Restore "Old Chongqing", a hot pot condensed "market flavors"
Xinhua News Agency, Chongqing (Reporter Li Xiaoting) The temperature in Chongqing is gradually rising.
In the evening, the setting sun reflected a little starlight on the Yangtze River, and an old three-story building by the river suddenly lit up.
Approaching this small building along Nanping New Street in Nan'an District, the spicy aroma penetrates into the nostrils.
Yellowed walls, exposed blue bricks, a characteristic spiral staircase decoration... The colorful plastic benches outside the door are full of diners waiting to be seated.
It turns out that there is an old Chongqing hot pot restaurant hidden here - Hou Hot Pot.
"The atmosphere here is very good, and the signature dishes can be washed and eaten, which is delicious and interesting," said Ms. Yang, a "post-00" tourist from Zhengzhou.
Since the beginning of this year, despite the impact of the epidemic, Hou Hotpot is still doing well.
Walking up to the third floor of Hou Hot Pot, the terrace full of green plants is like a garden, overlooking the Yangtze River.
"The retro architecture, the romantic river view, and the taste of traditional old hot pot in Chongqing are the Chongqing hot pot in our memory of the post-80s generation." Li Dengfei, founder of the post-hot pot, said that the store has retained the original old house layout. On this basis, it is deliberately old-fashioned to restore the leisurely scene of "old Chongqing" people sitting by the river and eating hot pot.
Houhuo Hotpot's menu has many new ideas: braised pork that can be eaten, soft and tender fish with salted egg yolk flavor, various homemade ice products... "Innovation is the gene of Houhuo Hotpot." The chef of Chongqing Houhuo Catering Management Co., Ltd. Political manager Yan Chengjian told reporters that Hou Hotpot won many fans with the combination of Sichuan and Chongqing traditional cooking and hot pot.
After 6pm, there is always no vacancy in the store.
Hou hotpot is a microcosm of the recovery of Chongqing catering enterprises through their own efforts and with the help of policies.
Li Dengfei told reporters: "Starting from April 1 this year, small-scale taxpayers enjoy a phased VAT exemption policy. We expect to be exempted from VAT for about 70,000 yuan throughout the year." Since the outbreak of the new crown pneumonia epidemic, relevant relief policies have continued to It has provided a lot of support for this hot pot restaurant.
Today, the average daily turnover of Hou Hotpot has reached 30,000 yuan, which has returned to 70% of the pre-epidemic level.
Guests from all over the world have tasted the flavors of the market from this pot.
"In the first quarter of this year, the revenue of the catering industry in Chongqing increased by 3.9% year-on-year." Zhang Jidong, president of the Chongqing Catering Industry Association, introduced that since the end of March, five industry associations including the Chongqing Catering Industry Association, the Hot Pot Association, and the Small Noodle Association have joined hands with Meituan. Takeaway, providing "takeaway butler service" for local small and medium-sized catering enterprises, helping merchants analyze business conditions, develop takeaway meals, and improve online operation capabilities.
A number of support and support policies have helped catering companies to cope with the challenges of the epidemic, and injected a "stimulant" into the development of the industry.
Recalling two years ago, Li Dengfei still has lingering fears.
"Before and after the Spring Festival in 2020, Hou Hotpot will be closed for more than a month." Li Dengfei said that if the store continues to close, the ingredients ordered at the beginning of the year will only be rotten, which will cause economic losses of more than 300,000 yuan, and Hou Hotpot will be on the verge of bankruptcy.
"A dozen employees are still waiting for my salary. In any case, we cannot let this store collapse in the epidemic." In February 2020, Li Dengfei and two partners took the lead in resuming work, ordering food through the hot pot restaurant's WeChat fan group and local Chongqing. The platform picks up takeout orders, and Li Dengfei is responsible for the delivery, working continuously for 12 hours a day.
Li Dengfei said that in the more than a month since the store was closed, Hou Hotpot has emptied its inventory of ingredients through hotpot take-out and recovered some of the losses.
"Under the epidemic, rising costs are a problem that our small and micro restaurants have to consider." Li Dengfei said, "Fortunately, staff from relevant departments often come to our door and send us good policies."
The connection between Hou Hotpot and Nanping Street in its jurisdiction is also getting closer and closer.
With the easing of the epidemic, the store's outdoor space has been appropriately opened, the policy has become more humane, and the fireworks have gradually returned to the streets.
Zhuang Ningyu, secretary of the Party Working Committee of Nanping Sub-district, told reporters that the sub-district also helps companies establish connections with banks within their jurisdiction.
Li Dengfei borrowed more than 1 million yuan through mortgage loans for small and micro enterprises, which effectively relieved the financial pressure.
Li Dengfei said that the money saved under the policy support was used for the research and development of dishes and improving the operational efficiency of restaurants.
After the hotpot has invested hundreds of thousands of yuan in the research and development of dishes, an average of 1 to 2 innovative dishes can be added every month.
"Our special roasted dishes can be eaten directly or rinsed. They are very popular, but the research and development of dishes is not simple." Yan Chengjian said that during the research and development of the signature braised pork, the research and development team tested more than 20 times before and after. A version of braised pork.
"It is not only necessary to ensure the flavor of the braised pork itself, but also to ensure that it will not be too soft and rotten, and the final version can only be determined after customer evaluation."
The impact of the epidemic on the catering consumer market has made Hou Hotpot start to think about how to continue to develop.
"Local customers pay more attention to the quality and cost-effectiveness of ingredients." Yan Chengjian said that Hou Hotpot improved operational efficiency on the basis of reducing costs and "squeezed out" the gross profit.
Through kitchen and service reforms, Hou Hotpot standardizes various procedures.
"In the past, the back kitchen preparation did not measure the weight of the dishes, which was easy to cause waste." Li Dengfei said that now, through standardized procurement, acceptance, and food preparation, the operating cost of the back hot pot has been reduced by nearly 10%, and the profit margin has been improved.
Standing on the terrace on the third floor overlooking the Yangtze River, Li Dengfei imagined the future of the hot pot restaurant: "With the support of many parties, we will restore the vitality of the past, and in the future, the hot pot will have to move forward to a larger market."