pjbooks Chapter 18: [Both Expensive and Cheap]
Chapter 18: [Both Expensive and Cheap]
In footage captured by an action camera mounted on a tripod, the steak sizzles gently as it touches the hot pan.
Wearing a pristine white chef's uniform, Liu Zhuohao subtly moved his wrist, allowing the oil to evenly coat the meat. In just a few seconds, the edges of the steak quickly caramelized, forming a perfect dark brown crispy crust, and a rich, meaty aroma burst forth.
He picked up the camera with one hand, and with the other, he flipped the clip over, then sprinkled salt, crushing black peppercorns between his fingers.
As the butter melted in the pan, he used a spoon to continuously pour the scalding oil over the surface of the steak, causing the fat and juices to blend intensely, instantly creating a rich and complex aroma.
Finally, remove from the heat and let the steak rest quietly on the plate...
Take a break my ass!
Liu Zhuohao casually picked up a knife and fork and cut it open, then quickly grabbed his action camera to record the scene. The meat inside was fully cooked, and the scalding juices slowly seeped out, mingling with the black pepper sauce at the bottom of the plate.
The aroma wafts out hot and enticing, a perfect symphony of caramelized, fatty, and pure meaty fragrances.
There's no such thing as rare, medium-rare, medium, medium-well, or well-done. For street-side beef, there's only one kind: well-done.
This is not Wagyu beef, nor is it grain-fed ribeye; it is a properly processed and reconstituted steak that has undergone formal inspection.
Is it beef?
If the stall displays a factory inspection report and the source can be traced back to the corresponding processing plant, then it is definitely beef.
However, without this factory inspection report, it might be cheaper at the purchase price, but it would be mixed with duck meat, pork, etc.
Although it is beef, it is ultimately just reconstituted meat, not the original cut beef from brand stores.
These products undergo freezing processing and are made from scraps of a cow that have been pounded, pieced together, and prepared. If they are not properly cooked, there is a certain probability that food safety issues may arise.
Therefore, conscientious street vendors will only serve well-done beef, and will not offer unsuspecting customers the option of choosing how well-done it is in pursuit of some kind of "style".
"Another...steak?"
As soon as my father entered the door, he was greeted by this familiar and intense aroma.
He put down his keys and belt, looked at the three plates of sizzling steak on the table—pasta, fried eggs, broccoli, and cherry tomatoes surrounding the sizzling meat in the center—and couldn't help but twitch his lips.
This is the third time this week!
For families like theirs, steak is a "feast" they only dare to order on their son's birthday or during the Lunar New Year.
Now it's become commonplace.
The mother brought over a bowl of rice, her brows furrowed, and she lowered her voice worriedly, "Xiaohao, tell me the truth... you wouldn't be making up excuses to do this business just so we can eat something better, would you?"
The more she thought about it, the more likely it seemed: "This thing...it must cost a lot to make, right? How could you possibly sell it at a street stall? If you set up a stall to sell it, would anyone actually buy it? Wouldn't people think it's...fake?"
"Mom knows you're sensible, but... but how much money will this cost! You work so hard from dawn till dusk to earn that little bit of money, how can it withstand such waste?"
Liu Zhuohao laid out the last plate of pasta, wiped his hands, and sat down opposite his parents.
He didn't rush to answer, but instead picked up a knife and fork and cut the steak on the hot plate so that his parents could eat it with chopsticks.
"Dad, Mom, eat first, it won't taste as good if it gets cold."
He smiled, a little helplessly, and said:
"I really want you and Dad to eat better."
"But this business is something I'm really serious about. Making steak for my family is just a side thing, and I also want you guys to try it."
"Besides, once my business is up and running, our family can eat steak every day without feeling the pinch!"
It's no wonder that my mother would have such thoughts.
During this time, whenever he made money, he would bring things home.
It's either a crab, a scallop, or even a lobster!
The parents were worried about the money and felt it was unnecessary to eat such expensive food.
I felt that since I was just starting out in business, I should be more frugal with my spending.
But Liu Zhuohao didn't care about any of that. In his mind, eating these things was a matter of course. More than ten years later, after he made money in his own business, he often bought them to eat at home.
Perhaps, medical treatment, buying a house, or a nationwide vacation...
I can't satisfy my parents, but at least I can provide for them when it comes to food.
The father listened silently, picked up a piece of beef, examined the cross-section carefully, put it in his mouth, and chewed slowly.
After a long pause, he swallowed it.
"It tastes very good," he commented, then looked up, his gaze settling on Liu Zhuohao like a scale. "So, how much do you plan to sell it for?"
Unlike most fathers, he didn't just say "it's okay"; instead, he said it tasted great.
The question came directly, but it was exactly what Liu Zhuohao had expected.
"35 yuan a serving is a bit pricey."
Liu Zhuohao added, "But the follow-up appointments are free."
The area around the dining table fell silent instantly.
The only sound was the faint sizzling of the remaining grease on the iron plate.
The parents were stunned, not because the price was outrageously high, but because... for a roadside stall, it was far beyond their comprehension.
"Three, thirty-five?" The mother reacted first, her voice changing tremor. "Xiao Hao, will anyone buy this? A bowl of beef rice noodle soup is only twenty dollars!"
Her first reaction wasn't that her son would make money, but that she was afraid he wouldn't be able to sell them at all and they would be stuck with her.
The father didn't speak, but his brows furrowed and his fingers tapped unconsciously on the table, as if he were planning something.
Finally, he spoke:
"This is steak, after all."
"If this were in a Western restaurant, it would cost at least sixty or seventy yuan a serving, Xiao Hao. Aren't you going to lose money by setting this price?"
This is the unique situation that street-side steak restaurants currently face.
As a steak, it is currently perceived as a Western dish, a luxury item that costs at least 60 or 70 yuan per serving, and even more than 100 yuan if you order a set meal.
But for a roadside stall, the price of thirty-five...
Just take a plate of rice noodle rolls as an example. It costs five yuan. If you add beef, rice noodle skin, egg, seafood, and all kinds of ingredients, it will cost more than ten yuan.
Or, to put it another way, at a barbecue restaurant, a grilled chicken wing costs five yuan, a grilled sausage costs one yuan, a chicken cutlet costs one yuan, and a serving of grilled eggplant costs three yuan...
Even these days, roadside Coke vendors don't charge you extra; they even offer it for 50 cents less, making it two dollars a bottle!
A street-side steak costs 35 yuan.
The mother thought it was too high, while the father thought it was too low.
"Thirty-five... that price is somewhere in the middle," Liu Zhuohao responded. "People who eat at roadside stalls think it's too expensive, and people who eat at Western restaurants think it's beneath them, but actually, I don't count as either."
He drew a line on the table with his finger: "On one side are cheap roadside stalls where food safety may be questionable, and on the other side are reliable but expensive Western restaurants."
"I'm stuck in the middle, selling the 'reliability' of a Western restaurant at roadside stall prices."
"Actually, you can tell from some recent trends that the wind will be stronger next year, and those irregular stalls will have an increasingly difficult time. By then, everyone will understand that spending an extra ten or so yuan is not buying meat, but peace of mind."
This price is actually not low.
At least in Liu Zhuohao's opinion, it's not low.
25 years ago, in that market that had already grown into a bustling hub, you could find street-side steaks for 19.9 yuan a serving.
Now, their own pricing is almost double.
As for the price of raw materials, there is actually not much difference between 14 and 25.
Ultimately, it all comes down to the word "time".
Whether it's market competition, consumer demand, or regulatory risks, making street-side steaks is much easier now than it was 25 years ago.
At least in the 25 years he has known, nine out of ten people who have tried to make street-side steaks have lost money.
To be honest, Liu Zhuohao could actually price his products lower right now. If the price is between 25 and 30 yuan, he would have a good margin for error.
But time was running out; he needed higher profits.
Just like when I was talking to the boss of the supply chain in the wholesale market, he said that the wind was blowing in the wrong direction.
Many vendors are now complaining that business is getting harder and harder.
Market regulators require all sorts of food safety certificates, business licenses, etc.
Customers are becoming increasingly discerning and demanding.
However, Liu Zhuohao is well aware that this is a process of "standardization," an inevitable trend.
Don't say it's difficult to do business now. If you don't adapt to the times and follow the rules, and instead try to cheat on the ingredients and take advantage of small gains, business will only get harder and harder!
Moreover, it's not just strict now, it will be even stricter next year!
Next year, the new Food Safety Law will be implemented.
After that, not only big cities, but also small third- and fourth-tier cities will be affected.
It's like a night market; a large, bustling area was ordered to be cleared out, and no one dared to set up a fixed stall in those areas anymore. In the following years, the roads were rebuilt and paved, and turned into motor vehicle lanes.
But for Liu Zhuohao, this is also an opportunity!
Why?
Because diners can't find anywhere to eat!
As for myself, someone who has been paying attention to food safety and hygiene since the beginning of this year, I am not only not afraid, but I can go against the tide!