Compared to food, people love to watch the world more

The picture shows stills of the variety show "One Feast of the Gods"

Zheng Jing: Where there are people, there are rivers and lakes, and food variety shows are naturally the same. Knife art and creativity will eventually give way to human nature. The list of gods in the world will eventually be left to those with stories.

Text | FT Chinese Columnist Zheng Jing

Finally, the variety show "One Feast of the Gods" began to tell life stories. In fact, since the first episode, the program team began to introduce the background tags of each contestant. Some of them are internet celebrities, and some are chefs who have already achieved success in the catering industry. The early players who were eliminated will tell the story more general; those who persist until the end will be more tortuous and beautiful. In every game, the story will continue, and the chef's temper, personality, style of affairs, and thinking mode are presented bit by bit, and all of this is related to his own experience. This is how the story continues, sometimes narrating, sometimes interlude, sometimes discussing and sometimes discussing.

Before the peak final, the pace is slowing down, and it is time to talk about your life well. Every chef always has a dish that means differently to himself. The story of food is also his own story. There are laughter and tears in the story, and his own attitude towards life. As the show goes through, the final victory or defeat seems to be no longer so important, because those who stay are the strong, and whoever wins, they have already taken it lightly, at least they show such a calm and gentle atmosphere. Where there are people, there is a world of martial arts, and the program is naturally the same. The creativity of swordsmanship will eventually give way to human nature, and the list of gods in the martial arts world will be left to those with stories.

The Chinese have always had high requirements for "people". They do not want others to do what they do not want others to do. All kinds of requirements are required for ordinary people. For public figures, opinions and leaders are more strict. Both virtue and art are the qualities that any leader in any industry needs. There were some spaces that were used to make money without hiding the merits, but now on the Internet, netizens’ moral filth is getting more and more serious, and they even think that a person’s private derby is more important than talent. If there is a problem with private morality, even a master is not worthy of praise. Everyone is rushing to make autumn wind, clean the fallen leaves, and even wishes to transform into a vacuum cleaner and a crusher to remove all the traces. They need a perfect person, a miracle that exists like a god. So they started to think constantly that reality shows were a way they liked and recognized.

The gods in "One Fen Sheng Shen" are achieved through cooking skills. During the melee between big and small chefs, one-on-one competition of knife skills and heat, and then bring thinking and vision. The three judges balance innovation and inheritance and select the contestants who advance. At this stage, the story and life can only be used as behind-the-scenes and add some topics of conversation, and cannot become the bargaining weight for victory. Xiaochu’s tags can be converted into traffic and increase popularity on the Internet or in physical stores. As soon as the program was broadcast, many contestants' stores immediately became more prosperous. The "Old Naughty Boy on the Stove" who can blow the military trumpet is already famous in the spicy crab restaurant in Chengdu. It is funny and cute in the program, and has received praise from judge Nicholas Tse. There are long queues in the restaurant all day long.

Another "Sauce Sauce Little Princess" who is good at making spicy dishes was eliminated in the first game, because the hot pot base was added to the competition, whether pre-made dishes can participate in the competition became the first professional topic for the audience to discuss. But her cute and honest image has gained a lot of audience favors. She also joked with the judges on the show, saying that she was "the woman Nicholas Tse is interested in", but because the judges went to the store to eat a few servings of crayfish. The program requires contestants to create topics, and contestants also know how to use their exposure and use ratings and celebrity efficiency to bring glory to themselves.

Compared with their free and easy spirit, the three judges were a little restrained. Nicholas Tse seemed helpless and shy in the face of waves of teasing. The chefs who rolled out in the world and the diners of the world always have strong vitality. In the face of real money and silver returns, the title of variety shows is at most a decorative painting on the wall, and a photo with celebrities, and they will still fade over time.

After the melee, the pattern of the rivers and lakes has been initially divided, and there will be battles at different levels at this time. After entering the team battle, the competition system began to consider the players' collaboration ability. Whether it was dealing with group meals with multiple people or business battles, the cooking skills were already at the back, and the character of a person began to gradually surface. In each round of competition, new topics emerged. The audience no longer paid so much attention to what new dishes they developed or what new ingredients they used, but focused on how these chefs got along with their peers. Like all reality show variety shows, the audience hopes that through this follow-up, they can see the real life of the chef.

People are always curious about areas they don't understand, and the desire to peek within the controllable range also makes the show's ratings.

The term non-fiction writing 20 years ago is not as popular as it is now, and readers are used to calling this kind of work "memoirs". Writers of different identities show the true situation of a certain industry by recording what they see and hear, and more by recording their own personal feelings. Anthony Bourdain, a famous American chef and writer, published a documentary memoir "Kitchen Secret" in 2000, which is known as "the history of the world in the kitchen." In the book, he wrote about how to become a celebrity chef step by step from the dishwashing process. In the vivid and fragrant text, readers finally saw the scene in the kitchen and even peeked at various gossips about the back door of the kitchen. There are sweat, swear words and carnivals in the place where delicious food is made. The chefs have countless "unrestrained" moments during lunch breaks, but all this does not delay their craftsmanship, nor does it delay them from picking stars, and they are liked by food critics.

Anthony Bourden died seven years ago, when he was 61 years old, and was filming the new season of the CNN program Parts Unknown. Before that, he had filmed 12 consecutive seasons, and Borden served as the host of the show. The audience liked his true temperament and sharp and humorous language style. They felt that it was a real chef and foodie, and what he introduced was the most credible, rather than simply chanting advertising slogans there.

Real, straightforward, with personality but real skills, people accept and admire such leaders in the industry. In the face of the status of the world, everyone will naturally understand the small flaws in their personality because they feel that they have the capital. So when the young chef Xiaohuaer proposed to improve the pork chop rice recipe of the old chef Master Shao, the audience almost supported the master, feeling that Xiaohua was completely messing around. Seeing the young girl crying, she didn't care about her at all, but felt that she deserved it. They have put themselves in it. In the workplace, young people encounter too many such situations. Compared with themselves, they are not considered bullying in the workplace, which is simply insignificant. Any newbie in the workplace has never been sent by the master, and no one was scolded by listening to it. Not to mention giving opinions, even following it with a straightforward attitude, sometimes you will inevitably be scolded a few words. There is no reason or explanation. This is the workplace, and this is the case in the world.

Look at "The Legend of the Condor Heroes", Guo Jing, who was in the cultivation department, grew up by his master since he was young. Later, Huang Rong and Huang Yaoshi were also trained "wood" one by one. They were scolded for practicing martial arts, scolded for playing chess, and even scolded for chatting. They were not sure when they stepped on the other party's minefield. To be precise, in front of the master, there are thunder everywhere. If they leave, you can't leave. There is no way. This is the rule of the world. Once you take the position, you will have the right to speak. At that time, everything is up to you. But you have to endure this process, be patient and be able to survive.

So in the audience's opinion, Master Shao's performance was already very restrained. He did not swear or gave up his prostitutes, which was already very proud of the girl. After that episode was broadcast, a netizen asked Chef Shuai, would he be angry if someone wanted to change his braised pork recipe? The handsome chef Hao said without hesitation that he would overturn the pot. Although it is a joke, this is indeed the true reaction of the masters. Chefs of that age all grew up by the stove, helping the master to make lotus and serve as assistants, and also serving tea and water. The master is happy and tells you a trick. If you are unhappy, you can only peel potatoes in half a year. Craftsmen pay attention to intergenerational inheritance and this rule. To judge whether young people are worth cultivating, the first thing to do is to follow the rules. Otherwise, no matter how good your talent is, it will not attract their attention. Because there are so many good seedlings, if anyone is missing, you can have a meal the next day. Even I am a passerby in the world, let alone a baby.

The master lowered his figure and listened to the young people's arrangements and set up a stage for them to perform. This is their greatest patience. Smart children will look at the winks, know how to be grateful, know how to ask questions, be sweeter and more well-behaved, and naturally gain more and get more help and support. In the behind-the-scenes kitchen, the same team's chefs are smart and capable, with a calm and unpretentious personality. Both chefs are optimistic and give advice from time to time, either the method of making spring rolls or the temperature of frying. Her air spring rolls were released, diners liked it, and the harsh chef also said, "There is juice." Seeing David eating a cooler person, he was afraid that he would affect his judgment, so he insisted on changing him to a hotter and crisper one, hoping to get recognition, just like the head teacher who crossed his own class in front of other teachers, and he had to agree and could not refute it.

For success, a show, a game does not say everything. When the chefs appeared and introduced, they all had a halo behind them. Lin Chao, who was good at making Shunde cuisine, was known as the No. 1 sword in Shunde. In the background video, he was covered with medals, and there were still many piles behind him. He can cooperate with the team to run vegetables and perform cutting shredded potatoes on balloons. Take out this kind of thing that has not been played with for many years and show it out and treat each other as happy. Yes, happiness is the most important thing, it is recognized by peers, respected by younger generations, and supported by everyone. This is what all masters need to get. Even if they have experienced many games, they still need it at this level because it is human decency. If you are hurt, what else is there to be fun?

The seniors have the dignity of the seniors, and the juniors have the dignity of the juniors. Compared with the master, they hope to be recognized more, and they must be the kind of heartfelt and true recognition. So in the show, Xiao Chu would try her best to show herself. Xiao Huaer changed the recipe and insisted on feeding Master Shao himself, making him nod, but unexpectedly he was thrown away. When Ran Shao was the team leader, he shouted loudly and told the team members to "make the taste vertical and make the taste perpendicular." His high-profile appearance made the masters on the second floor look at each other and shake their heads. In their eyes, the young man should be low-key. He has insufficient qualifications and even his voice is lowered in the kitchen. Only the chef is qualified to roar. Because the kitchen is very loud, the person in charge wants to send work. If the subordinates don’t shout, they can’t hear it at all, and the employees just repeat it and say that they receive it and the rest is to do it. Do not overstep your authority or provoke it. This is the basic survival rule of the kitchen and the workplace.

The youngest Ran Shao, among the contestants, gave him a promotion seat, but because of his singular personality, other players were intimidated by the other players, and they felt that he was not a good partner, so they took several bye rounds and were finally arranged by the rules to the Nomadic Chef team. Everyone is smart, and it is natural to understand that Ran Shao restrained his edge in the later stage of the show and used the "Mojito" of one yuan per cup. The two female chefs in the team also looked at him with admiration, respected each other, and recognized his abilities. When you are young, you can be forgiven for anything, but all this must be based on the understanding and sensibility of young people. Otherwise, in the real workplace, many children "don't know how to die", and they will only heal their injuries, but they cannot find the cause of the incident.

Intergenerational inheritance is a problem that many industries will encounter. The summer movie "F1: Racing" also talks about this issue. Veteran racer Sonny and rookie Joshua collaborated from friction to the end, and the new and old combinations redefined success. In Hollywood, which emphasizes personal heroism, it has also begun to praise team spirit. They transfer personal success to team spirit and follow the laws of sustainable survival. All this is based on respect and trust. Veterans have enough capital to convince people, and young players have enough posture and talent to make veterans look at each other and make them both satisfy each other.

The world is the world, the kitchen is the world, and life is even more so. The chefs have overcome all obstacles and reached a higher level, and it is time to talk about their life. Use food as a carrier to talk about your ups and downs. Whose life is not mixed with flavors? Fry it in the fire and boil it in the soup. See you tomorrow.

No matter how successful the seniors are, they will always be overtaken. The rise of powerful young people cannot resist. Seniors with a broad mind will open their arms and embrace the younger generation, learn from each other, and form a new force to face new forms. In fact, everyone's opponents have never been in the same industry, but in this era. Pre-made dishes in the catering industry, economic downturn, and changes in market consumption habits, each situation requires industry practitioners to deal with. No one can survive alone. There may be Peach Blossom Island in the Jianghu, but no one knows where it is.