God-Given Business Genius

Kim Jong-chun continued hesitantly.

“In-cheol told me everything. This place used to be dead, but with your help, Woo-yeon, it’s grown so much.”

Indeed. Who else could be credited for this growth?

Fundamentally, it was thanks to Lee In-cheol’s excellent cooking skills that a little push created such synergy.

But it was I who imparted secrets that would have taken years of trial and error to discover in such a short time.

“Honestly, I still can’t believe it. That a place so busy now was struggling to break even just a few months ago… I know In-cheol’s cooking skills well. I understand that success in business doesn’t just come from hard work, but still…”

Kim Jong-chun squeezed his eyes shut and exclaimed.

“I might not have cooking skills like In-cheol, but I’m confident I can be more diligent than anyone! Woo-yeon, could you give me a similar opportunity…?!”

Perhaps moved by his desperation, Lee In-cheol, who had been watching silently, stepped forward.

“Right. I’ll teach this guy cooking somehow and make something of him. If we use the same taste and system as our soup restaurant, he should at least be able to avoid losses, right?”

Oh. It seems they’ve already had quite specific discussions. They’ve made such progress without me?

Lee In-cheol didn’t seem to realize that what he was proposing was essentially franchise expansion.

He was simply trying to help a friend in a tough situation by sharing what he had.

I smiled inwardly.

‘If that’s the case, things will move much faster.’

Wasn’t Lee In-cheol’s permission the key to franchising the soup restaurant?

If we’ve passed that hurdle, the rest should be smooth sailing.

But I maintained a thoughtful expression as I silently observed Kim Jong-chun. He was frozen with tension, like a fresh graduate facing a job interview.

‘Thanks to drastically reducing the time it takes to establish a soup restaurant, I’ve become much younger. The younger you are, the easier it is to be disregarded.’

Even when I was older and a rising star in the food industry, many people ignored my advice and stubbornly ran their businesses their own way.

What I need now isn’t an outstanding chef or a cunning strategist with incredible business acumen.

I need a diligent person who will listen well and follow my advice to the letter.

And Kim Jong-chun fit that criteria perfectly. Moreover, he was competent, so with a little more training, he could easily manage the dining area.

The remaining issue was…

“Have you ever cooked before?”

Kim Jong-chun answered my question with a hint of unease.

“…No.”

“What dishes can you make?”

“I can make kimchi fried rice… and kimchi stew.”

A beginner’s level. Even college students living alone can make that much.

“And you want to run a soup restaurant?”

“He doesn’t necessarily have to cook himself, right? It’s common for owners and chefs to be separate.”

Lee In-cheol subtly defended Kim Jong-chun. Despite his tough exterior, he’s too soft-hearted and caring for his own good.

I deliberately spoke more coldly.

“Does it make sense for a restaurant owner not to know how to make the food they’re selling? What if the chef suddenly has an emergency, or quits due to some trouble? Will you close the restaurant until you find someone new?”

These are actually common unexpected situations in the business. It would be nice if everyone showed up diligently and worked as agreed, but managing people is never that ideal.

“I’m not asking for 100% proficiency. But you should be able to do at least 60%.”

That was my iron rule.

“To become an owner, you need to understand both the kitchen and dining room operations.”

Even if you can’t cook perfectly, you should at least pretend to learn. That way, you can visualize the situation in the kitchen without actually being there.

If you don’t clearly understand how your restaurant operates, it’s difficult to diagnose problems when they arise.

“…It doesn’t have to be that strict…”

Just as Lee In-cheol was about to speak up again.

“No. Woo-yeon is right.”

Kim Jong-chun lifted his head. His eyes still burned with unbroken passion.

“I was thinking too lightly of it. I got greedy even though I’ve barely worked at your soup restaurant.”

This is where we can gauge what kind of person Kim Jong-chun is.

“Thanks to you, Woo-yeon, I’ve come to my senses. I guess I still thought I was a salaryman in a suit commuting to work. I’m a complete novice in business.”

Instead of turning it into a battle of pride, he humbly accepts the criticism. How many people can admit when they’re wrong?

“It’s right to learn cooking step by step. When I feel confident… I’ll ask you to taste-test. Woo-yeon, you can judge for yourself.”

“Kim Jong-chun, you…”

“It’s okay, In-cheol.”

Kim Jong-chun grinned.

“This is about the second chapter of my life. It’s right to prepare more thoroughly before starting.”

Imagine how heartbreaking it would be to lose precious seed money due to a half-baked attempt.

Strangely, many people tend to underestimate the food business and jump in carelessly.

“Looks like I’ve come to the right place.”

Kim Jong-chun seemed relieved as he said this.

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The next morning, as usual, I arrived early to watch Lee In-cheol prepare the broth.

He suddenly blurted out to me.

“Does it really have to be that strict? How many business owners actually cook themselves…”

So yesterday’s events were still bothering him.

Lee In-cheol’s point is somewhat valid. My business philosophy might be excessive; after all, how many successful restaurants are there where the owner doesn’t cook?

But even so, I had no intention of backing down from my stance.

“That guy was known for being stubborn back then too. His supervisor used to give him such a hard time. He was infamous as the ‘newbie killer’, but that kid was the only one who gritted his teeth and endured.”

Lee In-cheol continued, clicking his tongue.

“Everyone else left, spitting that they couldn’t take it anymore, but he alone stubbornly stayed. I asked him why he was being so foolish. You know what he answered?”

“What did he say?”

“He said enduring was the one thing he was good at. That it was the only thing he could do well.”

“…….”

“He’s not particularly smart. But he was the type to win by planting his butt in a chair and sitting there longer than anyone else. Whatever he starts, he sees through to the end.”

This background explained why Lee In-cheol kept defending Kim Jong-chun. His deep trust in Kim Jong-chun was palpable.

‘…I had times like that too.’

A bitter feeling suddenly washed over me. I remembered the time when I thought Hyeonmu was my life’s greatest business partner.

“Boss, you’re still teaching ahjussi how to cook, right?”

“Of course! He’s getting private lessons from me for an hour every day after work.”

“How’s his taste?”

“…….”

Even Lee In-cheol had nothing to say on this point, pressing his lips tightly together.

Given his firm standards for taste, he probably couldn’t bring himself to say “It’s delicious!” even if his mouth was torn.

“Well, he’s still learning… He’ll improve gradually. Ahem.”

This is the kind of response he gives after much deliberation. Not even a hint of “delicious” in sight.

“Well, that’s fine. Like you said, we could hire a chef. But you know, boss. This method of making broth is troublesome and labor-intensive.”

The method of making separate bone and meat broths and mixing them is rare these days. It takes twice as much effort as other places.

“If it’s not the owner, there’s no reason to do it. I guarantee, if you hire someone and put them in charge, within six months they’ll ignore the existing method and make soup their own way.”

“Ugh…”

“At that point, even if ahjussi tells the chef to do it properly, will anything change? The business can’t stop for a day, and a restaurant that relies on its chef loses that much control.”

The more dependent you become on the chef, the more the kitchen runs according to the chef’s convenience.

That shouldn’t happen. The moment you compromise on taste, customers will coldly turn away.

“Moreover, when using a mix of two broths like this, the taste can easily vary each time. You have plenty of experience, so you can taste and adjust… but can ahjussi do that?”

“…It would be difficult.”

Lee In-cheol nodded in agreement.

“That’s a common mistake new owners make. Yesterday it was delicious, but today it’s not… The inconsistency in taste.”

“Then what should we do? It takes at least ten years to reach that level of skill. Should we keep him doing menial tasks in our restaurant until then?”

“We can’t do that. He has a family to support.”

Considering his circumstances, asking him to train here for 10 years is unreasonable. There’s no need for that either.

“The solution is simple.”

“What?”

“That’s why I’m here today.”

Unlike usual, this morning was going to be busy.

It was a necessary step if we were considering franchise expansion,

and a groundbreaking way to reduce new owners’ dependence on chefs.

“What are you planning to do?”

Lee In-cheol looked at me with wide eyes. It was the face of someone expecting me to work some magic again.

“We’re going to standardize the recipe.”

“The recipe?”

“Yes.”

Say goodbye to eyeballing salt, soy sauce, and all that.

That’s the realm of experience.

But just as a proper manual allows even a beginner to easily assemble DIY furniture,

With clear instructions, even a novice owner can replicate the same taste in cooking.

“Bring out all the ingredients!”

At my command, Lee In-cheol began to move quickly.

It was the moment we took our first step towards franchising.