I Got the Almighty Tongue - Chapter 201



Only Krnovel

201 Cheftalk

“Time is up. Serve the food!”

The host looks at his watch and announces that time is up.

Best Chef is characterized by its large number of judges. Five judges from different fields sit and wait for the food.

The head judge was Josh Brown, head chef of Waterside, one of only four three-Michelin-starred restaurants in the UK.

Following him at the table were Paddy Lachney, a model, cook and author; Gail Pettisson, a food critic for Food & Wine; Simon Blais, chef and owner of two Michelin-starred restaurants in Chicago and a leading figure in molecular gastronomy; and finally Nielsen Lagasse, marketing director for Kraft Foods, one of the leading food companies in the U.S.

As they had to judge professional chefs, they were all influential figures in their fields and the public response was also favorable.

└You have to be at least that good to judge chefs. Josh Brown Force is awesome.

└Isn’t Pedi Rakni a bit ambiguous? I understand that they need to have a visual member because they need to get ratings, but…

└She has written five cookbooks. She is also one of the leading experts on Indian food in the United States.

└I heard there are a lot of chefs from famous restaurants this time, so I’m looking forward to a dogfight.

└Aside from Martha, Daniel, and Segreto, they are all awesome.

└Isn’t Segreto a 2 star? Where are you trying to combine it with a 3 star?

└Have you read the New York Times? There are few chefs that Richard praises so highly.

└Is that Asian female chef from Segreto? Doesn’t she look too young?

└Your name is SO-YOUNG. Your last name is YOU! What do you call it when you call it together?

└You’re cute. I want to invite you over to my house and have you cook for me.

└NYPD! Over here!

Even though it was late winter, the chefs were sweating profusely on their foreheads as they had to prepare a total of five dishes. Soyoung put her heart and soul into finishing up the last plating.

Soon, slender, model-like servers come in and start carrying the food. One of the servers, a man, winks at Soyoung and takes the plate.

Soyoung frowns and makes a wagging gesture.

She had been sick of this kind of flirting since her days at the CIA.

The judges’ tasting began.

The chefs approach them one by one and explain their dishes.

“How unique. Fried shrimp with bisque sauce.”

Josh smiles faintly after tasting.

It was food by Japanese chef Naomi who worked at Masa.

“There is a dish in Japan called oyakodon (親子丼). It is a rice bowl that emphasizes the unity of ingredients by using eggs and chicken, and I applied that.

“We cooked it as tempura to preserve the texture and served it with crunchy garlic chips and onion rings.”

The judges nod and give Naomi a thumbs up for her explanation.

“The food was delicious. It was sophisticated fusion Japanese food.”

Simon also seems satisfied and finishes his plate.

However, several contestants who came after Naomi did not receive good reviews.

“I can’t believe this dish took 90 minutes to make. If I go into the kitchen, I can make a better dish in 20 minutes.”

“I’m sorry to say this, but pasta is basically supposed to be a dish that you can enjoy as noodles. This dish puts too much emphasis on toppings, which reverses the roles.”

“It’s delicious, but it lacks character. The pairing of brioche and foie gras is already used in many restaurants.”

Then it was Brian’s turn to work for Daniel.

“This is a beef bourguignon arranged in the American style. It uses bourbon instead of wine. It is unique in that it uses tomato paste and coffee beans as a base flavor.”

Josh tastes and analyzes the flavors.

“Beef stew is a very popular comfort food in the United States.

“It was a good decision to preserve the French feel while also adding ingredients that Americans enjoy, such as corn, peas, and potatoes.”

Brian’s face lights up at the praise from critic Gail.

“thank you.”

After a long judging, it was finally Soyoung’s turn.

“Wow. Just looking at it is amazing.”

Simon, an authority on molecular gastronomy and plating, admires the dish.

In the center of a white plate sits a piece of white fish, with dark green caviar shining like a jewel on top.

Soyoung finishes her dish in front of the judges, carefully pouring hot, rich béchamel sauce and adding a green sauce made with seaweed as an accent.

“This food could be entered into a beauty contest. Let’s taste it.”

The judges take spoons and scoop up caviar, white meat, and sauce all at once and put them in their mouths.

“Ah… I didn’t expect this. It’s catfish meat. The bones and skin of the catfish were boiled to extract gelatin. After that, the catfish meat was blanched and mashed to shape.

“There are scallops and shrimp inside. The cold gelatin, caviar, and hot sauce combine to create a variety of flavors and textures. It’s a very elaborate dish.”

Simon’s excitement made the other judges close their eyes and savor the dishes.

“It’s an appetizer that you would expect to find at a fine dining restaurant.

The salty taste of caviar goes well with the mild catfish meat. The chewy shrimp meat and the chewy scallops are also excellent. The seaweed sauce was also good.”

Model and writer Paddy gives Soyoung a thumbs up.

“It was a great dish. But I’m curious. Do you think this dish explains who you are?”

Soyoung is silent for a moment at Gail’s question, then answers slowly.

“It’s not exactly the same, but this appetizer is the dish that got me my first name on the Segreto menu.”

“Ah! I can’t forget that moment. I have a dish like that too. How did you feel at that time?”

Simon nods in agreement.

“I honestly didn’t have the confidence to survive in this industry. There were so many great chefs and I wasn’t sure I could keep up with them no matter how hard I tried.

As you know, Chef Shin Je-hee is one of the industry’s renowned geniuses.

I was happy that someone like that recognized my cooking. So this dish was not just food, it was proof that my dream had come true, and it was a light that gave me hope for the path ahead.”

It’s fun to watch young chefs achieve their dreams. The judges’ faces warm up.

“You started your career at Segreto, right? What kind of person is Shin Je-hee to Chef Yoo So-young?

The host asks Soyoung more questions as if trying to squeeze out some space.

“The kitchen staff have to be the hands and feet of the head chef to implement his recipes. He often throws out recipes of ridiculous difficulty and makes us do it somehow.

I screamed at the time, but I learned so much through this process. Not just the simple skills, but also the attitude towards ingredients and cooking. I was greatly influenced by everything about him.

So, if you permit me, I would like to call you Master.”

Soyoung’s answer brought a pleasant smile to the macho and conservative people in the industry.

“It’s a very desirable attitude. Isn’t it the job of chefs to do whatever they are told to do? Why do kids these days whine so much? It gives me a headache every time I write a recipe.

In the past, I used to work at one restaurant for a long time and steal the head chef’s experience and skills. These days, everyone is busy moving around after working for a year or two.

They may think it’s a smart decision, but they don’t realize that they’re taking a long detour. I envy Chef Shin.”

Josh clicks his tongue and shakes his head.

Soyoung passed the first round easily.

Although the rankings were not announced, all the contestants knew that she was the winner of this round when her name was called first.

“Are you good?”

Naomi glances at Soyoung and speaks.

“Of course I came here to win.”

“I learned cooking from Martha.”

“What is that?”

“Wouldn’t I have a higher chance?”

“Michelin stars don’t tell the whole story, and Segreto is probably a lot better than you think.”

“You’ll know when you wait.”

Naomi passes Soyoung, chuckling.

Soyoung returned to her lodgings and organized her cooking notes by herself.

‘Chef, I can do it, right?’

She tossed and turned for a long time before finally falling asleep.

* * *

Founded in 1999, Cheftalk is the world’s largest community of chefs, home to hundreds of thousands of chefs discussing a wide range of topics.

It is also a must-have site for chefs, as they can get advice from experts on various cooking schools and restaurants, as well as recipes.

A strange debate was taking place there today.

[I got a notice of acceptance from Segreto. They said I should start working next week. Should I go?]

└Are you walking into hell yourself?

└My dear! Don’t cross that river.

└There is a chef working nearby, and his face is getting more and more haggard.

└Isn’t this a kitchen where the weak can’t survive?

└I worked as a trainee at Segreto for 3 months and then left. I couldn’t stand it.

└Really? What’s the reason? The treatment was really good… .

└There’s a reason they treat you like that. The head chef’s perfectionism drives people crazy. The sous chef and other staff members have the same vibe.

No matter what you do, you have to constantly maintain speed and accuracy, and it’s not an atmosphere where even small mistakes are tolerated.

└I’m Sam, the sous chef. There is no restaurant that requires such things from its trainees. All you need is passion.

└That’s a lie. If you don’t have the skills, you won’t be hired. I know because I failed.

└The head chef does the hiring himself, so I don’t know, but I try not to cause stress in interpersonal relationships at least.

As soon as Sous Chef Sam appeared, questions started pouring in. And Sam answered them sincerely as part of his image management.

[Is it true that Segreto provides dormitories to all its employees?]

└That’s true. Staff accommodations are free. They range from single to triple rooms, but if there’s a shortage, you can have a room to yourself.

└Free accommodation in New York means you can save more than $20,000 per year.

[Is it true that the sommeliers on YouTube are so pretty?]

└Huh? Jenny herself?

[Is it true that the workload is the highest in the industry?]

└My previous job was a Michelin 3-star restaurant, and it was similar. Except that sometimes they would throw out recipes that seemed a bit too much.

[How much do you earn?]

└I can’t tell you the exact salary because it’s confidential, but it’s true that it’s the best in the industry. In addition, if you put your own dishes on the menu, you get a separate incentive.

[Were there a lot of chefs who ran away?]

└About ten people a year? It’s decreasing.

└What kind of place is it that makes you run away despite all that treatment?

[Why do you think chefs run away?]

└Is it because I can’t devote my life to cooking? When I look around, I see that there are only people who are crazy about cooking.

[What is the biggest merit of working at Segreto?]

└Growth, I guess. If you hold on tight and endure for a few years, you will naturally become a decent chef.

└ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ Why do I find this scary? It seems like all the guys who didn’t become good chefs were eliminated.

[Do you feel inferior to Michelin 3-star restaurants?]

└We believe that Segreto is the best in New York. Star will follow soon.

└There are actually many experts who evaluate it that way. I sometimes make reservations to study and eat there, and I wonder how they can change the chefs to make food like this.

Despite its short history, Segreto has attracted enormous interest from students and chefs alike, as it is listed annually in the Michelin Guide and the World’s 50 Best Restaurants.

And support for ambitious chefs who want to showcase their skills has continued steadily.

Although it wasn’t everyone’s cup of tea, chefs who stayed at Segreto for a long time were highly regarded in the industry and in the headhunting market.

* * *

“Richard. Why did you ask me to come with you today? Don’t you usually go alone?”

Melissa looks at Richard and asks.

“I was curious about other people’s opinions. I have no idea what kind of food will be served today.”

Richard says, stroking his chin.

“Usually when a restaurant launches a new menu, they do something like a VIP tasting event, right? Segreto doesn’t have anything like that.”

“This is a restaurant that has never given away free food since it opened. Should I call it confidence?”

The tone of Richard’s voice as he spoke was strangely raised.

Melissa was inwardly amazed at his obsession with food. With the money she gets from reporting, she could never afford to go to as many restaurants as Richard.

A large part of his income probably goes to food.

‘So you couldn’t get married?’

While I was thinking about useless things, I arrived in front of the restaurant.

“Hello, this is Segreto. Welcome to the Spring Banquet.”

Melissa’s mood brightens at her bright smile.

I’d heard from my colleagues that when Richard showed up, the restaurant would go crazy, but the staff here didn’t seem to hesitate at all.

After guiding us to our seats, she steps aside.

“That’s one of the best things about this place. No matter who comes in, they never get upset. Even if Derek Jeter comes in, he won’t ask for an autograph.”

“I think that would be rather disappointing?”

“Stars are people too. They probably want to eat comfortably. They must have received strict training.”

Melissa nods. If Lady Gaga or Jay-Z were in front of her, she wouldn’t be confident enough not to ask for their autographs.

“The customers’ outfits seem more formal than those at other restaurants.”

These days, it’s rare to see men in tuxedos. All the women were wearing dresses.

“This isn’t something that can be done by force.

The hall staff here treat guests like nobles from medieval Europe. The attitude of the people being treated also changes. It makes you want to dress and act accordingly.

“In these times when dress codes are becoming increasingly vague, this is certainly a precious sample.”

While we were talking, champagne, various kinds of ham, and bread were served.

The course has begun.