Chapter 597: A Chef Doing His Country Good (7)
Chapter 597: A Chef Doing His Country Good (7)
Minjoon and Kaya couldn’t afford to let their new restaurant become experimental like Irregular Lab. In other words, this was no trial run—they were betting everything on it to achieve their ambitions.
“Chloe asked if we wanted to change the name of the restaurant.”
“Well, you said you didn’t like any of the names we’d proposed.”
Their first idea was Chotus. Naturally, many of their acquaintances opposed it, saying it sounded like a joke rather than something sophisticated. The problem was also Chotus Guide, which suggested a gastronomic evaluation entity. Naming their restaurant Chotus would almost certainly cause it to be overshadowed by the guide’s recognition rather than benefit from their own reputations.
Of course, Minjoon and Kaya didn’t want that. Although Chotus Guide had been important to them, their dream wasn’t to create the world’s best gastronomic authority—they wanted to open the best restaurant in the world.
So, they put Chotus aside.
Next came Six Reggiano, a blend of Minjoon’s signature dessert Jo Reggiano and Kaya’s signature dish Six Meats. Their acquaintances raised no objections, but it lacked impact despite its meaning.
Then they thought of another name, one rich with meaning: Lotus Island. At first glance, it seemed odd. Lotus was Kaya’s surname, and Island came from Rachel’s Rose Island. But where was Minjoon in that?
That was the point. They didn’t want to flaunt their achievements in the name. It seemed strange, but Kaya’s surname would change after marriage, and Island meant little to Minjoon aside from a brief association.
In other words, Minjoon was no longer Rose Island’s chef, and Kaya was no longer Kaya Lotus. They wanted to reclaim what they’d lost and channel it into their new restaurant. It was a good idea and a romantic one. They enjoyed the process of naming it.
But even Lotus Island had a flaw.
“Lotus Island sounds nice, doesn’t it?”“Yeah, but it feels awkward…”
They liked Lotus, but Island caused issues.
Minjoon graduated from Rose Island with great difficulty and couldn’t reuse that legacy name.
Why didn’t Minjoon take over Rose Island’s main branch, as Rachel wished? Perhaps because he wanted to break free from being just her successor.
So, Lotus Island was off limits. When people heard the name, it would remind them of Rose Island, just as Allen’s Olive Island was seen as a wannabe. Lotus Island risked being Rachel and Daniel’s wannabe.
They could not let that happen, but didn’t completely give up the idea.
They searched for a middle ground.
First, they considered translating Lotus Island into Korean: something like ‘Yeon Flower’. But that was difficult to pronounce and remember.
Pondering this, some might have asked if naming really mattered. For them, it was far more serious than when they named Irregular Lab. They sensed the restaurant’s name would follow them for life.
Eventually, they found the answer.
“Lotus Bridge.”
Lotus Bridge.
Minjoon repeated it quietly.
The name Bridge came to him thinking of his birthplace. He was from an island and had to use either a boat or a bridge to leave it. He didn’t know if the bridge led to the mainland or another island. He only pictured walking along Lotus.
The key was that a bridge meant he had already left the island. It symbolised his loss of it.
Anyone sensitive to literature might notice that the sign concerned his journey, but what lay at the bridge’s end was unknown.
Minjoon didn’t have that answer—perhaps one day he would. For now, he was simply walking the bridge, vaguely expecting something beyond it.
How could he discuss the bridge’s destination when he had just left the island?
“Lotus Island is a nice name, isn’t it?”
“Yeah, but it’s vague.”
“No name we choose will be less than vague. Don’t feel bad. Just as plain Rose Island sounds the most luxurious here, our bridge will one day inspire the greatest aspirations.”
As he spoke, he glanced at her legs. She knew why—she’d learned enough Korean to understand that ‘leg’ was a homonym for ‘bridge’.
(Translator’s Note: Korean homonym: ‘Bridge’ (gyo) and ‘Leg’ (dari) — In Korean, the word for bridge and leg can create playful or double-meaning puns, which is exploited humorously in the restaurant’s name Lotus Bridge.)
“If I hear any rumours that Lotus Bridge means my leg, I’m kicking your butt. Got it?” she grumbled.
“I don’t think I should be responsible for that!”
“It’s not about responsibility. I’ll flatten you if I hear that rumour.”
Though illogical, he could do nothing but laugh.
Giggling, he gently placed his hand on her leg. “Hope I’m in your good hands, my bridge!”
The new restaurant name soon became well known, first among their circle, then widely.
People talked about Lotus Bridge with high expectations, unsurprisingly since it was founded by America’s most talented chefs.
Meanwhile, some netizens joked about the Korean meaning of ‘bridge’ as ‘leg’, but soon those jokes stopped.
Why?
Because Minjoon and Kaya announced their marriage.
Their wedding was planned for October 12, after the Grand Chef competition—a Saturday. They still had to decide the venue, as Minjoon was Korean and Kaya American, and they’d moved often.
They chose Los Angeles for the wedding. Only Minjoon’s Korean family would attend. Most friends and acquaintances lived in America, especially Los Angeles. Kaya barely knew anyone close enough in New York to invite.
They didn’t want a grand wedding with people they barely knew or weren’t close to.
Kaya murmured, “What shall we do until the wedding day?”
“Why wait? Let’s enjoy being single while we can.”
“Wait. Are you saying you prefer staying single?”
“Since we’re marrying soon, I want to enjoy this last time as lovers.”
“What a charming speaker!” she smiled.
He glanced out the window as the sun shone brightly.