I Got the Almighty Tongue - Chapter 208



Only Noblemtl

208 Star Birth

The day of the Best Chef finals has arrived.

Soyoung took a deep breath and closed her eyes. The surrounding noises seemed to be fading away.

‘How long did it take you to get here?’

My days at culinary high school flash through my mind.

The awkwardness of the first day I held a knife in the practice room, the practice of cutting vegetables and fish while hurting my hands, the nervousness I felt in the first competition where I won first place.

At the same time, I had to maintain first place in the entire school on the written exam.

Her life at the CIA, where she had barely managed to get into with a scholarship, was not as happy a memory as she had expected.

After being criticized by the professor for my poor English, I cried a lot because I was upset. To overcome it, I bought a cookbook in English and memorized all the recipes. I was able to solve my poor conversation skills by changing my personality and becoming friendly with everyone.

The pressure I felt competing with students from all over the world, and the thrill I felt when I realized that I was not without talent.

She felt confident for the first time in her life. Then she met someone who shattered it.

In any world, only a very small number of people can reach the top. However, it was only after meeting Chef Shin Je-hee that he realized that he was not one of those people.

But she didn’t give up.

The four years she spent in Segreto were a history of constant challenges and failures.

Soyoung, who had to be aware of everyone around her since she was young, was able to figure out what kind of person Chef Shin Je-hee was faster than others when she met him.

He was surprisingly indifferent to those who didn’t put in the effort, but he was warmer than anyone else to those who dedicated their lives to cooking.

The head chef’s face comes to mind.

His teachings, his beliefs, and his sometimes cold advice all helped Soyoung grow.

And she met the best colleagues. For the first time in her life, Soyoung felt the joy of belonging somewhere.

Soyoung’s eyes open.

The surrounding noises come back to my ears.

‘Okay, let’s begin.’

I don’t care about Naomi and Brian. I’ll make a dish that will live up to all the efforts I’ve put in so far.

Soyoung walks out onto the stage.

* * *

“Hello, viewers.

Twelve chefs began their challenge to become the best, but now only three remain.

And today, we will find out who is the best chef.”

The finals began with the host’s opening remarks.

“The theme for today’s final is a three-course meal. Please design and cook the optimal course consisting of an appetizer, main dish, and dessert.

But if you just ask for a course, the scope will be too broad, right? That’s why I prepared it!

“Please open the mystery box!”

Three people open a box on the counter at the same time.

“The ingredients you will be using today are salmon, French rack of lamb, and eggs. Please create a course using these as the main ingredients.”

Naomi frowns, not liking the ingredients. Brian, on the other hand, smiles brightly.

This was quite a tricky topic.

Naomi, who specializes in Japanese cuisine, would probably make a roll or sashimi with salmon. Brian, a French chef, would probably think of tartare first when he sees salmon.

Salmon becomes too heavy when cooked, which means it is not suitable for use as an appetizer.

Soyoung was reluctant to make the most popular ways to eat raw salmon, such as rolls or tartare. In the first place, such dishes are not even on Segreto’s menu.

French rack is no other option than steak.

That means that this will evaluate the completeness of the sauce and cooking. It was fortunate that the dessert was made with eggs. Since it is a common ingredient in almost all desserts, there will be a wide range of choices.

‘When I plan a course, I always think of the dish I want to make first. Then I create a course that fits that dish.’

The head chef’s advice comes to mind.

What do I want to make?

I want to create a great appetizer that will exceed all the judges’ expectations.

You must use raw salmon, but not in tartare or rolls.

I remember a dish that Sam served for a staff meal a few years ago. It was a salad with salmon and apples. I remember being surprised at how well it went together.

Salmon, apple, what kind of sauce would go well with this? Velouté, and celery would be good for flavor and color. Cucumber is the topping, and you have to think about the texture as well.

I know what to make.

There are four main types of sauces commonly used with lamb ribs.

There are herbal sauces using mint or rosemary, classic sauces using red wine, cream sauces using mustard and truffle, and classic French Béarnaise sauces based on butter.

But Soyoung’s true identity was that of an Italian chef.

According to her standards, if you use velouté sauce as an appetizer, the best combination for the next dish is balsamic.

As I thought about this, a picture of the entire course came to mind. Soyoung starts cooking.

First, prepare the salmon.

After washing the skin, I carefully removed the thorns with tweezers and peeled off the skin.

All of Segreto’s chefs are experts in preparing fish and meat, as they have to take turns preparing the ingredients regardless of their part.

Using a vegetable peeler, slice the apples thinly, including the skin. The apples will fall off one by one, as thin as paper. Remove the seeds in the middle and bake in the oven at low temperature.

Soyoung has made many kinds of sauces so far. It was not difficult for her to arrange the velouté sauce to go well with raw salmon.

Put olive oil in a pan and add a generous amount of butter. The butter will melt and mix with the oil. Add the celery and peeled apples cut into cubes.

Add salt and pepper and stir-fry for a while, then pour in the stock made from the salmon head and bones and add cream.

Cucumbers would go well with pesto made with dill and olive oil. Using a small spoon, scoop out the cucumbers into balls. Blanch lightly, then add olive oil, finely chopped dill, lemon juice, salt and pepper and mix.

The pot was boiling. Soyoung put the contents into a blender, ground them finely, and strained them through a sieve.

Now we need to make the main course and dessert.

Season the ribs whole with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a pan and sear the fat first to give them some color. You can cut them up and grill them, but I’ve learned that professional chefs always cook in the most delicious way possible.

Flip it over and sear all sides, then place it in a roasting pan. I ground rosemary, thyme, and garlic with olive oil and rubbed it all over the meat. This was Ella’s favorite recipe.

Place the ribs in a preheated 190 degree oven and begin making the sauce.

In a pan heated over medium heat, add the chopped shallots and lightly fry. Add the balsamic vinegar, port wine, blackberries, and rosemary and bring to a boil. Balsamic reduction is a sauce that requires patience. Reduce the heat to low and boil the contents while stirring vigorously until the amount of sauce is reduced by half.

Lamb ribs go well with sweet sauce.

Turn off the heat, add honey, and strain to create a smooth texture. Add cold butter little by little and mix to add gloss and soft taste.

Now season with salt and pepper and you’re done. Soyoung tastes the finished sauce.

‘Perfect.’

The appetizers and main courses she makes are extremely low in carbs, as she supplements them with primo piatto in the Italian course.

That’s why she prepared bread pudding with custard for dessert to balance out the nutrients.

Beep beep beep.

The oven is back on.

When I took out the lamb ribs and cut them with a knife, the meat inside was perfectly cooked to medium rare.

“You have 5 minutes left. Please finish up now.”

Soyoung glances at her watch, then lays out a plate and begins plating.

‘fast.’

The judges are impressed by Soyoung’s graceful and speedy hand movements.

The cooking is all done.

Naomi and Brian are out of breath. Preparing three courses alone in two hours is a difficult mission.

The judging has begun.

Naomi presented salmon rolls as expected, and lamb ribs were baked with breadcrumbs and herbs. This recipe adds rich flavor and crispy texture to lamb. Dessert was soft castella made with eggs.

“Technically, it’s perfect. However, I wonder if the salmon roll and lamb ribs go well together. It feels like they didn’t put much thought into the composition of the course and just presented the dishes they were good at.”

Critic Gail Pattinson has expressed regret over Naomi’s cooking.

“You tried to play it safe, but it ended up holding you back. You’re a good chef. Why don’t you try something a little more daring?”

Naomi lowers her head at Josh’s words.

Brian began with a classic salmon tartare as an appetizer, followed by French rack with red wine sauce for the main course, and finished with an elegant soufflé dessert.

“A delicious French course. Classic but not boring. But nothing was beyond my expectations. Am I expecting too much from you?”

‘You want me to be creative and make three courses in two hours? You didn’t even tell me the ingredients in advance.’

Brian had a lot to say, but he held it back.

‘Under the same conditions, you wouldn’t be able to come up with a more complete course.’

Her course definitely looked better than Naomi’s. Now, only Soyoung was left.

Brian narrows his eyes and looks at Soyoung. He is concerned about her, who has advanced to the finals with overwhelming skill.

‘But he’s a chef who specializes in cold parts.’

He thought there was no way he could lose in three courses.

“Wow. This is a really beautiful appetizer.”

Josh admires Soyoung’s cooking.

The plate contained a creamy sauce.

On top of that, a flower made of salmon in bright red is placed, with dill and parsley leaves representing the leaves. Round cucumbers scooped out with a spoon and thinly sliced ​​cherry tomatoes evoke colorful fruits.

The green oil squeezed from the pesto spread over the sauce like an emulsion, creating an abstract beauty that was difficult for the judges to describe.

“Where on earth did you learn this kind of plating?”

Marketing Director Nielsen asks Soyoung.

“Our head chef said that if a dish isn’t pretty, it’s not worth tasting.”

Simon nods at Soyoung’s words.

“Chef Shin Je-hee’s sensational plating is famous. I learned a lot from her. Chef Yoo So-young also has a good sense.”

“Taste it.”

The judges taste Soyoung’s dishes in order from appetizers to main course and dessert.

“This velouté sauce is very unique. I thought it might be a bit heavy for an appetizer, but the addition of apples made it refreshing.

“The apple chips and cucumbers, sliced ​​thinly and baked in the oven, were also good. The variety of textures is one of the distinguishing features of modern cooking. Above all, all the elements went very well with the salmon.”

Pedi praises Soyoung’s cooking.

“The lamb ribs were also a very sophisticated Italian style dish.

The cooking was perfect. I didn’t think he was a chef who was only good at making appetizers, but I didn’t know he would be this good even with the main course.”

Gail takes another bite of her food, seemingly satisfied.

“I think the reason we served bread pudding for dessert was because we considered nutritional balance and the satisfaction of the entire course. I was very satisfied.”

Naomi and Brian’s expressions darken as Nielsen joins the ranks of Soyoung in praising her.

“The privilege of being young is the challenges.

“It’s impressive how you’re not afraid to try new things, but you still manage to keep a great balance. It’s the best course I’ve had this year.”

The contest ended with Josh’s evaluation.

When Soyoung’s name is called as the winner, tears flow from her eyes. She accepts the trophy and speaks in a trembling voice.

“I never dreamed that this moment would come to me.

My teacher, Chef Shin Je-hee, and my colleagues at Segreto who have shared countless joys and sorrows with me.

Thank you so much. You made me who I am today.

Cooking is my life.

The excitement I felt every morning as I woke up and headed to the kitchen, the joy of creating a new dish, and the satisfied looks on the faces of my guests after their meal. All of these moments make my life shine and worthwhile.

“I’m so happy to be able to cook and be recognized like this.”

The judges and contestants gave Soyoung a warm round of applause for her sincere words. And the viewers’ response to her was also enthusiastic.

It was the birth of a new star chef.

* * *

“Welcome, Margaret.”

Jehee and Margaret met again in front of a 10-story building with a modern and stylish design at 1334 York Avenue on New York’s Upper East Side.

“I’m nervous. Is this how an actor feels before going on stage?”

Margaret takes a deep breath and looks straight ahead.

The entrance to the building was a wide, tall glass door. The logo pattern above the door was gorgeous.

[Sotheby’s]

Today is the day of the auction in question.