Chapter 264
Chapter 264
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: penny
Chapter: 264
Chapter Title: The Subtle Off-Taste
-----------------------------------------------------------------
The duck skin gleamed with a glossy sheen, perfectly roasted to a crisp. Beneath it lay moist, tender meat, encircled by a plum sauce as clear and subtle as a ruby.
Watercress and pomegranate seeds garnished nearby, doubling the visual delight.
It could easily pass for a work of art.
Slicing off a piece and savoring its aroma first, the roasted duck skin's rich scent whetted the appetite.
Even with a belly already full from the previous courses, saliva flooded the mouth. Behind the faintly smoky aroma, complex spices tickled the nostrils with subtle nuance.
Bong Kangmin swallowed hard, then popped a piece of duck into his mouth.
Crunch!
His eyes flew wide at the burst of oily richness. As the deep, full flavor enveloped his tongue, ecstasy shivered down his spine.
The plum sauce's acidity struck a perfect balance, enhancing the meat's umami. A hint of spice lingered, providing flawless closure.
Bong Kangmin marveled inwardly.
'Wow. You've leveled up even more!'
How had he elevated perfection so much in just a few months?
Going from zero to fifty was easy; inching from ninety-eight to ninety-nine was far more grueling.
For chefs at Bong Kangmin or Andric's caliber, it was even more so.
"Wow."
Bong Kangmin gazed at Andric with sparkling eyes, his exclamation bubbling up from within.
"This is seriously delicious."
No fancy embellishments—just honest praise, pure Bong Kangmin style. Andric nodded deeply in acknowledgment.
"What do you think, Chef Jeong?"
Jeong Haneul wore a faint smile too. He didn't say it outright, but Bong Kangmin could sense his satisfaction.
His prized pupil had shown what "blue surpassing the master" meant through his own cooking.
'He started under me, after all...'
It stung a little inside, but Andric had reached this level training under Jeong Haneul, so there was no room for complaints.
'Chef Jeong raised such a fine protégé. Meanwhile, I haven't got anyone worthwhile under me.'
A twinge in his heart was inevitable.
"It's been ages since I had something this good. You better watch out, Chef Jeong."
"Yeah, these young guns are coming up fast and fierce."
Jeong Haneul played it cool, his face showing no fear whatsoever.
But deep down, this course had surely lit a fire under him.
'He'll tear the kitchen apart the second he gets back.'
How could he be so sure?
Because Bong Kangmin himself itched to create a new menu inspired by what he'd tasted here!
If he could, he'd snatch this kitchen and use it himself.
'That's how stellar the food was. No doubt.'
They'd put extra care into the main course, sure. Even accounting for that, the praise escaped unbidden.
'Michelin one-star might actually happen this year.'
Even haughty Michelin couldn't deny a star for dishes like this.
One star was just the start.
Fame would build over time, and the cuisine would refine further.
'No way it stops at one. If he maintains this, at least two stars. Maybe even...'
He was pondering a realm our country had never touched when—
"Hold on a sec."
Song Wooyeom spoke up, his face suddenly serious.
"This main dish—has it gone out to all the other tables yet?"
"No. It came out a bit quicker here."
The other tables were surely savoring the rare experience slowly.
This table, having eaten here multiple times, finished faster, a step ahead.
Plus, they'd driven, skipping wine pairings.
"That's a relief, then."
"What's up?"
Song Wooyeom let out a brief sigh of relief, then glanced at Bong Kangmin and Jeong Haneul.
"The taste... feels a little off. Don't you all notice?"
"Hm?"
Bong Kangmin tilted his head.
"Yeah, it's a bit different. Menu upgrade?"
"We tweaked the ingredient ratios. Felt like it worked better."
"Yeah. This plum sauce is a match made in heaven."
Bong Kangmin chuckled heartily, but Song Wooyeom didn't join in.
"Chef Song, something wrong?"
Jeong Haneul sensed the unease too, asking gravely. Song Wooyeom hesitated, then pointed at the plum sauce on the plate.
"The plum sauce tastes a little strange."
"Does it? I don't really notice."
Bong Kangmin dipped another piece of duck into the sauce and ate it. The heavenly flavor swirled on his tongue.
He tried the sauce alone just in case, but detected nothing unusual.
"What about you, Chef Jeong?"
"I don't notice anything special either..."
Jeong Haneul trailed off. Then Andric stepped forward.
"Excuse me a moment."
Without hesitation, Andric scooped some plum sauce with a spare fork and tasted it.
He closed his eyes, as if savoring deeply.
"Well? What do you think, Chef Andric?"
"Our palates might not catch if it's your intended tweak or not."
As Bong Kangmin and Jeong Haneul pressed, Andric slowly opened his eyes.
He tasted it once more with the fork, then murmured softly.
"Just a tiny bit... probably."
His tone lacked certainty. Even to Andric, it was an extremely subtle difference.
"What? The plum sauce is off? Why?"
"We should check it out."
A faint tang lingered on the tongue. Even Andric couldn't pinpoint its source right away.
Bong Kangmin voiced the question first.
"This plum sauce uses plums, right? Maybe some new tart ones got mixed in?"
Andric shook his head.
"I checked the plums that came in today myself. All fresh, not overly acidic varieties."
Jeong Haneul chimed in next.
"Could be extra vinegar or lemon juice beyond the recipe."
"No."
The response didn't come from Andric. Song Wooyeom blurted it out instinctively, flinching under the sudden stares before giving a sheepish smile.
"Doesn't taste like vinegar or lemon juice."
"You're... right."
Andric affirmed curtly.
"Huh? It's not?"
That was surprising.
The sweet-tart flavor had suggested added acids.
Song Wooyeom continued thoughtfully.
"Yeah. It emphasizes umami more. Probably mainly plums and honey, with a touch of soy sauce, red wine, minced ginger, star anise, cloves..."
He listed them off, then snapped to attention under the stares, lifting his head abruptly.
Everyone gaped at Song Wooyeom.
'What did I just hear?'
Bong Kangmin went blank despite himself. Figuring out the full recipe from one taste?
'Impossible, right?'
This industry teemed with self-proclaimed geniuses.
Countless chefs touted "perfect pitch palate" equivalents.
'But perfect palate isn't like in comics or movies, rattling off recipes from one bite.'
It was more about distinguishing flavor layers and sensing subtleties others missed.
And crucially,
Song Wooyeom couldn't have a perfect palate.
Because...
'You need experience tasting hundreds, thousands of ingredients first!'
Only with perfect recall of those could it be called perfect palate.
You can't identify cloves without ever tasting them.
Years of experience, effort, genius memory, sensitive tongue—all essential.
But Song Wooyeom?
No formal chef training, still young.
'His passion and depth defy his age—we all agree. But this?'
Bong Kangmin felt dizzy. A realm he'd never reached despite decades.
'No, wait. Could just be a guess. Not necessarily spot-on...'
As the chefs fell silent, Song Wooyeom hurriedly added,
"Sorry. Slipped out."
Worried he'd offended Andric, no doubt.
'He's been through this before.'
No chef enjoys a recipe dissected like that in front of them. Could be a trade secret.
Only someone who'd faced backlash before would react that way.
"...No."
Andric replied a beat late.
"It's fine. ...All correct."
With Andric's confirmation, Bong Kangmin couldn't hold back a sigh of awe.
'What a waste!'
It drove him mad that such talent wasn't pursuing chef life seriously.
Not too late—should urge him to consider it. But Bong Kangmin knew Song Wooyeom too well.
He already carried heavy burdens, possessed much.
'Could've been Michelin three-star material alongside Chef Andric!'
Under a good mentor, he'd rival Andric as a rising star by now.
'Like under me, for instance!'
A sweet fantasy flitted through: standing beside Song Wooyeom, beaming proudly at his surpassing disciple.
Sensing Bong Kangmin's burning gaze, Song Wooyeom cleared his throat awkwardly.
Regaining composure, he turned to Andric.
"Could I see the kitchen? Might pinpoint the issue more clearly."