I Got the Almighty Tongue - Chapter 132



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Episode 132 Spaghetti alla Nerano

“What’s wrong, oppa?”

“Just a moment… Let’s stay like this for a moment.”

I constantly checked Joohee’s presence in my arms and told myself that this was not a dream but reality.

As time goes by, things calm down. My mind becomes clearer and I understand the situation. I can’t say for sure that what I saw in my dream actually happened. But that doesn’t matter. What matters is that I still have a chance.

“Can you explain what happened?”

Did I lose my mind at the bar?

“When I called, someone else answered. I was surprised because my brother said he was really drunk, so I ran over. We helped each other and got in a taxi together, that’s all. I was worried that I might have to go to the hospital, but fortunately, I’m glad.”

Was it the alcohol? Or was it the whiskey I had drunk in my previous life just before I died? I don’t know. One thing is for sure, I will never drink whiskey again.

I took a bath with hot water in the bathtub. As I lay down in the bathtub, I felt my body relax and the alcohol drain away. I took my time washing my body thoroughly and then came out.

Music is playing in the living room. Joohee is interested in prenatal music these days. She listens to a variety of music, from classical to light jazz and bossa nova. When she looks at the clock, it is already time for lunch.

“Want some pasta?”

“Okay! What are you going to make?”

The pasta I’m going to make today is set. It might not have tasted good then, but it’s not bad now.

“Nerano.”

This is a pasta that is not very well known in Korea. I was worried that if I made a pasta that was too famous, it would look like it was not there, so I asked a chef who was teaching a special cooking class to teach me how to make this dish.

The ingredients for this pasta are very simple. In addition to the basic ingredients, all you need is zucchini and provolone cheese (provolone is a salted and aged mozzarella cheese). Boil the water and the noodles. In the meantime, start preparing the ingredients.

Cut the zucchini thinly as if you were frying it. Fill the pan halfway with extra virgin olive oil and preheat it. When the oil reaches 150 degrees, add the zucchini and fry until golden brown. Then, take out the zucchini and drain it in a sieve to remove excess oil. Add salt and tear the basil by hand and mix until the flavor is absorbed.

Put olive oil in a pan and lightly crush whole garlic cloves and add them. Stir-fry briefly to let the garlic flavor permeate the oil. One thing to be careful of is that if the garlic flavor is too strong, it will ruin the overall balance of the pasta, so you should remove it at the right time.

Add the prepared zucchini and basil to the pan and pour in the noodle liquid. Boil briefly to allow the flavors to meld, then add the noodles that are about 2/3 cooked and toss until the consistency is thick.

When the noodles are cooked, turn off the heat, add the grated provolone cheese, and season with salt and pepper. Now, toss the noodles with the sauce to emulsify them using mantecare (a cooking technique where ingredients are stirred after turning off the heat).

Arrange the pasta in a dented dish and top with the remaining sauce. Finally, top the pasta with the remaining fried zucchini and chopped parsley.

Joohee comes out early and sits at the table. This dish seems simple, but it is not easy. The fewer the ingredients, the more important the skill of the cook becomes. The finished pasta is placed in front of her.

“Is this the first time you’ve seen this pasta?”

Since it is a home-cooked dish, it is hard to find in restaurants. Therefore, it is a pasta that is almost unknown in Korea.

“Try it.”

Joohee picked up a fork, rolled up the noodles, and put them in her mouth. I followed her and tasted them. The seasoning was just right. There are two types of provolone cheese, Dolce and Piccante, and these are distinguished by the degree of maturation. I used Piccante, which is maturated for a longer period of time.

The unique aroma and tangy flavor of aged cheese stimulates the tongue. The aroma of cheese and zucchini fried in fresh olive oil, basil, pepper, and even the subtle flavor of garlic are all well condensed in the sauce.

Joohee is tasting pasta with her eyes closed. At some point, she started seriously tasting the food I made, saying that since she was starting a food business, she should know the taste well.

“It’s so delicious.”

“You’re not just saying that out of politeness?”

The image of her I saw in my dream was so vivid. At that time, she said, ‘I couldn’t say it was not tasty.’

“Look at my face. How does it look?”

“You look happy.”

“This is what happens when you eat something delicious. You’ve lived well so far. You can eat something delicious like this.”

Her table manners are very neat. She eats deliciously but without any mess. She uses a fork to roll pasta with elegant gestures, dips it in sauce, and puts it in her mouth.

“The crunchy zucchini gives it a fun texture. The cheese is fragrant and the noodles soak up the sauce, making it really tasty. I should include this in my book.”

“book?”

What book are you talking about? She suddenly looks stung.

“Hehe. Actually, I was writing a book. You made a lot of food for me over the years. It would be a shame to just forget about it. That’s why I started writing it down in the US. Someone at my company saw it and said it would be a good idea to publish it as a book later.”

“I don’t mind if you like it.”

“If I publish the dishes that Chef Shin Je-hee made in an essay-style book, there will be people who will read them. I’ll include the recipes and photos. You have to cooperate later, right?”

I think it would be fun to write an essay about cooking and the stories behind it. It would be even better if there were pictures and recipes to satisfy curiosity. It’s a novel idea.

“okay.”

I watched her eating deliciously. Then I closed my eyes and prayed that the happiness I felt now would never disappear.

* * *

It was the day of filming for Gourmet Road. All the staff members were gathered together and doing final checks.

“The concept of this shoot is exploration. The goal is to introduce everything from the entrance to the hall, kitchen, warehouse, and wine cellar. However, it should never become an advertisement. Let’s stay true to the original purpose of satisfying curiosity.”

PD Kim reads the script and gives instructions to the staff.

“Don’t worry. We discussed everything with Chef Shin, and the writers have gathered together to make it fun.”

The main writer reassures PD Kim, telling him not to worry.

“Okay, camera team, get ready and let’s begin.”

As soon as the director gives his cue, Lee Han-young comes forward.

“Hello viewers. Today, Gourmet Road has come to fine dining. It’s a top-class restaurant located in Garosu-gil, the hottest street in Korea. We’ll be here to completely resolve all your questions.”

As Lee Han-young’s comment ends, the camera turns to Jung Soo-jung.

“Okay then, let’s go in and take a look.”

As Soo-Jung opened the door and went in, Je-Hee, wearing a chef’s uniform, greeted them.

“Welcome. This is Segreto.”

“Hello. I’m from Gourmet Road. Can you introduce yourself briefly?”

“My name is Shin Je-hee and I am in charge of Segreto Seoul and New York.”

“He gave me a very humble introduction. I found out that Chef Shin Je-hee’s career was no joke.

Let me introduce you on your behalf. You graduated at the top of your class from the CIA, the world’s best culinary school, and then started your career at Luce de Sole, a Michelin three-star restaurant. There, you rose to the position of sous chef.

You were selected as the Young Chef of the Year by the Michelin Guide New York, and set a record for the fastest time to receive a star after opening a restaurant in New York. You were also in charge of the opening dinner for the heads of state at the G20. With such an impressive career, why did you open a restaurant in Korea? You were mostly active in the US, right?”

Sujeong delivers long lines without any hesitation, as if she had practiced beforehand.

Jehee looks slightly embarrassed, as if the question wasn’t discussed in advance. Then, after thinking for a moment, she opens her mouth.

“I wish there were world-class dining in Korea. Korea is literally the graveyard of Western dining. It’s really not easy to succeed. There are many reasons, but the biggest reason is the absolute lack of diners.

Korea is a country with a highly developed food culture. There are many things to eat just for Korean food. Chinese and Japanese food are right next door, so they have already been infiltrated into Korea for a long time. They have also gone through a continuous localization process. However, Western dining is not like that. I think I wanted to introduce it properly.”

“It is true that Western food can make you feel distant. Many adults consider the Western restaurants they visited when they were young to be the standard for Western food.”

Lee Han-young intervenes and adds to the conversation.

“You mean that restaurant that serves white soup and pork cutlet?”

Soo-Jung asks Han-Young if she has ever been there.

“And you can’t miss out on spaghetti with ketchup and sausage!”

When Han-Young hears the old story, he gets excited and starts reciting the menu.

“You mean Neapolitan spaghetti? By the way, there is absolutely no such dish in Naples. It’s Japanese.”

Jehee frowns for a moment, then corrects them.

“Really? I thought Italy was the original.”

“If you put ketchup on pasta in Italy… oh my! It’s horrible to even think about. I can’t imagine what would happen.”

“I’ve already learned something new. I have a feeling I’ll get a lot out of today’s broadcast.”

Han-Young makes a comment and nods to Soo-Jung.

“We came out today to resolve our curiosity about fine dining, but is it open for business yet?”

The correction comes quickly, clearing the air and continuing the conversation.

“Yes. Fine dining dishes require a lot of work. It also takes a lot of time, so we have to start preparing them the day before. Now we are in the final stages.”

Jehee looks towards the kitchen and says.

“Before we go into the kitchen, there are a lot of things that viewers are curious about. Can I ask you a few questions?”

Since there are many questions prepared, Soojung takes out a cue card and asks for Jehee’s consent.

“Of course.”

“First of all, there were many viewers who said they couldn’t go to fine dining restaurants because they were afraid to order. What do you think about this?”

“It may be because it is an unfamiliar dish. The answer is simple: just order a course. Those with a lot of dining experience may order each menu individually, but more than 90% of customers order a course.

Of course, there are choices within the course. You can choose between pasta or risotto, and there are various options for the main dish, including meat and seafood. I want to tell you that you don’t have to be too scared because you can choose one or two according to your taste.”

“You asked another question. Is it mandatory to follow a dress code?”

“We do have a dress code. But please don’t get me wrong. It’s not about wearing formal clothes like shorts, slippers, or hiking clothes. Everything else is fine. I think it’s appropriate to wear something that office workers would normally wear to work. There’s absolutely no requirement to wear a tux or dress.”

“It’s easy to understand because you explained it in an easy-to-understand way. There was also a viewer who said they were afraid to go because they didn’t know how to use the cutlery. What should we do about this?”

“In the past, it is true that the manners for handling cutlery were a bit complicated because restaurants would put all the cutlery used for the day’s course on the table and start the meal.

But these days, you don’t have to worry at all. We provide separate utensils for each course. Please use the utensils we provide for each course, so don’t stress and enjoy your meal. Thank you.”

“It seems like they’re saying that you can just come in casual work clothes, look at the menu, order a course, and enjoy your meal.”

Lee Han-young intervenes and summarizes the conversation to conclude.

“That’s right.”

“Then, could you please introduce us to a restaurant?”

“Of course. I will show you the hall first. There are about 30 hall staff at Segreto. More than one per table.”

“That’s a huge crowd. In a typical restaurant, if there are thirty tables, I think ten people would be too many.”

“In fine dining, service is as important as food. Our hall staff are familiar with the origins and recipes of all the dishes they serve that day. They have to explain them to the guests. They are all professionals who have undergone thorough training, from how to hold the dishes to their posture and how to serve the guests.”

“I’ve been here before and was impressed. You answered my questions without any hesitation.”

“This is called the pass. This is where the food leaves the kitchen and undergoes final inspection. The head chef oversees this.”

Jehee explains, pointing to the long table between the kitchen and the hall.

“I can see the kitchen inside. It’s very spacious.”

“There are about 20 staff members working in our kitchen, including trainees. I will introduce each section. This is the cold station. This is the part that mainly makes sauces, soups, and appetizers.”

Although Jehee continued his explanation, the filming staff couldn’t focus on what he was saying. They couldn’t take their eyes off the kitchen, which was much larger than they had thought, the many cooking utensils and chefs filling it, and the systematically divided stations.

“Why are you surprised by this? Segreto has many secrets. Please look forward to it.”

After hearing Je-hee’s words, PD Kim had a feeling that this episode would be a huge hit in viewer ratings.