Chapter 24 third chapter

The French pastry specialty shop I work in Tokyo has a chocolate workshop in addition to a bakery kitchen, so it is a fairly large shop. Iwata French dessert (PATISSERIE IWATA), the main store is located in Ginza. This store has two branches in the food court of the department store, and also provides online shopping services such as biscuits and chocolates. It is one of the best famous stores in the country.The staff are very busy every day, but they still can't keep up with the speed of orders, and they are in darkness all day long. Mr. Iwata, who is both the owner and the chef, will only step out of the kitchen during events or interviews.For him who is low-key by nature and doesn't like to show his face, staying silently in the kitchen making desserts is his happiest moment. Therefore, he always holds a trembling attitude towards the dessert trend instigated by the media.He believes that as long as he works hard, he will be recognized by the world no matter what era he is in.Of course, he is also very aware of the cruelty of reality, that is, hard work may not necessarily get relative rewards.

There are a few restaurants in the industry that never accept interviews from the media, let alone TV interviews, and some chefs even refuse interviews from magazines.So if you want to report on the products in their stores, you can only buy them with your own money.Because these chefs don't want the outside world to regard them as idols, they just want to do their job well, make delicious desserts, and maintain the traditional spirit of craftsmanship. Although Chef Iwata has the same personality, he knows very well that if he wants to gain a foothold in Ginza, he must have an eye-catching publicity method so that more people can taste his craft.This is the ideal of being a professional pastry chef, and it is also the reality that an operator must face... Although he is deeply entangled in his heart, he never looks sad-this may be Chef Iwata's unique style of life.He was in his late fifties when I entered the store to work, but he always gave the impression of being energetic.

This store doesn't need rookies in the workplace, but people who can get into the situation right away.I was admitted because I had accumulated a lot of work experience in other stores.There are about 30 kitchen staff, half men and half women. All desserts are made in the Ginza main store, so the workplace is very spacious. The workplace is clearly divided into pastry, biscuit, and chocolate, and the kitchen is also set up separately, because the temperature control and operation process of general pastry and chocolate are completely different.Chef Iwata usually visits the kitchens on both sides in the morning and afternoon.In addition to full-time staff, there are working-student students in the kitchen, and shifts are adopted to avoid excessive working hours.Even so, everyone is still very busy every day.

On the first day of work, as a newcomer, I decided to go to work early. Unexpectedly, as soon as I stepped into the locker room, I found a man who arrived earlier than me.He looked about my age, tall and thin, with a thin face, and the exaggerated dyed hair made him look a bit like a punk. I greeted him and he asked me: "Are you new here?" "Yes, please teach me more." "Great! I'm new here too, so it's great to be able to make friends right away! My name is Umezaki, please give me your advice." I thought it was a senior, but it turned out to be a rookie who came in at the same time.Two years older than me, he was twenty-five years old and asked me many things in his loud voice.

Rather than being kind, it is better to say that it is a bit annoying to be noisy.But after all, when we met for the first time, I was too embarrassed to refuse, so I reluctantly chatted with him for a while. Umezaki was dumbfounded when he heard that I had stayed in another store for five years: "That's amazing! So I can be regarded as a senior in my life!" "Where's Umezaki?" "Only two years of relevant experience." Like me, he never went to a confectionery school.But why is he obviously older than me, but less qualified than me?Seeing my puzzled face, Umezaki added: "Oh, because I changed careers! I used to work for a moving company."

"what?" Umezaki hummed a commercial song that he often heard, and talked about the moving company he worked for: "That job is so hard, it's really not done by humans, so I decided to change my career to be a pastry chef. I have loved making cakes since I was a child. After two years, I am quite used to it, and it is also labor-intensive work, making cakes is much easier.” Rather than being surprised, I might as well say that I was shocked.Isn't this store known for its strict recruitment qualifications?How could such a junior person be hired? I think maybe there is really not enough manpower, or there is an urgent shortage of staff such as cleaning props.Although cleaning pots and utensils has always been the job of newcomers, during my interview, Chef Iwata clearly told me that I don’t need to do such chores, and I can get in touch with the production process immediately, anyway, these chores are taken care of by others.So this person is specialized in odd jobs?It was for this reason that he was hired.

As soon as I walked into the kitchen, I caught a glimpse of Obasan who cleaned the props, and there were also people who helped carry boxes, pack biscuits, clean the production tools, put them in the dishwasher, and help us make some light meals.Because when I get busy, I don’t have time to eat out in the morning and evening, so those who are free must be responsible for baking some bread for everyone, which is very considerate. Those obasangs are not idle people. In the busy kitchen, they must help the master with all kinds of chores without hindering the work of the master.Thinking about it carefully, Umezaki is simply not qualified for this kind of work.

Anyway, Umezaki and I walked to the workbench together. Although it was a bit impolite to say so, at that moment, a thought came to my mind: Could it be that his salary is the same as mine?I think I have more work experience than him. If the treatment is really the same as his, I really feel a little sick. We were assigned to the same unit. The pastry category is divided into production materials, cake body and decoration, biscuits, oven control and other operating procedures, all of which are divided into labor and cooperation. Although the chef is responsible for conceiving the idea and method of the product, after all, one person's ability is limited, so it is necessary to have a professional chef who can make the product correctly according to the recipe.That is to say, if the personality of the chef is not distinct enough, the characteristics of a restaurant cannot be revealed; if the skills are not skilled enough, it is impossible to gain a foothold in such a prosperous place.Unless it's a specialty shop that only makes more than 20 desserts a day, that's another matter.

If you want to open a large-scale store in a bustling city, you must know how to operate these two contradictory elements. Although "Iwata" is an old store, the equipment is so novel that it is jaw-dropping.Against the wall is a whole row of large silver refrigerators, several mixers, and three large ovens.No matter the air conditioner, floor design, or production props are the most novel, it can be called a workplace with top equipment.During my stay there, the kitchen was updated with equipment. After all, if the efficiency is not good enough, it is impossible to respond to the huge customer demand.The kitchen there is also so big that only in the basement can there be enough space.

We were assigned to a unit managed by Mr. Changfeng. At that time, his job was not to make chocolate, but mainly to make pastries.Although he sometimes goes to the chocolate workshop to help, but basically he is the monitor of our unit.It is hard to imagine that Mr. Changfeng, who was in his thirties at the time, is so active now. After all, he was not even qualified as a second chef at that time. We greeted him, but his attitude was indifferent.Maybe it's because every morning before work, there will be a meeting in the kitchen, and the chef has already introduced us, so he doesn't think it's necessary to say hello.After Mr. Changfeng quickly showed us where to make props and place materials, he spoke at a very fast speed and asked what we would do.

After hearing our answer that everything was fine, he asked us to start work formally. I was assigned the "final processing" procedure at the beginning, that is, according to the type of cake, I will decorate the finished cake body with selected fruits. Fortunately, I have studied the products of this store in advance, which is enough for this job .Basically, if you don't agree with the products in this store, you can't do this job.The appearance of pastries lined up in the display cabinet has long been deeply imprinted in my mind, and of course I have bought and eaten them.After listening to Mr. Changfeng's simple explanation, I immediately entered the situation. Before going to work, Umezaki complained in a low voice: "What! It's explained so quickly, how can I understand it!" "If you know what's in the store, you know what to do!" "Didn't we just come today?" "If you say this again, I'm afraid you won't be able to keep up!" "It seems that I can only bite the bullet and go to work..." I felt a little bad, so I quickly taught him how to do it. Umezaki obeyed obediently, and leaned closer to me, whispering, "It would be nice if Nagamine-san was as kind as Okimoto." I made a cold face.After all, they are in the same kitchen, no matter how low the voice is, the other party can still hear it. I was too scared to look at Mr. Changmine, so I could only urge Umezaki to get to work quickly. After Umezaki thanked me frankly, he prepared his homework, but he seemed to be a different person, which surprised me who was worried that he would not adapt well. The speed is so fast. Faster than imagined, and the movements are precise. Cai Cai's casual attitude just now was like a lie, I saw that he was like a factory machine, completing the products one by one without any unnecessary movements. He said that he only has two years of relevant experience, probably a lie, right?Maybe he has been in a restaurant, maybe he has made desserts.Only then did I understand that it was not unreasonable for him to be adopted. After a day's work, I was curious to inquire. Unexpectedly, he had never worked in a restaurant, and had only been in a French pastry specialty store for two years. Apart from that, he had no relevant work experience. "But your speed is so fast, I only explain it once, and you will remember it." "After all, I've been doing it for two years! Plus Okimoto is very good at explaining Luo!" Because we go home in the same direction, we walked to the station together and talked a lot while waiting for the train on the platform. "It's a famous store, so busy!" "The amount of online shopping is also amazing!" "I don't know when I'll be on TV." "what?" "You know Rifeng TV's "Food Show", right?" Umezaki refers to the super popular gourmet variety show "Food Show Time", which was broadcast in prime time at that time, or "Food Show" for short. In addition to inviting the staff of various restaurants to make special dishes, the program will also invite several entertainers and guests to be the answerers.The program is interspersed with the cooking process and various questions about the ingredients, and it will take another hour for on-site cooking, and then the guest team with high scores can enjoy the on-site cooking. They're also going to have the pastry chef on the show, and I've heard that episode will be particularly popular.All in all, it is a show that catches the trend of gourmet food and desserts, and its popularity remains high. Although there are many other gourmet shows, the feature of "Food Show" is that not only chefs are invited, but also professional chefs are invited to form a team on the show. For example, pastry shops will invite professional pastry chefs responsible for making cakes, sundaes, candies, chocolates, etc. to form a team to make luxurious dessert sets on the spot.Usually, everyone does not share the car fare equally, or use the extra income to go for a drink together, but "Iwata" will regard this extra income as a special allowance and add it to the salary of the relevant personnel involved in the performance.In other words, "Iwata" has been invited three times. Umezaki asked me if we had a chance to be on the show. I replied a little impatiently: "The show is also for the promotion of the store - you must have a certain strength to be able to be on it. Besides, we just came in not long ago, maybe it was closed before it was our turn to be on the show. indefinite." "I chose to join 'Iwata' just to be on the "Gourmet Show"! If I can't be on the show, then it's meaningless to come here." Wait, what kind of reason is this?Looking forward to being on TV before entering "Iwata"?Didn't you want to come in because you like the desserts of "Iwata"?Isn't it about making desserts that will delight your guests?Isn't it to hone your skills and make more delicious desserts? ——This guy's thinking is too superficial.I despise Umezaki from the bottom of my heart. Umezaki didn't seem to notice my thoughts, and kept talking about "Gourmet Show" with me, but I didn't listen at all.Knowing that what other people think is his business, there is no need to care about it, but he just doesn't think so. I found out later that Mr. Changfeng and I had the same feeling at that time.Hearing the reason why Umezaki wanted to join "Iwata" by accident, he couldn't help but said, "What is that guy thinking? Does he look down on dessert shops so much?" Umezaki is such an existence that disturbs our hearts.Why?We didn't understand it at the time. Although Umezaki's ideas are difficult to agree with, his work attitude is still serious.Just like the decoration skills that surprised me at the beginning, even the same dessert is different after his skillful decoration. His magic-like technique is really incredible. Even the dessert plate ordered by the coffee shop guests, as long as he pours the sauce on it, cuts the fruit and puts it on the plate, the feeling is different.The already gorgeous "Iwata" cake exudes more dazzling brilliance under his skillful decoration.Of course, he also enjoys the sense of accomplishment of turning stones into gold in an instant.I remember one morning meeting, he said: "I think the design of the fruit tower should be changed." Umezaki, like a veteran master who has experienced many battles, suggested boldly: "The current design is too inconspicuous. I think it can be more gorgeous, otherwise it will bear the name of fruit tower." Although it is for the sake of "Iwata", it is not as inconspicuous as he said. The fruit tart is not only the signature product in the store, but also one of the most popular desserts throughout the year. In front of Chef Iwata and seniors, Umezaki completely denied the original design. The seniors looked astonished, and some couldn't help laughing. Mr. Changfeng frowned and said nothing. I didn't agree or object, but just stared blankly. Master Iwata smiled and listened quietly, as if listening to a child's temper tantrum, and then asked Umezaki in a calm voice: "Then how do you think it should be improved? Can you explain in detail?" "Increase the types of fruits and change the way of decoration. The current design is too elegant and a little thin. I think it can be richer and more gorgeous." "That was a design conceived by the former second chef. You, a rookie who just came in, dare to criticize the senior." "This day and age is all about flashy designs that attract customers, and that's what I would do." Umezaki took out a prepared piece of paper from the pocket of his overalls.As soon as it was opened, there was a big colored picture drawn on it, which turned out to be the design drawing of Umezaki's improved fruit tower - the seniors who were snickering all stared in astonishment. Of course not out of emotion, even I was stunned. Spread out in front of us is a fruit tart that looks like it is sold at the front of a fruit shop. It looks like a child piled up their favorite fruits like a hill, which is in sharp contrast to the "Iwata" style of desserts.I saw Mr. Changfeng with a stinky face, and several seniors satirized that the design was very similar to the fruit tart of a famous store. Faced with everyone's reactions, Umezaki remained calm, as if standing at the gate of the court, holding a piece of paper with the words "Win the lawsuit!", showing his confidence to the people around him. Chef Iwata was silent for a while before speaking. "The design is really eye-catching. The problem is that if you adopt this design, you have to adjust the pricing of the product. Do you have any thoughts on this part?" "The price remains unchanged." Umezaki replied. "Oh?" "The fruit volume of the new product is doubled, and the price remains the same... As long as these two conditions are added together, I think sales will be better." "While losing money, you have to stir up hot topics, and adopt the strategy of small profits but high sales, right? Can this really succeed?" "Kids must be very happy to see such a fruit tart," Umezaki said without fear. "There are not only high-end desserts that adults love, but also desserts that children can eat happily. In this way, guests only need to visit us Consumption in the store can satisfy both needs at the same time. You don’t have to go to other stores to buy desserts that children like, and adults don’t have to force their stomachs to match children. Moreover, this pie does not use foreign wine at all, and you can simply enjoy the sweetness and sweetness of the fruit. How about the crispy texture of the pie crust?" "Although this idea is good, the new fruit tart has already been tested and is expected to be released next week. However, we can continue to think of some unique ideas. If they are good, they can be included in the discussion." Chef Iwata's new product is a fruit tart that emphasizes the rich chocolate flavor of the pie crust.Made by adding several kinds of citrus and berries, the unique chocolate flavor of "Iwata" is astonishingly delicious. As soon as the new product was launched, it really sold well, and many people bought it together with the signature fruit tart. There were even customers in the cafe who ordered two kinds at once. It is indeed a new product that lives up to the reputation of "Iwata".I later found out that this new fruit tart was conceived by Mr. Nagamine and improved by Mr. Iwata. As soon as the new fruit tart, which witnessed the difference in strength, was launched, the seniors all put on a sneering attitude of "do you know how much you weigh?", but Umezaki didn't care, and bought it out of his own pocket to enjoy, please me by the way.I saw him praising the deliciousness, while yelling: "The fruit used by the first-class dessert shop is really different!" He was as happy as a child. Umezaki picked up the strawberries on the fruit tart and asked me, "Do you know how to tell if a strawberry is good or not?" "Ripe strawberries are bright red and shiny, with fresh, curved stems." "You understand it quite well!" "Strawberry is the most commonly used fruit in dessert shops, which is basic common sense." "Then do you know that a strawberry has different sweetness depending on the part? Is the part closer to the base sweeter, or the part closer to the tip?" After thinking about it, I replied: "Because when it is immature, the part closer to the base is greener, and the sweetness is relatively lower! So the tip part should be sweeter." "That's right! So, where are the strawberry seeds?" "Particles!" "No, that's the fruit." "what?" "The correct term is 'chene', and the seeds of the strawberry are hidden in the fruit." "Then we mistakenly thought it was the red part of the fruit..." "That's the swollen stem, which is the receptacle called 'false fruit'. Figs also have so-called 'false fruit', and the part that is mistaken for 'fruit' is actually a flower bud!" "Oh... you know even such a small thing!" "Fruit is very interesting! Since you work in a dessert shop, you need to do more homework!" This topic made me realize a few things. First of all, Umezaki is not as shallow as he looks on the outside, and he is not such a guy who is eager for success and profit. In fact, he is quite a brainy and thoughtful person. In addition, when Chef Iwata presides over the meeting, he does not just blindly play guiding chess, but also listens to the opinions of us rookies and broadens topics worthy of discussion.In short, if you want to stay in this store, hard work alone is not enough, you must have the creativity and imagination to create "signature products". Once, I asked Umezaki, "You don't want to open a shop, do you?" "Did you see it?" "Seeing that you are very good at arranging dishes, and you are particular about style, you must have spent time researching it when you go home, right?" Umezaki said with a shy smile, "Opening a shop is my dream!" "So you will also study cooking Luo?" "I don't think it's necessary! Just find an excellent person in this field and just leave it to him to take care of it! I will always be a pastry chef and make delicious desserts that surprise the guests." "Want to open a French restaurant?" "Well, I want to run a restaurant with southern French cuisine. It's more like Italian cuisine that uses a lot of tomatoes and olives! I'm a very ambitious guy! Of course, I will also focus on desserts! Let the guests who come to the restaurant to enjoy it at home Delicious desserts, so the display cases are always stocked with fresh produce." "So, you won't stay in this store forever?" "Do you want to stay here forever?" "I'm not sure either. I didn't expect the atmosphere here to match my personality, but I also plan to leave after studying to a certain extent." "For someone with Okimoto's personality, it's better not to stay here all the time." "why?" "Because you are dexterous and easy to handle." "But as long as you work hard, you can climb up..." "But it may also be caught up from behind! Because Chef Iwata is a person who doesn't care about age, but only about strength, don't take this lightly!" This is true.Those who can listen to our opinions will treat our younger generations equally in the future. "So I'm going to be on TV as early as possible!" Umezaki said. "Are you still thinking about it?" "If you can be on the "Food Show", even people who are not interested in desserts will be attracted!" "It's not that exaggerated!" "Don't underestimate the power of TV! The sensitivity of the public is beyond imagination." "Yes……" About half a year later... Master Iwata is almost always nestled in the chocolate workshop, conceiving new chocolate sandwiches. I am assisting Mr. Changfeng to complete the birthday cake ordered by the customer. It is not a particularly difficult job. Just cut the sponge cake body horizontally, spread chocolate cream on the interlayer, and put fruits on it... Repeat this process, and finally spread the whole cake Serve with whipped cream, decorate some fruits on top, and after Mr. Changfeng confirms, put it into a cake box. It's such a simple job. Just as I was starting to prepare the fruit, Umezaki approached me and whispered, "May I decorate the cake?" "what?" "I want to change the design." Umezaki lowered his voice: "It's too boring to do it as it is now. I want to make it more gorgeous." "It's our job to do it exactly as specified." "I know, but it's a birthday cake! I want guests to have 'this year is a bit different than last year' fun!" "Then what would you like to add?" "Cantaloupe and kiwi, using green to accentuate the red of berries." "The current design has blue blueberries, which is very fashionable." "Kids can eat it too, can't they? It's better to be more colorful!" "But the people who bought it were the parents." I took a sneak peek at Mr. Changfeng, who was standing by the workbench a little further away, stuffing the mousse into the mould.If I didn't call out to him, I probably wouldn't have noticed my side. all right!Just let me do it!Umezaki tried to push me away, so I quickly stuck to my post. "No! This is my job. If you really want to do it, Fa asked Mr. Changfeng if he could let you add more fruit." Immediately, Umezaki looked displeased and looked at me with reproachful eyes.What a joke!I am the victim!I grabbed Umezaki's hand and pulled him to find Mr. Nagamine. "Mr. Nagamine, Umezaki wants to decorate the cake." Mr. Changfeng said without stopping his hands: "You should ask Chongben about this kind of thing." "Although I am in charge of the combination, but..." Umezaki chimed in: "I'd like to change the decoration a little bit, basically the same, just add more cantaloupes and kiwis." "No," Mr. Changfeng immediately rebuffed: "The design of the cake is decided by the chef and cannot be changed at will." "But it's boring every time it's the same!" "The customer is looking at the sample picture to buy, and the customer's consent must be obtained." "If you buy it every year, once in a while..." Mr. Nagamine put the empty piping bag into the stainless steel pot, and squinted at Umezaki. "Customers choose desserts according to their own needs, so you should respect the wishes of the customers, not you. Someone in the family of the customer who ordered that cake suffered from hay fever due to birch and hogweed." "what?" "It's just physical allergies. Even eating cantaloupe and kiwi fruits can cause allergies. In severe cases, it may even cause breathing difficulties and endanger life." Umezaki stared blankly, and muttered angrily, "Okimoto didn't tell me..." Suddenly, Mr. Changfeng roared like a cannonball. "You bastard! Did you think about it just by saying 'I don't know'?! It's our responsibility to make good things according to the customer's requirements, and we don't need your meaningless creativity! If you only want to make things you like, then resign as soon as possible , don’t cause trouble to the customers and the shop!” ——Although there have long been desserts specially made for customers with allergies, it is impossible to know such things without enough study, which shows that Umezaki's knowledge in this area was not enough at that time. We walked back to our workbench, Umezaki asked in a low voice, "Okimoto, do you know that the customer's family has allergies?" "For such an important matter, of course we have been informed from the beginning. Because if knives and steel pans are used together, it will be troublesome." "Then why didn't you say it earlier!" "It's more useful for Mr. Changfeng to go crazy! The thunder just now was so fierce!" "You annoying guy..." Umezaki said angrily: "Okay! I won't touch your job again. But if you encounter trouble in the future, don't think I will help you!" It was like a child vomiting, which made me try my best not to laugh. The next day, the chef suddenly announced that Umezaki was resigned from his current position. That is to say, I was transferred from the kitchen to the store one, and I had to go to the coffee shop to help in the afternoon. "Why?!" Umezaki protested to the chef: "I came in because I heard that I didn't need to go to the store and coffee shop to help; why is it different from what I said at the beginning?!" Chef Iwata's attitude is still calm: "Do you still remember the way of hospitality you learned in your last job? Shouldn't you need to teach it again? If you don't know, go ask the foreman in the store." "I've run out of time!" Umezaki was rarely so emotional: "The chef should be very aware of my situation, I don't have time for this kind of work!" "You are still a newcomer, I hope you can quickly remember the practices here. By the way, you are also responsible for cleaning the floors after the business closes." "Then Okimoto has to do it together, why is it just me? It's not fair." "Okimoto does his job very seriously, unlike you." Looks like yesterday's birthday cake was a big tipping point. Could it be that Umezaki was transferred because of Mr. Nagamine's complaint?To actually want to throw him out of the kitchen just because he didn't like the way he sees him is too despicable and rude. I always feel that Mr. Changfeng is not this kind of person, but seeing his scolding appearance yesterday, I feel that he may have said something to the chef. Although I am very concerned, I have no courage to confirm it. Chef Iwata said: "If you can't accept it, resign! I won't stop you." For a moment, I thought Umezaki would slam his work cap to the ground, and said angrily, "I'm quitting!" Unexpectedly, he just squinted at the chef, his teeth were gritted and his lips were trembling.I was surprised to find that he was not so much angry as he was trying to endure. Umezaki has reasons why he cannot be dismissed. Just don't know why. Therefore, despite being kicked out of the kitchen, no matter how annoyed and unbearable he was, he still tried his best to endure. If I had expressed my willingness to work in the store together at that time, maybe Umezaki could have been saved. But I don't want to do that. Because the reason why I want to enter "Iwata" is to stay in the kitchen and make desserts. "Go back to work!" Urged by Chef Iwata, I turned and left. Umezaki also let go of her clenched fist as if suddenly liberated. Umezaki, who was deliberately bumped by the senior who was watching the show, stepped out of the kitchen, but turned around and gave Mr. Nagamine a vicious look. No emotion could be read from Mr. Changfeng's calm face.