I Got the Almighty Tongue - Chapter 121



Only Noblemtl

Episode 121 I Will Bury My Bones Here

I was alone in the kitchen at Segreto before the end of the week-long vacation I had given to my staff, because I had not yet solved the meat problem.

The perception of American beef is not very good these days. I also do not want to import meat from overseas unless it is lamb, which is not available domestically.

“What should I do with this?”

In front of me are various cuts and grades of Korean beef.

In Korea, beef is graded based on the degree of marbling, and the third grade, Grade 1, following Tuple (1++) and One Plus (1+), has the same degree of marbling as Prime, the highest grade of American beef. In theory, you can cook Grade 1 using the same recipes as in the United States.

But, if you pay a high price for a restaurant and they serve you low-grade Korean beef? It would be a situation that could easily be misunderstood, regardless of the reason.

Why did our country come to like meat with dense marbling? It’s because we cook it well-done.

Americans also used to prefer meat with more marbling. Naturally, the standards for marbling to receive a Prime grade were also higher. However, as the public began to dislike well-done meat, the standards were naturally relaxed to the current level.

But explaining this in a restaurant is something only a poor chef would do. I have a duty to cook and serve the best Korean beef deliciously.

The temperature inside the body must be sufficiently increased through reverse shearing.

It’s important to find the subtle point where the fat breaks down but before the meat shrinks and spits out its juices.

I was able to find the right spot through repeated practice. When I cut it, the bright red flesh was revealed. When I lifted the meat and looked closely, I could see that all the fat had melted away.

Put it in your mouth. Korean beef is a meat that has its own distinct advantages. Compared to Angus, an American beef, it has a richer and softer flavor. Raising the temperature of the core by 2 degrees was the right answer. The taste of the softly melted fat gently wraps around the tongue and gives explosive pleasure. It is an appropriate choice for a main dish where impact is important.

I finalized the recipe by grilling a variety of steaks, from tenderloin to sirloin.

* * *

“Wow. This place has a different vibe from the main store in New York.”

Doosik, who arrived in Gangnam, sticks out his tongue at the building in front of him.

The building was built on a large site after demolishing two buildings, and after a total construction period of three years, it is a building that was designed with a sophisticated sensibility that was 20 years ahead of its time. Furthermore, it was a project that LK Construction carried out with special care under Min-hyeok’s instructions, so its grandeur was truly impressive.

As Jehee returned to Korea and began full-scale preparations for the opening, Segreto removed its curtains after three years.

When the curtain is removed, the wall surrounding the restaurant is revealed. This wooden wall is covered with ivy to add to its charm. The soft light from the lights installed here and there surrounds the wall. All the passersby turn their eyes to look at it.

As you walk along the fence, you will see a sign indicating that this is a restaurant, written in the same font as the main branch’s sign.

[Seoul Secret]

And a narrow passage is revealed.

As you walk along the passage for a while, the walls on both sides suddenly disappear. Naturally, guests who enter this place feel a refreshing sense of openness. And then, a beautiful garden and a magnificent restaurant are revealed in front of them.

Doosik and Hyosik looked around and went inside. The chefs were already gathered inside.

“Okay! Now that we’re all here, let’s start practicing again.”

“Yes, Chef!”

The chefs answer in unison to Jehee’s words.

The taste changes when the ingredients change. From today, I have to work on adjusting it. The ingredients to be used have already arrived in the kitchen. The vegetables sent from the farm that Jehee carefully selected are on the table. And various herbs and meats are neatly arranged. At a glance, they look good.

Cooking began under the direction of the head chef. Since the kitchen had a similar flow, there was little confusion. The chefs began to do their jobs, moving their hands as they had done in New York.

* * *

“Welcome, Jihye.”

“Thank you for calling me. I’m so touched. I’m so glad you haven’t forgotten me yet.”

The pastry chef I was aiming for finally joined Segreto.

“Of course I remember you. It’s hard to find a pastry chef as impressive as Jihye, even in New York.”

“Not to that extent, but thank you for your kind words.”

She laughs, covering her mouth. Just like a chef, experience is important for a pastry chef. Even if Ben becomes a great pastry chef in the future, he is not as skilled as her at this point.

“Did you have any problems when you changed jobs?”

“Everyone is jealous. Segreto is getting a lot of attention in the industry right now.”

“I didn’t know I would get so much attention?”

“The chef’s name is very valuable. In fact, I’ve only heard bad stories recently. A famous fine dining restaurant recently closed down.”

A while ago, a fine Italian restaurant run by a star chef closed down. If I remember correctly, the first proper fine dining restaurant in Korea was three years ago. Now, many restaurants are coming and going, and there is a tug-of-war between the needs of the public and the philosophies of the chefs.

Korea is a land where it is difficult for authentic French or Italian restaurants to take root. This trend will not change even after 10 years. Chefs who studied and gained experience overseas also open fusion dining restaurants by incorporating Korean food as soon as they come to Korea.

What is the reason? I find the reason in Chef Jeong Gi-un’s success. When he received two Michelin stars for his fusion Korean restaurant, other chefs began to benchmark him. And their choices also fit the tastes of the Michelin Guide. The fact that the number of fusion Korean restaurants in Korea and New York that received Michelin stars has increased to around 20 is proof of this.

But on the other hand, authentic French and Italian have almost disappeared and failed to survive in Korea. I hope that Segreto will play a leading role in the Western dining scene in Asia, which is led by Japan and Singapore.

“Don’t worry. Segreto will be fine. Just focus on making delicious bread. I think the level of Korean baking needs to improve.”

“I agree. In Korea, bread is too expensive, but the quality is lacking. It’s because bakeries centered around large corporations have become mainstream.”

She says in a gloomy voice. Korea is hell for bakers, because the main ingredient, dairy products, are so expensive that it is difficult to make a competitive product.

“What we can do is limited, but let’s try our best.”

She nods with a determined expression.

I continued to recruit. As I was looking through resumes, I came across a familiar name.

‘It’s Choi Jong-hyun.’

He is a sommelier whose name is known to all Koreans who enjoy fine dining. This is because he is the first Korean to pass the MS (Master of Wine) qualification exam. However, he is still a ‘Qualified Sommelier’.

He is also a CIA graduate and is probably my junior by one year. After entering the school, he changed his career path to a sommelier course and I never met him at school, so I had forgotten his name, but I am glad to hear about it.

In the past, he worked as a sommelier at the two-star restaurant ‘The Modern’ in New York. But that was after he had built up his career, and I wondered what he would be like at this time. I contacted him right away and set up an interview. He must have been in good spirits, because he visited the restaurant the next day.

“Hello, senior!”

As soon as we met, he greeted me with a loud voice and bowed 90 degrees. I was momentarily confused by his appearance, which was different from what I had expected. There was something about his tanned skin, his ungrown black hair, and his measured words and actions.

“if..”

“Yes! That’s right! Senior. It’s been a month since I was discharged.”

He must be not yet fully acclimated to society, because he answers in a loud voice before I finish speaking. I had forgotten because I was exempted from military service. I wondered why he, who had only built his career in New York, was in Korea at this time, but I guess it was because of the military.

“Congratulations on your discharge. But, didn’t you have a restaurant in New York where you worked?”

In his previous life, he must have moved back to New York after his military service. So why did we end up connected?

“Actually, Ki-un asked me to come to New York.”

‘Ah! He was a colleague of Chef Jeong Gi-un. It wouldn’t be strange if the two were close.’

“I see. But why didn’t you go?”

“I’m aiming for MS, but the restaurant that Ki-un runs doesn’t specialize in wine.”

Now I understand. In the past, he must have gone to New York after his military service and worked with Chef Jeong Gi-un. Then, he must have changed jobs again because he was disappointed with the wine list. It seems that he ended up settling down at The Modern.

“Is Segreto different?”

We have, of course, one of the best wine lists in New York. I wondered if he knew about it.

“Segreto’s wine cellar is famous even among sommeliers.

There is an internet community mainly used by sommeliers working in New York. One sommelier posted a picture of his wine cellar and it caused a stir. I think it was the sommelier from Segreto who posted it.”

One by one, coincidences overlap and unexpected fortunes are born. And people whose lives have changed little by little because of Segreto have begun to appear. Then, I should also respond to them. In his previous life, he could become MS only after 10 years. However, considering the environment that Segreto’s wine cellar provides, that period can be shortened considerably.

“I’m sure it’s what our sommelier puts out. Jenny is also a capable maitre d’.”

When I answer with a smile, his eyes sparkle.

“How about the wine cellar at Segreto Seoul?”

Sommeliers are people who are crazy about wine. Jenny still often goes to the wine cellar after work to spend time alone. When I asked her what she does there, she said she recharges her energy. Is this what it means to have a hobby and a career?

“Follow me.”

I guided him to the wine cellar on the second floor. Because of the nature of Gangnam, where parking is difficult, we had to dig deep underground to create a parking lot, so we had no choice but to build a wine cellar on the second floor. As we climbed the stairs, a security door similar to the wine cellars in New York greeted us.

beep

Beep beep beep beep

Crash

As I swipe my card and enter my password, I hear the door opening. As the door opens and the air flows in, the smell of cork, grapes, and oak wafts in.

Jonghyun can’t take his eyes off the cellar. He walks in as if possessed and examines the cellar. Then he smiles happily.

Before our eyes, there were about 20,000 bottles of wine neatly arranged on the deck.

I have been steadily purchasing wine and now own over 70,000 bottles in Korea and New York. I have only brought some of them to Korea, but the liquor tax is quite high, so I had to spend a lot of money.

How big is the average cellar of a fine dining establishment in Korea? I am sure that it will not exceed 1,000 bottles at most. This will remain the case even after 10 years. Having a wine collection is a huge investment. In the fine dining industry, where the future is still uncertain, I am probably the only person in Korea who can afford to make such an initial investment.

“If you insist on showing me this place, does that mean you’re going to hire me?”

Jonghyun’s eyes became moist, as if he was touched.

“Of course. There is no reason to turn down a talent like Jonghyun. Especially in Korea, qualified sommeliers are rare.”

“I will bury my bones here. Please take good care of them, Chef.”

He looks at me again and bows his head at a 90 degree angle.

‘Yes. Let’s make our dreams come true together here, you and I.’

I shook his hand with a satisfied face.