Chapter 168
Chapter 168
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 168
Chapter Title: Signature Menu Challenge
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I looked at the hat-wearing duo standing there a bit more demurely than before. The first thing I needed to ask was this.
“Is the owner here the mother?”
“Yes, that’s right.”
“And your son just handles serving?”
“Yes.”
They both nodded readily. It was a good sign that the owner role was clearly defined. Far better than some vague setup where both claimed the title.
“The first issue is this. Cooking aside, it starts with your son’s outfit.”
“Ah.”
At my point, the son, Park Jun-beom, looked sheepish, like he had a hunch.
“You’re in shorts and slippers. Who’d feel good about servers dressed like that in a restaurant? No matter how spotless the place is, if the staff looks sloppy, the whole shop loses trust.”
“I’m sorry...”
Park Jun-beom hung his head and agreed. Probably because it was his mom’s place, he’d gotten lax with his appearance. He wouldn’t have dared at someone else’s business.
“Get a haircut too. Looks matter, even if they’re not everything—especially in service jobs. You’ve got to put in effort when dealing with people.”
“Got it.”
That should get the point across. Hoping for a neat appearance next time, I shifted my gaze to the side.
“And Owner.”
“Yes?”
Choi Mi-seon looked up at me with anxious eyes, bracing for more nagging.
Of course, the budae stew could use endless critique...
“I inspected the kitchen thoroughly during the blind test earlier. Hygiene is lifeblood in food service.”
It was the basics—and the easiest thing to neglect.
Unless it’s a fully open kitchen visible to all, the back areas are a secret world known only to the operators.
Who could swear no restaurant ever scraps moldy bits off ingredients and uses the rest? The news is full of places recycling side dishes.
It’s tough. No one praises daily diligence. It’s a battle with your own conscience.
In that sense, this owner...
“I was shocked.”
She deserved praise.
“Not a speck of dust anywhere. I thought you’d gotten word I was coming.”
“Oh, goodness, no. If I’d known, I’d have at least powdered my face more.”
“You look beautiful as is. The kitchen’s among the best I’ve seen.”
“Really?”
“Yes. Be proud. You’ve managed it impeccably.”
As soon as I finished, Choi Mi-seon’s face crumpled like she might cry. Her painstaking recipes had been crushed in defeat, and she’d gotten an earful from me—must’ve felt like the world was ending.
But now, her efforts were acknowledged, melting that soft spot inside.
Now that I looked, Choi Mi-seon’s hands were callused and scarred from blisters that had burst time and again.
“All I’ve learned my whole life is kitchen work. It’s all I know how to do.”
Choi Mi-seon said in a trembling whisper.
“I’ve worked hard. Raising my son alone, I did maid work when young, then dishwashing and kitchen hand later. Finally got my own shop, but sigh.”
“Mom.”
Park Jun-beom patted her shoulder.
“If this place does well, I’ll have no regrets. Song President—no, Song CEO. Whatever it takes, we’ll work hard. Please save us...”
I could feel her desperation in how tightly she gripped my hand. Who wouldn’t be sincere when their livelihood’s on the line? Still, when folks clung to me like a lifeline, a heavy sense of responsibility settled in my chest.
I placed my hand over hers and said.
“Don’t worry. I’ll make sure you see lines out the door.”
“Thank you, CEO. Thank you...”
To lighten the mood, I smiled and continued.
“To do that, I need to share the recipe first, right? What’d you think of the budae stew I made?”
“It was delicious. Definitely deeper flavor.”
“That’s because of this.”
I smoothly pulled a beef bone broth pack from my pocket. These days, instant versions were so good, you could grab them anywhere.
“And use well-fermented kimchi, seasoned with shrimp sauce. That amps up the umami big time.”
Choi Mi-seon nodded, hanging on my words. Clear will to revive the shop.
“But that’s not enough.”
“Yes?”
“What I made is ‘tasty budae stew,’ sure. But for a tucked-away spot like this, it’s not sufficient.”
Not to draw long lines, or sustain after the TV buzz fades. Plain budae stew won’t cut it.
“You need something unique to this place. A reason people have to come here specifically.”
“Unique...”
“Imagine driving two hours from afar just to visit. Would you crave this budae stew above all?”
“No. There’s tastier stuff everywhere.”
“Exactly. You need a dish that makes you think, ‘I’m here, so I have to try this.’”
Tough task.
If it were easy, every shop would be a smash hit.
Just seeing Choi Mi-seon’s face darken told me how challenging this mission was.
“I’ll brainstorm too, but study and experiment on your end. First goal: create a ‘signature menu.’”
I’d have to grill Baek Jae-ha hard.
“Next time I see you, have at least two or three candidates ready. Got it?”
“Yes.”
Choi Mi-seon looked unsure but determined to try. Natural to doubt herself now. I nodded and stood.
“Then I’ll head out—more shops to visit. Meanwhile, send photos or videos of your prep to our production team. And keep my visit secret from other owners, okay?”
“Yes.”
“Got it!”
“Thanks for the shoot. Stay healthy till next time.”
I bowed slightly, and Choi Mi-seon and Park Jun-beom bowed back.
I hurried off to the next place. Still plenty to hit—had to hustle.
“Great work, everyone~!”
Clap.
Cut! Calls of “Good job!” and “See you tomorrow!” echoed around.
Whew. I fanned myself with my hand and stood. The lights had baked my face even in this weather.
“You two as well—great work.”
I greeted them, and Im Hye-eun smiled brightly back.
“Oh, Song CEO had it toughest~! Running shop to shop all day.”
“Haha. It’s my job.”
My name’s plastered on the show—gotta earn it.
“Do-kyung had it rough too, right? Sitting so long.”
“Oh, no...! What’d I even do? I was so nervous, I botched my lines. Worried about that.”
“Haha. You didn’t need lines, Do-kyung.”
“Huh?”
“Your expressions carried it~ Plenty of screen time, I bet. Jealous. That’s a talent.”
“Huh??”
Do-kyung looked utterly baffled. But I got what Im Hye-eun meant.
‘Her face showed everything. What she was thinking.’
Especially staring at owners of later shops with poor hygiene... Priceless expressions.
Had to stay mum. Never knew eyes could curse like that.
“...?”
Leaving puzzled Do-kyung behind, Im Hye-eun approached me again.
“Of today’s three shops, that first hat duo’s budae place seems primed for buzz, right? What do you think, Song CEO?”
“Yeah. We even did the blind eval.”
“Can’t wait to see the changes. The other two too, of course.”
Agreed.
It had the most dramatic potential. If Choi Mi-seon’s earnestness shone on air, viewers would connect.
“Owners just fret over their menus, but you’ve got three new ones to develop at once. You good?”
“Haha. I’ll mull ideas in spare moments. Collaborating with owners won’t take as long as you’d think.”
Polishing their tossed-out ideas often yields solid results.
“Ooh, confident! As expected from the comet streaking into food service. Child’s play for you, huh?”
Im Hye-eun teased playfully.
Sure, my food R&D edge helped—no denying that.
But it wasn’t my only ace.
I grinned and said.
“I’m the CEO.”
“Yes?”
“CEOs don’t do the work themselves.”
I shrugged and added.
“We’ve got a new menu development team.”
My appearance doubled as promo for [The Song]. Staff had pre-approved cooperating on show needs.
“Ahh...! Right, [The Song] has popup-style spots with rotating menus. Makes sense now—big dev team, huh?”
“Haha.”
I laughed it off vaguely.
Because the team was just one guy right now. Baek Jae-ha pulling hero duty.
After a beat, I added.
“...It will be.”
Can’t run it as a one-man show forever.
I’d already posted for new hires—time to beef up the new menu dev team.
“Wow. Impressive.”
Im Hye-eun admired softly, then glanced around. Lowering her voice, she whispered.
“But, CEO... touchy subject, but... can I ask about this?”
“What’s up?”
Im Hye-eun leaned in tensely.
“How’s the Fair Trade Commission thing going?”