Chapter 86
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Translator: True Detective
Chapter: 86
Chapter Title: Grand Chef Korea - Good Luck
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1.
The judging hall was silent.
It was because so many teams had already been thrown into the fire pit.
The surviving contestants were watching us from the second-floor balcony, but with so many eliminations, the atmosphere was frigid.
"Kim Sumin's team. Please come up to the evaluation stage."
With Chef Kang Taeyeon's call, the ninth team headed to the platform. That made us the last ones.
"W-We ended up last after all... Being last is making me nervous for no reason..."
"Me too. They say it's better to take the first hit. Waiting like this is scarier..."
Yulim and Seohwa exchanged words in gloomy tones.
"...Isn't it obvious we'd be last?"
I said indifferently.
"Huh? What do you mean? Why is it obvious we'd be last? Wasn't it random?"
Seohwa tilted her head.
"The order of the teams judged so far is exactly the reverse of the order they cooked in."
"What...?"
"The tenth team to cook was judged first, the ninth second, and so on, going backward one by one. So it's only natural we're last."
"Oh..."
The two stared at me blankly. They looked like they hadn't even considered it.
"I was so anxious we'd be called next... I never imagined there was a secret like that in the order..."
"Me neither..."
"It's because you had no mental leeway. A little focus, and it's an easy deduction."
Yulim let out a deep sigh and hung her head. Seohwa's shoulders slumped too. They looked like their tension had collapsed entirely.
That mood of theirs lasted until we were called.
"Last up. Kang Yerin's team."
Spotlights fell over our heads.
"Come up to the evaluation stage."
At Chef Kang Taeyeon's summons, the two started trembling again. Such emotionally varied teammates.
"Let's go."
"Y-Yes...!"
We climbed the stairs to the judging stage. We took our positions in seasonal order, and Chef Kang Taeyeon unfolded a sheet of paper.
"First, Seol Yulim, who handled spring."
Gulp-
The sound of swallowing echoed through the arena.
"Y-Yes!"
Turning right, she was gazing up at the judges' table with her hands clasped in prayer.
"Individual score: 41 points."
"Whoa..."
Yulim gasped in admiration. Applause soon followed from the second floor. It was that high a score.
"The mugwort and shrimp porridge was excellent. The mugwort's bitter aroma blended exquisitely with the shrimp's subtle sweetness. It was an appetite-stimulating appetizer."
"Th-Thank you!"
She bowed deeply.
"Especially the angelica drink was impressive. Cool with a slight tang, perfect as a welcome drink."
It felt like the first time I'd seen Chef Kang Taeyeon praise someone at such length.
"I heard Seol Yulim has never properly learned to cook before. Is that right?"
"Y-Yes...! That's right...!"
"I'm looking forward to how much you'll grow once you study cooking properly. It was an excellent appetizer."
"Thank you!"
Yulim's final response held no tremor. For the first time, she answered proudly on her own.
"Hehe..."
She turned to me with a beaming smile. I grinned back.
'Proud moment.'
Was this how the Sword Saint or Tower Master felt teaching me? My heart swelled softly.
"Next, Lee Seohwa, who handled summer."
Of course, the warm atmosphere didn't last. With Chef Kang Taeyeon's cold voice, the site froze over again.
"Individual score: 40 points."
"Yes!"
Seohwa, who had been shaking until just before, clenched her fist and cheered. Identical applause came from upstairs.
"The kung pao chicken you made was truly delicious. If summer heat were captured in food, wouldn't it taste like this? That's the thought your dish evoked."
"Thank you!!!"
She bowed vigorously with a strong voice.
"However, the flavors and aromas felt slightly off. More research is needed to harmonize them. Right now, they play separately."
"Yes!!!"
The spotlight moved to autumn. The most uncertain season for us.
"Next, Han Chaeyun, who handled autumn."
She stood composed. She looked calm on the surface, but I could see it. Her clenched hands trembled faintly.
"Individual score: 29 points."
Sighs rose from the second floor. That score meant near-certain elimination.
"Ah..."
Han Chaeyun sank to the floor. She squeezed her eyes shut and bowed her head deeply.
"The concept wasn't bad. Using chestnuts fit the autumn theme, and incorporating foie gras and truffles for richness was impressive. But that was it."
Han Chaeyun flinched at Chef Kang Taeyeon's words.
"You didn't properly handle the foie gras's fishiness, and the truffle aroma stood apart. The other elements were fine, but failing to bring out the two strongest flavor ingredients meant the dish was already a failure."
"............"
"Han Chaeyun, you need more humility. Bold attempts are good, but without the skill to back them up, it's just recklessness and overconfidence."
"...Yes."
"Chaeyun unnie..."
Yulim's faint voice reached me. Seeing her distraught face, she clearly hadn't imagined a teammate facing elimination.
"Finally, Kang Yerin, who handled winter."
Chef Kang Taeyeon's gaze turned to me. Hot spotlight from above. Cold, sharp eyes stared down from the front.
"Individual score: 50 points."
"............"
The judging hall truly froze at his words. I nodded calmly.
"Whoaaa...!"
"Insane!"
Screams and cheers erupted beside me. I felt Han Chaeyun's gaze too.
"The refreshing tang that cleanses all prior tastes, the soft subtle sweetness, and the lemon mousse filling the slight aroma gap."
He continued, glaring at me.
"A perfect dessert. I'd love to use it in my restaurant if possible."
The studio buzzed at his words.
"Thank you."
"Kang Yerin always surprises us. Can I look forward to the next one too?"
"Yes."
He let out a small chuckle at my curt reply. Chef Kang Taeyeon shook his head slightly.
"Understood. Good work. Now, finally, the team score."
The other teammates tensed. Several teams had been eliminated due to low team scores. Ours wasn't guaranteed safety.
"Kang Yerin's team score, comprehensively evaluating course composition and overall completion: "
He paused dramatically, then turned to Han Chaeyun. Muttering something, he brought the mic close again.
"46 points."
"Crazy!"
Exclamations and curses burst from all sides. It was overwhelmingly the highest among the ten teams so far.
'No team broke 40...'
I hadn't expected our team to score this high.
"Kang Yerin's team's four seasons were near-perfect. Every season nailed the theme, and each fulfilled its course role."
"Autumn had issues, but winter resolved them perfectly. The course composition alone wasn't bad, warranting this high score."
Chef Moon Taeo followed up. Likely to preempt any controversy.
"Seol Yulim's total score: 87 points. Survival."
Blue light poured over Yulim's head, signaling survival. She stood tall, hands on hips, puffed up with pride.
"Lee Seohwa's total score: 86 points. Survival."
She grinned widely and threw both arms up. A bright, lively gesture true to Seohwa.
"Han Chaeyun's total score: 75 points. Survival."
"......"
Han Chaeyun said nothing. She just bit her lip and stood still.
"Finally, Kang Yerin's total score: 96 points. Survival."
As Chef Kang Taeyeon's words ended, applause erupted in the judging hall.
The passers on the second floor, the judges on stage, the filming staff, and even my teammates—all clapped.
"Thank you."
I smiled at their congratulations.
'Feels good.'
It had been ages since I felt this joy. Cooking really is my true calling.
*
"...Thank you so much."
As soon as filming ended, Han Chaeyun rushed to me and bowed deeply.
"Good work."
I patted her shoulder and headed to the dorm. She didn't straighten until I passed.
"Don't regret it!"
Just as I was about to leave the judging hall entirely, a voice from behind stopped me. Turning, Han Chaeyun glared at me fiercely.
"You owe me now, but next time, I'll climb up on my own power! So... even if you lose to me next time, don't regret it!"
She said that, then bowed again. Gratitude mixed with competitive fire. Her pride must be hurt.
"Good luck."
I smirked and turned away. I didn't look back, but I knew her gaze followed my back to the end.
Would she say the same if we faced off next time? What face would she make in a real showdown?
'Looking forward to it.'
The next mission awaited.