《海星王》号是艘远洋货轮。船员来自世界各地：美洲，欧洲，非洲，大洋洲，亚洲…，黑人，白人，黄种人…可谓海上《联合国》。
船上大厨常昱来自东方的中国。
常昱不仅中西歺样样精通，烹调的菜肴倍受船员的喜爱和欢迎，而且对世界各国的饮食特奌和习俗，按船员的说法“倍儿熟”，还有一个叫“筷子”大厨的绰号。
”筷子”大厨的绰号的来历，是在一次调换船员时发生的。
一次，《海星王》号仃靠在韩国的斧山港，调休的船员刚下船，一位年青的韩国水手匆匆赶上船，此时，正值船上午歺时间。
大厨常昱不仅特意安排一盘特具特色的韩国烧烤为其接风，还准备了一双银光闪闪的金属筷子。
韩国水手望着香喷喷的家乡菜，拿着韩国特有的金属筷子，连声说：“谢谢“，眼里噙着泪水。
站在一旁的船员边鼓掌，也猜疑：金属筷子是咋回事？船上还第一次发现“金属筷子”！
事情还得从常昱外派到这艘具有多国船员的，号称海上《联合国》的《海星王》号船上做大厨说起。
俗话说，众口难调。船上的船员来自十几个国家。酸甜苦辣各有所爱，而且用歺习惯也“千奇百怪个，西方用刀叉，东方人用筷子，非洲人干脆用手抓…。
刚上船的常昱急得满头是汗。常昱上船的大厨是受船上大副俞白的影响。一次公休在家的俞白大副在一家歺馆里过生日。常昱在这家歺舘做主厨，望看身著挺拔的海员制服十分羡慕，又听俞白大副介绍的丰富多采的航海生活，决定上船做一名大厨。在俞白大副的邦助和支持下，常昱经过专业培训考试和西歺学习后，跟俞白大副上了船。
开始常昱在一艘全是中国船员的船上做大厨。常昱精谌的厨艺，倍受船员的喜爱和好评。可是到了号称海上《联合国》的《海星王号》，后就犯难了！
常昱是个不服输的汉子，利用远航的机会，不顾劳累，抽空到处求教学习各国的享调技术和饮食习惯：韩国的烧烤，泡菜，日夲的料理寿司，意大利面条，法国大歺…每逢船员生日或特殊节日，都会为船员做上一道家乡菜，深受船员的称赞和喜爱。
然而，一个偶然的小插曲给了常昱新的启发；光有特色菜还不够，还要尊重各国船员的用歺习惯。
一次，正值韩国船员生日，常昱精心制作了一道”韩国烧烤”，谁知，这位韩国船员使用筷子时，木制的筷子被木炭点燃了，还差奌烧了船员的手。
常昱感到十分内疚，问题出在哪里？韩国人用筷子就歺没错。这是东方人的饮食文化。难道是韩国船员大意了！
不久，常昱在一夲介绍东西饮食文化书中找到了答案。
韩国，日本和中国一样，都是使用筷子做为主要饮食歺具，而且具有悠久的历史，是东方饮食文化的特色，但是筷子却有不同。
中国人使用筷子的历史十分久远，而且十分讲究和独特，中国人的筷子曾有长短之分，历史上筷子长短代表着贫与富的身份。过去有钱人的筷子长，没钱人的筷子短是因为过去没有转盘，没钱人菜少，有钱人菜多要吃远处菜，筷子就要长。为了显富还特意做了金银筷子象牙筷子。日夲人的筷子一律都十分短，因为日本人用多是自吃自己眼前的一盘，长了没用，还碍事。日本人的筷子是尖头的，因为日本人喜欢吃生鱼片，生魚很滑特别切簿了更滑，必须用尖头去扎。中国人的筷子是平头的，吃饭能用筷子夾起来就吃，绝对不允许扎。只有在祭祀死人时，比如扎馒头和烙饼。_。平时如果用筷子扎馒头，老年人会摇头说不吉利…。韩|国人欢喜烧烤，竹筷子和木筷子容易炭化或燃烧，所以韩国人的歺桌上放的都是金属筷子。而且受辽东文化的影响，筷子头都是扁平的。
从此之后，每当韩国船员生日时，常昱总是在烧烤前，将一双闪光的金属筷子摆放在歺桌上…。“筷子“大厨的美名在船上传开了，不久走红了网络里航海朋友圈。
不料，时隔不久，招人喜爱的“筷子”大厨从人们的视线消失了，“筷子”大厨离开了《海星王》号。返回大山深处的老家。
事情发生在一次远洋归来后。
不久前，《海星王》号来到日夲的横滨港。来港之前，常昱听一位日夲船员说，在日夲古城京都有家”王家饺子”歺厅。歺厅不大却十分特殊，名气很大。
出于职业的习惯，利用靠泊的空隙，常昱找到了这家歺厅。
歺厅在一个不显眼的偏避小巷。这里除了几道常昱熟悉的日夲料理外，没有什么特殊的地方。
但是，常昱参观和听了歺厅主人的介绍后，倍感震惊和激动。
歺厅的主人叫井上定博。引人注目是歺厅门上贴着一张特别的告示：如果没有钱，你也可以免费吃饭，直到吃饱肚子。但需要吃饱后，洗三十分钟的碗（以上规定适用于18岁以上的学生）。
常昱好奇地问歺厅主人井上定博：“你只是开了一家不大的歺厅，並非大富大贵之人，为什么要做这样亏本的生意？”
井上定博满怀深情地说：“是我忘不了一位前輩的一饭之恩！”
原来，井上定博20岁时己经结婚生子，由于微薄的收入难以维持生计。为了妻子和孩子吃饱做，井上定博经常饿着肚子坚持工作。就在这个时候，一位热心的前辈特意请他了一顿饭。这位前辈感动于井上定博对妻子孩子的強烈责任心。冈时对井上定博说：”饿着肚子的爰是不能长久的，，填饱肚子的爱才有力量，才能顶起家中的大梁！“
前辈的一番话深深打动了井上定博，从此挺起了腰杆，从学徒一路苦干，经过多年的不懈奋斗和努力，终于有了自已的歺厅，成了京都”王将饺子”店的主人。当井上定博有能力回报那位使他终身难忘的前辈时，那位前辈己经过世。
井上定博遗撼的流下泪水：“我永远没有机会报答他，但是在这个世界|上还有许多象我年青时那样，需要照顾和帮助的穷苦孩子！”
”王将饺子“歺厅附近有几座大学井上定博担心经济桔据的孩子没钱吃饭于是就在歺今门上贴出了那张让常昱难忘的告示。
井上定博己经年近古稀，让穷孩子免费吃饭的做法坚持了几十年，有500多名学生受到井上定博的接济，许多学生已经走上了社会，其中包括《海星王》号上那名船员。但是他至今没有忘记井上定博的恩情，时常从外地赶来看望他，《海星王》号那名船员还特地从中国买回一套具有东方文化的精美歺具送给井上定博，歺具上面绘画着“十孝感恩图”，摆在歺厅显眼的地方…。
听完井上定博的讲述，常昱流泪了，常昱出生在大西南的贫苦山区，早年父母双亡，是吃”百家饭”长大的。他的经历与许许多多大山里的孩子一样，在乡亲接济抚养下长大成才的…。
参观完“王將饺子”歺厅归来后，常昱辞去了《海星王》号大厨的工作，利用自己仅有的集蓄在家乡附近开了一家歺舘，免费为那些贫困的学生提供饭菜。
“筷子”大厨的义举又一次在网上爆红，引得众多人的点赞！
The Seastar was a cargo ship that traveled far distances to deliver goods to many
different countries. Its sailors hailed from all over the world: America, Europe, Africa, Asia,
and Australia… The crew spoke a variety of languages, and cultures were constantly
exchanged onboard the Seastar.
The Seastar’s chief cook, Chang, was from China. He was adept in making both Asian
and Western influenced flavors, and the crew deeply enjoyed the dishes he conjured up and
served every single day. Chang was also aware of different cuisines’ specialties and customs
as well as the foods that his crew preferred.
The seafarers enjoyed Chang’s dishes so much that some gave him an affectionate
nickname: Chopsticks.
But the story behind this nickname originated when members of the Seastar’s crew were
actually being relocated to another ship. When the Seastar docked at the Port of Busan in
Korea, a young Korean shiphand rushed onboard the Seastar as soon as the sailors who were
being relocated set off for their next journey. Chef Chang had heard about the young
Korean’s sailors arrival, and prepared a feast of Korean Barbecue to make him feel at home,
complete with a pair of silver chopsticks.
The Korean sailor gazed at the familiar meal set on the table in front of him, held onto
the metal chopsticks unique to Korea, and whispered, “Thank you”, to Chef Chang with his
eyes full of tears.
The rest of the sailors also dug into their special celebratory dinner, but some of them
wondered: Why did Chef Chang give the new shiphand a pair of metal chopsticks? This is the
first time we’ve ever seen metal chopsticks onboard!
The story truly began when Chef Chang was first assigned to the Seastar as the chief
cook. Amongst the nautical culinary world, the most difficult assignments are on ships and
cruises where crews of multiple nationalities sat together on the same dining table. Although
it was a beautiful, harmonious scene, the sailors from all over the world each had different
preferences in tastes - some liked sweet foods while others liked spicy, some used forks and
knives, some used chopsticks, and some were used to simply using their hands.
For Chef Chang, the beginning of his nautical journey was filled with nervousness and
jitters. Chang became inspired to become a chief cook on a cargo ship when he met the head
sailor of the Seastar, Bai. Bai had celebrated his birthday one year in the restaurant that
Chang was working in, and told Chang about all the wonderful, mysterious, and incredible
experiences he had ever since he became a sailor. After months of pondering and hoping for a
change in his life, Chang applied to become a food handler on cargo ships. With the help of
his friend Bai, Chang went through a series of professional training and exams and boarded
his first oceangoing vessel in only a year.
At first, Chang served on a ship with mostly Chinese seafarers. Being from China
himself, Chang was adept at making all kinds of Chinese cuisines, and was repeatedly praised
by the satisfied crew. But after he was transferred to the Seastar, where crew members from
all over the globe expected delicious meals after long days of working, Chang became less
confident.
Nevertheless, Chang was a resilient chef and would never give up. He seized the
opportunities that were presented by traveling on long, distanced voyages, and studied the
local cuisines of wherever the Seastar went. He watched other chefs prepare Korean
barbecues and kimchi, Japanese sushi, Italian pizzas and pastas, and pastries and delicacies
from France. Every time a crew member celebrated his birthday, Chang made sure to dig out
a recipe from the member’s hometown and prepare it with the utmost care to remind the
sailor of home. Steadily, the entire crew of the Seastar fell in love with the care and precision
Chang put into his cooking.
But a slight accident occured that made Chang realize that only presenting dishes from
the sailors’ hometowns were not enough. The dining experience was incomplete without the
proper customs and habits that the sailors ate with back at home.
This incident transpired when Chang prepared Korean barbecue for a crew member from
Korea on his birthday. When the sailor picked up the wooden chopsticks normally used on
the Seastar, to everyone’s horror, his chopsticks caught on fire.
Before the flames could reach the sailor’s hand, one of his friends poured a glass of
water over the chopsticks and put out the fire. But even then, Chang felt extremely guilty for
the stress everyone had to encounter on what should’ve been a joyous occasion. How could
the chopsticks catch fire? He wondered. As a Chinese food enthusiast, he’s eaten almost
anything in the world with chopsticks, and never had the chopsticks ever caught on fire
before. Did Korean people prefer to use something when they ate grilled foods?
Chang buried himself into cookbooks and historical accounts of Korean cuisine, and
finally found an answer.
Koreans, like those from many other Asian nations, used chopsticks as their primary
utensil when indulging in food. Chopsticks have a long and fascinating history and are one of
the most unique elements of dining in Asia, but the chopsticks found in different countries
each came with a set of individual customs and specifications.
For example, Chinese people have used chopsticks for many centuries, and have very
distinct rules about the kinds of chopsticks they eat with. In Ancient times, the length of
chopsticks in China signified the wealth and status of their users. Long chopsticks were
reserved for wealthy people who had an abundance of food in their homes, so they needed
large utensils to reach the diverse dishes served on their tables. Short chopsticks, on the other
hand, were given to poorer citizens that usually only ate from one bowl, and therefore didn’t
need utensils of considerable size as they had nothing to reach for. Blunt chopsticks were also
more popular in China as it made it easier to squeeze rice between the rounded edges of
chopsticks. In China, it is furthermore looked down upon to stick chopsticks into food, as
sticking chopsticks through steamed buns and pancakes are performed as a ritual to only
honor the dead.
In Japan, chopsticks are generally shorter than they are in China. This is because older
Japanese people desired simple, healthy meals, prepared in relatively compact portions and
served right in front of them on the table. Longer chopsticks sometimes got in the way of
indulging in the foods they enjoyed. Japanese chopsticks are also commonly sharper at the
front, especially ones used in meals containing sashimi. Sashimi skin is so delicately cut, that
blunt chopsticks would drop the precious delicacy before it could even be eaten.
To Chang, what was most surprising was the customs surrounding chopsticks in Korea.
Because Korean people loved barbecue and grilled meats, wooden and bamboo chopsticks
would continuously catch on fire whenever they tried to indulge in the highly-flammable
dishes. That was why Koreans mostly used metal chopsticks, and ingeniously, Korean
chopsticks were also usually flat to prevent them from rolling off the table.
After gaining an expertise in the various types of chopsticks, Chang made sure he
prepared a pair of shining metal chopsticks for every single Korean sailor on board. Because
of his extensive knowledge in food and utensils, Chang gained the friendly nickname, “Chef
Chopsticks”.
But unexpectedly, after only a few years of working on the Seastar, Chef Chopsticks
suddenly disappeared. He resigned from his job on the Seastar without much explanation, and
returned home to a village in China.
The reason for this happened during one of the Seastar’s voyages to Japan.
Before they arrived at the dock, one Japanese shiphand told Chang of a restaurant in
Kyoto that served the best gyoza in the entire world. While the restaurant wasn’t big or
extravagant, it attracted a lot of loyal customers.
Chef Chang knew he had to see the restaurant for himself and perhaps speak to the
owner and learn a thing or two. The restaurant was located in a small alleyway near the center
of Kyoto, which aside from a few other shops and cafés, had nothing much of interest.
After Chef Chang tasted the famous gyoza, he was immediately impressed, and was
curious about a peculiar sign he noticed outside the restaurant. He asked to speak with the
owner, a man named Toshihiro.
After introducing himself, Chang asked Toshihiro about the wooden sign outside that
read, “Even if you don’t have money, you can come inside and dine for free. After you are
full, please remember to help us wash your dishes. (This rule is applicable only for students
over 18).”
Chang told Toshihiro, “Your restaurant is quite small, but the gyoza you make is
amazing. You could make a lot of money if you expanded your establishment, yet why do
you insist on serving people for free?”
Toshihiro smiled widely at Chang, and said, “It’s because of the kindness that I once
received from someone before me.”
It turns out that Toshihiro got married at the young age of twenty and soon had a child
with the woman he loved, but due to his low income, his family was thrown into a life of
hardships. In order to make sure that his wife and son had enough food to eat everyday, Toshihiro sometimes refused to eat anything even when working multiple jobs.
One day, when Toshihiro sat against the wall on a sidewalk holding his stomach, an old
man approached him and kindly offered to treat him to dinner. Toshihiro was beyond grateful,
and told the old man about how he hadn’t eaten in days but needed to provide for his wife
and child.
The old man was touched by Toshihiro’s strength and dedication. “Remember to take
care of yourself,” He said gently, “You need to be healthy in order to love and be there for
your family. Only then, will you be able to give them the life that you want.”
The old man’s words gave Toshihiro renewed motivation and resilience. He began
working even harder and made sure that his own stomach was also filled, and after many
years of harsh endeavors, Toshihiro finally started his own successful restaurant, and became
the “King of Gyoza” in Kyoto. Toshihiro decided to track down the old man who helped him,
but after arriving at the address he gave him, Toshihiro found out that the old man had
already passed away. Tears streamed down Toshihiro’s face as he told Chang his story. “I will never be able to
repay him, but there are many youths in this world who live just like I did. The only thing I
can do is to spread kindness and make sure they have the opportunity to work hard and
achieve their goals, too.”
Many universities and schools stood only a few blocks away from Toshihiro’s
restaurant. Toshihiro worried about the students who were spending all their expenses on
their studies and did not have the time or money to eat, so he put up the sign to ensure that
these kids could fill their stomachs in exchange for the easy task of washing some dishes.
Toshihiro had been helping the youths in Kyoto for a couple decades now, and a
minimum of 500 students who came from poverty had frequented his restaurant while in
search of a brighter future, including the sailor on the Seastar who told Chang about the
restaurant. The Japanese seafarer never forgot the kindness Toshihiro gave him, and visited
the gyoza restaurant whenever he could, and even brought him gifts like rare cutlery and
cookbooks. These gifts were displayed on a wall filled with photographs, letters, and cards
from the many students that appreciated Toshihiro and came back to relive their childhood
years by tasting their favorite gyoza and gifting Toshihiro with a piece of their heart.
When Chang thanked Toshihiro and got ready to leave, he found his own eyes swelling
up with tears. Chang was born in a poverty-stricken village in the mountains of China, and
his parents died when he was only a child, leaving him to grow up eating foods spared by his
neighbors and friends out of kindness and sympathy for an orphaned boy. He thought about
all the other children in the villages who struggled to fill their stomachs everyday, and had no
one to take care of them…
Chang decided to respectfully resign from the Seastar, and used up all his life’s savings
to open up a restaurant in the village that he grew up in. He, too, put up a sign written in
Chinese that said children and young adults could eat at the restaurant for free if they
promised to wash their own dishes and wipe down their own tables.
At Chang’s restaurant, regular guests would sometimes be confused by the sight of
foreign customers who took all the effort just to trek to a small restaurant in the middle of a
poor village in China. They would mysteriously bring gifts in the forms of chopsticks, rare
ingredients, and cookbooks for Chef Chang, who hugged them and took them on a tour of the
village that he grew up in.
On the days when the foreign travelers visited Chang’s restaurant, Chang always cooked
up a delicious foreign delicacy for all customers, complete with a lesson on the utensils and
customs of that culture, instead of the Chinese food that he usually served. Any time a local
guest asked Chang who these strange visitors were, Chang smiled and said, “They are my old
friends who came here by sea.”
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