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Chapter 241 - Not Normal (1)

Most people in the world think they’re special, but normal at the same time. If anyone were to ask if this was the case to Minjoon, however, he’d reply no. Minjoon was a person who thought himself to be normal through and through. He used to be happy with this fact, too. After all, Korea favored those who were normal. Those who could blend in. Being normal there was not a problem at all.

He started feeling a little abnormal more recently.

‘Cooking level… 7.’

Kaya and Anderson were both at level 8 at this point, but that didn’t make him feel any worse. To begin with, he didn’t even know when they became level 7. There was no way for him to really compare his growth against theirs.

‘I raised two levels in a single year.’

There were a lot of reasons for that. First, he’s had tons of experience points from years of work. When he was in the kitchens, when he was a teacher, and even when he was a student… He’s always practiced.

Of course, he wasn’t able to grow properly without a teacher, but the experience was experience.

Plus, there was also Grand Chef. Minjoon was able to work together with fellow chefs in tons of missions. All that experience finally got put to work during the show.

Maybe his level of cooking didn’t actually rise during the show. Maybe all his experience was finally being worked properly for the first time.

And right now, Minjoon knew for sure that the dish that he was currently making… Would be the best he’s made so far in his career.

‘Five flavors of parmigiano reggiano.’

Not just five flavors. he was planning on cooking 5 different cheeses all differently. But that ended up…

“Chef, you’re going to die at this rate. Are you planning on eating just cheese for dinner?”

“…I need to taste it a bit more.”

It wasn’t just five different flavors from five different kinds of parmigiano reggiano. Each part of every little cheese tasted different. The rind, the center, everything.

‘This… Would taste better as a foam. And this…’

Maya clicked her tongue inside as she watched Minjoon work. She knew the man was weird, but watching him make stuff like this made her a little freaked out inside. How could anyone focus on one thing for so long? It almost made her worried for him.

But contrary to Maya’s worries, Minjoon was having the time of his life. He’s realized that he wasn’t normal. No, he’s realized that he didn’t have to act normal. A chef had to be special. Imaginative. They had to be someone who could make foods that most people could only dream of.

‘I can’t satisfy anyone… If I were just normal.’

Minjoon started making a stock out of the rind of the cheese. As Maya stepped forward to help out, the cameraman called her over.

“Ms. Maya, can I interview you real quick?”

“Now? …Fine.”

“Here, this way.”

The cameraman took Maya to the break room at the back. Thankfully, there was no one there. The cameraman asked her a question as soon as they sat down.

“What do you think of Minjoon?”

“As a chef, or as a person?”

“In general.”

“He’s a bit … of a difficult person. Not in the sense that I can’t deal with him, but in the sense that he’s hard to predict. He’s like a boy sometimes, and he’s like an adult others. Sometimes he’s incredibly calm and level headed, and other times he’s burning up with some weird passion.”

“Yeah, I can understand that. I wonder if he’s a genius?”

Maya wasn’t able to respond to that. Was he a genius? There were rumors going around the chefs about it, actually. Minjoon was only 21, no, 22 now. Becoming a demi chef at that age… It wasn’t that uncommon, actually. Some head chefs got their michelin stars at that age.

But the word “genius” held gravity. It made her hesitate from actually using it.

“I think Kaya’s a genius. Chef Minjoon was at least able to practice with ingredients he wanted. But Kaya ended up winning the show even without that. I think the word genius belongs to people like her.”

“So Minjoon’s not a genius, then?”

“I’m not sure. His tongue’s world-famous already, after all. He has to be different one way or the other. I do see sparks of a genius in him at times. Especially with that dessert from last time.”

“…So what is it, then?”

“I don’t know. Chef Minjoon is a question in himself. He’s the sort of person that makes everyone in the kitchen think for a second. That’s why I like him. He seems far more reachable than someone like Kaya.”

It was a little complicated, but still understandable. Maya smiled.

“Maybe I like him because he isn’t a genius. We’re people, after all. We like things that are at least a little imperfect. Plus, all that aside… As a person, he’s one of the best I’ve ever seen.”

“You like him quite a bit, huh?”

“It’s not like I can really say bad stuff about my boss, right? Especially on television.”

Maya grinned.

Minjoon was still busy cooking when they came back. He looked at Maya with an apologetic smile.

“Sorry, Maya. I’ve held you back all night.”

“No, you’re experimenting. I’d like to be a part of that. Plus…”

Maya looked around the Kitchen. Pretty much everyone was still in the kitchen. The reason was simple. They were all focused on developing their own recipes.

“Didn’t you say something about working together last time?” The cameraman asked in a confused tone.

“Of course. But the people coming this time are from Michelin itself. Everyone’s getting a bit greedy. They want to put out a recipe that’s ‘theirs’.”

Javier was the most greedy out of all of them. He didn’t forget the importance of working together, of course, but he still wanted to get something done by himself.

“You always said that you shouldn’t express your own greed in the food you make. That bad feelings would create bad food.” The cameraman asked.

“Greed isn’t always bad. Making food with the mindset of ‘I’m going to empty this guy’s wallet’ is bad, but… This is more of a dream. A dream as a chef. The dream of making great food.”

“…Great answer. So, do you feel value in working by yourself?”

Minjoon smiled confidently.

“I already got the answer to that. You’ll see the results of my work soon.”

“Appetizer, right?”

“Yes, but I’ve switched to making a dessert.”

“Hm? Why?”

“I thought the saltiness of the cheese would play out nicely as dessert, but…”

Minjoon breathed heavily. He seemed almost unable to contain his excitement.

“You’ll see soon enough.”

Minjoon began moving. The first step was to make the foam sauce. Air and foam. The first thing he made was the air. He took the stock made with the rind of a 40 month old cheese, then ground it with the 50 month old rind. He then filtered all this with a coffee filter, then blended it all in with lecithin. The sauce was completed with that.

The foam was even simpler. He would boil chicken stock in a thermomix, then add 30 month old parmesan in it. He’d create a foam out of it in a siphon afterwards.

The galette came next. He made a dough using corn starch, cheese, and melted butter. He spread the dough out on a silpat mat afterwards. After cooking it for 2 minutes in the oven, he ended up with galette.

There were only two things left. First was the cheese sauce he made before with cream, chicken stock, salt, and 36 month old cheese. Minjoon formed the base of the dish with the sauce.

Next came the souffle. He took smoked ricotta, parmigiano reggiano, and cream and mixed it together. He folded in meringue, then baked it in the oven. He put the souffle on top of the sauce, then topped with the foam and the air. He then stuck a galette in between the foam and the souffle.

“Wow…”

Everyone watching in the kitchen made an amazed face. The dish looked amazing, despite looking so simple.

Minjoon’s vision was almost obscured with countless images, but he took all of it away. Right now, he didn’t want to see anything other than his dish.

“I’ll be back.”

Minjoon took the dish and started walking. It was obvious who he was taking the dish to. Maya gulped, then tasted the bit of sauce left in the thermomix. Her face became colored with joy. As the rest of the people in the kitchen crowded over the thermomix, Minjoon knocked on the office door.

“Come in.”

He heard Rachel from the other side. A feeling of nervousness came over him, just like last time. But he was confident. Confident that he would pass. Rachel seemed to have noticed this in him.

“You seem confident today.”

“Yes, I am. I’m confident that anyone who tastes this would love it.”

“Oh, you’re making me quite excited. Did you know, by the way? None of my students got an ok from me on their first try.”

“I’ll be the first. That’s great.”

“Who knows? I’ll have to try it first.”

Rachel lifted her spoon. The sauces, galette, and the souffle shone under the light like little gems. At least, it was a gem at that precise moment. A gem that would disappear as quickly as it appeared.

Rachel’s mouth opened. Minjoon closed his eyes as he watched the spoon enter. In the darkness, one line was shining brightly in front of him.