Gourmet: From a Stall in Northern Europe

Chapter 462 - 374: Brilliant Business Opportunity, Jonathan Ready to Slack Off

Strangely enough, about half of the oysters had been sold, but that glutton Magna still hadn’t shown up, not even a text or a phone call.

Could it be that he pulled his back while moving the oysters?

Or maybe cut his hand while shucking the shells?

Hey!

Lin Chen sneakily thought, chuckled mischievously in his heart, and kept a gentle smile on his face while continuing to grill the oysters in front of him.

Business was indeed better than he expected today, especially after lifting the purchase limit, the queue never dwindled.

Not counting Lucas, the nine-person team on-site barely managed to handle it.

If he wanted to expand the scale during regular operations, a team of at least ten would be necessary.

This was even with two experienced head chefs, eliminating any worry of errors.

If it were someone else, things might not be so certain.

Any mistake would further affect the efficiency of serving and extend the waiting time for guests.

"This can’t go on. We can’t always limit dining slots, it’s okay during peak seasons, but off-seasons are tough."

"Right, didn’t President Wang talk about doing some banquet-style big pot cooking? Wonder when that’s going to happen."

"Looks like I still need to hire more people!"

Maybe it was due to those five years of confinement in the back kitchen, he had no desire to work in there at all now.

Even setting up a stall felt a bit dull staying in one place; he wanted to roam, meet new customers, and experience different cultures.

All of this required good arrangement of the work at hand first.

Just like the two guys in front of him.

While the atmosphere at the dock stall was extremely lively.

The restaurant seemed rather deserted.

Jonathan sat alone by the window, with a laptop in front, worrying over next week’s menu.

"It’s only been a few weeks, but it feels like years have passed, brainstorming menus is such a headache!"

He ran his fingers through his hair, rubbing vigorously, his face filled with frustration.

"How does Lin manage to create non-repetitive dishes every day, no, every meal?"

"Why is it that when I think of salads, it’s always the same few ingredients, and pasta feels the same way. Is innovation that hard?"

"If it doesn’t work out, I might as well work for Lin, anyway, he knows Western cuisine; is menu planning even a human task?"

"Right, Lin seems to be setting up a stall at the dock today, right?"

"Come to think of it, I haven’t tried his grilled oysters yet. Since I have no ideas now, why not go check it out, maybe tasting them will spark some inspiration?"

Jonathan had simple thoughts, nothing more than two outcomes.

If there’s no inspiration, he could patch things together to get through a week, during which he could try to persuade Lin to take over the restaurant’s menu planning.

Before coming here, he fantasized about becoming a head chef one day.

In just a few weeks, that dream was completely shattered; he had realized exactly what he wanted.

Being a chef who doesn’t need to use his brain suits him just fine. Busy when there’s work, lazy when there’s not—how comfortable!

Having made up his mind, he immediately got up, shut his laptop, and headed out.

Originally, he thought he could rest well on Sunday, but now it seemed like wishful thinking.

Not only did he have to spend time thinking up a menu, but also order ingredients in advance for preparation or trials.

If Lin could provide him with weekly menus ahead of time, how great would that be...

When he arrived at the dock and saw the bustling scene, his eyes were slightly dazed.

"This is bad!"

"Why are there so many people?!"

"If he’s this busy, he won’t have any time to discuss menus with me!"

"But with business booming like this, does it mean the grilled oysters are popular among diners?"

"Yes, grilling, BBQ, why can’t I prepare a bunch of grilled meats?"

With that thought, his eyes brightened up, and he slapped his thigh hard.

"I knew looking for inspiration outside was right, so it’s decided, this week’s lunch menu will be a BBQ feast!"

"For breakfast, I’ll do some DIY sandwiches and burgers, also prepare some stews and BBQs, letting diners use their imagination."

"Vegetables will be ready too, just simple cuts, whether for salads or in sandwiches, whatever makes the guests happy."

"But I shouldn’t be too sloppy; I should have some finished dishes. How about apple cinnamon oatmeal and cream broccoli soup..."

During the few minutes it took to approach the queue, he’d already thought of next week’s menu and was quickly jotting it down on his phone’s notepad.

"Hey, this makes things simple, bulk veggies and meat ordered from John, marinate in the afternoon, smoke and grill overnight, ready for use the next morning, plus last-minute hot dishes and soups—it’s perfect!"

This solves the transportation timing issue, ensures freshness, and keeps costs minimized as well.

Jonathan glanced at the queue ahead, estimating that he’d have to wait for over an hour, so he simply picked up his phone and dialed John’s number.

"What?!"

John was stunned when he received the call.

"Lin is setting up a stall selling grilled oysters at the pier? How come I didn’t know about this!"

"Wait, I’ll head over right now!"

"...What about my ingredients?"

"Send me the list, I’ll have someone prepare them."

Half an hour later.

Just as John stepped out of the car, he looked at the dense crowd on the pier and couldn’t help but twitch at the corners of his mouth.

He quietly picked up the phone.

"Mr. Jonathan, are you still in the queue?"

"Yes, I’m about in the first third. Did you arrive?"

"If it’s convenient, could you help me buy some as well? Starting from the end of the queue would be a waste of time."

"Of course, do you want one or two dozen? Lin’s selling zero-grade Gillardeau today, I think even a person with a big appetite would find two dozen enough."

"Mr. Jonathan, don’t you usually taste Chef Lin’s cooking?"

"Uh... I do, I have it every night at dinner."

"Then... never mind, buying more won’t hurt. Please get me three dozen, I’ll give you the money later."

He was originally going to ask if you don’t like Chinese cuisine, but later thought better of saying it.

Preferences are too personal to have right or wrong, it’s best not to judge the taste of others to avoid making anyone uncomfortable.

Especially since the oysters are in other people’s hands, one has to be cautious!

During the waiting time, he didn’t remain idle; although he hadn’t tasted the grilled oysters made by Lin Chen, he’d watched plenty of videos and naturally knew what it looks like.

Commenters who had tried it all said that it’s perfect for eating while watching a match in a pub, or at a barbecue party by the sea – definitely a sensation.

Since he was going to drive and couldn’t drink, he had to look for a nearby convenience store to see if he could get some chilled sodas to make do.

As Jonathan silently moved forward with the queue, Rovena finally bought his long-awaited grilled oysters.

Initially he intended to buy more for the staff to try, but hearing the price immediately changed his mind.

It’s not about being unable to afford it, but that eating just one wouldn’t be satisfying; at least half a dozen is needed for satisfaction.

There are so many people under him, if everyone gets half a dozen, he’d practically be doing charity.

Better not buy!

Carrying the warm bag, he found an empty plastic stool nearby to sit, avoiding going back to the pier lest the staff see and harbor resentment.

Although they probably already do.

"Ah, the aroma is wonderful."

No one, including Lin Chen, said anything about him buying things to eat during work hours, as long as he paid.

Besides, judging by the queue, no one would want to go sea-tripping anytime soon, so taking a breather seemed normal.

Tasting the hot plump oyster meat, Rovena’s eyes lit up, nodding repeatedly.

"Delicious, really delicious, it’s among the top three best oyster dishes I’ve ever had in my life!"

"No wonder so many customers in the video asked for return visits, it truly makes sense."

"If the hand-grab seafood also used this garlic sauce with some added spices, I can’t imagine how incredible it must taste."

"Seems like I should order Chef Lin’s sauce for hand-grab seafood, because not any grilled seafood tastes good; just boil it in clear water and mix with some seasoning is simple enough."

Just one taste and he was instantly captivated by the deliciousness of the grilled oysters.

Prior to this, he had no interest in oysters, tired of them long ago.

Yet, Lin Chen’s garlic sauce seemed to have some magic that irresistibly drew one to keep eating.

The salty, slightly sweet, slightly spicy sauce paired with the oyster’s sweet richness, all with a hint of fruity charcoal scent, made it an absolute delight in the mouth.

Surveying the surroundings, every diner enjoying their meal had a similarly blissful expression.

Even the piled-up trash bins didn’t have any garlic scraps left on the oyster shells; they were thoroughly cleaned by the diners, as if washed.

Rovena was not the least surprised, as he was doing exactly the same now.

The oyster meat itself wasn’t special, performing normally; it was simply perfectly cooked to cut off the rawness.

It wasn’t roasted too long losing its moisture, nor was it undercooked mixing raw and cooked textures.

Though these are top-quality oysters, being sold as grilled, they should be well-cooked.

The main source of deliciousness lies in the minced garlic atop, each clove soaking up rich, savory sauce dissolving at the touch of the tongue, releasing a sweet garlic-flavored juice.

Especially when countless garlic cloves simultaneously melt on the tongue, the compounded ecstasy was irresistible.

"The seasoning, ha, not just for grilled oysters, anything paired with this sauce would taste great!"