Chapter 97

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Translator: True Detective

Chapter: 97

Chapter Title: Grand Chef Korea - Jambon-Beurre and Chaos

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1.

"Glad you like it."

I grinned and picked up a Cuban sandwich. I took a big bite, and the exotic flavors flooded my mouth.

"Mmm~"

The rich meaty aroma burst from the mojo pork and prosciutto ham. Melted cheese enveloped it all in smooth creaminess.

Just as the intense waves of flavor threatened to overwhelm my palate, the tangy crispness of dill pickles and the sharp kick of Dijon mustard brought everything into perfect balance.

The texture is spot on.

The bread and meat crunched satisfyingly, while the pickles added a fresh snap. Overall, it was bold and rugged in both taste and mouthfeel.

If the street toast you find everywhere in Korea is like a well-packaged ride on smooth pavement, this was like charging wildly across rugged mountains.

Both have their charms.

I polished off the rest of the Cuban sandwich and grabbed two cans of zero cola from the fridge. I tossed one casually to Chaeyun.

"Here."

Pop-

The sound of cans opening echoed together.

Gulp, gulp-

As if on cue, we both downed the 355ml cans in one go.

"We should sell drinks with it too..."

Chaeyun spoke first, meeting my gaze. I nodded.

"Agreed."

"And I don't think we could eat more than one. It tastes best after just that single one, don't you think?"

"Even so, one is plenty filling. Perfect as a full meal replacement."

I patted my stomach lightly and smiled.

"How'd it taste specifically?"

Her eyes sparkled at my question as she nodded eagerly.

"Delicious. Especially the lime and orange tang from the meat, mixed with that garlic aroma... it really anchored everything. It makes what could be heavy meat feel light, you know?"

"I loaded it with garlic on purpose. Koreans love their garlic, after all."

I grinned as I said it. Chaeyun smiled back, her lips curving into a brighter, more innocent grin than I'd ever seen.

"What should we pair it with for drinks? Got any ideas?"

"Already decided on my sandwich? We should taste yours first before settling it."

"...I couldn't quite finish mine."

"Try anyway. Even unfinished, it has its own meaning."

She looked up at my casual remark. After mumbling to herself for a bit, she suddenly jumped to her feet.

"I'll call you when it's done. Why don't you head back to the dorm and rest? It'll take a while."

"Got it."

I shrugged and stood from the chair. She might feel pressured with me hovering, so I figured I'd give her space.

"Good luck."

As I left the kitchen, I glanced back. Chaeyun stood at the counter, knife in hand.

Her careful strokes carried a clear resolve.

Chaeyun called me back to the kitchen about two hours later.

"Not a Cuban sandwich?"

The sandwich on the counter looked distinctly different from mine.

Grilled baguette stuffed with ham, arugula, tomato, and what looked like rich butter. Thinner, simpler composition.

"It's a jambon-beurre sandwich."

She continued in a slightly tense voice.

"France's national sandwich. Jambon ham with savory salted butter on a baguette... a really simple combo."

Chaeyun seemed unsure even as she explained. Her fingers trembled faintly, and she kept glancing at me.

"The cross-section looks gorgeous, at least."

The diagonally sliced grilled baguette revealed neatly folded layers of pale pink ham, topped with a thin layer of snow-white butter.

"They say we eat first with our eyes. Let's see if it tastes as good as it looks."

I grabbed the sandwich with both hands and took a hearty bite.

Crunch-

The baguette shattered crisply in my mouth. Arugula snapped between, followed by the sharp, salty heft of the jambon ham.

The salted butter added a nutty, deep fattiness with a subtle sweetness rising.

Jam?

Just as it edged toward richness, arugula's bitter edge swept through, finished by the tomato's gentle acidity.

"Mm."

The flavors harmonized perfectly. Balanced—not too heavy, not too light.

"H-how is it...?"

She clasped her hands tightly, asking cautiously. Instead of answering, I took another bite. That should say enough.

"Delicious."

Still, her eyes pleaded for words, so I gave them.

"R-really?"

"Yeah. My Cuban sandwich isn't ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠this harmonious. I unbalanced it on purpose to highlight the meat."

That's why more than one is tough.

"But this jambon-beurre is perfectly balanced and easy to eat. There was a hint of sweetness midway—what was that, jam?"

"Yes. I spread a little apricot jam. Thought about strawberry, but that's too common."

"Definitely the kick. It filled in just the right sweetness."

Chaeyun beamed at the praise, practically bouncing in place with joy.

"But what now? Yours is still better, so we should go with the Cuban, right?"

"Why pick one? Sell both."

Her eyes widened in surprise.

"Really?"

"It's your creation after all that worry. Too good to scrap."

"...I just copied a French sandwich."

"Same here. Straight out of a movie. Imitation is the mother of invention, right?"

I shrugged.

"...Making both will be tough."

"Cuban needs a grill, but jambon-beurre doesn't. Just lightly toast the bread. We can handle it."

"Won't we waste ingredients?"

"No worries. Use the same ham for both. Jambon-beurre traditionally takes thin slices anyway."

I countered all her points. To avoid endless debate, I took charge.

"Cuban will appeal to guys, but women might find it too heavy. Jambon-beurre's a great alternative."

"You win."

Chaeyun raised her hands in surrender, shaking her head. She didn't look too upset about losing.

"So, food truck menu: Cuban sandwich and jambon-beurre?"

"Yes. What about drinks?"

"I'd love beer, but licensing's a hassle. Zero cola it is."

She pondered, then clapped and spoke up.

"Non-alcoholic cocktails? Like mojitos. Summer vibes—they'd sell great."

"Mojito... yeah, that's tempting."

More appealing than zero cola, for sure. We'd have to source it separately.

"Alright. Menu: Cuban sandwich and jambon-beurre. Drinks: zero cola and non-alcoholic mojito. Sound good?"

"Perfect!"

I'd worried about settling the menu in a day, but we synced well.

"One load off our minds."

She sighed, leaning back. Menu planning had worn her out; she looked ready to melt.

"Up. Still tons to do."

"Menu's set, isn't it?"

"Pricing? Locations, times, operations? We need to decide."

Good thing production handles promo.

"Store-bought or homemade bread? Prep ingredients ahead. Mojo pork especially..."

I pointed at my watch.

"Needs 12+ hours marinating in the fridge, then an hour in the oven, plus roasting."

It was past 6 p.m. Tight even starting now.

"Ah..."

"And that's not all. Role assignments, workflow, equipment layout, packaging, menus... uniforms, hygiene checks."

"Aaa..."

She sank deeper into the chair as I listed more.

"...Running a business isn't easy."

She mumbled, practically melted to the floor.

"Self-employed folks stay busy for a reason. Got it? Time to move."

I clapped sharply. She sighed deeply but rose slowly.

"...Fine. Let's do this."

2.

While the two discussed the food truck, the community was in an uproar.

It was because Grand Chef Korea's official SNS posted about the food trucks.

Excitement buzzed. Naturally— a chance to meet TV contestants and taste their food.

But not everyone visited for pure reasons.