Chapter 84
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Translator: True Detective
Chapter: 84
Chapter Title: Grand Chef Korea - Evaluation
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1.
"The given time is up. Everyone, please step away from your cooking stations. From now on, touching the food will be considered cheating."
Chef Han Seojin's voice spread through the room between us. Since I had finished early, I was already sitting in a chair, quietly observing the situation.
"Will this do to take it?"
A staff member wheeled over a cart and pointed at the plates.
"Yes, that's right. Please carry it carefully without shaking too much. The plating might get ruined."
"I'm afraid I'd mess it up... Would you like to do it yourself?"
"Sure."
I picked up the plate and carefully placed it on the cart. Then I pushed it forward at a steady pace. I could feel the judges' eyes turning toward me.
"Just set it down here."
Following the staff's guidance, I placed the plate in the designated spot. Then I quietly stood behind it.
"Seol Yurim, Lee Seohwa, Han Chaeyun. All of you, come forward."
At Chef Moon Taeo's words, the three came to my side. We lined up in a row, with our plates placed in order before us.
"Spring is Korean. Summer is Chinese. Autumn is French. And finally, winter is Italian. Different countries for each season?"
No one said a word. Glancing to my right, I saw all my teammates standing rigid, lips pressed tightly together.
"That's correct."
In the end, I had to answer.
"Is there a reason you chose different countries like this?"
"Probably because each of us is confident in different cuisines. We're all passionate about cooking, but our life experiences differ."
"That makes sense. Yurim's dish is humble yet warm, Seohwa's is as bold as her hair. Chaeyun's feels like it comes from an abundant upbringing."
Chef Han Seojin continued, looking at the last plate.
"And Kang Yerim's... I'm not sure. It's an Italian dessert, but it has this unfamiliar, alien sensation I've never seen before."
"Is that a compliment?"
"We'll see once we taste it. It could be a fresh shock, or it could be an unpleasant experience."
She said it with a meaningful smile, almost like she was provoking me.
"Then go ahead and try it. And please give us your honest evaluation."
"That's what I planned to do."
With that, the judges headed toward Yurim's porridge and drink.
"Should we start with the porridge? Or the drink first?"
Chef Kang Taeyeon asked while looking at the spring dish on the table. Yurim's shoulders began to tremble.
"Seol Yurim?"
"Th-the porr... porridge first...!"
Under Chef Kang Taeyeon's urging, she answered hastily and bit her tongue. Tears welled up in her eyes, but Yurim managed to finish her sentence.
"And the welcome drink at the end..."
"Understood."
The three judges picked up spoons and quietly began eating the porridge.
None of them changed expression. They occasionally examined the plate closely or glanced at their evaluation sheets, but they focused on the meal.
"Hm."
After finishing the welcome drink made with dangui, Chef Kang Taeyeon slowly looked up and stared at Yurim.
"H-Hic...!"
Yurim flinched at the gaze and let out a small gasp. Chef Kang Taeyeon also twitched his shoulder slightly in response.
"Sesame oil and perilla seeds added. A touch of soy sauce too."
Chef Moon Taeo said as he swallowed the porridge.
"Y-Yes...! W-Was that not allowed...?"
"No. Variations like this are perfectly fine. If you could make a better dish but don't, then you're not qualified as a chef."
"Was it your idea?"
Following the exchange with Chef Moon Taeo, Chef Kang Taeyeon asked.
"N-No! Unnie Yerim... t-tasted it and helped me...! W-Was that not allowed either...?"
Yurim glanced nervously again. Chef Kang Taeyeon shook his head.
"It's fine. Since you didn't do it directly for her. If you can't even offer this level of help, it wouldn't be a team mission."
"Th-That's a relief..."
With that, the conversation naturally ended. Once the other judges finished their welcome drinks, the spring meal concluded.
"Thank you for the meal."
The judges bowed slightly and moved on.
"Y-Yes...!"
Yurim let out a long sigh. It was as if peace had finally arrived.
"P-Please enjoy..."
Lee Seohwa bowed shakily.
"That depends on how well you cooked, Seohwa."
"Hic...!"
At Chef Kang Taeyeon's words, she started hiccupping. He looked at the other chefs with a baffled expression.
"Pfft..."
Han Seojin burst out laughing. She chuckled while picking up a piece of gungbogyeon with chopsticks. Her face flushed as she ate it.
"Whew, it's a bit spicy for my taste."
"R-Really?"
"Yes. I don't handle spice well. But it's not inedible, so don't worry too much."
"O-Okay..."
She brushed it off with a smile, but Seohwa's expression darkened. If she had animal ears or a tail, they'd probably be drooping right now.
"Lightly fried it?"
"Yes! I f-fried it lightly on purpose for texture, then stir-fried!"
She straightened up and answered loudly at Chef Kang Taeyeon's question, like a new employee.
"Got it."
With that, the tasting continued.
"Thank you for the meal."
The judges bowed and moved to autumn. Midway, Seohwa covered her face with both hands as Han Seojin took a sip of water.
"Foie gras. High difficulty, not an easy choice. Why this one?"
"Because it's the ingredient that best matches autumn's abundance! And I'm confident with it since I'm used to it!"
"Even pros fail foie gras sometimes. Let's see if you nailed it."
Chef Moon Taeo trailed off as he cut into the foie gras with a spoon and ate it.
"Hm."
His eyebrows twitched slightly with a short sigh. He glanced at his paper, nodded, and said nothing more.
"Thank you for the meal."
"Yes!"
The other chefs showed no reaction and moved to me. Unlike before, there was no Q&A for Chaeyun's dish at all.
'It could mean nothing to critique... or it could be boring.'
A neutral response. Unsettling, but I couldn't be sure yet. The results would come at the final evaluation.
Now, finally, winter.
As my turn came, Chef Kang Taeyeon's gaze sharpened. It was as if he intended to see right through everything.
"Panna cotta."
He said lowly, looking down at the plate.
"Yes."
"Let's see if it can cleanse the palate after the heavy foie gras."
His tone was like frost. The chill befitting a northern grand duke.
Kang Taeyeon put a spoonful of panna cotta in his mouth. The corner of his mouth twitched upward slightly. Then he suddenly glared at me with fierce eyes.
"Wow..."
An exclamation slipped from Chef Han Seojin's mouth. She clamped it shut with a gasp and forced a blank expression, but everyone had seen it.
Chef Moon Taeo said nothing. But his hand moved noticeably faster as he ate the panna cotta.
The three only stepped back after devouring the panna cotta, accompanying fruits, and lemon mousse entirely.
All that remained was the red sauce scattered along the plate's edge. That trace alone proved a dessert had existed here.
"All four of you did well. Scores will be revealed two days from now, after the other teams are judged."
Chef Kang Taeyeon, back on the platform, began speaking.
"You can stay and watch like the others, or head back to the dorms to rest."
"I hope you enjoy two peaceful days. You might not get to stay here again."
At his chilling warning, everyone except me flinched.
"G-Good work!"
My teammates bowed and turned away immediately.
"F-Finally over...! I thought I was gonna die of nerves during the judging..."
"Yurim, you still look tense."
Seohwa said with a laugh.
"Y-You were nervous too, unnie...! You hiccupped from shock...!"
"Wh-What about you! You freaked out and made weird noises when Chef Kang stared!"
"H-His eyes were so scary, what could I do... It felt like a predator staring right at me..."
As the two bantered, Chaeyun stood silently, lips pressed tight. Gone was her usual confidence; anxiety was plain on her face.
Trembling fingertips. Rigid shoulders. She bit her lip to hide it, but tension radiated from her whole body.
'Not confident, huh.'
In the end, the cook herself knows best how her dish turned out. She probably wasn't satisfied with it.
"...I'll head out first."
With that, Chaeyun quickly left the judging area. The other two stared blankly after her.
"So, what are you two doing? Staying to watch? Or heading back?"
"I-I'm going to rest... I'm exhausted, can't stay here..."
"Me too. Gonna shower, hit the bed, and watch some shorts."
"Wh-What about you, unnie Yerim?"
"I'm heading back too. Not that interested in the other contestants."
"I see..."
Yurim nodded. Her expression was oddly cute, so I patted her head.
"Then you're resting too, unnie?"
"Nah. Gonna hit the gym for a workout."
The gym facilities were so good, it made me want to exercise.
"Wow... You're amazing... I don't even have the energy to lift a finger..."
"Then let's split here."
By the time I finished chatting and walking with them, we were at a fork.
"Go rest."
"Yes. Don't overdo it, unnie!"
I parted ways with Yurim and Seohwa in the hallway. Heading to the gym, I thought.
'Wonder how the team mission goes.'
No way we get eliminated, right?