I Got the Almighty Tongue - Chapter 92



Only Noblemtl

The New York Times

“What’s going on?”

“Our restaurant was in the New York Times.”

“Really? Where are you looking?”

The staff members start to come in one by one. Before I know it, all the staff members have come out and are surrounding me and Jenny.

Jenny begins to slowly read an article from the New York Times.

“We’ve forgotten a lot of things over the past few years. Thrills, thrills, excitement, novelty. Yes, we’re talking about food right now.

Dating back to the turn of the century and through the Great Depression, cities across America developed their own unique restaurant cultures.

Then one day, with the rapid development of the city, time suddenly began to flow slowly. And we are living in an era where everyone from LA to New York eats the same burger, leaving behind the newness, excitement, and thrill we felt in the past. Uniform franchises, similar foods that you can’t tell which city you are eating. This is probably not just a feeling I have.

But even in these times, there are young chefs who are trying to present us with new dishes. Today, I would like to talk about them.

New York City has the largest Italian immigrant population in the United States, so it’s no surprise that the city is home to some of the best Italian restaurants.

As head chef of Luce de Sole, one of only six three-star Michelin restaurants in New York City and the only Italian restaurant among them, Romeo deserves even more praise for being an accomplished chef himself, but also for having trained outstanding students.

Shin Je-hee, now just 30 years old, graduated from the CIA in 2005 and started her career at Luce de Sole. She rose to the position of sous chef in just 4 years.

Even without mentioning his absolute taste, he was recognized for his skills from early on. He graduated from the CIA with honors and was a promising chef who had his dishes on the menu of a Michelin two-star (at the time) restaurant several times in his second year of career. It goes without saying that he delighted many New Yorkers with his creative dishes there.

Walking through Greenwich Village in New York, you will notice an old-fashioned stone building. As you pass by, the smell of fresh garlic being fried in olive oil catches the attention of passersby. Segreto, where Chef Shin Je-hee is working independently as the owner chef, is slowly becoming a part of New York.

‘When you first go there, you will be amazed by the food at Segreto. It’s as if the food there is teasing you.

The appearance, the smell, and the taste are all different. But they come together to create harmony. I could see the true value of the restaurant from my second visit. I was fascinated by the taste itself behind the surprise.

I still sit down at my computer every time an appointment opens and try my best to get a good date and time.’ – Donna Williams, New Yorker

‘Fine dining has become too prevalent recently. I’m glad that the recession is over and the boom is here, but I’m also worried.

The first fine dining experience is like the first girlfriend you have. It has a big impact on your life. Segreto is a great place to start your first fine dining experience. The bar is set so high that you might struggle to find another good restaurant in the future.

It has all the elements you need for a great dining experience: top-notch manners and service, a top-notch wine list, and fantastic food.

The most important thing is that it is not that expensive yet. I am already very excited about the course he will come up with next.’ – Roland Smith (British critic)

The restaurant has already received rave reviews from locals and critics alike, and its monthly reservation list is always filling up. Segreto is stirring up some nerves in New York’s fine dining scene.”

Clap clap clap

As Jenny reads the long article, the staff surrounding us all applaud and cheer.

“Thank you. Thanks to you, the restaurant was able to take off quickly. Without your hard work and dedication, this would not have been possible. But please don’t get too excited and continue to do your best as you always have. All we have to look at is our customers.”

“Yes, Chef.”

The staff answers in unison.

* * *

“Logan, I’d like to reserve another table.”

I had planned to take it slow, but the fact that it was featured in an influential daily newspaper had a bigger impact than I expected. The number of customers calling or visiting in person increased significantly. When opportunities come, restaurants have to grow.

“I mentioned this during the design process. If you utilize the free space on the first floor and the garden, you will be able to secure a considerable number of tables. You can work on your days off. Don’t worry, just leave it to us.”

Logan shouts.

“Okay, then we will understand that and prepare accordingly.”

After leaving Logan’s architectural office, I decided to visit a brokerage for the first time in a while because I had recently heard that Tesla had gone public.

These days, I’ve been so focused on running a restaurant that I’ve lost all my mental energy.

As I drive through downtown New York, I think back to the first day I came to this city. It’s been a long time. I’ve met many people and experienced many things. I rolled down the window of the Enzo Ferrari. The leaves on the street trees are starting to change color one by one. A cool autumn breeze blows past, tickling my face.

I almost fell into workaholism again. Because I have a personality where I focus on one thing and don’t care about anything else, I often miss the moment when I should step on the brakes inside me. I gathered my resolve once again and went to the brokerage to find Will.

“Will. I heard you got promoted.”

Will was promoted from Analyst to Associate this year.

“Thank you. The work is the same, but my goal here is to become MD (Managing Director), but I don’t know if that’s possible. I will continue to ask for your help.”

Will thanks me politely. I must have had a lot to do with his accomplishments.

“Since you are doing a good job, I have no intention of changing business partners.”

“You came here because of Tesla, right? I was just about to contact you.”

“What happened?”

“It seems that there were more people interested in Tesla than we thought. Tesla planned to raise $185 million through the IPO, but over $250 million was raised. As a result, we had no choice but to buy it at a slightly higher price than we expected. We expected $14, but we bought it at $17 per share.”

“Well done.”

“But what’s amazing is what happened next. Tesla closed at $26 yesterday, less than a week after going public. I think there will be a correction in the future, but I’m really amazed at how far-sighted you are. I think I should learn from you.”

Will looks at me with confused eyes. I must be an incomprehensible being to him.

“I feel lucky. Electric vehicles are one of the areas I’ve been keeping an eye on. I think they’ll do well in the future, so why not invest in them now for your retirement?”

“I am very conservative with my personal investments because I don’t have the assets to take risks.”

He scratches his head and laughs. He’s a wise man.

“So what is my current asset valuation?”

“As of yesterday’s closing price, it was $352 million. Oh my gosh. That’s up more than 30% from the beginning of the year.”

Bill’s voice gets louder as he looks at the monitor in surprise.

“Thank you. I will hardly touch the stock portfolio in the future, so please just take care of the dividends.”

The growth of electric vehicles will eventually slow down, but it won’t happen in the near future. Now, I just have to do my job well.

I finally had some free time. I went to a cafe I used to frequent, ordered an espresso, and sat down at a table. Then the phone rang. It felt like work came to me when I had time to rest.

Ring ring ring

“hello?”

This is the first time I’ve seen this number.

-Hello, Chef Shin Je-hee. My name is Oh Young-dae, a secretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

“Yes. Nice to meet you. What brings you to the embassy?”

-I have something to tell you. It’s urgent, so I would really appreciate it if you could spare some time. I’m in New York right now.

There is nothing good that can come from being involved with the government, but if you contact them officially through the embassy, ​​it will be difficult for me to avoid it. This is especially true if you have made up your mind to come all the way to New York.

“Okay, how about now? I’m just outside having coffee.”

-Please tell me your location and I will come to you right away.

About an hour later, a middle-aged man wearing a neat suit and horn-rimmed glasses appeared in front of me. He seemed to have lived in the US for a long time, so his manners seemed natural. After looking around the cafe for a while, he noticed me and came over to sit down.

“Nice to meet you. You look even better in person than in the picture. I’m jealous.”

He tries to break the ice, but we’re both busy people.

“Thank you for the compliment. I think we don’t have much time, so let’s get to the point first.”

Yeah

He lets out a faint groan for a moment, then sits upright in his chair.

“I don’t know if you know, but there is a very big international event happening in South Korea this time.”

I was just wondering, and it was as expected. I thought that at this time, there was nothing else the government could possibly call me for.

“It’s the G20.”

“That’s right. Now that you know, the story will be faster.

“This event will be attended by the heads of 23 major countries and 12 organizations including the International Monetary Fund and the United Nations. It can truly be called the largest international event in history.”

He picks up the glass of water on the table and quenches his thirst.

“The meeting will take place over two days, but the working-level meeting will start a week in advance. Around 100 ministerial-level officials will attend. In addition, many important figures from international organizations will attend. About 30 heads of state will attend the main meeting. Their spouses will also be present, so it will be very difficult to prepare a banquet.”

“You want me to prepare dinner?”

“I know it’s too much to ask of you, Chef Shin, since you’re so busy. However, the VIP has high expectations for this G20. He recently saw an article in the New York Times and asked me to invite him, so wouldn’t it be great if you could volunteer with a patriotic heart?”

He looks at me with pleading eyes.

“Are you a volunteer?”

“Of course, a certain amount of compensation and travel expenses will be paid.”

“Sir.”

“yes.”

“Do you know how much loss I would incur if I left the restaurant right now?”

“This is an event for the country. Please come with a heart of patriotism..”

“Sir, it’s not that I don’t have patriotism. However, I want to believe that the Republic of Korea that I love is not a country that demands individual sacrifice in the name of serving the country.”

I don’t think I can not go. Since it is an event that is held in a month, I can adjust the reservation in advance. However, I refuse to be called out of the blue. If I receive proper compensation, the G20 is a stage where I will not lose anything.

“ha..”

Secretary Oh Young-dae scratches his head and takes out documents from his suitcase.

“It’s just as Director Lee Byeong-min said. He said it wouldn’t be easy, but it was good that we prepared in advance.”

The contract he took out contained a clause that said he would compensate for any losses while working. He said he would only handle the parts that could be documented, but it was easy for me, who had an accountant and a lawyer. I hope he did his research and prepared the documents carefully, because he would regret it later if he thought about the sales of the neighborhood restaurant.

“And I have one more request to make.”

“What is it?”

He takes a defensive stance. He seems to be worried that I might make unreasonable demands.

“The kitchen must be operated as a team. If I go alone, it will be difficult for me to fully demonstrate my skills. Please make arrangements so that our staff can go with me.”

It can’t be easy to collaborate with staff you’ve never met before in an unfamiliar kitchen. The chefs participating in the G20 will probably have their own pride, so I doubt they’ll follow my instructions properly.

“We are also thinking about that part. All the chefs participating in this event are working as a team.”

He nods as if he understands.

“Most of them are foreigners, so you should pay them proper wages as well as accommodation.”

“Okay, just give me the list and I’ll take care of it.”

Since they are hosting a big event like the G20, it seems like the chefs’ salaries are handled quite comfortably. Since they are going to be taking a break anyway, I should ask Logan to do a proper expansion project.

So the sudden overseas business trip of the Segreto staff was decided. I am looking forward to going to Korea with my kitchen staff.