沒有不景氣,我們要爭氣,大家加油!      

身段柔軟熬出一片天

                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                                      
  全台灣最紅的大廚鄭衍基維多麗亞酒店「東餐廳」廚房，中午時刻，近10位廚師正在準備餐點，大火炒、熱油炸的聲音吵雜，只見阿基師（本名鄭衍基）矮小的身     
  影，在廚房內來回穿梭，大聲的下指令：「今天有衛生局的人來訪，請大家全力配合、全力配合，需要看任何檢查的表格，就掛在我門口，直接拿去」。             
                                                                                                                                                     
  接著，阿基師快步走到座位區，立刻放慢腳步，輕聲細語，對每一桌的客人鞠躬、微笑，許多客人是慕名而來，大聲叫著「阿基師」找他簽名、合照，儘管有其他事情 
  在手上，阿基師也會停下腳步，與客人聊上幾句。                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                                     
  隔天星期三，是阿基師固定休假的日子。                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                                     
  但一大早，他還是戴上安全帽騎摩托車，到維多麗亞酒店巡視一下，確認當天的宴席狀況；中午又跨上機車趕到《型男大主廚》的錄影現場，開始錄影到晚上11、12   
  點，一口氣就錄了5集。                                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                                     
  管理、主持的工作外，大學科系也需要他。                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                                     
  輔仁大學餐旅管理系、實踐大學生活應用科學系，都找阿基師擔任技術講師。                                                                               
                                                                                                                                                     
  堅持騎摩托車，毫無架子 。                                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                                     
  年屆55歲，阿基師今日的風光與搶手，對照年幼時很早進入社會，年少當學徒苦熬的日子，早可說是「媳婦熬成婆了，但他卻推說：「我覺得我不是『婆』，不認為我 
  是大廚，這樣就不會有大廚的習性。」                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                                     
  「習性」的等同符號有「自大」、「狂妄」、「霸道」與「無禮」。                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                                     
  但這幾個元素，不管人前人後，在阿基師身上都很難嗅到。                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                                     
  以交通工具這件事來說，三立電視台主管為了讓他往返錄影方便，主動安排車子與司機，但被阿基師拒絕了。                                                   
                                                                                                                                                     
  「啊我又不是老闆，我不用車子啦，騎摩托車比較方便，上班、下班、到學校上課、到三立錄影，我統統都騎摩托車，習慣了啦，我沒那麼嬌貴，也不需要那些派     
  頭。」                                                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                                     
  就連身為維多麗亞酒店職級最高的餐飲執行副總經理，公司為他準備的寬敞辦公 室，阿基師也不要。                                                          
                                                                                                                                                     
  他堅持辦公室就要在廚房裡面，小小不到 兩坪 的空間，完全沒有派頭可言，阿基師卻不以為意：「在我們這一行，就是要走動式管理，公司的大辦公室我不要，在廚 
  房才能最貼近第一線指揮。我在這裡，任何人要找我隨時都可以進來，離員工最近，我還想把摩托車牽進來放，方便我到處走。」                                 
                                                                                                                                                     
  維多麗亞酒店公關經理黃瀚慧也證實，「我們有準備給阿基師的辦公室，可是師傅不要。」                                                                   
                                                                                                                                                     
  沒有脾氣的小頑童                                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                                     
  緊鄰廚房的吵雜聲，阿基師在辦公室說話常得放大音量：「我要那麼大的辦公室幹嘛？那是表象，很容易就忘了自己是誰，得意忘形了，我沒有讀什麼書， 看到你們這
  種有讀書的人，我都見笑（台語）得想要躲起來了，不需要、不需要大辦公室。」                                                                           
                                                                                                                                                     
  把自己原來可以享受的特權看「小」， 一個人的氣度有多大，也格外分明。                                                                                
                                                                                                                                                     
  錄影時，工作人員會在換場的緊湊時間中，跟阿基師一一確認食材，如果準備的不夠完整，來不及重新準備，阿基師從不會發脾氣，反而會自己想辦法，在節目中圓回 
  來，不至於露出破綻。                                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                                     
  阿基師經紀公司的企劃陳虹君，跟著阿基師出席活動就遇過多次類似的情形，「儘管阿基師盡量講清楚，但難免會有疏漏，阿基師都說，沒關係沒關係，我來想辦     
  法。」                                                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                                     
  和阿基師一同擔任《型男大主廚》節目的評審詹姆士，形容阿基師是 「沒有脾氣的小頑童」， 他記得在一次錄影時，阿基師要使用「刨絲刀」，工作人員準備的品質
  不好，因此在刨絲的時候，刨不出來，阿基師對工作人員使臉色，表示再換一支，一連換了三支，還是一樣難刨，阿基師只有笑笑的對著鏡頭說「啊！這個是要怎麼刨 
  啊？」                                                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                                     
  詹姆士說，這是他聽過阿基師說過最重的話。                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                                     
  但事後阿基師還會主動跟工作人員說： 「妹妹，剛剛師傅不是針對妳，妳不要介意。」                                                                      
                                                                                                                                                     
  苦熬8年，學會放下身段阿基師身段柔軟、待人有禮的態度，其實也是源自於辛苦學藝的過程。                                                                
                                                                                                                                                     
  在廚藝這一行，即使到今天，都還是非常講究「師徒制」的傳承， 一個學徒跟著一個大廚，入行的起步工作， 都是從「跑腿」、「打雜」開始。                   
                                                                                                                                                     
  由於廚房工作耗費體力，身材高壯的容易受到師傅青睞，矮小的阿基師比較吃虧，當師傅在做菜的時候，都會故意把阿基師給支開，叫他去買東西、做別的事。       
                                                                                                                                                     
  眼看同時期的人都已經從備菜、料理等，不斷地往上升， 成為三廚、二廚了，自己還是小小的學徒，阿基師領悟到 「我不期待我能升，但我可以期待我自己的學     
  習。」                                                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                                     
  如今，阿基師出了名的「偷吃步」做菜法，其實是過去阿基師精進廚藝的方法，每當師傅在做一道菜時，阿基師都找機會在一旁切菜， 趁機偷學，再利用休息的時候練
  習。                                                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                                     
  想起以前學做菜，阿基師感嘆地說「過去的師傅都怕功夫被學走， 不教你我就自己偷學，看一次不會就看二次， 偏偏同一道菜師傅不一定每天做， 所以一道菜要花很
  長時間才能完全看懂，而且休息時要自己偷偷練。」                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                                     
  阿基師記得學做蘿蔔糕就是如此，看了1、2個月， 自己摸索，做完還不敢拿給師傅吃，先去外面買了幾家知名的蘿蔔糕， 自己吃吃看，比較自己做得有沒有外面的   
  好，滿意了才鼓起勇氣拿給師傅品嚐，請師傅指點。                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                                     
  「人家（師傅）看我乖乖的，很認真，才會教我一點，」阿基師說。                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                                     
  因此，阿基師把腰彎得更低，撿別人不做的來做， 當其他廚師爭先成為大廚的助 手，想盡辦法往上爬時， 阿基師最多就是煮7、80人的員工餐，既使如此，他也甘之 
  如飴。                                                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                                     
  「你要自己主動，多做一點，讓師傅喜歡你，才會願意給你機會，」 阿基師說。學廚的苦點滴在心頭，吃苦當吃補，但是阿基師從來不計較，反而認為 「人家肯收你 
  就不錯了，哪還敢有多的抱怨？」                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                                     
  做人做的不好，做的菜也不好吃「從小家庭教育就教我，一日為師、終身為父， 那時候師傅就像我的父親，我哪敢頂撞他，不要說頂撞， 只要師傅說一就是一，我只 
  有聽話的份。」                                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                                     
  曾經有整桶滾燙的粥灑在阿基師的脖子上，他仍然咬緊牙， 用裹了牙膏的毛巾包在傷口上，繼續工作。                                                        
                                                                                                                                                     
  阿基師說：「那時候哪敢請假不來，都嘛是繼續硬撐，師傅看在眼裡，才多給你一些機會。」                                                                 
                                                                                                                                                     
  阿基師細數手上大大小小的傷疤，換來如今的成就非凡。                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                                     
  阿基師說：「做菜也有倫理，做菜就是做人，做人做的不好， 他的菜也不會好吃到 哪裡去。」                                                               
                                                                                                                                                     
  因為自己一路苦熬過來，知道學徒的辛苦，阿基師並不吝教導後輩， 反而主動到學校教學生。                                                                
                                                                                                                                                     
  但也曾經碰過學徒學成後，卻不把阿基師放在眼裡， 「你可以很清楚的感覺，他對待你的方式， 跟當初來跟你拜師學藝的那種態度，完全不一樣，可能升上大廚     
  了，就開始囂張了，不再像以前那樣了，」 阿基師感嘆的說。                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                                     
  重視職場倫理的阿基師，看著許多廚師，迷失在名利之間， 他更是引以為戒，「只 要是長輩一定要尊重，那怕是洗碗的阿姨， 我都教我的員工，一定要當作母親一樣
  尊重。」                                                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                                     
  走入電視，重新當學徒                                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                                     
  《型男大主廚》主持人曾國城用「曖曖內含光」形容阿基師， 指有才德的人光芒內斂，不求表面虛榮。                                                        
                                                                                                                                                     
  「阿基師與人為善，沒有分別心，讓你跟他相處起來是舒服的，」 曾國城說。                                                                              
                                                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                                     
  一路苦熬的阿基師，讓他更珍惜現在得來不易的機會，阿基師說： 「我是活在當下，人才會務實，你問我未來還有什麼目標，我沒有看那麼遠， 我只有做好每一     
  步。」