, it is also a big test to test his teaching achievements.
The title of the competition is a table feast, with eight hot dishes prepared within the quota, a set of cold spells, two snacks and a fruit plate. Under such meticulous requirements, the test is completely the teacher's teaching level, because they have not gone through many years of front-line practical experience, so the actual performance of students is basically a reflection of the teacher's level.
"Everyone attaches great importance to it, especially our dean, who personally presses the battle," Feng Zhixiong said, "The content of the test basically covers innovation, cost, nutrition and culture, so it seems that it is a great test of the teacher's vision and ability." ”
"The result?" I asked.
"Can't say that it won a big victory," Feng Zhixiong smiled and blossomed, "the children are very competitive, the first time they participated in the competition, they won the prize, which is not only the glory for our school, but also the glory for themselves, and it is also a recognition of my education and teaching for so long." ”
After that, Feng Zhixiong basically participated in professional skills competitions as a guidance teacher or referee.
In the more than two hours of conversation, Feng Zhixiong rarely talked about himself, and since the beginning of the vocational skills competition, he has been talking about the excellent students he has taught. Perhaps in his opinion, the honors he has received are not important, but more important is the growth of these children.
Those students who participated in the restaurant service of the National Two Sessions and received the attention and praise of all their peers were even happier than they were praised; those students who participated in the national competition and won the first place were more excited than they won the first place himself; and those students who went out of the Hunan Cuisine College and became the pillars of the various catering enterprises were also his greatest pride.
This is Feng Zhixiong's greatest contribution to the Hunan cuisine industry as a Hunan cuisine person.