Chef Fei a hit not only among Hunan residents, but also diners all over the country
Stir-fried pork with fresh chili peppers is one of the most well-known dishes commonly seen in Hunan province.
The taste of this delectable dish, which has both the spicy flavor of chili peppers and the succulent tenderness of pork, is unique to each family even if they use exactly the same ingredients.
Local people in Hunan, in fact, say that the best stir-fried pork with chili is the one made by their mothers.
The dish dates back to more than 2,000 years as depicted in the Songs of Chu, an anthology of ancient Chinese poetry, which records that Hunan people ate chilies to warm the body.
The dish is also what has made Chef Fei one of the most popular Hunan restaurant chains nationwide.
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Chef Fei sold more than 5 million servings of chili stir-fried pork last year, with total sales revenue exceeding 1 billion yuan ($138 million), according to the company.
Founded in 2003 in Hengyang, Hunan, Chef Fei has expanded to over 100 branches in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Shenzhen in Guangdong province, Suzhou, Jiangsu province, as well as in Hunan itself.
Its signature dish, fried pork with chili, has become a hit not only among Hunan residents, but customers all over the country.
In 2018, the first Chef Fei restaurant outside Hunan opened in Shenzhen, which is jokingly referred to as the provincial capital of Hunan province because of the large number of Hunan natives working in the city due to its geological proximity.
The restaurant chain expanded to Shanghai in 2021, Beijing in 2022 and Guangzhou last year. The average wait time at its restaurants in Beijing exceeds two hours.
When the brand opened its first outlet in Guangzhou last year, there were long lines to get in from 10 am to 10 pm, according to Lu Wenwei, the PR manager at Chef Fei.
Lu attributes the brand's popularity to its fastidiousness in ensuring that each dish is freshly prepared.
Meanwhile, more youngsters have fallen in love with spicy food, which has become popular nationwide, he said.
Despite its popularity, the company does not offer delivery services as it wants customers to taste the freshly made food at its restaurants, he said.
It has also not opened any franchises as it would be hard to control the quality of food and service at such restaurants, he added.
Chef Fei's chili stir-fried pork has been ranked the top dish in Changsha, capital of Hunan, for six consecutive years, Lu said.
"We have the most certified master chefs of Hunan cuisine among all local restaurant brands."
The chili stir-fried pork is the top dish and a representative of Hunan cuisine, he said.
"We carefully select our ingredients. For chili stir-fried pork, we only use Kurobuta pork and make sure that only master chefs can cook the dish."
Despite the high cost of labor and ingredients, the company has managed to control the price of its dishes in first-tier cities. Customers on average spend just over 100 yuan at its restaurant for a meal, which is affordable for white-collar workers in big cities.
Meanwhile, the company has not raised funds from investors and is not seeking a public listing on the stock markets, Lu added.
"All of our stores are making profits, though not much, and we are not in a rush to expand rapidly," he said.
However, to cope with popular demand, the company plans to open dozens of new restaurants in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Suzhou, and Changsha. Its first venue in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, will open on June 2.
In Changsha, its restaurants have also become a must-visit destination for travelers from all over the country.
Wang Bing, head of Chef Fei's restaurant at Huangxing Square in Changsha, said during the Labor Day holiday, National Day holiday and summer vacation, the eatery welcomes 2,000-3,000 customers every day.
About 90 percent of its customers order stir-fried pork with chili pepper, its signature dish. Meanwhile, to cope with strong demand, the store has extended its service time by one hour to 11 pm, he said.
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Chen Jie, 26, traveled to Changsha from Beijing recently with friends and tried out one of Chef Fei's restaurants in the city.
"It is very famous and the waiting time in Beijing is too long, so I told myself I must try it out in Changsha," he said.
It is not too spicy and perfect for someone from northern China who wants to try spicy food but is unable to tolerate the strong flavor, he said.
Xie Jiahui and her friend went to Chef Fei's restaurant in Changsha before heading back home to Shaanxi province.
It was the second time that they were visiting Changsha and having a meal at the restaurant. "I like the city and its food very much and I find local people are very happy and lead relaxed lives," she said.
Lu, the PR manager of Chef Fei, said although Hunan cuisine has been well-received in the country, there has not been a well-known brand representing its local cuisine. "We want to make the brand recognized nationwide. We are making progress in bringing Hunan cuisine to more people, so they can experience its appeal."
