God of Cooking

Chapter 158: Chapter 158: The Reason They’re Hungry (1)

The live broadcast came to an end. The final comment was [I’m hungry.] Both the meal and the battle ended. Just as the staff and cast were about to leave, Samuel talked to Rachel with a serious face, “Rachel. If it’s okay… can we have a chat alone?”

“Sure…”

Rachel looked back at Martin. Martin nodded in approval. Samuel spoke in a brighter voice, “I won’t take much of your time. Right, this way.”

Samuel escorted Rachel to the next empty room. Rachel calmly walked over and sat down. Samuel sat next to her and remained silent. Was it hard to say? Samuel was shaking with his fingers intertwined, and he kept licking his lips. In the end, Rachel opened her mouth first.

“If you stay silent, you’ll end up taking much of my time.”

“I’m sorry. I don’t know how to begin…”

“Let me help. What is it that you want to say? Is it a question or a request? Or is there something you’d like to tell me?”

“… It’s a question as well as a request. What did you think… of my restaurant?”

“You made it sound more serious. Didn’t you already ask during the broadcast?”

“I want to hear your answer without any cameras.”

Samuel’s eyes looked serious. Rachel looked at him, unable to understand.

“Samuel, you’re the head chef of a three-star restaurant. As someone who’s at the very top, why do you care about my answer so much?”

“… Not all head chefs of three-star restaurants are the same. I wouldn’t be asking if you were an ordinary chef. I wouldn’t want to look weak, but you’re Rachel Rose. To all chefs, you and Daniel Rose are superior, and I’m half in that field of Western cuisine.”

Rachel’s eyes shook at the mention of Daniel. Rachel sighed and opened her mouth.

“I wish you didn’t tell me that. You’re saying my words would influence you greatly. I visited your restaurant for the first time today, and I didn’t even try all of your dishes.”

“I know, and I’m capable enough to pick and choose which advice to listen to, so you don’t have to worry.”

Rachel didn’t seem reassured, but she couldn’t turn away from Samuel’s desperation. In the end, she opened her mouth.

“What Jeremy pointed out earlier is probably the issue. Whether you’re after natives or foreign tourists, I’m sure you’re contemplating between both positions.”

“Yes, that’s right. I thought I could capture both audiences if I got the right harmony, but that wasn’t the case. Instead of obtaining both advantages with harmony, it ended up becoming pathetic. I was happy when I got three stars, but I couldn’t make any excuses for what food critics had to say afterward.”

“What did they say?”

“That it’s iffy. That it’s a mutt breed between something that’s neither Japanese nor Western. That’s what I’ve heard.”

Rachel let out a low groan. Samuel’s voice became more and more passionate. His rage, which was directed at no one, was shaking his voice.

“Some even say that the head chef doesn’t think or try. But I am! I stay up every night thinking about good dishes! But when that happened, I’d want to give up and rest… But just one customer’s smile makes it all better… So I’m not someone who can leave the kitchen either.”

“All chefs are like that. We feel the most alive when we’re in the kitchen. Samuel, I know how you feel. It must be hard, but that’s when you should keep your pillars strong.”

“My mentor was my pillar… until he passed away that is… That’s why I’m using your words to keep up the pillar that he built.”

Rachel was unable to answer easily to Samuel’s serious voice. The fact that a three-star chef was going this far meant that he was very shaken, but it was hard to find words that would help him stabilize.

“Um…”

So when Rachel opened her mouth, it wasn’t words she pulled out but rather her heart.

“Just because I’m a legend doesn’t mean I don’t get shaken up, too. You said your pillars shook after your mentor passed away. Well, me too. My husband was my pillar.”

“… Your husband’s passing was a true tragedy.”

“Yes, it was. And I didn’t think I could endure that tragedy. I couldn’t. That’s why I wasted away for 10 years like an old lady.”

“But you overcame it.”

“Did I…?”

Rachel trailed off. Had she overcome it? No, she hadn’t. Not yet. She hadn’t accomplished anything yet. Overcoming it would be to reclaim her honor once more.

But she didn’t bother uttering such words of inconfidence. She didn’t want to show her weakness, and she didn’t think it would help Samuel either. Rachel put her hand on Samuel’s shoulder and comforted the boy’s wounds.

“The waves of the seas never stop. But without it, the boat cannot sail. At times, you might be afraid and hide out on an island like I did… But as long as you don’t forget your goal, you’ll end up getting back on that boat again.”

“What do I have to do… to make sure the boat doesn’t sink?”

“The reason why boats sink is simple. It happens when it either runs into natural disasters or a rock, but you can avoid both as long as you find the right route. And depending on which island is your destination, that route will change.”

“… You said it earlier. That you focus on the outer appearance.”

“Yes. To be more exact, my goal is to make food enjoyable before you eat it.”

“That’s hard for me. I wanted to find the right middle ground between Japanese food and other foreign foods, but I’m wondering if that wasn’t a good destination to pick.”

When he received his three stars, he was happy to be acknowledged for his cooking. But that only lasted for a moment. As a result of the three-stars, customers’ expectations rose, and it was hard to meet them.

“I’m jealous at times of Japanese masters who stick to making good food… No, not just Japanese masters but master chefs from all over the world. I’m sure they had their hardships as well, but I’m sure they don’t doubt themselves.”

“You don’t have to doubt that.”

Rachel spoke sternly. As if there was no need for him to even think that way. Samuel looked at Rachel with a surprised face. Rachel continued with certainty, “Your path is definitely new, which means it’ll be rough. But Samuel, let me criticize one part of your thinking. Cooking for a long time doesn’t make you a master. Being a master means you can express the exact flavors you want in a dish. No matter which path you walk, I’m sure you’ll get there at the end of it.”

Samuel was unable to answer. He simply was in awe. Rachel continued, “It will rain, and there will be rough waves. Your boat will get wet and worn out. But you can’t change the path you’ve chosen. You can’t get rid of the island at the end either. Samuel, get back on that boat.”

Rachel smiled. Samuel couldn’t answer and simply stared at Rachel when she opened her mouth again. But what she said this time was directed at herself.

“And I’ll get back on mine.”

***

“It’s… over.”

Nighttime. Cho Min Joon rubbed his wet hair with a towel as he spoke in a sad voice. Anderson glanced at Cho Min Joon and opened his mouth.

“Why? Are you sad?”

“Why wouldn’t I be? Once we work as chefs, we won’t be able to travel anymore. This is pretty much our last vacation.”

“Who knows? You might get to go to broadcasts if you become a star chef.”

“I’ll still need to be in the kitchen as much as possible.”

“Allan and Joseph went around filming just fine, and filming helps the business, too. Of course, if you want to make money, you’re better off opening a hamburger shop than a fine dining restaurant.”

In response, Cho Min Joon smiled sadly. He wasn’t wrong. It was hard for restaurants to make profits after what they spend on ingredients. Only restaurants with constant reservations saw good profits. Cho Min Joon asked, “Is there a place you’ve wanted to go but never went to?”

“Korea.”

Anderson answered shortly. Cho Min Joon asked with a strange face, “Korea? You never said you liked Korean food. What do you want to try?”

“Rather than food… I’m just curious about where you grew up. With Japanese food and Vietnamese food, you can get it in America. Of course, there are a lot of Korean restaurants now, but they’re not as common, so I want to try it for real.”

“… Now that you say it, I don’t think I know Korean food that well even though it’s my country.”

Since he lived in Seoul all his life, he had never gone to any other regions.

‘This could be a problem.’

His cooking fundamentals were Korean. So if he didn’t properly understand his own country’s cooking, it was like trying to learn English when he couldn’t speak Korean properly. Of course, it’s not the exact same thing.

“Do you know a lot about American cooking?”

“Get me some water. Actually, tea. Black tea.”

“… You’re so bossy.”

Cho Min Joon grumbled as he brought him a black tea. When he saw the boiling water, a question popped up in his head.

‘… How long does this punishment go on for?’

He passed Anderson the black tea with anxiousness while Anderson sipped it in an arrogant manner. Cho Min Joon poured himself one as he asked, “How long are we doing this for?”

“There’s no end date. That means it’s forever.”

“… I refuse.”

“Okay.”

Anderson gave in easily. When Cho Min Joon stared back at him, Anderson continued with a calm voice, “It’s common for people to not keep their word nowadays. I’m disappointed though.”

“… Okay, fine. But you need to give me an end date.”

“You knew there was no end date. Didn’t you keep quiet because you thought you’d win?”

His prediction was random and had no basics, but Cho Min Joon was convinced. Just as Cho Min Joon was about to refute, a bell rang. It came from Cho Min Joon’s phone.

“Let me answer this first.”

“Who is it?”

It seemed as though Anderson already knew. He wanted to make a face to tell him he was wrong, but he couldn’t because Anderson’s prediction was right. Cho Min Joon coughed and put his phone to his ear.

“Kaya?”

[Can you talk?]

“Yeah. I’m resting right now. What about you?”

[It’s morning. I’m in Seattle.]

“Are you going to be in America now?”

[Yeah, in California. I’ll mainly be in LA. I’m going to be there as a mascot for a grand chef restaurant event.]

Cho Min Joon retraced his memory without a word. After winning Grand Chef, Kaya would be in charge of the Grand Chef restaurant for a year. But was it in LA?

“Isn’t Rachel’s restaurant in LA, too? In Venice, Santa Monica, right?”

[Apparently, this place is in a better location.]

“That’s not important. Is it nearby? Wait, if you’re in LA, it can’t be that far. Maybe I can see you often.”

[I don’t know… I want to, but these people are too mean.]

Her voice sounded miffed. When Anderson saw Cho Min Joon smile, he opened his mouth with a disgusted face.

“You’re making me lose my appetite.”

“You’re not going to eat anyway.”

[Huh? I’m going to have breakfast.]

“No, I was talking to Anderson. He said he lost his appetite.]

[Hmph, that pig needs to starve. Tell him to get back to his senses.]

Cho Min Joon glanced at Anderson’s body without a word. He was fit for a pig. Perhaps he was a muscular pig. Anderson opened his mouth.

“What did Kaya say?”

“She told you to lose weight.”

“… As your master, I command you to tell her this. Tell her that she needs to lose more weight than me and that she should go on a diet.”

“What?”

“And then hang up on her. If you do, you can end your services to me here.”

He didn’t want to agree to it, but the condition was tempting. Cho Min Joon’s eyes shook. And the hesitation led to Cho Min Joon’s lips opening.

“Kaya, don’t get mad. Okay? Promise?”

[What?]

“I think you need to go on a diet, too.”

[You son of a bitch…]

Cho Min Joon hung up before she could answer. It was possible she was cursing at him right then. Anderson laid back in his bed and mumbled, “I love power.”