Chapter 504: Confrontation (3)
Chapter 504: Confrontation (3)
“Well, that’s risky,” June said calmly.
Yohei had asked Minjoon and Kaya to honestly evaluate his boss Yoshimoto’s cooking, hoping his boss would learn a lesson. When Minjoon and Kaya told June this, she reacted negatively right away.
She continued slowly, “Wasabi? Anyone who knows about cuisine understands that Wasabi’s food isn’t really that good despite its reputation. But it hasn’t been publicly criticised because so many fans frequent the restaurant and praise it. The problem isn’t the gourmets or chefs—it’s those fans.”
“Fans?”
“Wasabi is open from morning till night every day and has attracted customers for decades. That means it has a huge customer base ordinary restaurants can’t imagine. And those customers believe the food there is delicious.”
“Does that matter?”
“Yes, it’s important. Why do you think so many gourmets rave about Wasabi?”
“Well, it’s because—”
Minjoon, trying to say more, suddenly bit his lip, realizing something.
“You mean they’re influenced by Chef Yoshimoto?”
“Exactly. Gourmets are human. They’re scared, just like us. Even if you think you know the truth, it’s often dismissed by others in cuisine, a very subjective field.”
“Why do they hide their real feelings and praise Wasabi all the time?”
“Not all do. Those who don’t want to say good things or are scared of criticism simply avoid evaluating it. Occasionally, brave gourmets have criticised Wasabi, but very few. That’s why whose side you take matters.”
June looked at Minjoon intently. Only then did he realise why she called it risky. “So, which side will you take? Are you ready to side with those brave enough to speak inconvenient truths to restaurants?”
June already knew the answer because she knew the kind of chef Minjoon was. He was brave enough to face such fights.
“I don’t want to be a liar. If people avoid criticising Wasabi out of fear, they’re mocking the restaurant. It’s like watching someone boast about things they don’t deserve. I don’t want to be that person,” Minjoon said firmly. “I’m going to break the strong, false bond between the gourmets and Wasabi.”
Break the bond? Did Minjoon really grasp what he’d said?
June looked at him again, peering into his courage and resolve.
Quietly, she asked, “Do you think the majority’s decision is always wise?”
“Honestly, I haven’t thought about it seriously.”
“Look up ‘wisdom’ in the dictionary. Being wise means being wiser than ordinary people. Once a view becomes the majority opinion, it’s no longer wise—because wisdom often lies with the minority.”
“But sometimes the majority makes wise decisions, right?”
“Sure, but only a wise person speaks of wisdom and wise choices,” she said, gazing out the window at the busy street below, filled with people who might be wise—or not.
“It’s a wise man’s duty to guide people. When he does, he’s often ridiculed—like Galileo, who said the Earth orbits the sun. But those who mocked him became fools forever.”
“You mean I should be like Galileo.”
“My point: the path you’re taking won’t be glorious. When I warn you to be ready for a fight, I mean it. It will be harsher than anything else in your life.”
“Well, it’s an inevitable fight,” Minjoon muttered. “That’s why I plan to win.”
“It won’t be easy. Aren’t you being too hard on Minjoon?”
“If I weren’t hard on him, he’d go nowhere. If he wanted to be an ordinary chef, I wouldn’t have asked this of him. But he’s not that type. If he were content with ‘I just want to live happily,’ I wouldn’t care or bring him here to work for me.”
“You know how hard it is to live happily, right? Isn’t he too ambitious?”
“That’s why you’re an idiot!” June snapped cynically.
She sensed Dave over the phone was grumpy. She enjoyed his gloomy mood and said, “For whatever reason, this is a gate Minjoon must pass at least once. He’s confident and competent; why hesitate? It’d be a waste if he didn’t.”
“Well, I thought you and Minjoon would do it.”
“Hey, stop acting like a small potato with no dreams!”
“Yeah, but the man you met is just that—a small potato. You liked a lesser man like me because I never lived a lesser life.”
“Save that talk. Just do me a favour. Contact every chef and gourmet you know in Chicago and the central area to rally support for Minjoon. Got it?”
“You’re politicking, even in cooking?”
“That’s my style and my cooking. Minjoon will face opposition inevitably. You know him already, right?”
Dave paused, and June read his thoughts. He saw Minjoon was no ordinary chef. Minjoon shone among chefs, a captivating light, and made others jealous.
“Well, I’ll try to create a cheering atmosphere here...” Dave said. “By the way, I miss you—just come here!”
She took a breath, then replied, “Get lost!”
She hung up with a sigh.
“Idiot...”
June acted as Minjoon’s protégé better than anyone.
She didn’t only call Dave in Chicago. She called Rose Island branch head chefs like Daisy and Deborah and all gourmets and chefs in New York.
As a result, those who knew her tended to support Minjoon. More precisely, her acquaintances had no choice but to back him.
Of course, those less close or unaware of her criticised Minjoon honestly. But she had a plan: supporters formed a solidarity, and those less connected naturally saw her as an ally.
Her close contacts, like Deborah and Dave, thought her actions cunning, devilish even, but such clever moves did not harm Minjoon’s reputation.
Debates grew heated. Critics questioned whether Jotus Guide’s evaluators were qualified to criticize a Michelin three-star restaurant without proper standards. They warned of negative repercussions from Jotus’ strong opinions.
Supporters cited Minjoon’s brilliant track record—like winning the Paris International Culinary Competition—to claim their skill. While his career was short, many famous, veteran chefs had faced defeats and frustrations.
Ultimately, debates focused on Minjoon and Kaya’s cooking skills. The argument would be moot if their talent was proven.
Kaya faced more scrutiny than Minjoon because she was less public. Some claimed she owed her victory at the Paris contest to Minjoon.
“This debate is pointless, guys. The louder and longer you argue, the more famous you get,” June said.
Though June spoke, Kaya couldn’t hide her frustration. She didn’t want to lag behind Minjoon—not merely because of their relationship. She’d be lying to say she enjoyed being second to him as a chef.
Many thought she hadn’t worked as hard as Minjoon to reach her peak. Some assumed that because she was a genius in the Grand Chef competition, but in truth, she had worked just as hard.