Chapter 603: Two Sides of the Coin (6)
Chapter 603: Two Sides of the Coin (6)
Perhaps Jimmy felt awkward correcting himself after what he had said earlier. Kaya watched his face carefully, narrowing her eyes. “You have no cows for us, but...?”
After a moment’s hesitation, he continued, “But I do have calves.”
No cows, but calves.
At first, Jimmy’s words sounded like a pun, but in reality, they were not. What Kaya and Minjoon sought were mature cows, and there was a clear difference between cows and calves as food ingredients.
Kaya glanced at Minjoon, uncertain. Calf meat was considered a luxury in some circles, but it was not universally popular. The tenderness of veal—the meat of young calves—was enjoyed by some, but many found it too soft and lost interest quickly. Its flavour differed significantly from regular beef, much like how U.S. prime-grade beef tastes different from Wagyu. Veal was simply incomparable to mature beef.
“I’m considering using calves,” Minjoon said quietly. “But I don’t want them as the main ingredient. Cows are far more appealing and interesting to cook with.”
“So that’s what you meant by ‘sexy’?”
“Yeah, I suppose so.” Minjoon smiled.
It was exactly that. Of course, securing a ranch that could supply mature cows would be ideal, but he didn’t think calves could fully substitute for cows.
Jimmy understood. He remained still for a moment without moving a muscle, then said blankly, “I’ve met many like you—sincere, passionate chefs. They asked me for cows, and sometimes I could supply them, sometimes not. Even when they weren’t yet competent, I gladly signed contracts if they had passion. Because they treated my cows as the best, I had to treat them as my best clients.”
“But you couldn’t have supplied cows to all of them.”
“That’s right. I can’t supply cows I don’t have. Ultimately, luck is key. Those who came when I had cows were fortunate. Others were…”
“They were unlucky,” Minjoon finished.
Jimmy said nothing, his silence a sign of sympathy. He wasn’t sure if Minjoon and Kaya were lucky or not at this point.
Do we still have a chance?
Minjoon’s eyes sharpened then. Kaya could sense Jimmy’s attitude shifting.
Jimmy said, “Show me your Six Meats.”
This was his second request.
Kaya looked at Jimmy silently for a moment before answering in a low voice, “As I said, beef isn’t all I need. I also need pork cheeks and cotechino. Do you have those?”
“There’s one misconception about me,” Jimmy said with a smile. “Since we mainly raise cattle, people think I only have cows. But I also raise pigs.”
My students are coming to see you here.
Jimmy suddenly recalled what his old friend Rachel had told him.
Rachel once calmly claimed Minjoon and Kaya would change America’s very food culture. Jimmy hadn’t told them about his close relationship with Rachel—he feared their knowing would make them rely too much on his hospitality. He wished he could support them discreetly.
But are you sure, Rachel?
Honestly, Jimmy didn’t trust the hopeful words of the elderly. When young, even small lies felt heavy with guilt, but with time, one becomes used to lying lightly. Maybe Rachel exaggerated without remorse to promote her protégés. Many parents believed their children were geniuses despite lacking talent; Rachel might have done the same.
Yet what Jimmy had witnessed of Minjoon and Kaya shattered his doubts.
They’re much better than I thought.
Jimmy knew little about cooking itself but had observed many chefs. He could easily tell who was skilled. Watching these two, he was certain—they were incomparable.
Anyone could see their skill. When trimming ingredients, they never erred; the meat was sliced perfectly even. Usually, cross sections varied unless the meat was very thick or thin, but they cut with precision.
He was more impressed watching them make chutney and jam in sync—their silent communication made cooking seem effortless, as if they were one person.
Perhaps that’s why, watching for twenty minutes, Jimmy couldn’t tear himself away. Their cooking was like a show.
They finished after Minjoon prepared a dish using a molecular cooking kit he’d brought from his car, placing it carefully in a bowl.
Jimmy, his confidence gone, stared at it like a mesmerised spectator.
“I can’t believe you made this so quickly!”
“Well, it’s easy for an experienced chef.”
Did that mean all the chefs Jimmy had seen before were inexperienced? Thinking so, Jimmy picked up a fork with a bitter smile. The sausage before him (cotechino made from beef tongue, pork cheek, brisket, and oxtail) was something he had rarely seen combined on one plate.
He slowly tasted each piece, each chew drawing an exaggerated expression as if struck by a hammer.
“Oh my... Rachel didn’t lie to me!”
“What did she say?” Kaya asked, surprised.
Jimmy didn’t answer immediately, quietly savouring the lingering flavour. Being a farmer didn’t make him ignorant of fine tastes; if anything, his palate was sharper than most city dwellers, unaffected by seasoning or MSG.
“Let me say it again—I wasn’t lying. I have no cows available for you. All are sold to other chefs. But I want to offer you my cows as I raise them, even if they’re not yet here.”
“Are you serious?” Minjoon asked earnestly.
Hearing that, Jimmy could tell how much Minjoon cared about cows.
With a soft smile, Jimmy said, “If I can’t sell cows because I have none to spare, I need to raise more. I have to build more barns, hire more workers... Of course, I might have to taste more cow dung every day. Damn it—how did I end up thinking about cow dung while enjoying this delicious dish?”
Jimmy shook his head, mumbling about his strange occupational disease.
“Sounds like you want to expand.”
“I’ve thought about it for a long time but never acted. Even if I raised more cows, I can’t guarantee selling them or managing a bigger herd effectively. But it’s funny, Kaya—your dish made me consider it.”
Kaya tucked hair behind her ear, embarrassed by his praise.
Jimmy asked quietly, “Earlier, I wasn’t listening closely. But now, I want to. Tell me, what kind of restaurant do you want to run?”
“Well, I think I explained Irregular Lab to you, right?”
“Yes, you want to popularise high-end dishes so everyone can enjoy them. That’s a fantastic goal.”
“As for Lotus Bridge, it’s...”
In that moment, Minjoon and Kaya gained another supporter.