Chapter 948: Chapter 399: This Is Clearly Just Hotpot Broth—How Dare You Call It Abalone Sauce?

After Lin Xu left the office, Liao Jinming, who had been sitting on the sofa beside drinking tea, looked at Ye Lixin and asked:

"For this kind of thing, wouldn’t it be better to call in some older senior figures? They can directly intimidate the kitchen staff into submission. The seniors from the Fishing Platform love to give guidance in the kitchen."

Ye Lixin sighed:

"If only it were that easy. I’ve been transferred here for half a year, and all they’ve been wishing for is for me to mess up so they can promote their own relatives... Just the other day, they were complaining that the suppliers I sourced delivered poor quality ingredients and said the kitchen should do its own purchasing."

Kitchen procurement has always been a project with a lot of perks.

Many industry experts apply for head chef roles with the first requirement being to take control of procurement.

Claiming it’s to fully control ingredient quality, but actually, it’s just to pocket more money.

Xie Baomin became curious:

"Isn’t the supplier for Yanjing Hotel Old Huang? His ingredient quality is quite good."

"But the kitchen keeps saying Boss Huang’s supplied ingredients are poor in quality and high in price, pushing for a change. If it weren’t for the scandal your restaurant inspection exposed, they might be staging a coup already."

Upon hearing this, Dou Wenjing felt a bit worried:

"Can my boss handle such people? He’s just graduated less than half a year ago."

Xie Baomin chuckled:

"No problem, let him gain some experience. If you form a hotel consulting company in the future, he’ll be better prepared. This is quite good."

"What if those people bully my boss?"

Upon hearing this, Xie Baomin laughed:

"That would be excellent; I even hope they do. Because once the junior gets bullied, the master will immediately strike back, and Qi Zhentao’s senior mentors will be waiting for their lesson..."

Lin Xu took the elevator downstairs and walked casually to the restaurant kitchen.

Just as he was about to enter, a young assistant chef in his twenties blocked the door:

"This is a restricted kitchen area, no entry for idle individuals."

Lin Xu was momentarily stunned. Is this how they show their mettle?

He smiled and said:

"I’m the new Dining Department Director, named Lin Xu, just here to check out the kitchen."

"What Lin Xu or whoever, never heard of him. We don’t have a director position like that here. Get lost, get lost, or I’ll call security."

Initially, Lin Xu wanted to reason with him, but seeing the assistant chef’s attitude,

he asked curiously:

"What’s your name?"

"Qi Siliang."

"What relation is Qi Zhentao, the head chef, to you?"

"He’s my maternal uncle... Why do you ask?"

Lin Xu said:

"Go to the HR department and complete your resignation procedures... You’re fired."

After saying that, he made a call to the HR manager at Yanjing Hotel:

"Qi Siliang from the kitchen is being dismissed due to improper dress and conduct not matching professional norms. Please settle his salary and have security clear the area."

Anyone with a bit of sense knows that since Ye Lixin hasn’t touched Qi Zhentao, it means his position as head chef is secure; they are only clearing out some opportunistic chefs in the kitchen.

And yet, his nephew was the first to jump out.

If guessed correctly, he must have been used as a pawn.

As the head chef’s nephew, he can’t even distinguish between allies and adversaries. Keeping people like that will only be counterproductive.

Moreover, since the kitchen staff are so overbearing, it’s time to fire a few to make a point.

Qi Siliang was completely dumbfounded, never expecting this outcome.

If Lin Xu was merely bluffing, he wouldn’t be worried. But crucially, he heard the HR manager on the phone agreeing and saying it will be handled immediately.

Clearly, this was the real deal.

Lin Xu ignored him further and simply walked into the kitchen.

Inside, everyone was busy, whether genuinely or pretending, all with an attitude as if saying: I’m very busy, leave me alone.

The kitchen was large and well-equipped, looked overall tidy, but in the corners, one could still spot clutter, even grease stains in the corners.

The chefs’ clothes mostly hung loosely; a few weren’t even wearing chef hats.

Seeing this, Lin Xu couldn’t help but sigh.

Skills can be practiced, but poor attitude...

As he was observing, Qi Zhentao emerged from the steaming section, suddenly surprised to see Lin Xu:

"Director Lin arrived at this time? We thought you’d come in the afternoon... Everyone, pause your work and meet our new Dining Department Director of Yanjing Hotel. Those who like browsing online should not be unfamiliar with Director Lin, as his Lin Ji’s Food is quite famous."

Lin Xu smiled and shook hands with him:

"No need to be formal, Head Chef Qi. I’m just here to look around."

While shaking hands with Lin Xu, Qi Zhentao didn’t forget to shout in the direction of the door:

"Siliang, make tea for Director Lin!"

Lin Xu said:

"Don’t bother, I just fired him."

Qi Zhentao: ??????

"Director Lin, you are?"

"Blocked me at the door, rude attitude, inappropriate attire, conduct hugely not in line with chef norms..."

Seeing Lin Xu wasn’t joking, Qi Zhentao opened his mouth:

"He’s my nephew."

"I know, but as your nephew, not standing up for you, instead undermining you, I don’t quite understand."

His voice was loud enough for the surrounding chefs to instinctively straighten their chef uniforms.

Though everyone is defiant of the new director, getting fired makes it hard to find such an easy job again.

Qi Zhentao realized the implication in Lin Xu’s words.

He took a deep breath and glanced at the busy chefs around.

Clearly, his nephew was used as a pawn.