Episode 142
41. Kitchen Nightmare (1)
“Wow…”
Chuwaak-! swish.
Wok and cooking utensils dancing over the flames.
Tae-hoon couldn’t take his eyes off the flashy hand movements for even a moment.
Taehoon’s hobby is visiting restaurants, but at the same time, he was very interested in cooking.
In his eyes, Gordon’s squirrel’s culinary skills were seen on a completely different level.
‘I wonder if there was such a talented person.’
The direction of the hand holding the cooking utensils, the arrangement of various ingredients on the table, and fire control and time management.
Indeed, it was like a chef who had only devoted himself to cooking for over a hundred years.
It’s like you’re watching the process of cooking with your own eyes.
All of a sudden, the food was laid out in front of the party’s eyes.
“ah……!”
Just looking at how good the color is, my appetite seems to explode.
The fragrant and delicious smell evoked hunger.
“From left, Ginbas bread, traditional fried rice made in Artel style. Sirloin steak with Artel’s special spices. Lastly, homemade juice made from ‘fruits and vegetables’ grown only around the World Tree.”
There was certainty in Gordon’s squirrel’s eyes as he continued to explain.
Absolute confidence that his food will never fail.
Taehoon felt that even that conviction was part of cooking.
After all, cooking is a work of art that faithfully contains the ‘ego’ of the creator.
Because the work of which an outstanding artist is convinced is the perfect masterpiece.
“Eat, can I eat it?”
“Sure!”
As soon as those words were spoken, the other members, including Taehoon, carefully raised their knives and forks.
The first thing I went to was the ganbas bread, which was close to an appetizer.
Food that corresponds to Artel’s staple food, like Korean rice.
Taehoon cut the bread reverently, remembering the texture he had eaten at the time of the last invitation.
Shhh-.
Thick honey drips from the surface of the softly dug knife.
‘You said you used honey collected from bees that nested in the World Tree.’
The quality of the ingredients used for food is also crazy, in case someone is not a race living in harmony with nature.
Taehun admired it over and over again and savored the taste.
Ginbass bread that melts as soon as it touches your tongue because of how soft it is.
“……!!!!”
When Taehoon was startled and unconsciously turned his head, his eyes met whether they were all thinking the same thing.
It was even more delicious than what I ate at the last festival.
‘Is this possible?’
Taehoon immediately shifted his gaze to the next fried rice.
When eaten with a large spoonful, the unique savory and light taste of fried rice and the salty taste of fire harmonize.
“It’s so delicious…”
Other than that, there was nothing to say.
So was the steak. The rich gravy that flows out when you take a bite.
The meat was moderately tough, and the more you chewed it, the more flavor it got.
Gordon the squirrel watched them happily as they ate it.
“You don’t have to look at me every single time. First, fill your stomach and talk.”
‘ he said and stayed away for a while.
‘it’s crazy!!’
Truly a model for all cooks.
Isn’t it true that gastronomy really works when you’re alone?
Tae-hoon, who quietly inhaled food with his warm consideration, even shed tears.
‘Thank you, Baek San-woo… … ! You’re giving me this chance!!’
However.
It didn’t take long for my stomach to go back to emptying because my stomach couldn’t turn off.
“Did it taste good?”
After confirming that his stomach was somewhat full, Gordon the squirrel approaches with a smile.
At the near-perfect meal, not only Tae-hoon but other members of the team also clapped their hands and praised it.
“Yeah! It was really delicious!”
“Yeah, that’s the essence of our Artel cuisine. And you should fully absorb that essence within a week from now on.”
Gordon’s squirrel’s eyes twinkled.
Taehoon clearly witnessed the heaviness on his face, which had seemed warm and friendly until a while ago.
“If you don’t go straight, you won’t survive, you little cooks!!!”
‘… … ?!’
It was the moment when the tour of Artel, which was full of dreams, hopes, and romance, turned into sweat, despair and pain.
* * *
It had already been three days since Artel’s manor dormitory had the culinary education of the members.
Tae-hoon, who was heading to the breath of the world tree every day, saw a student stumbling in front of him.
It was Enver who was receiving cooking education with her.
‘It was very broken yesterday.’
She was in charge of the Ginbas Bread, but she was the one who was bombarded by Gordon’s Lamb because she didn’t cook the dough properly.
Taehoon pondered whether to speak or not, then shook his head.
‘Because it might be uncomfortable.’
When we finally arrived in front of the dormitory, she found Tae-hoon late and gave a weak greeting.
“hi.”
“Uh, uh… hi.”
Very awkward atmosphere.
If someone you know is by your side, you might not know, but in an isolated state, Taehoon was infinitely small.
Was it the same with Enver that made it awkward?
She didn’t say anything more to say goodbye.
“Come in. The chef is waiting for you.”
After completing a brief background check from the guards.
‘Anyway, you just need to cook well!’
Taehoon made up his mind once more with that thought.
It’s been a few hours since I started the battle of cooking like that.
Today, without fail, Gordon’s squirrel’s decree fell.
“Arisa! Come here!”
“Yeah… yep!!”
“Do you know what came to my mind after tasting your sirloin steak?”
Arisa trembled at the squirrel’s words. It was a learned fear in the last few days.
Taehoon thought that the way he was withdrawn was just like a baby rabbit.
“That’s the first time I’ve tried something like this in my 200-year culinary career. It’s amazing.”
‘… … ? Did you make it well?’
However, it was a compliment to come back contrary to Tae-Hoon’s expectations.
Arisa’s expression brightened in an instant, as she didn’t think she would even dare to receive compliments.
“Go, thank you, Chef!!”
“Because this isn’t even a f*cking dish!!”
Gordon’s squirrel, which seems to continue softly, then suddenly accelerates.
Arisa’s face, which had just loosened up, hardened again.
“Sorry, Chef!!”
“It’s because it’s too precious to be limited to the small frame of cooking.”
Taehoon instantly read the various emotions that passed on Arisa’s face.
is that a compliment? Is it a criticism? After a long battle, Arisa smiled and bowed her head.
“Go, thank you, Chef…!”
However, Tae-Hoon could notice that all the words so far were bluffs for the final blow.
just as expected.
“Because it’s so raw it’s almost like a living creature!!! Can you see the blood here? The blood is so fresh that it could be revived with healing magic in the temple!”
In the end, there was no turning back.
Chef squirrels play with their emotions as if they were snatching fresh fish.
“Hurry back and bring me a decent steak!”
“Yes!!!!”
A clear liquid trickled out of Arisa’s eyes, who had been fooled to the end.
She ran back and started chopping the meat.
“Ugh!”
The next thing that caught the ram’s eye was Lumana.
He took a seat in the area assigned to Lumana and began to urge him with his eyes.
Unable to bear the gaze, she hurriedly made a drink.
The chef’s face contorted after tasting the fruit and vegetable juice.
“Is this fruit and vegetable juice? The sugar content was so high that you thought I was a wasp!”
As soon as the command was issued, Lumana almost threw her head on the floor.
“sorry!!”
“If you can’t control the sugar content, use brown sugar instead of white sugar! I’ll bring you the next drink right away!”
“Yes Chef!!!!”
The kitchen is so chaotic that it makes you feel dizzy.
The only person who was free from criticism was Taehoon.
Although there were criticisms in some areas, no commands such as dragon’s breath came in.
‘By the way… … Enver looks a little heavy.’
In Taehoon’s eyes, who was hard at work, the image of his comrade who was exhausted came into view.
If you make it like that, at the most, the gaze of Gordon’s squirrel drawn by Arisa will turn to Enver.
Tae-hoon looked at the best fried rice and Enver, which he made so well.
Eventually, after letting go of the wok, he headed to his unhappy mate.
“Put only two firewood in the oven. Put the dough in the middle.”
“Ugh-!?”
It was Enver who was startled by the sudden appearance of popularity.
“Shh, the chef might see it.”
Read at noblemtl.com
Maybe the ram’s gaze will turn, and he swallows his voice.“Did you sprinkle flowering powder on the dough?”
“No…don’t put it at the end, I was told to mix it in the middle…”
“It will be easier to make this than that. Make it the same as it is now, but sprinkle only the flowering powder right before putting it in the oven.”
A slightly different solution from Gordon Lamb’s suggestion.
Enver’s eyes, looking at Tae-Hoon, are suspicious for a moment.
“this is right?”
“It’s my way… maybe it’ll ripen in our hands.”
Enver looked complicated in many ways. Taehoon pondered whether or not to say more, but then he gathered up the courage and spit out a bitter voice.
“I’m scolded for this, scolded for that, it’s the same, right? Trust me.”
“……okay.”
After she reluctantly took out the dough she had put in the oven.
As Tae-hoon told me, I started making a new dough.
And finally, the moment when the end of cooking class approaches.
Taehoon breathed a sigh of relief as he watched Enver’s long bath narrowly reach a passing score.
Although his fried rice was evaluated to be more delicious than the one he made yesterday.
After that, it was because he was exquisitely informed about the width of the dough and how to knead it.
It was because he could not fully concentrate on the fried rice and the perfection was low.
‘thank god.’
Still, it was fortunate that Enver was able to regain his energy.
As the festival schedule was close, losing motivation was a big problem in its own right.
Anyway, Taehoon is the only club executive who has been dispatched to Artel dormitory.
Contrary to its appearance, even with an outward personality, I thought that managing the morale of the personnel was the right thing to do as an executive.
“Everyone worked hard today. Still, it’s good to see progress. Especially, Enver! It’s a huge improvement!”
“Thank you, Chef!!”
“Then disband!”
The four apprentice cooks, including Tae-Hoon, nodded to the squirrel and left the Burinake dormitory.
‘I’m tired, but of course training should not be neglected.’
That was then.
“Did I say Tae-Hoon?”
When he turned around at the voice calling him, Enver was standing there muttering.
“That… thank you. I’m sorry earlier.”
Taehoon’s heart races without realizing it as he shyly gives thanks.
“Oh? No!? It’s okay! That’s right!!”
Whether such a reaction is interesting, Lumina standing next to her bursts into laughter and Arisa adds.
“You seem to be cooking. Enver said he got a lot of help.”
From what I can see, it looks like they’ve already become friends with the same sex, except for Taehoon.
But when Taehoon realized that, he was a little depressed.
“If you have time, would you like to have dinner together? I’ll buy it, so I’d like to know more about cooking.”
The next suggestion broke the circuit in my head.
“Eh?”
“What are you thinking so much about!”
Surrounded by the girls in an instant, Tae-hoon could not resist.
No, to be precise, I didn’t want to.
It was the moment when the life-like rain fell in the human relationship that was in a severe drought.
‘Sanwoo… … thank you… … !!’
Tae-hoon expressed his sincere emotion in many ways to the club’s manager who just created such an opportunity.
that day.
I practiced water lilies for the first time in my life.