Chapter 553: Reservation (5)
Chapter 553: Reservation (5)
Numerous videos of Minjoon had circulated widely, showing him scolding head chefs at the recent Rose Island competition. Clearly, when he first entered the Grand Chef competition, he was no different from them, but since then he had grown remarkably. Now, having climbed to the position of judge at Grand Chef, he genuinely deserved to be their idol—and indeed, he had become one.
“Now, we are about to begin the Grand Chef finals!”
As soon as the emcee announced this, the participants erupted into cheers so loud the kitchen seemed to shake. Amid the thunderous noise shaking his body, Minjoon silently enjoyed the shock. He didn’t fully understand why they shouted so loudly. Maybe it was because they were glad to be here, because they admired the judges—and Minjoon in particular—or maybe they were not really his fans. It didn’t matter.
The youngest chef in the Rose Island kitchen—who had quietly nurtured his dream in a corner, sometimes shouting in frustration—was now in a position to walk among these cheering contestants.
Everyone talked about change. People expected it from others, demanded it, yet also resisted it. They pointed out others’ faults but felt uneasy when asked to change themselves.
But Minjoon was different. He had changed his situation.
He didn’t believe it was chance or luck. Opportunities were given to all, but each person’s worth was shown by whether they seized those opportunities.
Minjoon had greatly increased his own worth.
He saw that reflected in the eyes of the participants and smiled with satisfaction. He remembered how he had felt the same way when he first entered the Grand Chef finals.
Finally, Joseph spoke.
“Everyone here has come with a dream. Some want to become world-renowned chefs; others seek just to open a small restaurant. Maybe some are here for the experience itself. Either way, it doesn’t matter. By being here, you have proven your confidence in cooking.”
As he said this, many participants clenched their fists in excitement and confidence.
Minjoon understood them perfectly. At this moment, they felt as though they had achieved everything in life. Soon, however, they would realise they were small fry, and this competition was merely the beginning of a long journey.
Then Kaya smiled and said, “As you know, Grand Chef’s popularity has soared since Minjoon and I attended. Thanks to that, the prize money has increased. The winner takes 200,000 more than before. I think the winner should treat us to a nice dinner!”
Though Kaya had less experience than Joseph, she spoke more boldly. Most knew it was affection rather than arrogance.
All eyes then turned to Minjoon, expecting him to cheer them on. He glanced at the prepared script he was supposed to read.
This script is no fun…
Though well written, it felt too polished and cautious. Since he and the others would meet the participants regularly over coming months, he didn’t want to start with such a restrained tone.
“It’s going to be tough,” he said.
He wanted to temper their excitement. As though doused with cold water, the participants looked blank, but he didn’t mind—he stopped caring what others thought long ago.
He continued, “Some will find they cook better than they thought, but most will understand their limits. You will hit a wall.”
He took a deep breath and went on. “I got depressed countless times during this competition. As you know, the woman beside me is an incredible genius. She still is. I came here to cook but found myself comparing to others.”
Kaya frowned as if hearing this for the first time. He felt ashamed to share it with her, but had once confided when she first said she was envious of him. Sharing helped comfort him. What he said now was not a lie.
“You’ll probably feel the same. Cooking isn’t just fun. When your hobby becomes a job, you’ll feel your skills, once enough for fun, are insufficient. It’s like a minor leaguer suddenly in the majors—and you’ll notice others ahead of you. But don’t give up.”
He urged their change. “The only thing you get from giving up is helpless peace.”
He added, “Kaya and I didn’t give up. Our results at the last Grand Chef say it all.”
Some overcome with defeatism might argue that’s easy to say because they succeeded and others fail despite trying hard.
Minjoon wanted to reply that effort isn’t measured by time spent alone. Many say how long they sat studying, not how much they actually studied. That is self-deception. He did not excuse those who claimed effort while idling away time.
Maybe he was wrong. He didn’t know how his words would be received. But he said what he wanted.
Speaking now was proof of his success.
That was why he could say, “If you hadn’t succeeded, they would have ignored you. But they clap fervently if you do.”
“You’ve changed a lot.”
“Me?”
“Yeah. Seems you’ve established yourself firmly.”
During the interview, Martin smiled at Minjoon.
Beyond his proven cooking skills, Martin noticed a new aura. Minjoon used to lack confidence, seemed content with what he had, and seemed to lack goals.
Now he was different. He radiated gravitas. Even light remarks carried authority. He was clearly influenced more by June than Rachel. From June, he had learned social skills and how to make the most of his situation.
“Lots of chefs envy you, Minjoon,” Martin said quietly.
Minjoon scratched his nose bashfully. He felt it too. Of the three judges—himself, Kaya, and Joseph—Minjoon was the most popular.
He guessed why: not because of achievements but because he had become a celebrity in the cooking world despite not winning Grand Chef like Kaya. That made him relatable.
Martin smiled mischievously. “By the way, this season will be fun—you probably didn’t expect that guy to enter again.”
“Peter?” Minjoon asked uneasily.
Martin grinned. Indeed, Peter, the Indian chef long scolded by Minjoon and the public during Grand Chef, had entered again.
From Minjoon’s perspective, Peter was unwelcome. Though they had buried the hatchet somewhat, bad blood lingered. Minjoon was now a judge, and he felt bad for being harsh, but he wasn’t going to be friendly with Peter.
And Peter wasn’t the only returning participant.
“I didn’t know Hugo would come back either.”
Hugo had reached the finals with Minjoon once but was fired from various restaurants due to clashes with kitchen staff. Now, he sought to regain his honour through Grand Chef.