Chapter 501: Jotus (5)
Chapter 501: Jotus (5)
Honestly, Jamie couldn’t give a perfect answer to that question. But one thing was clear in his mind: he must always serve the best dishes to his customers. Whether he made the recipe himself or not was secondary. Even if he had figured out how to make a dish more delicious but stubbornly clung to his old method without actually delivering that improvement, his obstinacy would only disappoint his customers.
At last, he said, “Well, I think I have to change the way I cook.”
Giving up his stubbornness was inevitable. June looked at him with a trace of surprise. Of course, it might be natural for him to prioritise customers, but chefs generally had their pride and stubbornness.
June thought his choice was admirable.
“You’re kind, Chef Jamie,” she said with a gentle smile.
Jamie seemed to vaguely understand what that kindness meant. Instead of replying, he gave her a bitter smile and turned his gaze to Minjoon and Kaya.
“It’s amazing. Even when Minjoon mentioned my restaurant during Grand Chef, I thought it was just a coincidence. But I never imagined our connection back then would last until today.”
“The same for me. At that time, I wasn’t even sure I could become a chef at all.”
When Minjoon competed in Grand Chef, he felt so miserable he couldn’t tell his parents about his dream—a memory he still couldn’t forget. He even envied a local chef whose skills seemed effortless. Yet now, he was advising and evaluating Jamie, whose dishes he had once admired.
Even Minjoon was surprised when Jamie said he was willing to change his cooking method. Jamie knew Minjoon was inexperienced, just a rookie chef a few years ago without a proper sense of cooking, but now far ahead of many others. It was natural Jamie felt frustrated or distressed realizing that.
In truth, Minjoon and Kaya had debated deeply whether to include advice alongside their Jotus Guide ratings. Advice was only welcome if the recipient was willing to accept it. If not, it would breed resentment.
But Minjoon could not give up giving advice because he believed it was the core of Jotus Guide. The Michelin Guide, by contrast, was not as friendly to chefs because it didn’t highlight all their flaws. As a result, chefs might not understand what went wrong when Michelin removed stars, causing endless slumps. Minjoon wanted to avoid such harm. He aimed to help restaurants improve without hurting their kitchen teams, even if he couldn’t give them high scores.
He wanted Jotus Guide to introduce good restaurants to customers while revitalising struggling ones. He didn’t want to damage any restaurant with unfair ratings—that was never his intention.
He hoped Jotus Guide would become a respected and admired resource among chefs, not one that inspired fear or hatred. Above all, he and Kaya had to embody that standard themselves.
But this role won’t be easy.
June sipped the coffee served with dessert. It had a savoury, slightly sour flavour, but was quite appealing. People’s hearts were rarely pure; they were rarely humble either. Would they easily accept Minjoon’s ratings? How would they react if his scores weren’t as flattering as expected?
In that respect, Jamie was a good restaurant owner. He didn’t complain about Minjoon’s scores. Instead, though slightly disappointed, he fully understood them. That, in fact, was the best way to use the Jotus Guide.
Some people charged thousands or tens of thousands of dollars for tuition or consulting from those hoping to start restaurants, giving tips on side dishes or main recipes designed to please the public.
Compared to them, how about Minjoon?
Absolutely, Minjoon is better!
Even if Minjoon asked Jamie for tuition or consultation fees right now and Jamie paid, it would be a profitable transaction. Of course, Jamie’s restaurant wouldn’t always serve the same menu, but Minjoon’s advice alone was worth it because Jamie could gain new cooking insights. Not just the usual veteran tips, but Minjoon and Kaya’s fiercely original perspectives.
At that moment, June looked at Minjoon and Kaya, wondering how these young, inexperienced chefs possessed such remarkable talent. He loved their boldness and initiative.
Perhaps...
Jamie posted his own review immediately after receiving the Jotus Guide ratings and detailed advice. His review sparked widespread reactions among chefs, for the Jotus Guide’s evaluations and counsel weighed heavily on their minds.
Yohei Koyama: East Rabbit Garden scored only 7.4? Is that score lower than expected?
└Cess Palacios: The restaurant only has two Michelin stars now, not three. Actually, it just got one star. Isn’t the score generous for that?
└ Yohei Koyama: @Cess Palacios Many think one star isn’t good enough, but it’s officially recognised by Michelin. Don’t you know lots of restaurants want to be included on Michelin’s recommendation list?
└Cess Palacios: @Yohei Koyama Really?
Jazmin Zepeda Farias: Aside from the score, Kaya and Minjoon’s advice is what really matters. Many chefs would pay for such counsel, especially from famed chefs.
└Mark Belster: I hear East Rabbit Garden plans to frame their notes and hang them on the wall.
└ Jazmin Zepeda Farias: @Mark Belster That’s true. But I’m not sure every chef would be happy—such advice might bruise their pride.
└ Mark Belster: @Jazmin Zepeda Farias Pride shouldn’t matter if the advice improves the dish. Some chefs value pride more, but Minjoon and Kaya mean well; it’s better to accept their guidance.
Hyun Kim: I liked how Jotus Guide broke down their evaluation criteria—taste, fun, and cooking method.
└Mark Belster: That’s fresh. They explain how they felt about dishes and why they gave those scores.
└ Cess Palacios: @Mark Belster And they share the entire conversation about each dish’s strengths and weaknesses. Reading it felt like listening to a radio programme.
└Mark Belster: @Cess Palacios Whatever others say, I’m sure Jotus Guide will be the best restaurant guide ever. As long as Minjoon and Kaya are around, they might even beat Michelin.
└Hyun Kim: @Mark Belster You’re exaggerating! Michelin has history and tradition, even if it’s a bit sluggish nowadays. Can Minjoon and Kaya really overshadow them?
└Mark Belster: @Hyun Kim Sales of Jotus Guide recently surpassed Michelin’s in New York. While curiosity played a part, Jotus Guide set new records. Maybe the two chefs can earn enough from this single guide to sustain them for life.
└Hyun Kim: @Mark Belster That’s crazy.
Jean-Baptiste Verges: The real question is how chefs will react going forward. Michelin rates food, service, and interior, awarding stars accordingly, so veteran chefs rarely protest their methods. What about Jotus Guide?
└Chase Seo: Do veteran chefs object to Minjoon and Kaya’s ratings?
└ Jean-Baptiste Verges: @Chase Seo Actually, there’s already been a complaint. The three-star New York Japanese restaurant “Wasabi” received a poor rating from Minjoon this time.
└Chase Seo: @Jean-Baptiste Verges Really? What happened?
└Jean-Baptiste Verges: They got seven points. For a three-star Michelin restaurant, that score is shocking.
Minjoon switched off his cell phone.
He gazed out the hotel window. A snowstorm predicted by the Meteorological Agency was soon to hit New York in late April.
Finally, such a storm had entered his daily life.