original title:
Zhao Han: Dialogue with each dish with heart
Luliang Daily reporter Liu Hua
What was your dream when you were 16? For Zhao Han, the “Technical Champion” in the Western cooking category of the 3rd Luliang Vocational Skills Competition, becoming a professional Western food chef was his dream when he was 16 years old.
“When I was young, my parents were often away from home, and I often cooked by myself. Gradually, I became more and more interested in cooking, and began to study and ponder some cooking methods.” Zhao Han said that he seemed to belong to the kitchen by nature. In order to better embrace his culinary dream, after graduating from junior high school, Zhao Han went to a Michelin restaurant in Beijing to learn Western cooking.
When he first entered the western food business, Zhao Han was attracted by the delicacy, elegance and high-end of western food. However, making western food requires chefs to be very meticulous and rigorous, sometimes to the point of being picky: washing hands, disinfecting, and changing gloves over and over again when handling ingredients. It is very important, one second earlier and one second later will affect the taste of the dishes, and the placement angle of the accessories on the plate should not have any deviation. During his apprenticeship, Zhao Han was a little frizzy. These tedious and delicate links honed his patience and made him more calm and careful.
“My master often told me that you should not rush for success in cooking, but take it step by step.” Zhao Han said, “In the third year as an apprentice, I felt that my level was already very good. I came up with an idea to cook, but the guests felt that the taste was not strong enough, which triggered two customer complaints. This incident made me realize that what I have learned is only superficial, and I have not really grasped the essence of cooking. After that, I Practice harder, cook dishes strictly according to the standards, and strive to make every dish the best.”
In order to learn more cooking skills, Zhao Han went to another restaurant to learn from a teacher. In the process of continuous learning and research, he had a deeper understanding of the ingredients, and he felt the charm of Western food more and more. Express the best state of the ingredients and pass them on to the guests.
Zhao Han spent his youth in the back kitchen of the western restaurant. He overcame all kinds of difficulties, studied and worked, and never relaxed for a moment. It is this attitude of striving for perfection and pursuing excellence that has laid a solid foundation for him to make a major breakthrough in the field of Western cooking. “A really good dish can talk, and the process of tasting it is like communicating with it, and you can learn everything about it.” Zhao Han said.
Speaking of this competition, Zhao Han said that although he has rich cooking experience, he still feels a little nervous when standing in the skill competition. “When I finished the dishes, the game was over with one minute left. At that time, I was a little flustered when I saw other contestants finished the production early.” He said to the reporter, “But I am very confident in the dishes I made. I have made the best of what I have learned, and I will definitely get a good ranking.”
Although he has achieved good results in the field of western food, Zhao Han has never stopped learning. Since the development of western food in Shanxi is relatively lagging behind, he often buys some professional western food courses and magazines online to learn about new ingredients and production steps. In his spare time, he will also go to other cities to discuss and study the recent development trend of western food with his brothers. “Western food is diverse, and it has changed a lot in recent years. Only by keeping learning forever can we keep ourselves from falling behind.” He told reporters.
It is Zhao Han’s belief and dream to be able to talk and communicate with every dish. He expresses his dedication to the western food industry with his actions, and also interprets the craftsman spirit of the catering industry in the new era with his heart. “Since I choose Western food, I must love it. When my child becomes more independent, I will continue to study hard and make more delicious and healthy Western food.” He will continue to create his own wonderful life in the field of Western food!