Between Stability and Transformation (part 2)

The hall in front of Lotus Bridge was full of well-dressed people. The reason for this is simple: Lotus Bridge is holding interviews for a new demi chef position today. And there were a total of 650 applicants for this demi chef position.

Douglas’ legs were shaking, and his fists were clenched. His expression reflected how visibly tense he was. Until the very moment he got there, he had definitely been confident that the interview would not be a big deal, but once he saw the long line of people in front of Lotus Bridge, all that confidence became deflated.

“Um, I’m sorry, but could you stop shaking your legs?”

“Ah, yes, yes. My apologies,” Douglas replied in a panicked voice and stopped his legs from shaking. But it did not take long for his legs to start shaking unconsciously. After receiving another complaint, he grabbed his legs with both of his hands. Everyone’s nerves were on edge.

This was understandable given that this place was Lotus Bridge, of all places. That they had maintained their Michelin two-star status for the past year was not sufficient in describing their value.

‘Lotus Bridge will someday become the center of the American culinary world.’

Douglas was convinced. This was not his own judgment but one that anyone who had even the slightest interest in the American restaurant industry these days would agree to without exception.

Lotus Bridge was different. It was not because they had managed to obtain two Michelin stars in a short time, either. Each and every recipe they created was novel in a way that was never seen before.

Of course, with that said, Jo Minjoon and Kaya were not creating completely new dishes. They simply added a different twist to what everyone else had done to highlight a different aspect of the dish people do not usually see. However, the power of that one twist was immense.

Douglas believed that even if Lotus did not have any Michelin stars at all, he would still be here. Even if a three-star restaurant had wished to recruit him, he would not change his mind. For him, becoming a part of the Lotus Bridge family held that much value in his mind.

‘They will surely get as big as Rose Island some day.’

Lotus Bridge is bound to open a branch one day. While he cannot be sure if that day will come a few years later, Douglas can recall an interview Jo Minjoon and Kaya did before where they said they saw no problem with possibly opening up a branch location if they had the time and ability to do so.

This should come as no surprise. First off, Jo Minjoon practically gained much of his experience at the famous Rose Island, which had numerous branches. He would have no reason to hold a negative perception of branch locations. That would imply the moment you became one of Jo Minjoon’s people, the chances that you could be appointed head chef at one of these branches rise. Similar to how all of Rose Islands’ current head chefs had at one time been Rachel’s demi chefs or sous chefs.

Each of the head chefs at the branches of Rose Island can boast of his or her own incredible fame and reputation. However, in Douglas’ opinion, at least half of that was solely due to the Rose Island name. Could they still be able to enjoy such a flashy life if they were not under the Rose Island name?

That thought was not just held by Douglas but also by many others there. They wanted someone, somewhere, to cultivate them and drag them up higher in this world. And that place would be Lotus Bridge. All those who were more desperate than anyone to claw their way up to the mountain’s peak from its base were gathered here.

Perhaps this was why the atmosphere there felt awkward. No one was willing to talk to each other. They had their fists clenched as if anxious for an approaching exam. Perhaps each one of them was there for the same reason Douglas was. Some others could have come simply because they had fallen in love with Kaya and Jo Minjoon’s cooking and wished to learn from them. But in any case, it was certain everyone there had no thoughts of backing down.

It was at that moment when…

“!”

“They’re here…!”

“Unbelievable. It’s really Kaya and Minjoon…”

Whispers and murmurs resounded everywhere. The gazes of the demi chef applicants looking at Jo Minjoon and Kaya, were so filled with reverence they resembled those of worshipers before their idols. This scene was clearly different compared to the past, and that’s why when Jill, Gwen, and Lee Minwoo, the original chefs at Lotus Bridge, saw this scene before them, they felt as if their own positions had somehow changed.

“…Did we look like that when we first started?”

“Not quite like that, of course,” Jill responded to Gwen’s question in a low voice.

When they had undergone their examinations and even after they had joined Lotus Bridge, while they had been happy, they had not treated it as such a monumental change. They had simply had the opportunity to join a new restaurant established by rookie chefs who had garnered some attention. Their credentials had been nothing worth speaking of.

However, now the situation has changed. Lotus Bridge had been able to maintain its two-star rating. Additionally, they were able to meet the expectations of those who had been anticipating much from that two-star rating. Not a single day had gone by where their cooking somehow did not meet those expectations. In the end, their expertise, not reflective of their rookie status, silenced the critics who were debating about their actual skills.

“We’ve proven ourselves as Lotus Bridge. Wait, no. That makes it sound like we played an equal part… Should I say our extraordinary head chefs did instead?” Jill smiled while joking.

Various gourmands had flocked to Lotus Bridge at the beginning. A good many had wished to take advantage of the expectations the majority of people had of Jo Minjoon and Kaya.

Their approach was simple: they would simply take Kaya and Jo Minjoon, whom the media had been praising as amazing, down a notch. By saying that Jo Minjoon and Kaya’s cuisine at first glance may taste fine but it lacks depth, the detractors could shave the two chefs down and raise their own standings.

Of course the scheming of those blockheads was immediately exposed. First, Michelin had recognized their achievements. And after that, more famous gourmands from various countries around the world had flocked there not to show off or to boost their own pride but because they sincerely wished to draw their own conclusions. And their evaluations gathered over as time passed so that, in the end, everyone in the world inevitably was convinced that Lotus Bridge was an exceptional restaurant.

And it was improving each day that passed by.

To the chefs gathered there that day who were quaking in their boots, Lotus Bridge looked like a winning lottery ticket in their eyes. But they were inwardly frustrated, knowing only one of them present would be able to hold that winning ticket.

“We had made a good choice coming here, Gwen,” Jill said in a low voice.

Gwen smiled steadily.

“Yeah. That’s probably true.”

“Why did you add that ‘probably’?”

“Because the reason you came here is clearly different from mine.”

Jill looked at Gwen as if she did not understand what Gwen had said. However, Gwen did not explain herself to Jill because it made her feel uncomfortable thinking of talking about it.

Gwen, like Jill, never once regretted her choice in coming to Lotus Bridge. She truly loves and dotes on Lotus Bridge, but not because Lotus Bridge is impressive. She does so solely based on its people.

Each and every person at Lotus Bridge cared for and respected each other. They thought of each other as truly family and not simply as colleagues in name only. And all of that was thanks to Kaya and Jo Minjoon. The two highest-ranking people had fostered a culture not just of friendship but of family. The people would get along with each other without any awkwardness and grow closer to each other every day.

As they grew closer, they could naturally feel each other’s warmth more distinctly. Gwen quite liked that warmth. She had felt she had been thrown out into the world all alone, but the existence of Lotus Bridge itself had become her very reason to live.

It was then when Jo Minjoon and Kaya drew closer to the applicants. Jill saw the applicants frozen like mice right in front of a cat and could not stop laughing inwardly. The two of them were not exactly making frightening expressions, either. Actually, Jo Minjoon was smiling softly, and Kaya had a rather normal look on her face.

However, despite that, the applicants could not hide their nervousness. A few of them looked as if they could not breathe properly. The reason for this was simple. First off, Lotus Bridge’s standing had changed from the past. Secondly, the atmosphere surrounding the two of them had also changed.

Jo Minjoon and Kaya were no longer the immature head chefs from before. Of course, even if they were being immature, considering how new they had been to the position of head chefs, that was still rather impressive of them. They had also treated their other chefs in a childish type of atmosphere.

However, this was no longer the case. An entire year has already passed with them installed as the head chefs. During that time, the two of them had slowly acquired all the skills needed for being leaders. Naturally, charisma was no exception.

These two had a unique air about them that only leaders who have fostered the growth of others can develop. They were not ordinary leaders. They were leaders who would raise their staff up to make their restaurant the best in the world.

They stood on a much higher level. Just as people are at a loss for words when they witness mother nature, the applicants were looking blankly at the two of them feeling overwhelmed.

“We truly thank everyone who has gathered here today,” Jo Minjoon said in a calm voice.

“I’m pretty sure you all have your own fantasy about what Lotus Bridge is. Or if not about Lotus Bridge but about the two of us. I will tell you right now that fantasy of yours won’t end at just being a fantasy. We are confident that we will be able to make you so happy cooking you’ll go crazy.”

“Those among you who can match our pace will be the ones who have the confidence to make us happy. We are not looking for a demi chef who will only do as we say. Rather, we are looking for a demi chef who won’t be pushed around by us and provide us an opinion that is even more correct than ours.”

Once Kaya finished speaking, she turned to look at Jo Minjoon. Jo Minjoon was quietly observing the applicants. Jo Minjoon could see the applicants had a look of determination in their eyes. Jo Minjoon could feel quite a lot has changed. Lotus Bridge had now become an object of envy and not a target of people’s doubts.

However, Jo Minjoon remained hungry. One year had not been a short time. Many things had come to pass.

During that time, Jo Minjoon had given just one thing as a present to himself.

And that was cooking.

It was one of the three conditions for achieving cooking¹ level 9. Actually, satisfying that condition for cooking did not even take 1 year. After about half a year, Jo Minjoon had completely satisfied the condition for cooking.

One could perhaps consider it an unprecedented speed of growth that would warrant one to simultaneously congratulate him on his talent and to also despise him for it. However, Jo Minjoon did not believe he had an easy time obtaining his qualifications.

Jo Minjoon had not dedicated just the entirety of those 6 months to cooking. He had not dedicated just all his time after being elected grand chef or after being picked for Rose Island, either.

No, it was the moment he had gained an interest in the culinary arts that he began constantly thinking about it. Of course, that would be a bit of an exaggeration, but Jo Minjoon had always spent all his time on the culinary arts.

If you consider the time prior to his regression, Jo Minjoon is actually 35 years old. With that considered, mastering cooking completely was not out of the question for him. In fact, it was not rare to find someone who has completely mastered cooking by the age of 35.

Did Allen not achieve culinary art level 9 around that age, himself? While he did not think it necessary for culinary level to be proportionate to one’s age, Jo Minjoon thought his level was not that impressive for his age.

‘Cooking that promotes one’s senses…’

This was what had been occupying Jo Minjoon’s thoughts lately. His skill in producing cooking that promotes one’s senses had been stuck at 99% for several months now. He had thought he would be able to acquire that last percent quickly, but it was not as easy as he had thought.

And that is why the person Jo Minjoon hates the most nowadays is Thomas Edison. That bastard with his genius is 99% perspiration and 1% inspiration quote. Usually, people think the point of that quote is about the effort required, but actually that old man had made that 1% all the difference in the world.

‘In case I don’t have that 1%, then I’ll just have to borrow someone else’s.’

Jo Minjoon looked at the applicants with a firm gaze. Maybe he could find that 1% among these applicants. He had already shed his old habit of giving up on something because he thought he did not have the talent for it.

“I will give you all the 99% that you want.”

Everyone’s eyes fixed on him.

“If you want to receive that from me, then you just need to provide me with 1%.”

The expectations in that gaze were no longer frightening.

CREDITS:
Original author: 양치기자리
Translator: Comic Seoul
Proofreader: Potato

1. culinary arts (trying to let you know there is a difference between the abstract concept of culinary arts and the actual skill needed for cooking food) ↩︎