Chapter 114: The Winner’s Scale (3)
Chapter 114: The Winner’s Scale (3)
“It’s already been three times, but I still can’t get used to this moment.”
“That’s understandable. There’s no moment more nerve-racking than the moment when the fruits of someone’s efforts are finally decided. And I’m talking about a result that isn’t even ours.”
At Alan’s muttering, Joseph quietly replied.
The chefs had finished voting. All that remained now was to announce the result. One of the two finalists would be handed heaven, while the other would be left with nothing but deep, crushing despair after coming so close to reaching it.
I hope they can handle it well.
The lighting was bright, but the black counter and black walls made the room feel too dark to leave a cheerful impression. Yet with the fifty chefs seated at the white tables, all dressed in white uniforms, the moment somehow felt sacred and solemn.
The door opened.
It was such an enormous door that one might wonder whether an elephant was meant to pass through it. Kaya and Anderson stepped through with their eyes wide open.
With the fifty chefs behind him, Joseph spoke.
“Kaya! Anderson! Before we announce the result, I want to congratulate you both. But not simply because you made it all the way here. It’s because not one of these fifty chefs used the word ‘terrible’ to describe your food.”
“And that isn’t because the chefs gathered here are particularly kind-hearted. From what I know, quite a few nasty people came today—people worse than stinky tofu.” At Alan’s words, several chefs glared at him fiercely. Alan smirked. “Cameramen, if you’re wondering who those pieces of stinky tofu are, just put the chefs glaring at me on screen.”
“………In any case, whoever those pieces of stinky tofu might be, the point is this. You managed to satisfy chefs with extremely high standards. One evaluation even said, ‘This is a menu I could serve in my own restaurant.’ If you understand how attached chefs are to their own dishes, then you’ll understand how difficult it is for them to say something like that.”
“So,” Emily said, her voice carrying both happiness and impatience, “at this moment, even though we have to eliminate one of you, our hearts are light. Because I believe that even if you are eliminated here, you won’t have been eliminated because you lacked cooking ability.”
“Yes. I believe both of you will become excellent chefs. And I believe you’ll one day run restaurants that won’t fall behind those belonging to any of the chefs gathered here.”
Kaya and Anderson simply stared ahead without saying anything.
The two of them were always clashing and fighting, yet ironically, they were thinking exactly the same thing right now.
I absolutely don’t want to lose.
People said one had to look at things in the long term, but at least for now, both of them wanted to take the farthest step possible.
Victory in Grand Chef.
It was a shortcut that could allow an ordinary chef to leap ahead in an instant. With the power of the media, recognition from chefs across the country could come almost overnight. Of course, whether someone who became a star chef in an instant could continue progressing afterwards depended entirely on them.
Most of all, both finalists had reasons why they could not simply hand over victory in this competition.
Just as Columbus discovered a new continent and Amundsen fought his way to the South Pole, they too wanted the fruits of this competition. They wanted to fill their mouths with juice sweeter than honey.
(Translator’s Note: Christopher Columbus — An Italian navigator and explorer, c. 1451–1506, who sailed under the sponsorship of the Spanish monarchs Ferdinand II of Aragon and Isabella I of Castile. In 1492, he crossed the Atlantic and reached islands in the Caribbean while attempting to find a westward route to Asia. His voyages initiated sustained contact between Europe and the Americas and became a major turning point in world history, although they also contributed to European colonisation, exploitation, and the catastrophic decline of Indigenous populations.)
(Translator’s Note: Roald Amundsen — 1872–1928 — Norwegian polar explorer who led the first expedition confirmed to reach the South Pole, arriving on 14 December 1911, roughly five weeks before Robert Falcon Scott’s British expedition.)
And they wanted to say that it was sweet.
That it was the most beautiful flavour they had ever tasted in their lives.
But only one person could experience that taste.
The decision of fifty-two chefs and one food critic would create only one king or queen.
Kaya bit her lip.
At that moment, she thought of her family. Her home. The studio apartment the three of them had shared. The memories of rummaging through clothing collection boxes while worrying about other people’s gazes, then going to school and pretending those clothes were things they had bought new. And her powerless mother, who could do nothing but watch her daughter live that way.
Kaya did not want to live like that anymore.
Of course, even if she failed to win this competition, many things would still change compared with her old life. Plenty of restaurants would want her, and if she was lucky, she might even find a sponsor.
But……She wanted to escape that swamp as quickly as possible. She did not want anything holding her legs back anymore.
Kaya curled the little finger of her right hand. When she had made that promise with Jo Minjoon, she had definitely received something from him. She could not say exactly what it was. But she knew she had received something. Something that had changed her. She did not know why, but she felt as though all of it remained gathered in that little finger.
Joseph raised his voice. “The winner received thirty-four out of fifty-four votes. It isn’t a small margin. This is a decisive victory. We could add all kinds of qualifiers. If we started talking about what kind of dishes were served and what kind of chef the winner was, we could easily fill another thirty minutes of broadcast time. But we won’t. Because just being yourself is already enough.”
Their gazes turned towards her. “Kaya. If, by any chance, you become the person receiving that honour, what will you do?”
“………I’ll scream.”
“And after that?”
Kaya appeared to think for a moment. Then she answered again with a determined expression. “I’ll scream even louder.”
Joseph smiled broadly. “Then do it. Scream. The winner of the 2010 Grand Chef trophy is you!”
A moment later, every chef and staff member in the room had to cover their ears.
The final ended, and a party began immediately afterwards.
In Korean, one might call it a wrap party. At the same time, it was also a celebration of Kaya’s victory.
Jo Minjoon wore the tuxedo the production staff had given him and looked into the mirror.
His own reflection stared back at him, but what he was really seeing was the television he had watched in the waiting room.
The result being announced.
Kaya screaming.
That image was still vivid in his mind.
Why was that? It certainly had not been his accomplishment. And yet he still felt as though he had achieved something. Kaya was the one who had taken that step, but he felt as though he too had grown another level.
……Is this vicarious satisfaction?
Jo Minjoon smirked and left the room.
There was already someone standing in the hallway.
Anderson.
He was dressed in a black suit that made him look as though he were going to a funeral. With both hands in his pockets, he leaned against the wall and stared blankly down at his shoes.
Jo Minjoon walked over and stopped in front of them.
Anderson slowly raised his head. “……Ah. You’re here?”
“You must have a lot on your mind.”
“No. If anything, I’m not thinking about anything.”
At Anderson’s answer, Jo Minjoon stood beside him and adopted the same posture.
Then he spoke quietly. “Kaya was still better.”
“Are you making fun of me?”
“If it had been the Kaya we first met, it would’ve been difficult. She was a troublemaker. But she grew, and she surpassed the elite chef Anderson.”
Anderson looked at Jo Minjoon strangely.
Jo Minjoon continued as though it were nothing important. “We can grow too. In a marathon, you don’t know who’ll reach the finish line first until the very end.”
“Hasn’t Kaya already crossed the finish line?”
“Well, then we can just cross it later. Ah, seriously. I don’t know why I always end up saying things like this when I’m with you. Sorry if I’m only making you feel worse.”
“……I can’t feel much worse than I already do. In the end, reality is simple. I lost. To that annoying scumbag New Yorker.”
“Why is Kaya a scumbag? She’s just a little rough.”
“People who act that rough are normally called scumbags.”
Jo Minjoon had nothing to say to that.
Thinking about it, there was no particular reason for him to act as Kaya’s lawyer.
He pushed himself away from the wall. “Are you planning to stay here sulking? You should at least go to the party. If nothing else, you can drink the alcohol you like.”
“………Right. Let’s go.”
Most of the chefs invited as special judges had remained for the party.
Seeing everyone now dressed in suits and dresses and laughing together, it was difficult to believe these were the same people who had evaluated the food with such exacting expressions earlier.
As soon as Jo Minjoon and Anderson entered, several chefs approached them.
“Anderson! Your food was really delicious. Although I voted for Kaya……”
“……Then don’t tell me it was delicious.”
“No, it was. It was just less delicious than Kaya’s. More precisely, should I say it was boring? You’re extremely consistent. You really resemble Fabio in that regard……”
“Please. Could you stop telling me I resemble someone? And don’t you have customers waiting for you in Washington? Stop lounging around here and go back to work.”
“Haha, then why would I bother raising a disciple? I raised one precisely so I can leave the restaurant to him at times like this.”
The answer came so naturally that Anderson sighed in exhaustion.
He had definitely heard that this party was supposed to relieve all the stress they had accumulated, yet somehow his head was starting to hurt even more.
The elderly man standing beside Washington glanced at Jo Minjoon, cleared his throat with an ahem, and spoke.
“I’m Brian Harper. I run Big Table in New York. Are you that……guy with the fucking sensitive tongue?”
Brian uttered the vulgar words in such a calm, dignified tone that Jo Minjoon was briefly taken aback, but he did not let it show on his face.
Whether people recognised it or not, chefs and artists shared one thing in common: they created things.
And just like artists, plenty of chefs had terrible tempers.
Jo Minjoon answered politely. “Yes. I have a bit of talent for identifying ingredients and recipes.”
“I watched the broadcast. But when you were in New York, you went to East Rabbit Garden, huh? You would’ve been better off eating my food instead of that bastard Jeimy’s.”
“Ah, I wanted to visit Big Table too. But getting a reservation was really difficult. I heard you had to book about half a year in advance?”
“If that was the reason, then I can understand. Well, we have far more reservations than Jeimy’s restaurant because we’re more delicious and more popular!”
For some reason, Jo Minjoon did not dislike Brian despite the way he proudly raised his voice and swore.
The way he boasted about his restaurant felt like a father bragging about his son or grandson.
Jo Minjoon understood that feeling, and it even made Brian seem somewhat endearing.
He smiled softly. “I’ll definitely visit someday.”
“Are you planning to steal my recipes?”
“I expect I’ll learn quite a lot.”
At Jo Minjoon’s straightforward answer, Brian narrowed his eyes. But soon, the corner of his mouth curled into something like a devilish grin. “Good. I’m curious whether you’ll actually be able to steal my recipes. If you ever come to New York, contact me. If there aren’t any seats left, I’ll drag in a bench from the street and make one for you.”
“It would be an honour.”
“Haha! Maybe it’s because you came from Asia, but a young man like you really is well-mannered. Natalia! Natalia! Come over here and learn something. He isn’t even my disciple, and look how polite he is.”
“Ah, that’s because he hasn’t been hit with a ladle by you yet, Teacher! Even so, I’m still the one who treats you best, aren’t I?”
“When did I ever hit you with a ladle……” Brian answered loudly at first, but his voice gradually weakened.
Thinking about it, he vaguely remembered something like that happening once.
At that moment, Jo Minjoon was trying not to laugh when he turned his gaze elsewhere.
His eyes wavered in surprise. He saw a dress. And it was not an ordinary dress. No. More precisely, the dress itself was ordinary.
It was the person wearing it who made it seem otherwise.
Kaya and Chloe were approaching.
Joanne and Ivanna were beside them as well, but the only two who truly caught Jo Minjoon’s attention were Kaya and Chloe.
And it was not simply because he was close to them. Nor was it because putting on dresses had suddenly transformed them into angels. Their entire atmospheres had changed.
Kaya somehow looked like Chloe.
And Chloe somehow looked like Kaya.
For one thing, their clothes created that impression.
Chloe wore a black dress that exposed one shoulder. Her eye make-up was heavier than usual, almost like Kaya’s, and her hair had been left loose. Fake rubies hung from her ears and around her neck, and with all that glamour, it was difficult to find any trace of the ordinary country girl she usually resembled.
Kaya, on the other hand, wore a light beige one-piece dress with a low neckline and no make-up at all.
It was not that she looked plain, exactly, but her usual rough edge had certainly softened.
Jo Minjoon smirked. “Did you two switch concepts?”
“Kaya’s the champion. Champions are supposed to look noble instead of rough. The competitors are the ones who need to look rougher.” Chloe grinned as she answered.
Kaya adjusted the neckline of her dress as though embarrassed and asked uneasily, “Does it look weird?”
“No. It just feels unfamiliar, but it’s pretty. I like it.” Jo Minjoon answered quickly.
As far as he could remember, this was the first time he had seen Kaya dressed so softly. Even when he included his memories from before returning to the past, it was the same. Of course, if he considered things that had never been uploaded to the internet, then perhaps she had dressed like this before. But this was still the first time he had ever seen her like this.
Kaya spoke awkwardly. “This is way too sexy. Why the hell did those bastard directors give this to Chloe?”
“Ah, you two swapped dresses?”
“That one fits me way too well.” Kaya pointed at Chloe’s dress.
Jo Minjoon thought about it carefully.
It doesn’t really look like it fits Chloe that well.
Chloe blushed. “It’s because I exercise. If you exercise, you lose weight.”
“Uh……yeah.”
“Why are you looking at me like that? Please don’t make that apologetic face. Compared with Kaya, I’m just a little smaller…… No, I’m just slender. But even so, I’m average. I really am.” Chloe’s eyes grew watery. “Don’t look away!”