Chapter 619: A Flower on the Cliff (7)
Chapter 619: A Flower on the Cliff (7)
“Everything about you will be decided after today,” Joseph said clearly.
But deep down, Peter resisted that. To him, only the winner of the Grand Chef competition would be decided today—not everything about him.
Peter wasn’t as obsessed with winning as others thought. After his humiliation in Season 3, he’d long abandoned sweet hopes for the Grand Chef.
His reason to win now was simple: he wanted to prove wrong those who slandered him despite his changes. Compared to Gwen’s desperate zeal, his felt trivial. But just as Gwen resolved not to be conscious of him, he would do the same. His affection for her no longer mattered; competing with her in the finals was the priority.
“Peter, you start first. Prepare your full course now. Make enough for every chef here to sample,” Minjoon said calmly.
Thirty additional chefs were summoned. Although thirty was not many, since all were top chefs nationally, serving such a discerning crowd meant errors from Peter or Gwen could be costly.
Scoring was simple: judges had five points each, chefs one point each—15 points from judges, 30 from chefs, total 45. Scoring 23 or more would secure victory.
Who wins depends on Peter, Minjoon thought.
Peter needed to present Indian dishes at their core since that was his strength. Abandoning this would mean defeat.
But Indian cuisine posed problems for a full course. Strong spices like masala linger; even a sherbet couldn’t erase their flavour easily.
That was the dilemma: highlighting spices risked overpowering subsequent dishes, but toning down spices meant losing authenticity. Indian cuisine was inherently ill-suited to a full course. How would Peter solve this?
Minjoon deliberately avoided hearing the exact dishes to not spoil the surprise and to taste without prejudice.
Peter began cooking. Beside him were professional cooks assigned by Grand Chef, assisting him as he instructed.
Peter, however, was not a strong leader—lacking charisma and experience.
Quietly, he prepared diligently. Though not skillful, neither reckless. His calm in the high-pressure finals surprised Minjoon—the steadiness was rare.
Minjoon recognised Peter’s passion and how seriously he treated this chance. Peter lacked boldness, so how long had he braced himself to face this, fighting nerves?
Soon, Peter served his first dish.
“This is roasted Camembert with cinnamon, cardamom, and rosé wine, coated in breadcrumbs from crushed croutons for crispiness.”
“What a surprise! Replacing amuse-bouche with Camembert—I didn’t expect that. You want to be adventurous,” Minjoon whispered.
But Peter wasn’t being boldly adventurous. Camembert’s deep flavour often repelled more than stimulated appetites. Minjoon suspected this dish might lose points rather than win gustatory favour.
Peter didn’t respond but looked at Minjoon silently, inviting him to try it.
Minjoon sampled the melted cheese. It was delicious—the cheese’s richness teased his tongue—but this disappointed him.
He glanced at the other judges. Joseph and Kaya wore odd expressions. Invited chefs mirrored their hesitation.
Peter’s grilled Camembert was good—but not as an amuse-bouche. It left tasters feeling full early with lingering heaviness. The cheese itself was rich, enhanced with cardamom and rosé jam!
Though Minjoon wanted to argue, Peter had returned to his station after explaining.
Minjoon worried Peter might not fully understand a course meal.
Well, this is just the amuse-bouche. Let me trust him.
Yet each appetizer Peter presented deepened Minjoon’s concern—his face grew grimmer.
Peter wasn’t playing Indian cuisine as expected. He presented smoked paprika-soaked flounder, oregano-flavoured fried tofu, then ravioli with lamb marinated in basil, parsley, and turmeric.
There was no unity. Minjoon was baffled. The invited chefs hardened their faces, likely wondering why they’d come to evaluate such disjointed dishes.
By the main course, Minjoon couldn’t hold back.
“Peter, don’t you feel there’s no unity in your dishes?”
Minjoon wished not to ask, fearing it might unsettle Peter’s focus. But the likely ruin of his main dish forced the question. Without intervention, Peter would lose to Gwen.
Peter’s calm surprised Minjoon. How could he stay relaxed when a judge pointed out a flaw? Was he deliberately making strange dishes?
Is he?
Minjoon pondered past dishes but found no answer.
Peter quietly shook his head: “I know what I’m cooking, Chef Minjoon. Don’t worry.”
“But…”
As Minjoon hesitated, Kaya grabbed his hand. He looked at her, startled; her quiet gaze caught him off guard.
Peter returned to his place.
Puzzled, Minjoon sighed and sat.
Shortly after, Peter served the main dish—a fresh plate with spinach herb, fries like spring rolls, grilled chicken skewers, and a large sous-vide chicken breast with crispy skin, centred by a hard-boiled egg wrapped in a sesame leaf.
No fault in the dish itself—each previous dish was decent. The problem was the lack of cohesion.
Frustrated, Minjoon raised his fork. Had Peter cooked well following Minjoon’s hopes, he might have won. Why then did Peter refuse to heed his advice?
Why?