In Liupanshan Town, Jingyuan County, the aroma of "Zhou's Thursday Lamb" has filled the air for nearly two decades. From a humble eatery at a mine entrance to a specialty restaurant with millions in investment; from a small family-run shop to a rural dining benchmark that now provides jobs for local villagers; from a quietly striving entrepreneur to a two-term member of the Jingyuan County Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), Zhou Zhiming has spent 20 years of perseverance writing a history of entrepreneurial struggle amid the daily hustle and bustle. With heartfelt dedication, he fulfills his responsibilities as a CPPCC member, integrating his deep affection for his hometown and his sense of duty to the community into every dish served and every action taken.
**Building a Culinary Business from Scratch at the Foot of Liupanshan**
In 2006, Zhou Zhiming arrived in Liupanshan Town, Jingyuan County. At that time, the local dining scene was fragmented, lacking distinctive brands. With many workers around the Sanguankou mining area, there were few restaurants where people could eat with assurance and comfort. Spotting this business opportunity, Zhou invested all his savings and raised additional funds to open a restaurant at the mine entrance.
The early days of entrepreneurship were more challenging than imagined. Without sufficient funds to hire staff, Zhou served as both chef and purchaser, while his wife took on multiple roles as server and cashier. The couple worked from dawn till dusk. Every day before sunrise, Zhou would head to the market to select the freshest ingredients, paying particular attention to the quality of lamb—insisting on using locally free-range lambs from Liupanshan, known for their tender, non-gamy meat. This became the cornerstone of the restaurant's future success. In the kitchen, he would stir-fry and sweat over the wok; in the dining area, his wife would greet customers with a smile, serving tea and water. The couple treated every customer with sincerity.
"For the restaurant business, flavor is the foundation, and integrity is the soul," Zhou often says. To develop a unique lamb flavor, he repeatedly researched recipes and experimented with cooking techniques. Combining local culinary characteristics, he refined dishes like hand-grabbed lamb, stir-fried lamb, and clear-stewed lamb to suit public tastes. Without lavish decor or extensive advertising, relying on genuine ingredients, generous portions, and affordable prices, the small restaurant's business gradually thrived. Mine workers, passing drivers, and nearby villagers all became regular patrons.
By 2016, with operations stabilizing and having accumulated experience and capital, Zhou decided to expand. Leveraging Liupanshan Town's locational advantages, he invested 3.6 million yuan to establish a new "Zhou's Thursday Lamb" restaurant. The new venue is spacious, bright, and fully equipped, incorporating strong local characteristics in both its decor and menu layout, preserving traditional flavors while enhancing the dining experience. After opening, Zhou hired over a dozen chefs and servers, with many local women finding employment there, allowing them to care for their families while increasing their income.
However, the restaurant industry is never without challenges. In recent years, influenced by multiple factors, the dining market has faced significant impacts: reduced customer flow, rising costs, and increased operational pressure. Confronted with these difficulties, Zhou did not retreat but actively adjusted his business strategy: streamlining and optimizing staff structure from over a dozen to 7 people, maintaining efficiency with fewer personnel; strictly controlling ingredient costs, eliminating waste, and insisting on uncompromised quality; innovating dishes and introducing set menus to cater to different consumer needs. Thanks to flexible adjustments and years of accumulated reputation, the restaurant smoothly navigated the tough times. It now maintains a stable monthly revenue of over 100,000 yuan, remaining a leader in Liupanshan Town's dining industry.
**Giving Back: Warmth and Responsibility Amid the Daily Hustle**
"Personal success isn't true success; being able to lend a hand to fellow villagers brings real peace of mind," Zhou states. After achieving prosperity through entrepreneurship, he has never forgotten the struggling people around him, treating public welfare as a habit and assistance as a responsibility, gathering点滴爱心 (drop-by-drop kindness) into a warm current.
Upon learning about Jingyuan County's efforts to promote the "Elderly Dining Table" initiative to address dining difficulties for rural empty-nest and solitary elderly individuals, Zhou responded promptly. He actively donated money and supplies to the Liupanshan Town nursing home and Dazhuang Village's elderly dining table, regularly providing daily necessities like rice, flour, oil, lamb, and charitable funds, ensuring the elderly have access to hot, nutritious meals. Seeing the elderly eat happily and smile brightly fills Zhou with satisfaction: "Every family has elderly members, and everyone will age. Ensuring the elderly enjoy their later years is everyone's responsibility."
Beyond caring for the elderly, Zhou pays special attention to the growth of children in difficult circumstances. Learning about several children in Liugou Village, Jingyuan County, facing harsh family conditions and life difficulties, Zhou took the initiative to pair up with them for support. He not only provides supplies like stationery and clothing but also frequently talks with the children, encouraging them to study hard and maintain optimism, using his爱心 (compassion) to light a lamp on their path to growth. "Children are the future of our hometown. We cannot let family hardships hinder their education. I will help as much as I can," Zhou says.
Over the years, Zhou has cumulatively donated approximately 100,000 yuan in money and supplies to causes like the "Elderly Dining Table," nursing homes, and children in need. "Being able to help those in need is more valuable than anything," he remarks. Without earth-shattering feats, only steady, continuous acts of kindness; without轰轰烈烈 (grandiose) publicity, only默默无闻 (quiet and unnoticed) contributions, he interprets the social responsibility and duty of a CPPCC member in the most朴素的 (simple and unadorned) manner.
Most employees at Zhou's restaurant are local villagers. He never delays wages or mistreats staff. When employees face family difficulties, he proactively extends a helping hand, advancing salaries or assisting with coordination to alleviate their worries. "Since everyone works with me, I am responsible for them, ensuring they can work with peace of mind and have stable income growth," Zhou states. Under his leadership, the restaurant maintains a harmonious and融洽 (congenial) atmosphere, with employees highly motivated, making "Zhou's Thursday Lamb" a温暖 (warm) and reputable caring enterprise.
Looking ahead, Zhou has clear plans: continue to深耕 (deeply cultivate) the restaurant industry, preserve the distinctive culinary culture of Liupanshan, constantly improve dish quality and service standards, and build "Zhou's Thursday Lamb" into a shining名片 (name card) for Jingyuan's dining scene; persist in charitable endeavors, care for more groups in need, encourage more people to participate in public welfare, continue to fulfill his duties as a CPPCC member, conduct grassroots research, focus on key areas like rural revitalization, livelihood improvement, and industrial development, propose more high-quality suggestions and proposals, and contribute to the high-quality economic and social development of Jingyuan County.
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