God of Cooking – Chapter 283

Translator: Hwarang    Proofreader: Arocks141, Flowingcloud

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<Step by Step (2)>

 

If you are reading from a pirate or aggregator site, please read from the translator’s site: yado-inn (dot) com I have to put the link like this or else the bots will remove it, sorry 🙁

‘… A clue?’

Jo Minjoon looked at the notification with a confused look. He found it weird that a notification popped up after he found a clue. The only revelation that he had right now was the importance of leadership and how it differs from head chef to head chef.

But he already knew the importance of that before. The biggest difference between Rachel and Jo Minjoon was obviously their cooking ability; however, another thing that Rachel had was her ability to control and lead a kitchen, which made her one of the best in the world. Even novel and refined recipes couldn’t hold a candle to her special characteristics, the power to lead a kitchen.

“Hey, Anderson.”

“What?”

“Can you feel it? The difference in air between here and our kitchen.”

It was an esoteric question, but Anderson didn’t panic. It was quite common for Jo Minjoon to ask questions like these. At first, they all thought he was having difficulties formulating sentences because he was a foreigner; however, as time went on, they learned that it was Jo Minjoon’s unique characteristic. At the same time, it was his talent.

‘Air.’

So, Anderson sniffed. Just by sniffing one could tell that many things were different. The reason why it was different was because different Rose Island all had different recipes and their own way of setting up the kitchen. But if he meant the atmosphere…

Anderson looked at chef Deborah. Just by looking at her face, he could tell that it was completely different than the kitchen that Rachel operates. While running the kitchen Rachel looks like a general at the helm of a battlefield, while Deborah looks like another soldier fearing the battle that is about to come.

That fear could be heard in all the orders that she made. Deborah constantly questions her chefs. Is the meat well cooked? Has the soup been mixed? Was anything burnt? Is the jelly too firm? How about the dough?…

Although it was an obvious task for a head chef. The biggest difference between Rachel and Deborah was that Rachel knew without asking. It was natural Deborah didn’t have that ability. No matter how skilled Deborah was, she was different than Rachel.

“It feels cluttered compared to Rachel.”

“Yeah. I can feel that Deborah is really tense and nervous. It could be because the teacher is here, but if this is the norm … it feels weird for a demi-chef like me to say such a thing.”

“Lets go. Service is about to start.”

Anderson left first. Jo Minjoon and Javier followed. Janet who was behind them turned around. She remembered the word that Deborah said to her. How hard it is for women to stand in a kitchen. How proud she is to hold on.

“… You can do it. Deborah.”

**********

“How was Deborah’s kitchen?”

“It was good.”

“I am not asking a rhetorical question. Just say everything.”

Rachel put her fork on the Lobster Salad topped with radish sprout while listening to Jo Minjoon’s answer. It was a salad made of sliced cucumber, chopped lobster meat, and chopped avocado with a dressing made of apple champagne, vinegar, and honey. Jo Minjoon ate the salad rather than answering the question.

‘Its good.’

One thing for sure was that Deborah was a really good chef. If she didn’t have the capability, she wouldn’t have been given the responsibility to run this restaurant, but compared to a normal restaurant it was outstanding.

“Before I critique the kitchen, I want to leave some comments about this. I really like it.”

Cooking score of 8. It was really hard to achieve a cooking score of 8 with a salad. There was no need to further question Deborah’s cooking ability with this.

Rose Island. The world of fine dining. In this world where personality is the most important, Deborah had to carry the burden to maintain the quality that befitted the original name. So, it would be weird if her skills were ordinary.

In fact, the expression high-class restaurant might sound unusual. What makes a high-class and what makes a low-class? Who would want to operate a restaurant when they are labeled as a low-class or a medium-class?

“How is the kitchen?”

“The kitchen is …”

Jo Minjoon couldn’t say much. Compared to Rachel, there were too many things to pick out. While Jo Minjoon was hesitating, Anderson spoke.

“Deborah lacks the experience.”

“What makes you say that?”

“I could see her getting crushed by the weight of the kitchen.”

Rachel looked at Anderson with an excited look. She nodded for him to continue. So, Anderson didn’t hold back.

“It might not be the weight of the kitchen; she might be feeling the pressure of the world. It is not important which is important. She is getting crushed, thus unable to fully show her abilities. Although this salad is great but …”

“Are you saying that something feels congested?”

“It’s not congested. But it does not feel like she is trying to show something. This is just a salad. Putting together things that people like. Most people would like it since it tastes good. But is it artistic and does it bring out the artistic characteristic?”

Jo Minjoon looked at Anderson with a surprised look. Anderson always emphasized cooking and attitude. He never knew a day would come where Anderson would say something like that. Anderson only cared about taste and quality. Being artistic was a second thought to him.

‘…Anderson has changed.’

It might be something that Anderson was learning from those around him. From Rachel, Raphael, friends and colleges. What had changed about him? How will he change and what form will it show? Will he be like Rachel who is good at leading others, will he be like others who can independently create new recipes, or will he be more traditional.

Thinking about the future always fills one with expectation, but at the same time it brings nervousness due to uncertainty. The more extravagant the future looks, the further away it looks.

‘Don’t rush it. Take it step by step. Concentrating on every single step.’

He had plenty of time to take every step. Jo Minjoon emptied the lobster salad while thinking about the future. The server took away the empty plate before setting down a new plate. Jo Minjoon moaned in frustration.

“Is it scallops?”

“Yes. It is. After pan searing it is served with jus de veau sauce and potato mousseline.”

“Jus de veau sauce and mousseline…”

The combination wasn’t very common. Jus de veau sauce was made with veal while mousseline was made with egg white and cream. Although mousseline is usually combined with many different sauces, it wasn’t common to combine it with jus de veau, especially while serving it with scallops.

‘Cooking score is 9’

Alright. Receiving a high cooking score for a dish that didn’t take too long meant that the combination itself was great. Jo Minjoon cut the scallop and dipped it in the sauce before putting it into his mouth. Just like all dishes served with a sauce, the first thing that he tasted was the mousseline. To be precise it was jus de veau mousseline.

‘The taste is …’

Jo Minjoon frowned. It was a really difficult taste. The scent of the sea from the scallop and the scent of the land from the veal was connected with each other with the potato serving as the bridge. No, it tasted as if they were forced to be together.

It was a device devised to give an explosive flavor. Extensive skills made the two flavors that didn’t suit each other cooperate. Although it was difficult, the final impression that it left was ‘delicious’. However …

“I can’t eat this.”

After having one bite, Rachel put down her fork. The chefs and servers around her made a flustered expression. After looking at Rachel’s fork for a while, Jo Minjoon asked.

“Why can’t you finish it?”

“You should be feeling it as well. Why can’t I finish this.”

“… I do feel it. But it feels blurry. The line between a good dish and a bad dish seems blurry for me. I don’t know if I have the right to judge this.”

“The right to judge any food is given to everyone who has a tongue. And I can speak firmly. This scallop dish is not meant to serve. It is a hail mary. To prove oneself, to show off. Look at this sad combination. This dish is filled with the intention of not wanting to innovate or bring out the common taste.”

Rachel shook her head and looked at Deborah, who was approaching them, with a disappointed look. She growled in a low voice.

“You served us a dish that even you were unsure of. Were you expecting a miracle?”

“I was …”

“I don’t want any excuses. Since you have been serving customers these kinds of dishes, it is natural for you to worry about losing or maintaining the final star.”

Rachel spoke in an angry tone. Deborah kept shut with her head lowered indicating that she had nothing to say. In the middle of all this, Jo Minjoon quietly thought about what Rachel had said. A dish where you were not even sure of. Even for Jo Minjoon, if he made such a dish he would be unsure of it.

‘The taste is too confusing.’

It was delicious. However, he was unsure if the flavor really blended with each other. The tongue of gourmet would be able to distinguish the different and distinct flavors. However, for a normal person it would be difficult to understand the flavors. Some would even think ‘high quality restaurants don’t suit my taste.’

It was fine to create a dish that satisfied the gourmets. But it should be in the additional menu. He felt that for the main menu which serves everybody, it does not respect the customers.

“What… should I do?”

Deborah asked with a begging voice. Although she knew that Rachel’s word wouldn’t fix everything, she still asked. So Rachel spoke. In a heavy and strict voice that sympathized with her pitiful disciple.

“Is the reservation all booked?”

“Yes. All the tables are full.”

“We don’t have a lot of time. Deborah. Tonight, you won’t take the helm, but serve as the sous-chef. It has been a while since we last cooked together.”

“… are you going to lead my kitchen?”

“Do you have a problem with it?”

“How… I know that you are a great chef, teacher, but how can you figure out someone else’s kitchen in a day! It is impossible to figure it out in a day, no, in less than a day…!”

“Are you certain?”

Rachel replied in a calm voice. Deborah couldn’t say anything. She lowered her head as she couldn’t look at Rachel. But Rachel was still looking at Deborah. The lowered head, shaking eyes, and dry lips.

“You should never put a dish that you are uncertain on the tray. You may have forgotten what sort of a person I am since it has been a long time since you left the nest… never in my life had I served uncertain dishes to customers.”

Rachel wiped her mouth with a napkin and spoke in an elegant voice.

“I will teach you once again. How to believe in your dishes.”

If you are reading from a pirate or aggregator site, please read from the translator’s site: yado-inn (dot) com I have to put the link like this or else the bots will remove it, sorry 🙁

<Step by Step (2)> End.