Chapter 12
Chapter 12: Grand Chef preliminaries, and… (3)
Posted on May 11, 2016 by bsubak — 12 Comments ↓
This is the last make up chapter!
7 points. That was the best Jo Minjoon could get right now. It was a rather low score compared to 10 points, however Jo Minjoon felt by instinct. That whenever the score went up by 1, the difference would not be a mere point.
For the past 15 days, Jo Minjoon tried many restaurants of New York. Among them were two places that had received Michelin stars. One was a two star, and the other a one star. Both places were so famous that if you were a resident, you couldn’t not know about it.
However there were 10 points dishes. They were mostly 8 points, and sometimes even a 7 points appeared. Also there was a 9 points dish which probabilities of appearing were lower than the 7 points.
Precisely speaking, Jo Minjoon ate only one 9 points dish. And that was on the two star restaurant ‘East rabbit garden’. It was a restaurant that was soon expecting to get the third star.
And the 9 points dish he ate on that place was the best experience he couldn’t compare to anything on his life. It was a perfectly roasted sheep ribs with curry sauce.
Jo Minjoon never thought that he would be shocked by a dish in his entire life. He did think that he would be shocked by a disgusting dish. However he never thought that a dish so delicious would even make your marrow shocked. But he was wrong. Firstly, it was the unique harmonious aroma of the curry. When it flowed through the tongue and was getting through the nose, the sheep ribs followed back. When it was seared, I mean, when the exterior of the sheep ribs was well roasted, it possessed an aroma unique to the sheep ribs and invaded your mouth. For the aroma to invade the mouth and not the nose was a really miraculous and trance like feeling.
When he got a hold of himself, he couldn’t enjoy the flavor properly and had already eaten all of the sheep ribs. At that moment, the shock Jo Minjoon got wasn’t a normal one. How high the dimension of cooking could get, it was at that moment that he felt it clearly through his tongue.
That’s why Jo Minjoon didn’t frustrate himself over getting 7 points on his dish. In the first place, he thought that that was the ability he had right now. Perhaps it was the results of hard work. So it wasn’t a score to be frustrated over, but a score to be thankful to.
Jo Minjoon loaded the cart with the plate that contained the bream and went to the room where the judges were. Because of many participants going in and out, the broadcasting place was filled with food scents.
Jo Minjoon looked at each of the judges. The first one he looked at was Emily Potter. Precisely speaking, it was at the window that appeared next to her.
Emily smiled brightly and finished her evaluation. Alan that was next to her nodded and looked at Jo Minjoon..
“My opinion is the same as Emily’s. Personally I think it was the most delicious from the fish varieties. The pepper sauce that is on your signature menu, shows a color that only you can make. If I had to point a thing that I was disappointed in, would be the plating. It was very minor key and a typical plating. A cooking that has creativity, over decoration with no creativity. I’m sad that it’s a bit disappointing.”
“Yes. Next time I’ll study more about plating.”
“Good. Then I’ll relieve myself and pass you. Your decoration wasn’t so good, but I’ll say it again. Your cooking is delicious. Minjoon. You know how to give flavor to the food. It’s good if you have confidence.”
At that moment, Jo Minjoon smoldered and felt that something in his chest rising. He felt that the frustrations and upsets he felt until now were eased by those words. Those were only words. But he was grateful and happy over those words.
Personally, he thought that those who shed tears on auditions were set up for the emotional parts. However, after coming to this place and listening to their compliments could Jo Minjoon, only then realise the meaning of the tears. It was as if his past life and passions were recognized. If those passions were real, he couldn’t help but shedding tears.
However Jo Minjoon didn’t cry. Even if those tears were real or not, to shed tears on a place like this was really seedy. He wanted to shed those tears when he was holding the winner’s trophy and holding the glory of Grand Chef.
Thankfully after Joseph opened his mouth, Jo Minjoon could relieve his feelings more easily. Joseph said with a soft tone.
“Minjoon. The first time you came here said that. That Grand Chef is going to be a nice stage. Now I can seem to agree with that. Grand Chef is a stage that exists for the sake of people like you. It’s your stage. I just hope that you can keep showing your skills in the incoming stages. I ate well. It was a good cooking. Minjon.”
After Joseph took some air, he said with a smile on his face.
“You passed.”
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