I Got the Almighty Tongue - Chapter 122



Only Noblemtl

Episode 122: Opening Day

“Kim! The sauce is too thin. I told you that if it’s like this, the sauce won’t stick to the noodles properly and the taste will be bad!”

The atmosphere in Segreto was different than usual. Everyone was looking at Sam with nervous expressions.

The kitchen staff looked at Sam with tired expressions. His usual good-natured personality was nowhere to be found. The staff, who had become a little lax due to the head chef’s absence, gathered their wits and began cooking again with concentration.

Sam had been feeling a great burden since becoming sous chef. It wasn’t a big deal to do the sous chef’s job. The fact that he was ultimately responsible for all the food that went out of Segreto was weighing heavily on Sam’s shoulders.

Meanwhile, Segreto has achieved its current position through the hard work of all the staff in the hall and kitchen under the leadership of Jehee. It has been featured in the New York Times and has even received a star from the Michelin Guide in the shortest time possible. And now, Segreto has become a restaurant with a distinct presence among New York gourmets.

‘I can’t ruin the reputation I worked so hard to build.’

Sam watches the chefs’ dishes with an eagle eye. These are dishes he’s made hundreds of times.

‘I wonder if things are going well in Seoul?’

This is the first branch of Segreto. If it succeeds in Korea, the chances of opening branches in other places will increase. The restaurant’s reputation will increase.

‘Who am I worried about?’

The Jehee he knew was a true superhuman. With an endless stream of creative dishes, an unrivaled knowledge of any ingredient or recipe, and the flexibility to pursue only taste without being bound by tradition. If he couldn’t succeed, no one else could. Sam smirked and began to focus on the dishes he had to make today.

* * *

The opening preparations are almost complete. Now it’s time to think about how to promote Hwa-ryong-jeom-jeong. I think using internet media would be a good idea. I was introduced to an advertising agency by Min-hyeok. It was a company that was recently gaining popularity with sensational videos and texts.

By discussing promotional strategies with them, we were able to establish a general direction.

My recognition is sufficient. But the conclusion was that Segreto is not. The public thinks that Shin Je-hee, not Segreto, received the Michelin star. We felt the need to brand the restaurant. The reputation of the restaurant is more helpful to sales than the reputation of the individual chef.

First, we created a homepage to increase accessibility. Then, we introduced the steps that Segreto has taken so far through marketing using various portals and SNS. Informing the story of Segreto from its opening to the present allows customers to feel familiar with the restaurant.

Many star chefs have opened fine dining restaurants but failed. It’s because they overestimated themselves. That’s why I tried my best not to make the mistake of relying only on the value of the name and neglecting the effort.

Suddenly, memories of the past flash through my mind.

I especially remember the time when I went to a culinary school to enter the CIA. At that time, everything was unfamiliar to me because it was my first time cooking. I would sweat while making omelets and pasta, which I can do with my eyes closed now, and when Joohee would enjoy the dishes I made by following the cooking book, I would feel good all day long.

‘It took a really long time.’

It took eight years to reach this point, with the goal of creating a world-class fine dining restaurant. But I still don’t feel like I’m close to achieving my goal. Rather, it would be more accurate to say that I’m just now at the starting line.

I need to have a solid foundation in New York to get the recognition I deserve.

Every evening, Sam and Jenny report on the day’s work, even though I didn’t ask them to. Segreto is still doing well even though I’m away. The course I’ve set up is solid, and the staff are doing their jobs without any mistakes. Jenny jokes that she could stay in Korea for a few more months. People are the most important thing in business. It’s a fact I already knew, but it feels even heavier in this industry.

I also got a call from my agent asking me to be a judge on MasterChef Season 2.

I met with the production team after season 1 ended. They were so excited by the success of Master Chef that I told them that I regrettably would not be participating in the next season. It was an inevitable decision since I was planning to open Segreto, but the production team was very disappointed. I was an irreplaceable character in Master Chef. However, they could not break my determination to be faithful to my main job. However, they sent me another offer, so it seems that it is not easy to recruit new judges.

I looked at my watch and realized it was already time for dinner.

After I finished cleaning up the restaurant, I went out. Korean society still maintains its unique dynamism. People of this time cannot even imagine the appearance of Korea before the regression, when it was dying from low birth rates and an aging population.

The gentrification of Garosu-gil has not yet taken place. Apple will soon open an official store here. And it will pay 60 billion won in cash in advance for 20 years of rent. This has led to the building owners of Garosu-gil to double their monthly rents.

It is inevitable that the small cafes, workshops, and restaurants that used to represent this place will have to move to other places to find a way to survive. I cannot change this trend alone.

I stood there for a long time, watching the vibrant tree-lined street, a sight I would probably never see again for several years.

* * *

“I hope you succeed!”

Soo-Jung is praying with her hands clasped together in front of the computer. The monitor shows Segreto’s homepage. And a timer is ticking down at the bottom of the screen. The time is running out. There is still time left. She looked around the homepage. It was a well-organized website for a restaurant homepage.

The main page is decorated with a beautiful photo of Segreto Seoul. Then, a page explaining the steps Segreto has taken since its opening comes to mind.

[Michelin Guide Young Chef of the Year Shin Je-hee]

[Restaurants to watch]

-The New York Times

[By far the most creative course I’ve had this year]

-The Restaurant

[Chef Shin Je-hee’s Segreto Hosts G20 Opening Ceremony Dinner]

[My favorite restaurant, Segreto]

-Jennifer Lopez

[His sense of taste is phenomenal.]

-Robert Miller, Professor of Biochemistry at MIT

In addition, numerous compliments from celebrities were introduced on the homepage. Sujeong felt an inexplicable sense of pride when the chef she had filmed the program with returned with such success. And at the same time, she felt a sense of anticipation.

Finally, Segreto officially started taking reservations in Korea. After hearing the news through an advertisement on the portal, Soojung decided to visit in the first month.

‘It was really shocking.’

The steak Shin Je-hee tasted while recording the program gave her an unforgettable experience. The overwhelming taste that seemed to tell her that all the steaks she had eaten so far were actually fake made her realize why he is a chef who is receiving worldwide attention.

After that, I went to several restaurants, but I couldn’t find a steak that was even close to the same level, let alone the same level. What was so special about his cooking? As these questions grew, the news of Segreto Seoul’s opening came, and it was an event she couldn’t miss.

The number quickly decreased. Then the timer stopped and the reservation page opened. Soojung quickly clicked the mouse.

‘Let’s do it Saturday afternoon.’

It seemed like it would be a fun weekend evening if I visited with Ye-yoon that day. Soo-jung quickly selected the day and time and pressed the reservation button. Soon, the cursor changed into an hourglass, and a message appeared after a while.

[This table is already reserved.]

“Ah… No.”

Sujeong quickly pressed on another place, but everything was already booked. She had to change her plans to a weekday to finally receive a reservation number.

“Mr. Jehee, you’re no joke. Anyway, I’m glad the reservation was successful.”

Soo-Jung called Ye-Yoon with a relieved expression.

* * *

The opening day has arrived.

I set all the menus in Segreto Seoul at the same prices as the main branch. No one likes to be ripped off. The excuse that it costs more to bring ingredients to Korea or that meat and dairy products are more expensive than in New York will not work for customers. I didn’t want customers to feel bad about this. Of course, wine is a different story.

Considering the Korean characteristic of rarely ordering bottles of wine, a lot of effort was put into the pairing.

Jonghyun carefully selected the wine after tasting all the menus in our restaurant, just like Jennie did in the past. And after much thought, we prepared two types of pairing services: premium and standard.

For guests who choose their own wine, we have created a list that mixes both high-end and budget wines to satisfy guests of all classes.

The staff members are preparing for business with nervous expressions. I gathered them all into the hall.

“Preparing for an opening is always difficult. I would like to thank all the staff who have followed along without complaint so far.

It may be your first day, so you may be nervous and worried. However, we have been preparing for months. Be confident. I am confident that the food you serve and the service provided by the staff will be of a quality that customers will not experience in any other restaurant in Korea.”

I looked around at the staff. They were all dressed neatly.

If you ask what the hardest part of running a restaurant is, every restaurant owner will answer that it’s people.

It is impossible to control everyone. Even if you set strict rules, you cannot change the fundamental attitudes of your employees.

How can we instill professionalism in them? The know-how I learned while running a business was to instill pride. When I instilled pride in my employees that they were working for the best company in the country, they finally turned their attention to their own duties. I applied the same principle at Segreto.

Industry-leading treatment, neatly coordinated clothing, and the highest level of food and service available here.

All of these things help to build loyalty among employees. Of course, repetitive and systematic training is also essential.

The chefs have already undergone rigorous training over the past few months. The hall staff has also been carefully selected. I have done everything I could, so now I will just do my best.

“Okay! Let’s get started.”

“Yes! Chef!”

I looked out the window. Guests started arriving one by one according to the reservation time. Jonghyun changed the sign to ‘Open’. And then the first guest came in.

“Welcome. This is Segreto.”

After Jonghyun’s greeting, orders started coming in right away.

“Four lunch courses: calzone, carbonara, and amatriciana.”

“Yes, Chef!”

The chefs’ hands are busy. Rachel turns the pan skillfully. She has become so adept at handling the pan over the past few months that it’s unrecognizable. Looking at the cold part, the salad is pushed out.

“Cold part, hurry up. The course is delayed.”

“Yes, Chef.”

Doosik starts plating the vegetables in a bowl. Then he starts making the amuse-bouche. It’s all just as he learned from Soyoung.

No matter how much training they have, there is no practice that is as good as actual practice. It will still take some time for them to be able to present the course skillfully.

I intervened in the kitchen occasionally to control the flow of the dishes so that the course would not be delayed. Considering that it was the first day, there were no major problems so far. When I looked at Jonghyun, he read my expression and nodded. It seemed that the hall was doing well. And so the lunch ended safely.

But the real story starts now. Dinner is more difficult than lunch, which specializes in mass cooking. We took a short break and started welcoming customers again. Customers opened the door and came in. I smiled when I saw them. They were all familiar faces.

‘Today, I will let them taste a course they could never experience in Korea.’

I smiled and grabbed the fan.