I Got the Almighty Tongue - Chapter 116



Only Noblemtl

Episode 116 Menu Evaluation (2)

Sam woke up early in the morning and made his bed.

After getting dressed, he leaves his accustomed accommodation and heads to the restaurant. He arrived at work earlier than usual, but there was a dish he really wanted to test today. Due to the tasting event, Segreto’s kitchen is open 24/7 these days. It’s never empty, not even after work, not even on holidays. After much thought, he made the decision to arrive early.

After walking for about 5 minutes, he arrived at the restaurant and the door was open. Feeling suspicious, Sam went to the kitchen first without even changing his clothes. Soyoung was lying face down on the table, sleeping. Next to her, he could see the half-finished dishes and ingredients.

‘Why are there only people around me who risk their lives cooking?’

Sam thought for a moment, then took off his coat and covered Soyoung. There were still more than two hours left until work. It was enough time for her to take a short nap. The main kitchen wouldn’t be available, but there was a secondary kitchen, so it wouldn’t be a big problem. Sam looked back at Soyoung and closed the door, careful not to make a sound.

Sam was feeling the pressure.

‘Capable juniors keep coming up. If this continues, I might be overtaken before I become a sous chef.’

Sam began to knead the flour.

The dish he was going to make at the tasting was pasta. Sam has only worked in Italian restaurants since he started his career. There is no way he could not make pasta, the alpha and omega of Italian cuisine. Of course, Sam can make high-quality pasta. However, none of them were his originals. At this tasting, Sam was determined to demonstrate all the knowledge and experience he had accumulated over the years working under Jehee.

‘My first meal has to be pasta. I don’t want anything else.’

Knead the flour and mix the ingredients. Pasta is a dish that can be made in 10 minutes if you have the ingredients ready. Turn on the burner and put the pan on. Put olive oil on and start sautéing the garlic. Then put all the ingredients in and start toasting the pan. It was the same movement I learned from the head chef. Soon, the dish was all done.

Sam stared blankly at the pasta he had made.

Without a doubt, it was the best pasta he could make at the moment. If he served this dish, even if it was off the menu, I think he would be okay with it. Doing his best doesn’t always guarantee success. But at least he won’t have any regrets.

Sam suddenly felt someone’s gaze on him. When he turned around, he saw Soyoung staring at him blankly, wearing the coat she had covered him with.

“What are you looking at like that?”

“I think our CDP is really great. It’s quite nice to see a big, rough-looking guy like Sam cooking with delicate hands.”

Soyoung says while looking at Sam. Sam also looks at Soyoung. She looks haggard, wearing a chef’s uniform and having stayed up all night. She probably didn’t even use lotion, let alone makeup. But why does she look pretty? Sam shook his head and stopped thinking.

‘Come to your senses.’

match.

I came to my senses after hitting my cheeks with both hands.

“What were you doing, staying up all night without even coming to your room?”

‘I’m not stupid… Of course I would have prepared for the evaluation.’

As soon as he said it, Sam regretted it. He was so busy working that he had never had a proper date with a woman, so he was not immune to this kind of conversation.

“Hehe. You can look forward to it. I’m a little more confident this time.”

“That won’t be enough. It’s not just the head chef. All the staff at Segreto have high standards. It’s because they’ve been exposed to the head chef’s high-level cooking. But you’re a capable guy, so I’ll be looking forward to it too.”

Sam patted Soyoung’s shoulder and left the kitchen.

* * *

The last customer left the table on Wednesday evening. Normally, they would have quickly cleared the table and started cleaning, but today, there was a strange tension on the faces of the Segreto staff.

Among the staff working in the hall, there were some who dreamed of becoming chefs. Knowing this, Jenny suggested it to the head chef, and all Segreto employees were allowed to attend the tasting event without any conditions.

“Why am I so nervous?”

Denny tried to hold onto the table and steady his trembling body. But, regardless of his will, his body was shaking like a tree branch in the cold winter wind.

“Just take it easy. You know there’s almost no chance of it going well anyway, right?”

Denny nods to Malong’s words. He doesn’t expect his dish to end up on Segreto’s menu either. He just couldn’t help but participate because he was curious to see what the famous chef Shin Je-hee would say when she tried his food.

All the staff gathered in the hall. And the head chef opened the door and came in. Denny thought he had seen this scene somewhere. After thinking for a while, he was able to recall the memory. It was the master chef. They were the contestants and he was still the judge.

“I’m sorry for making you stay even though business is over. Food is only meaningful if there are people who eat it. I plan to let as many people as possible taste the food the chefs make today. Feel free to tell me what you think after you eat. I’ll make the decision, but I’ll take it into consideration. Since you’re going home late, I’ll pay you overtime and give you an hourly wage, so don’t worry too much.”

The head chef lightens the tense atmosphere. Smiles return to the chefs’ faces.

“Will you let me know the results today?”

Denny raises his hand and asks a question.

“Of course. This isn’t some kind of audition show. I believe everyone has prepared diligently. As previously announced, you must have prepared the dishes that take a long time in advance, right?”

“Yes, Chef.”

The chefs answer in unison.

“Okay. Let’s get started.”

* * *

Participating in the evaluation of the whole staff was not in my plans. However, if there are friends who dream of becoming chefs, it is not difficult to open the way for them. Of course, they have to come up with dishes that are worthy of their name.

“Do you need time to explain the dish?”

Miranda, one of the hall staff, brought a dish she had made.

“Yes, Chef. I love lobster and I always thought it went well with curry. I dream of becoming a chef, but I know I’m not good enough yet. But please give me a taste.”

She bows her head. I cut the lobster with a knife and tasted it. She blended the curry powder in her own way. She mixed turmeric, star anise, and coriander in the commercial powder. She would fry the curry powder to activate the flavor, then pour in water and simmer. After that, she put the steamed lobster in the steamer and boil it for a while, and it’s done.

“It’s pretty tasty. I bet you’ve heard a lot about how good you are at cooking.”

It was a decent skill for an amateur.

“Yes. I’ve been good at cooking since I was little. How did it taste?”

“It was too much food for a hobby. On the other hand, it wasn’t enough for a professional. If you want, I’ll give you a chance to start as an assistant in the kitchen. But the salary will be reduced and the work intensity will be increased. I want you to decide carefully and let me know.”

“Okay, Chef.”

Miranda answers briskly and steps back. I let the other staff members taste the food too.

Ugh ugh

“Miranda. You’re a lot better at cooking than I thought.”

The staff in the hall and kitchen taste her dishes little by little and share their impressions. Miranda blushes and smiles shyly when she receives a compliment.

The food of the hall staff was not bad, but it was not impressive. While I was reflecting on myself, wondering if my standards were too high, Soyoung brought the food.

“Taste it, Chef.”

Soyoung is looking at me with a nervous expression.

Come to think of it, I have never tasted her properly made food except for the lunch menu she sometimes made. I am both excited and worried. Soyoung is still young. I think she might be very disappointed if she gets a bad review. However, as the head chef, I promised myself to give her a proper review. I thought it would be more helpful to her in the long run.

The plate is covered with jellied gelatin. It is red. On top of that, boiled shrimp is beautifully plated in a circle, and caviar is placed on top of the shrimp. Since coming to Segreto, Soyoung has only worked in the cold department. And this seems to be the ideal amuse-bouche she has created based on her experience so far.

I scooped up the caviar, shrimp, and gelatin with a spoon and put it in my mouth.

Gelatin is extracted from fish. Rockfish is boiled for a long time with various spices, and then acidified with apple cider vinegar and pomegranate.

I thought this was the end, but there was a sauce hidden between the caviar and shrimp. It was a veloute sauce made by boiling fish bones. The milk and nutmeg in the sauce gave it a rich flavor, and it was designed to have a synergistic effect with the gelatin at the bottom. And the chewy shrimp meat and caviar were chewed together to create a complex flavor. The three textures mixed together and wrapped around my tongue. And the flavors melded. I closed my eyes and savored the dish.

“Soyoung.”

He called her in a soft voice.

“yes.”

Was it because my reaction did not meet expectations? Soyoung looked at me with a gloomy face.

“It’s obvious how much effort went into making this dish.

I know how this dish started. The texture, right? He must have started researching the concept of a dish that would enjoy the various textures and tastes of seafood. Then, gelatin would have come to mind, and caviar and shrimp would have been ingredients that would go well with it. He must have tried making gelatin with various ingredients. Plating is also important, so I can feel that he put a lot of thought into giving it color.”

The red jelly made by Soyoung contrasts with the white shrimp meat and dark caviar, providing visual pleasure. This dish is made with meticulous calculations from start to finish. It must have been a lot of trial and error.

“Yes, Chef.”

Soyoung lowers her head. She always looks confident, but in fact, she lacks self-esteem. She is in the middle of growing up. But she will soon bloom. I look forward to seeing her grow into an adult and an excellent chef.

“The velouté sauce made with the stock from the sea bream was also good. The harmony of various textures and tastes must have been a difficult theme, but it was really great. I think it could be an amuse-bouche suitable for a lunch course. Congratulations.”

I gave her cooking a pass without hesitation. At this level of quality, it is worthy of being on the menu.

“thank you.”

She lowers her head and starts sobbing, shedding tears.

I knew that Soyoung was feeling pressured. I was purely betting on her talent and potential, but other chefs might not have been impressed by it. She was the first talent I scouted and she was from my hometown. Soyoung must have felt a lot of pressure to prove her worth.

“Congratulations, Soyoung! You’re the first.”

Ella hugs Soyoung and whispers.

Since when did those two become close? At some point, Soyoung started to follow Ella like an older sister. No, maybe Ella is the type that is easily influenced by younger people. While I was thinking useless thoughts, Dominic and Sam came into the kitchen. It seemed to be their turn.

Dominic has been feeling down for some time now.

Everyone lives their own hell. Dominic said he had to learn by spying on chefs and stealing their skills. He always had an excuse. He couldn’t learn properly, or he didn’t have a good teacher.

Now that everything is in place, Dominic must prepare to face his own abyss. That moment comes to everyone. I hope he overcomes it wisely.

And I was very excited to see what kind of dish Sam, who had trained under me for a long time, would bring.