[Explanation] The person in front of me who is making pastry is named Bi Chenggong, the owner of a "net celebrity" steamed bun shop in Hohhot, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region.
He made various cartoon-shaped steamed buns such as Peppa Pig, Mickey Mouse and Minion Man. They are loved by children and are regarded as "mantou man" in the eyes of children.
[Explanation] It was accidental that Bi successfully opened a "net celebrity" steamed bun shop.
He was originally engaged in construction work, but due to the pressure of work in the construction industry, he had the idea of self-employment.
In Bi Chenggong’s hometown of Hohhot, there is a custom that children have to hold a "lock opening" (also known as round lock) ceremony on their 12th birthday. During the ceremony, a ring-shaped steamed bun dough ring is used to wrap the child’s head, meaning " unlock".
After some investigation, Bi Chenggong found that there are few local craftsmen who make steamed buns and noodle locks, and the style of traditional steamed buns and noodle locks is single.
So seeing the gap in the market, he promptly returned to his hometown and opened this specialty steamed bun shop with his wife.
In the early days of opening the store, he and his wife went to Shandong, Shanxi and other places to apprentice skills. They started with zero basic knowledge. They started to learn from the dough and practiced from dawn to dark day after day.
[Concurrent] Bi Chenggong
At that time, it was me and my wife who went to our master to study in Shandong.
Because we had zero foundation at the time, if we were to learn this thing with zero foundation, the most important thing you have to go through is that you have to learn how to knead noodles, so at that time, my wife and I learned optics when kneading noodles. There are three days, three or four days, 12 hours a day, so after such a long time, I must be very sore in my arm.
[Explanation] Nowadays, Bi Chenggong’s steamed bun shop has been in business for 6 years, but he still can’t forget the experience of working overtime with his wife to make steamed buns when he received the first big order in the early days of his business.
[Concurrent] Bi Chenggong
There is a ten-day time before the Chinese New Year, and then let us deliver goods on the twenty-ninth of the New Year, which is the ten days ago, and my wife and I have to work almost 20 hours every day, basically in the early morning. When we get off work at three or four o'clock, the aunt and uncle (sanitation worker) will go to work.
[Explanation] Bi Chenggong introduced that since the special steamed buns are mainly sold to children, they are especially cautious in the selection of ingredients.
The colors on the cartoon-shaped buns come from natural ingredients such as spinach, pumpkin, red yeast rice, purple sweet potato, etc., which are not only harmless to the body, but can also be nourishing.
[Concurrent] Bi Chenggong
In fact, our original intention came from the child's desire. When we see this child, he can get a very good experience because of our products. I can say that we are very happy in our hearts.
Many people call me "Man Tou Man", so we will start from the research and development of some products, some safety and nutrition of some products, we will work harder to do these things well, and we will promise everyone, We are in the field of steamed buns, we will truly do this well and become a "mantou man".
Reporter Chen Feng reports from Hohhot
Editor in charge: [Ji Xiang]