Chapter 567: Earnestly and Instinctively (3)
Chapter 567: Earnestly and Instinctively (3)
Minjoon did not immediately respond to Delia’s suggestion that day. There were still other matters to settle before he could make a formal proposal to Kaya. It was enough to know that Delia was willing to cooperate whenever needed.
My immediate concern is raising my cooking level.
He decided to focus on his most urgent goal—the cooking level. Perhaps this was the very greed June mentioned. He longed for other achievements, yet did not actively pursue happiness itself. He understood waiting for happiness was foolish, but he could not ignore his desire to advance his cooking swiftly.
In truth, he hadn’t spent much time cooking lately. His workload as sous chef and his role as Grand Chef judge kept him busy. Developing new recipes suffered. The situation persisted.
So he chose a smart approach.
“You came early to cook?” Gwen asked.
Minjoon nodded, moving his hands in demonstration. She did not understand—she recognized he worked hard but wondered why he chose this kitchen, shared with her and other participants.
Others were also curious, silently questioning his presence.
“My circumstances are complicated. I can’t cook at home or the restaurant, so I thought it best to come here and cook among you.”
“Are you sure you want to mingle with us?”
“Sure. I’ll cook my dishes; you cook yours. If you want, stand by me and assist. Whatever you choose, there’s nothing to lose. Working for me now could develop your kitchen leadership; cooking your own dishes and seeking feedback would help you peek into a young chef’s instincts.”
If there’s room for improvement, I must work harder.
He glanced at five volunteers, including Gwen, staring at him blankly. Peter, Hugo, and Michael were not among them.
They probably feel embarrassed to work for me.
Though not on the same level, they were once competitive friends. His role as judge must have bruised their pride.
“So, what will you make?” Gwen asked first.
He glanced briefly—was her question sincere or a show of interest? He could not read her mind.
“What will you make?”
“Isn’t it you who should decide?”
“I thought so at first, but since we’re together, I’ll cook the dishes you dream of most.”
Other participants’ eyes gleamed—except Gwen’s, who merely asked simply: what did he want to cook? A cook should always be ready to answer. Yet nothing sprang to her mind.
Do you like cooking?—his recent question echoed in her gaze. She recalled how he said she must like cooking. Once, she had felt so broken she thought she couldn’t even like cooking.
She had excuses—she’d drained all emotion: happiness, love, passion. No room left to think positively. She wanted to argue her depression stemmed from rational scientific grounds.
But excuses weren’t changing her reality.
“How about molecular cuisine?” Minjoon suggested.
“I think Japanese food would be fun,” said one participant.
“Ah, Chef Minjoon is Korean, right? Korean food would be great too!” chimed another.
Others offered various ideas. They hadn’t expected cooking with him would immediately improve their skills, nor that his appreciation would raise their dish scores.
But they relished the chance to cook with him and prepare their own dishes under his guidance—a dream for aspiring Grand Chef participants, worth tens of thousands of dollars.
He welcomed their requests. Pausing briefly, he devised dozens of recipes in an instant. Accepting others’ opinions, he revised plans; hearing specific dish desires, he shifted entire concepts.
Gwen stared blankly at him and the volunteers. They looked truly happy—sharing his joy in cooking. They experienced a pleasure hitherto unknown.
Beset by doubt about their own recipes, Minjoon instantly helped overcome it—he assisted them in deciding what was cookable, how ingredients influenced dishes, and optimizing flavour combinations.
If ideas were off, he corrected without burden; they felt radically different from when he judged them.
“Wow! This is Chef Minjoon’s true colours.”
A smile played on his lips before Ken fully realized it. Watching Grand Chef Season 3, he knew Minjoon’s potential.
But now, Minjoon translated it into action—coaching participants thoroughly.
None missed his words or gestures; Ken, ironically, witnessed a giant chef’s masterful cooking live. Minjoon seemed to have mastered all about cooking.
More than that, his teaching surpassed what ordinary chefs could offer.
Later, when participants began earnest cooking, Ken felt as if floating—hard to express.
Man, this feels unreal...
Ken wasn’t alone; even Gwen felt likewise.
Minjoon went beyond his role; he explained every step—how much to cut, heating levels, and pan use—like teaching a child.
Though known for kindness to juniors, here he was excessively patient.
And soon, they understood why.