Yuzhilan restaurant in Chengdu is a private dish of LAN Guijun, the most famous Sichuan cuisine master. Yuzhilan originates from the names of LAN Guijun and his wife, who are in charge of the restaurant. They are also one of the varieties of orchids in China. The name of yuzhilan comes from this. To understand yuzhilan, you must first understand LAN Guijun. LAN Guijun, born in 1965 in Xinjin County, Sichuan Province, is the father of pickled peppers and chicken feet. He is not like the general stereotype of Sichuan cuisine master with a big pot of fireworks. He is modest and has the inclusive temperament of Sichuan cuisine.

LAN Guijun, 20, was sent by his teacher to Xindu wangdadao store to practice and do odd jobs in the shop. This experience has trained his solid cooking skills: leaf raking, dough kneading, fire making, cooking, and basic skills. In 1985, he began to work in Shufeng garden, the temple of traditional Sichuan cuisine in Chengdu. During this period, he went to Panxi restaurant in Guangzhou to learn Cantonese food, and then became one of the leading figures in the pastry production of Shufeng garden.

In 1992, LAN Guijun was sent to Japan to work in suzulu - loulan restaurant of Honda F1 racetrack for 2 years. Because of the opportunity to work with chefs from all over the world, I learned the cultivation quality of Japanese chefs and the innovative spirit of European chefs. And the Japanese rigorous attitude and efficiency, into their own management philosophy. LAN Guijun is very strict and cruel to both the chefs below and himself. According to master Luo, head chef of yuzhilan in Shanghai, many of his disciples were terrified of the master, but later many of his disciples became hotel chefs. They especially appreciated master LAN's strict requirements at that time.

In Japan, LAN Guijun also saw the real "family cooking". The tableware and utensils in the shop were specially customized and designed by the owner. This exquisite atmosphere deeply shocked LAN Guijun. It was at this time that he came up with the idea of opening his own private restaurant.

Sichuan cuisine in LAN Guijun

It is mentioned in the documentary "Sichuan cuisine for thousands of years" that half of Chinese cuisine in the last century was in the hands of Cantonese cuisine. However, there are few dishes that can be served on the table. No matter which city has the best business, the highest consumption and the most money, it must be the Cantonese restaurant. But LAN Guijun generation, adhere to their own place of origin, adhere to the Sichuan cuisine and Guangdong cuisine.

In 1998, Guangdong cuisine prevailed. When the Sichuan cuisine industry was at a low ebb, LAN Guijun served as the head chef of xianglaokan restaurant and built it into a well-known restaurant in Chengdu. During the creation of pickled pepper chicken feet, now popular throughout the country.

In 2002, LAN Guijun and his wife set up a village kitchen restaurant. After opening, it became famous and its business was booming. For most Chinese chefs, financial freedom may be the ultimate dream. LAN Guijun, who achieved his goal ahead of time, could have spent his old age peacefully, but he resolutely ended his prosperous business. In the middle of my life, I am almost at the top of my life.

The birth of yuzhilan

At that time, most of the people in the blue orchid garden were surprised by the idea that the price of GUI Lan Yuan's banquet started in 1986, when most of the young people asked for a banquet at the price of RMB 1200. What kind of food can meet the selling price of 1200 yuan? It is not feasible to mix ingredients, because at that time, there was no logistics and communication ability as powerful as now. What is the final success? It depends on the chef's ability to control the ingredients, the chef's self-awareness and the chef's ability to understand the guests.

At that time, the young LAN Guijun could not fully understand the relationship between the chef and the ingredients, himself and the guests, but a seed was buried in his heart.

After closing his restaurant, LAN Guijun went abroad to taste all the most famous Michelin restaurants in the world, and felt the dignity of the chef in the restaurant who was recognized by the world. In 2007, he went to Jingdezhen to learn how to make porcelain. He spent a year studying and trying to study it every day. He used his own pastry champion's techniques. He changed flour into clay. Now, LAN Guijun designed and produced all the underglaze color tableware of yuzhilan.

In 2011, yuzhilan appeared in Chengdu as a private dish. The restaurant can accommodate up to 20 people, and two tables per day are required to be reserved. Diners from all over the world vied to visit. CNN and the financial times also visited the restaurant. The restaurant has won many awards at home and abroad, and has been selected as one of the 207 best restaurants in the world to eat.

"My food, like my experience, has a growing process," says LAN. When I was in my 20s, I also pursued extravagance; when I was in my 30s, I started a new career, and the dishes naturally had more flavor of the river and lake; in my 40s, I wanted to live a simple and easy life. Now in my 50s, people have settled down and become introverted and mean, and the cooking philosophy tends to be understanding, serious and calm. "

Yuzhilan's recipe is like a complete tasting experience system, as well as a score with prelude, interlude, climax and ending. LAN Guijun is like a conductor in a restaurant, controlling the rhythm and rhythm of dishes. The concept of yuzhilan is applied to create a rich taste bud experience with different combinations and seasonings. On the basis of preserving the original taste of the food, LAN Guijun uses adjuncts to calm the mind and give the diner a complete and comfortable taste experience.

Master LAN is the inventor of pickled peppers and chicken feet. He was born when the popularity of Sichuan cuisine in Guangdong was declining. In 2007, he suddenly shut down his restaurant and retired to study traditional Sichuan cuisine. Then he quietly opened his private restaurant yuzhilan, which is hard to find in Chengdu.

Later, master LAN served as Wang Sicong's private chef, and opened his second yuzhilan restaurant in Shanghai. He took a more high-end private cuisine route, and I continued to live in Chengdu.