Chapter 552: Reservation (4)
Chapter 552: Reservation (4)
The two of them walked in the garden for a while. So many things had happened here. Some Grand Chef participants had gone on picnics here, some had fiercely argued, and others had started dating someone in this very place. But those were all memories now. Yet, the memories still lived in their minds.
They walked for a long time without speaking, simply enjoying the breeze, the fresh air, the trees, and the scent of the garden.
After a moment, Kaya spoke blankly. “Do you remember what the first cooking mission was at the Grand Chef competition?”
“Do you mean this season’s, or back then?”
“Our cooking back then.”
“I made catfish soup.”
“What did you make?”
“Don’t you remember? I made catfish balls, and you made deep-fried sweet-and-sour catfish. We exchanged dishes that time.”
“Really?” Kaya nodded absently. Minjoon looked at her with a hint of sadness. Though it was like their first meeting, she had forgotten.
He understood how she felt. It had been a very meaningful moment for him to connect with her like that, but she might have thought only that he was a good cook.
“I wonder if this season’s competition will be fun.”
“It will be fun for us,” he said with a little laugh. Seeing his smile, she gave him an unhappy look.
“How can you already talk about ‘fun’ in this competition? You’re going to give them loads of stress?”
“You were the first to mention ‘fun’ in this competition.”
“I’m definitely going to give them a hard time,” she said nonchalantly, giggling like she didn’t mean to provoke him. Her pretty smile made her words all the more terrifying.
He shrugged helplessly. “Well, I hear there are lots of great participants this time—guys with real potential as chefs.”
Minjoon and Kaya had visited many places and met the participants in person. Usually, predicting a winner was difficult. The contestants each made a signature dish, their secret weapon. Many outshone even themselves with dishes beyond their usual skill. For that reason, it was far too soon to judge the likely winner by just the preliminary rounds. Of course, Minjoon was an exception, thanks to the system.
He could see everyone’s cooking stats and their potential. Though he wasn’t that interested in this season, he knew who would win and what would happen after the contest.
His expression grew serious for a moment.
Kaya noticed and asked, “Do you need to poop? Why that face?”
“Well, I’ve got a lot to think about.”
This contest would be interesting in many ways, he thought.
“Oh, Joseph!”
“Minjoon! Kaya!”
Joseph greeted them warmly with open arms.
Minjoon hugged him briefly and smiled. They hadn’t seen each other in a long time. During the preliminary rounds, Minjoon and Kaya had travelled with Joseph as well.
But their statuses had changed. Now, Minjoon and Kaya were judges on equal footing with Joseph, not competitors.
Thankfully, Joseph wasn’t uncomfortable with their promotion. He respected even the ordinary participants, so there was no reason to feel bad about Minjoon and Kaya’s advancement. In fact, he was happy for them.
I feel like my son has grown up, Joseph had said when Minjoon met him again as a judge.
Minjoon glanced at the room beside Joseph. It was inside the Grand Chef House but a space he had never seen before—a judges’ waiting room. It was so spacious that it outclassed any ordinary waiting room, with luxurious furniture.
Have I really succeeded in life?
Lost in thought, Minjoon said, “I’m a little nervous. I never imagined I’d be judging other chefs like this.”
“Don’t worry. No one will notice. The participants will be more nervous than you.”
“I guess so.” Minjoon nodded, smiling bitterly. The participants were probably more scared of him than anyone else.
As if remembering something amusing, Kaya grinned and said, “Come to think of it, the only judge the participants can count on is Joseph. Everyone knows the other judges have nasty personalities.”
“Do I have a nasty personality too?” Minjoon asked.
“Do you want me to answer that? Wait a sec—you talk as if it’s a given I think you do. Want me to teach you a lesson?”
“Oh, I don’t mean that. You know I’m meek, right? I have no reason to hear you call me nasty. I doubt the participants are scared of me at all.”
“Stop that nonsense! Everyone saw you spit harsh words at the participants on TV during the Rose Island competition. Don’t you remember?”
“That wasn’t because I was angry. I just had to do it…”
“Well, you’ll need to do it again this season,” she said firmly, convinced.
He wanted to argue, but wasn’t sure he could avoid harsh words again. Even head chefs often lost their temper. The pride of these participants, all head chefs themselves, knew no bounds. That was Minjoon’s impression during the preliminary rounds.
“I hope they can match the quality of dishes from the last season,” he muttered. Their season had nearly been the golden age of Grand Chef. This season would depend on their outcomes, but no one could predict what would happen.
Joseph smiled at Minjoon, sensing he was endearingly proud of this new role as judge.
Later, Minjoon had to read and memorise a short prepared script. Judges generally made spontaneous comments, but the script offered suggestions on what to say during cooking and what combinations to recommend. He wasn’t required to recite it word for word.
They soon headed to the kitchen where participants were busily preparing dishes. Joseph entered first. The speakers introduced him warmly, followed by the crowd’s cheers.
Kaya entered next.
“She is the winner of Grand Chef Season 3, owner of the Irregular Lab who stunned the culinary world within a few years of debut! Kaya Lotus, winner of the prestigious Paris International Culinary Competition and partner of Jotus Guide!”
Wow, that introduction sounds like they’re introducing a pro wrestler!
It felt like the moderator telling the story of a player before entering the arena.
Before long, Minjoon was called to the stage. Biting his lip, he moved to the podium. Like Joseph and Kaya, all eyes were on him.
“Minjoon is a young genius who won third place in Grand Chef Season 3 and surprised the world as the first chef with a perfect palate in history! After joining Rose Island, he created historic desserts such as Jo Reggiano, quickly rose to sous chef, won the Paris International Culinary Competition, and now serves as a judge to select the next head of Rose Island! He is America’s most watched emerging chef, Jo Minjoon!”
The emcee lavished praise on him, so much that Minjoon feared he might blush. He couldn’t understand why they introduced the judges with such extravagant accolades. He worried the excessive praise might undermine their authority by making them seem childish.
But then he saw the participants’ faces.
What the heck?
Minjoon felt embarrassed; the participants’ eyes sparkled as if they were looking at idols. Could they really see him like that, no matter how popular he was?
Of course, that reaction was only possible because this was Grand Chef—the ultimate competition where participants saw Minjoon and Kaya as perfect role models on their journey to becoming top chefs.