Chapter 532: Unexpected Twist (12)
Chapter 532: Unexpected Twist (12)
Did his jealousy change him at all? Did it make him better or worse? Rachel pondered these questions as she watched Nathan hurry about, preparing for his evaluation.
Nathan was very different from Deborah in several ways. The moment he introduced himself, his voice trembled so much that those watching felt sorry for him. He struggled to explain the theme of his dishes.
But Minjoon knew that such personality quirks were beside the point. Nathan was out of practice, sure, but he wasn’t here to show off. Minjoon admired his courage to present his dishes immediately after Deborah.
Maybe he took my advice not to be afraid, Minjoon thought, naturally smiling at Nathan. If his words had changed Nathan, how could he be anything but happy? If Nathan truly took his advice seriously enough to transform his life, that was cause for joy.
Then Minjoon tried Nathan’s amuse-bouche after the initial amuse-bouche—it was then he realised he had rushed to judge. The appetizer consisted of four thinly fried potato crisps, each seasoned with different purees: peach, carrot, avocado, and persimmon. Depending on the puree, radishes, tomatoes, or herbs were added. Each distinct taste confirmed Nathan’s skill as a seasoned chef.
Minjoon was not the only one who thought so. Rachel and all the other chefs enjoyed Nathan’s amuse-bouche as well. One commented that it was surprisingly fun cooking, unlike Nathan’s usual style. Purees are a common component in amuse-bouche, but creating four distinctly different purees was a difficult feat.
What unsettled Minjoon was that this exact recipe was one he had recently praised during a visit to Nathan’s restaurant. Could Nathan have reused the recipe I pointed out to him?
Although strange, Minjoon dismissed it as no big deal and tried not to overthink.
The next amuse-bouche arrived—savory tart resembling a croissant, filled with vegetable cream. Minjoon remembered that he had advised Nathan, at the time, that serving this dish after the puree would highlight the butter’s sweetness. Again, Minjoon thought it wasn’t problematic if Nathan was simply following his advice, appreciating that Nathan took it seriously.
He maintained this view until the next appetizer was served.
Following the pre-meal bread and butter came the tomato carpaccio: thin slices of yellow and red tomatoes, spread like cheese in a bowl, simply seasoned with light salt. The seasoning alone was enough to amplify the tomato's flavour and stimulate the appetite.
This too was a dish Minjoon had recommended previously. Only then did Minjoon perceive Nathan’s true problem: he remained afraid of making fresh, original dishes. After all, Nathan had succumbed to his fear.
The subsequent appetizer was foie gras torchon served with butternut bisque—a dish Minjoon had praised before. However, here the combination began to falter. What seemed acceptable until the tomato dish now started to feel wrong.
The appetizers kept coming, followed by main courses. Each alone was excellent by any standard, but the incorrect interplay between them degraded the overall taste.
At that moment, Minjoon felt on the verge of tears. He hadn’t offered Nathan advice to witness dishes like this wasted. He hadn’t urged him to summon courage only to see excellent recipes spoiled by poor combination.
By the time dessert arrived, Minjoon placed his fork down reluctantly, as if lacking the strength. Other chefs who had initially been impressed now wore disappointed expressions due to the flawed ingredient pairings.
With the judges’ evaluation complete, Nathan sighed and clenched his fists, noticing the gloom on Minjoon and Rachel’s faces.
Rachel’s voice was troubled: “Did you work hard preparing for this contest?”
“Yes. I spent the whole year preparing.”
“A whole year?”
Rachel’s voice faltered, as if disheartened. She wasn’t here to punish poor performance, nor to chastise former students. Though the failure might provide light entertainment for viewers, it caused her personal anxiety and sadness. Perhaps she sighed, lamenting her inability to do more for him.
Minjoon finally spoke. “I told you before that you’re a great chef, but you’re too afraid to challenge new things. I told you to trust yourself, not doubt yourself.”
“Yes, you did.”
“Then is this your response to my advice?” Minjoon asked coldly.
Nathan lowered his head without replying. He had expected Minjoon to overlook his dishes. He didn’t want others to know Minjoon’s advice. More than that, fatigue pervaded him near the contest’s start. He could no longer judge right from wrong.
Minjoon continued, his voice growing frustrated. “All the recipes you used today were ones I recommended before. That’s understandable. But if you reuse the same recipes, you should at least pay attention to how you combine them.”
“I think you know well that if you serve these dishes as they are, they won’t blend well. Adding a few elements in between would yield a much better result. But you didn’t. Why? My guess is you’re not confident about trying anything new beyond the recipes I gave you. In other words, you lack confidence in all your recipes. My advice not to be scared has made you more scared.”
Minjoon smiled sadly.
“I screwed up these dishes,” Nathan muttered.
Only he and Minjoon knew that Minjoon’s anger was directed at himself, not Nathan. Minjoon blamed himself for advising Nathan, which ended up causing Nathan to lose self-respect and rely on him. Minjoon’s self-reproach deepened Nathan’s misery.
Minjoon muttered again, “I still think you’re a good chef, Nathan, but today, you were a stupid coward.”
His words rang louder than anyone else’s.
It was a harsh criticism. After speaking, Minjoon wondered if he had been too severe, but he did not retract it. Nathan needed this scolding. Probably few people in Nathan’s life had spoken so bluntly to him.
He continued, “I understand how you feel. Thinking about how far you’ve come makes me sentimental. But that doesn’t mean I accept what you served today. I’m not here to understand or sympathise. I’m here to evaluate the world’s best chefs from the best restaurants.”
Nathan remained silent. This moment was the most painful of his life. He felt lost, unable to grasp what he was doing or what he should do.
He had chosen to take the challenge immediately after Deborah. He had been praised for courage. Minjoon and Rachel had smiled at him warmly, appreciating his bravery.
But Nathan now felt miserable because he saw the reality of his challenge—it was not courage, but cowardice and anxiety.
Yes, he was nervous because, based on Minjoon’s advice, what he made was not truly his own dish.
Rachel said, “You’ve been clever since you were young. But you worry too much. You wonder if it’s alright to do this, if someone won’t like your recipe, or if it fits the latest trend. Of course, these are questions a chef should have. But the problem is, can you solve them? You never find the answer. Before you even find it, you give up.”
“Sorry, Chef Rachel.”
“I don’t want to hear apologies. No matter what you say, I don’t want to hear it now.”
Nathan lowered his head. He had nothing to say. He had never expected to feel so humiliated in front of so many chefs. This contest was supposed to be a festival for everyone but felt like a judgment day or prison for him.
I feel like I’ve been leading the wrong life, he thought.
Nathan didn’t turn his head but could sense the cameras pointed at him, capturing his expression. What should he show? Resentment? Doubt? Determination to accept everything and change?
Did I really make that resolution?
Of course, he had made many resolutions. But, as always, they were weak. Even if he resolved to shake off fear, he returned to Minjoon’s advice without following through.