On Wang Jun's recommendation, Lin Chen received the résumés of several Chinese chefs in Vancouver from a recruitment agency that very night.
However, a quick look revealed that none of them quite met his requirements. They were mostly apprentices with only two or three years of experience, not yet ready to command a stove station.
He wanted to hire seasoned wok chefs. The years of service weren't the main issue; what mattered was having sufficient hands-on experience at the stove.
Fortunately, after a brief chat with the agency about his specific needs, they managed to recruit two Chinese master chefs from back home who were willing to come work abroad within about a week.
But with half the globe separating them, a one-way flight taking fifteen hours, and expensive airfare, Lin Chen made a point to video call both candidates individually to ensure it wouldn't be a wasted trip for them.
The test was simple: he asked each of them to cook a few of their signature dishes.
