A/N: Okay, so where did this little piece come from? Well, I've always been a little bit of a closet foodie (1) and could totally imagine everyone in the world of Naruto trying to survive in the dog-eat-dog culinary world. I do have a couple things to warn people about in advance: there will be a lot of swearing. Kitchens are a lot like locker rooms and meat lockers. Deal with it. There will be quite a bit of cooking terminology and food mentioned. I will provide an explanation of each at the bottom of each chapter, but only once in the chapter they first show up in. It'll get to be too much if I do it for each chapter. I don't know everything about professional kitchens and don't profess to. If I get something wrong please let me know and I will fix it. Just be polite.
Sasuke sat in what would be his office once the building was complete. The walls were white and a large cork board took up most of the larger wall. On it already hung various flyers and lists as well as a few notes in his doctor worthy handwriting. A computer sat on the side table sized desk that took up one wall in the cramped space to be used for ordering and planning of the new menu. The door was missing as the decorators were waiting for the paint to dry before hanging it up. Sasuke was casual, or as casual as he got. He wore a red collared shirt under a v-necked black sweater and jeans. The sounds of minor construction could be heard all around him, and instead of being annoying he found them almost soothing. This was going to be his place; his restaurant. That was assuming he ever got around to hiring a kitchen staff.
Sighing, he stood and ducked out of his cubicle like office, the sounds amplifying almost tenfold. He walked down the hallway, nodding to the painters in their hazmat like suits and paint sprayers. They would be done tonight and furniture would be moved in tomorrow. He ended up in the back alley, where the trash bins were kept and where the smoking members of the paint crew were chatting as they indulged. Seeing them added to Sasuke's own craving as he produced one of the death sticks, as his mother called them. He lit it and inhaled, eyes closing as the nicotine hit his system. Opening them he pulled out his blackberry and scrolled through his contacts until he reached the one he was looking for. It wasn't a number he called frequently, hell, he hadn't called it in years. The only reason it was still on his phone was because of the fact that he was too lazy to remove it and they transferred all your contact when you got a phone. He wondered if it would still work. There was only one way to tell. He hit the call button and raised the phone to his ear.
Chaos swirled around the kitchen, waiters and runners (2) alike coming and going like waves. The sound of cursing was almost as loud as the hisses of searing food in the many pots and pans. If you listened closely you could hear the beat of drowned out techno music from the portable radio wedged between two stations (3). Naruto stood in the middle of it like some kind of rock in the middle of violent storm. He wore the single breasted, sleeveless jacket of a dishwasher, but the way he was calling out orders and putting the finishing touches on dishes named him otherwise. Naruto turned from calling an order for a table of six, the chorus of "yes, chef," barely fading from his ears, to find a waitress holding a plate of returned duck. He took one look at the meat and knew what was wrong. It was undercooked by a good minute and a half. He grabbed the plate and walked over to the grill station.
"Tell me," Naruto said cheerfully as he shoved the plate under the harassed looking cook who was running the meat station's nose, "were you fucking or sleeping when your class was learning how to properly cook duck? Or has the knowledge been screwed out of you by with that last shot you knocked back?" The man barely paused in his cooking of the food currently on his burners as he looked at the plate and then back to Naruto. He thought that he had been covert in his acquisition and drinking of the little shot of tequila. He had been doing it long enough.
"No, chef," he said firmly as he took the plate and dumped the food into the trash bin next to his station and effortlessly got the plate into the dishwasher's sink. Naruto smiled sweetly. A lot of the men felt that at times he could be more scary than the actual head chef.
"Good, you drunken hussy," Naruto hissed. "I want one duck on the fly (4)." He walked back over to the expedition station, the cook who had taken over the station in Naruto's absence moving out of his way without a word.
"Naruto," a voice hoarse from too much smoking came from a man whose face was red from too much drinking. He wore the double breasted jacket of chef, his name embroidered in same red thread than covered the hems. This man was head chef. Naruto looked up from what he was doing for a second before going back to wiping the rim of the plate of one of the starters(5) going out. "What have I told you about using that language in my kitchen?" Naruto didn't bother to answer as an order came out for two oyster starters and one of the sashimi (6). "Look at me when I'm talking to you! I'm your head chef!" the chef roared and Naruto turned to look at him. The entire kitchen had gone quiet except for the sounds of food being cooked.
"If you're my head chef," Naruto said in that falsely cheerful voice he had used earlier, "then why is this your first appearance in your kitchen this week? I don't know about everyone else, but I was always taught that a chef's place was in the kitchen, not upstairs getting blowjobs from the wait staff." Naruto was tired of suffering under this man. He had been putting up with it for two months because the pay was twice what he had been making before, but it was nowhere near enough to run a kitchen and put up with this bastard's shit. The man shook from the rage in his body, never mind if that was what he had been doing.
"That's it, Naruto," he growled pointing his finger at the locker room, "I want you out of my kitchen. And if I see your face again it'll be too soon." Naruto shrugged as he moved to walk past the other man.
"That's perfectly fine with me. Just allow me to give you a little bit of a parting gift, you ball less excuse for a cook," Naruto pulled back and punched the other man. He staggered at the blow and when he removed his hands from his face, blood was flowing freely from his nose. Naruto grinned and waved cheerfully, grabbing his knives and their case on his way to the locker room. That had felt damn good.
Sasuke was on his fourth cigarette and tenth call. The number worked. He had managed to get the voicemail of the man he was looking for, but he didn't want to just leave a message. It felt like an act of cowardice somehow, like he was calling an ex-girlfriend to get back together. He snorted at the analogy his mind thought up. While, for a period, they had been closer than lovers, they had never dated and most certainly never broken up. It was more like both had mutually gone on to better things and lost touch. He took a drag from the cigarette as he heard the click that indicated someone was picking up on the other end. Finally.
Naruto had barely made it out of the locker room and into the dining room when he felt his phone vibrate in the back pocket of his tan cargos. He made a face at the bartender and hostess as he made his way out the glass doors and into the street. He pulled his phone out and blonde eyebrows climbed towards his hairline. Surely the caller ID couldn't be right. What reason would that bastard have to call him? Curiosity got the better of him and he picked up.
"Well, if it isn't the bastard of Fleet Street," Naruto said with glee as he answered. The nickname was old, a product of the other's skills with a knife. One of the other cooks had been a drama major in school and named him after the play Sweeny Todd for his excellent butchering jobs in the portioning of meat. There was a snort on the other end.
"I'm pleased to see that some things never change, dobe," Sasuke said with amusement in his voice. Hearing Naruto's voice took him back, back to the first job he had managed to land after culinary school. That was where he had met Naruto, and where he felt that his career had started all those years ago. It was old school and full of adventures that were very much taboo these days. It was a place where you were chewed out by your chef, where crude language was a must, where a drink and a brawl after service were almost mandatory. It was a place that had felt more like home to him than the place he where had put his head for most of his life. It was the place where he had really fallen in love, not just with food, but with the lifestyle of being a professional chef.
"Yes, well, not all of us can hop to Spain to study under Ferran Adria (7) you know," Naruto said as he leaned against the side of the building next to the restaurant he had been working in until recently. He ignored some of the horrified looks he was getting. He was hardly what the rich snobs who came here were used to seeing. Even after Sasuke and he had split ways, moving on to better restaurant positions, they had kept track of where the other was. It was just one of those things that cooks did concerning the people they liked. "But this isn't a social call, is it?" Naruto said praying it was something about a job. He had rent to pay and he doubted that he would be getting that last paycheck if Rouge had something to say about it. Sasuke used the back of the wall to put out his cigarette as he looked up at the sky in an attempt to tell the time.
"You know me too well," Sasuke said fighting the urge to dive into the pack in his pocket for another smoke. "Meet me at The Bar in thirty minutes?" Naruto couldn't help the hint of a grin on his features. Lady Luck was being kind to him this night and he knew better than to turn her down.
"I'll be there."
The Bar, as it was often called by those in the culinary business, was really nothing more than a hole in the wall joint hidden in the basement of one of the most happening nightclubs in the city. It was members only and the criterion for membership was that you had to work or worked in a restaurant. The lights were low and often flickered due to the fact that it was almost directly under the dance floor. The walls were cracked and peeling, tables and chairs dented and scratched from the numerous brawls and fights that had taken place there. Its liquor selection made high end liquor stores jealous. There was and always would be only one bartender, an old grizzled man who had once been one of the best chefs in the whole city, Sarutobi.
Sasuke made it to the bar first and was thanking whoever was listening that Sarutobi was so lax in his enforcement of the smoking codes. He had a whole bottle of Grey Goose next to two tumblers and an ashtray to himself. He had taken a seat at one of the booth-like tables, ignoring the looks he was getting from some of the other patrons. He recognized some of them as having worked with him before. He was well aware that more often than not, he made enemies instead of friends where he worked. He felt that it had something to do with the fact that he held everyone to his standards and he often found people lacking. Sasuke looked up as he heard the music from upstairs suddenly louder, signaling the door was open. Sasuke bit the corner of his mouth as he recognized Naruto. He looked just like Sasuke had remembered him; broader than him through the shoulders, skin tan from the little bit of Latino blood in him. His golden hair was a little longer than he remembered it being, and he was leaner, but the way his blue eyes lit up when he spotted him was the same. Sasuke had to bite back the smile that threatened on his face. Written across Naruto's shirt were the words: I have a culinary boner.
Naruto skimmed his eyes over the occupants of the bar looking for the other. He found him, looking like some sort of cliché sex god in one of the back tables. He hand one elbow on the table, half smoked cigarette in between his fingers and the side of his chin resting on the heel of his palm. His eyes were the black of the unknown, though those that saw him angry often said they turned red like a demon's. His hair was longer in the front than the back, bangs haphazardly parted so he could see, and looked like he had taken one of his knives to it. His face was the same emotionless mask that Naruto remembered. It was a face that Naruto had made an art out of changing. He slid into the seat across from Sasuke without a greeting, shamelessly helping himself to the vodka. He could feel Sasuke watching him in amusement as he took a drag from his cigarette.
"You know, they say smoking is the way cowards commit suicide," Naruto said as the liquid burned down his throat. Sasuke snorted and smoke came out of his nose making him look like one of those dragons of old. This was a conversation that the two had had before. Sasuke put out his cigarette in the provided ashtray. That was what Naruto was really after anyway.
"You know I've always been a closet masochist," Sasuke told him as he sipped his own tumbler and watched Naruto. Naruto shot him a look he couldn't identify and for some reason that bothered him. There was a time when he had been able to know the meaning behind everyone one of Naruto's looks. It had come with the ability to dance in close kitchen corridors without speaking, silently knowing what the other needed.
"Sasuke," Naruto began as he traced the rim of his glass with a finger, "as great as it is to see you again, what is this about? I think I have an idea, but…" he trailed off with a shrug and poured himself more of the clear liquid. Sasuke sighed and leaned back in his chair to look up at the ceiling. He had never been good at asking for anything. Ordering was more his style and part of the reason that he hadn't worked well with others. Naruto had been the only one to understand which order was really an order and which was a request in disguise.
"I hear that you're working for Rouge over at Trois," Sasuke said as he looked back at Naruto. Naruto snorted and crossed his arms.
"Was," Naruto corrected glaring at the wall over Sasuke's shoulder. He could not believe that bastard. "Quit. The fucker and I had irreconcilable differences." Sasuke raised an eyebrow at the news. This was a good thing, assuming that Naruto would relent enough to work for him.
"Ah," Sasuke said thinking about how to word what he was going to say. There were years between them. Gone was the time when he could've called him on the phone and had him drop everything to come help him. He decided blunt would likely be best. He didn't want Naruto to think that he was being tricked. "I'm opening a restaurant in two weeks. I'd like you to be my sous-chef (8)." Once the words were out, Sasuke could feel his hands twitching to pull out another cigarette and light up. He really hated this. Naruto blinked for a second as the words processed. Once they did he could think of a million reasons to say no. Naruto was tired of having to deal with chefs. He wanted to be the chef. He hardly knew Sasuke anymore. There was a good chance that they would tear each other's throat out. But he had never been one to back down on a challenge either. Naruto noticed where Sasuke's hands were twitching to and he smirked, reaching across the table for the pack of cigarettes. Grinning like a madman he took one out and lit it up taking a drag.
"You're on, bastard," Naruto said at the surprised look on Sasuke's face. Once the words hit Sasuke's ears he took his pack back and lit up his own, a smirk on his face.
"Meet me at the restaurant tomorrow at noon," Sasuke said as he took out the directions he had written just in case and handed them to Naruto. Naruto took him and gave a mock salute with the hand holding his nicotine stick. Sasuke shook his head at him. Lord, what had he just recruited?
The next day found the two of them crowded into Sasuke's office, which was now complete with a door. Interviewees for every position available in the restaurant milled about the dining room, looking at the new furniture and pissing the interior decorator off. Naruto had dragged one of the chairs from the dining room into the office to use and was sitting so that he faced Sasuke. Because of space the two of them were forced to sit so that one of their knees was in between the other's legs and touching the seat of the opposite chair. They were ignoring the proximity in the way that only men used to this kind of thing could. Each one of them held a stack of resumes. Naruto made a face as he read through one.
"Good Lord, bastard," Naruto said and Sasuke looked up from the one he had been reading. "Where the hell do these poor bastards come from? I've only seen one good candidate for runner and nothing for the stations." Sasuke sighed. He understood what the other was saying. Sending out word that you were looking for cooks was like a red flag to every dumbass who thought they could cook. Sasuke was itching for a smoke and knew that Naruto wouldn't let him. Cigarettes were like cigars to Naruto; only to be smoked on special occasions. Sasuke had been trying to sneak out to get one for the past hour.
"You got any better ideas, dobe?" Sasuke asked in exasperation. Naruto grinned. He had been waiting for Sasuke to ask him that very question. It seemed he still knew how to play the other like a bad violin when he needed to. Sasuke was immediately wary at the look Naruto was giving him. That look had the potential to be dangerous.
"As a matter of fact, I do," Naruto said sweetly. "I've got a few favors to call in. They aren't the crème de la crème, but they're sure as hell better than these jackasses." Sasuke made a face at Naruto. Why the hell hadn't he told him that first? It would've made things so much easier. Sasuke hated people in general and interviewing was torture for him.
"Then call them," Sasuke said standing to go tell the interviewees to fuck off…er…that the positions were filled. Naruto's language was already rubbing off on him, one of the few bad side effects to being around the other. Naruto stayed sitting as he looked up at his immediate boss. This was as much fun as he remembered it being.
"I did, last night after you left. I told them to be here tomorrow morning so you could get to know them," Naruto said barely dodging the blow as Sasuke aimed for his head. Sasuke glared down at him, ignoring the tingle that he got from being above Naruto.
"Na-ru-to!" he shouted in annoyance.
Sasuke sat at his desk in his room, invoices spread haphazardly over the surface. While he was not in charge of most of the finances of the running and creation of his restaurant, Orochimaru wanted him aware of them just in case. He was the owner of the actual restaurant, though he had let Sasuke have his way on décor and menu items. The sheer amount of money being spent was staggering, and they hadn't even hired the full time staff. All he could hope was that the place was as big a success as he thought it was going to be. He looked up as his bedroom door opened to reveal his brother. They were the same height with the same coloring, though Itachi looked much more like his father than Sasuke did. Itachi's hair was long and held back in a loose ponytail. It was a sharp contrast to the business suit he wore. He walked into the room carrying a couple sheet of paper.
"What do you want?" Sasuke asked as he massaged his temples. All these numbers were beginning to give him a headache. Itachi held the papers out to him, a small smirk on his face. Sasuke often had a hard time trying to understand what made his brother make the top ten most eligible bachelors in the Fortune 500. He was nothing to really look at in his opinion, not including the fact that he was far from eligible. Not that their parents were aware of the fact that their eldest son was dating a man, just as they were unaware of Sasuke moving to open a restaurant. The secrets they kept for one another.
"I came across something I think you should read," Itachi said by way of explanation. Sasuke frowned as he skimmed over the papers. It was from one of the top read foodie blogs for the area. It didn't seem to be something that warranted his attention.
"So it's a foodie blog? Big deal," Sasuke said his voice betraying the fact that he was a littler irritated that he had been interrupted. Itachi sighed and took the papers, flipping to a certain page.
"It's a preview of the new restaurants opening in the area," Itachi said as he handed it back to his brother. Sasuke blinked as he found the name of his restaurant being listed as one of the most looked forward to in the area. It was nice, but hardly worth bringing to Sasuke's attention. Itachi sighed, knowing his brother wouldn't understand. "If this restaurant starts getting a lot of press, there is no way you are going to be able to hide it from them." It was like something clicked as Sasuke realized what his brother was saying. His father hated Sasuke's love of cooking, seeing it as a female pursuit despite the fact that it was a male dominated profession. He had indulged Sasuke in culinary school hoping to make Sasuke realize that it was not something that he would like. He had nearly died when he found out that Sasuke had taken a job in an actual restaurant, which had prompted the trip to Europe. His father had told him to go to Europe and get this out of his system, because when he got back to the states he would be expected to get a real job.
"It's not like they can do anything really, Itachi," Sasuke said as he tossed the papers onto his bed. "They can't take the trust fund from me and being disowned really wouldn't bother me." Itachi shook his head. So like his brother to see the bigger picture and forget the minor details.
"That's true enough, but have you thought about where you would go while you waited the six months to get into it? Condo hunting in this city is not easy, and no landlord would be willing to sell with the promise of payment in a few months time. Not to mention the lawyer fees for rolling it over into actual cash," Itachi reminded him. Sasuke had never touched his trust fund, having lived at home and his father pay for everything. This meant that once he decided he would it would like Sasuke had just come of age for it. Sasuke stood, grabbing his cigarettes and lighter. He was craving the smoke that Naruto hadn't let him have all day.
"I'll deal with that bridge when I get there, Itachi," Sasuke said dismissing the subject. Truly there was just too much on his plate at the moment for him to be thinking about the moment when his parents figured out what he had been up to behind their backs. His mind was filled with the menu ideas that he and Naruto had discussed along with a hundred other things that needed to be done in order for the restaurant to open on time. It almost had him wishing he was back to being nothing more than a line cook, a peon in the cooking world whose only worry was juggling the incoming orders for the night and when was the next time he would get laid.
Naruto made sure that he was at the door waiting for Sasuke the next morning. He didn't want Sasuke to get the wrong impression about the people who were milling around the bar. Sasuke looked decidedly grouchy as he scanned the occupants, making a beeline for the espresso machine on the side of the bar, and ignoring the fact that Naruto was sticking to his side like glue. The second he had set foot in the place, everyone had stopped socializing to look at him. It bothered him to be the center of attention like that, but growing up in a family as famous as his he had quickly learned not to let his discomfort show. Naruto waited until he had knocked back the first shot of espresso- black and incredibly bitter- before he started the introductions.
"Alright, everybody! Let's get these introductions over with," Naruto said grinning and ignoring the half glare that Sasuke was sending his way. Sasuke hated mornings with the passion of a thousand suns. Naruto pointed at the first of the people; a pink haired girl with green eyes. She looked oddly delicate for someone who would work in the kitchen in her skirt and blouse. "This is Sakura Haruno, the best damn saucier (9) I have ever met. She knows more about sauce making than I do about sex, and that's saying something." Naruto got a chuckle out of everyone as he said it, Sasuke still wondering how she would react the first time her ass got pinched or she got called a trollop. He was not being sexist, not really. It was just a fact of life in a kitchen full of men. If she wanted to hold her own she would have to work twice as hard and make it clear she would take no shit from anyone. He nodded to acknowledge that Naruto had introduced him, frowning at the way she blushed. He did not need anyone trying to get into his pants.
"Next we have Suigetsu Hozuki, the fish man," Naruto said as a platinum blonde man stepped forward. He had the look of an athlete about him, though he was pale. He was already wearing his chef's uniform and Sasuke had a sneaking suspicion that it was the closest thing he had to something decent to wear. A huge array of knives rested in his apron pockets, far more than were generally needed by chefs. "I have never seen anybody clean fish the way he does, and if I didn't know better, I'd swear he got off on using knives." Oddly, Suigetsu just smirked at Naruto's description. He was neither going to deny nor confirm what Naruto had said, and that amused Sasuke.
"The two best runners in the whole damn city: Maitou Gai and Rock Lee," Naruto pointed to two green clad men that had Sasuke wincing. They were bright and looked like they had been trying to be twins, but had messed up because of the fact that one of them had to his father's age and the other was younger than Sasuke. They both struck a pose at Naruto's words, and Sasuke began to really wonder at just what was going through Naruto's head. Before he could voice anything, Naruto had moved on.
"Gaara Subaku, the man on a mission to see that everyone respects the meat," Naruto said with a wink and Sasuke looked at the diminutive Irishman. If it wasn't for his red hair, Sasuke would've thought he was looking at a high school student in goth that had wandered in; he wore black pants with chains, combat boots, and a long sleeved black shirt. He had some kind of scar on his forehead that Sasuke couldn't make out because of the way his bangs fell, and he swore that he was wearing eyeliner. He was hardly someone that Sasuke wanted to let anywhere near the food, never mind knives. But Naruto was moving on.
"And finally," Naruto said letting everyone know just how much of a great showman he was, "I give you Hinata Hyuuga, the patisserie (10) responsible for the baguettes I know all of you have been enjoying. Like an orgasm in a roll, ne?" The dark haired girl's face flushes as Naruto says her name. She's smaller than Sakura and looks almost fragile. Her eyes, from the quick glimpse I get because she won't look at any one in the room, are a soft grey. Her black hair is in a short A-line cut and she's biting her lower lip from nerves. Sasuke shoots a look at Naruto and opens his mouth to ask what the hell he was thinking only to have one of said baguettes shoved into his mouth. He is dragged, in shock from the pure delight of the taste of the bread, into his office by Naruto. By the time he finishes the bread, Naruto is grinning like the cat that caught the canary.
"I figured you better try some of her work before you tried to make me give her the boot," Naruto said as Sasuke came back down to earth long enough to glare.
"What the hell have you been smoking, dobe? That has to be the oddest crew of misfits I have ever laid eyes on! Are you even sure they can cook?" Sasuke asks feeling older than his twenty-six years. Naruto just grins wider and sits on the desk, careful not to crush the computer monitor.
"I knew you would ask that," Naruto said and Sasuke wondered if he had gone crazy and was sitting in a padded cell somewhere. Naruto was annoying the shit out of him! He wanted to strangle him. How could he know so much about what Sasuke would do when Sasuke couldn't predict so much as Naruto's breathing? "So I had them bring their stuff for a dry run of service. You said the kitchen was all decked out, right?" Sasuke looked at Naruto in amazement. That was perfect. He could even get a feel for how they would work as a unit.
"Damn, Naruto," Sasuke said shaking his head. "It's like you're my damn soul mate or something. You know what I want before I ask." Naruto chuckled at his words, both knowing it for the joke it was.
"Well, I'm available any time you want to test out new sexual waters. Just know that I won't bottom for anyone," Naruto said with a wink as he walked out the door to get changed himself. Sasuke blinked at the words Naruto said, swallowing the image given him and shoving it in the back of his mind. Now was not the time to be questioning his sexuality concerning his best friend, no matter how interesting the idea was. He had a restaurant to open and a full roster of line cooks to test out.
Sasuke leaned against the pass fifteen minutes later in his white chef's jakcet, a large stylized uchiwa (11) in black and red on the back. His entire staff would have them somewhere on their persons at all times while working. The kitchen was new, appliances shiny in their stainless steel. The work space was small, but all kitchens generally were. Everything needed for the dish Sasuke had thought up sat out on the prep counters. Seconds later, the door that lead to the coolers and freezers as well as the locker room opened and his cooks came in. Everyone was there except for Hinata and his runners. They were going to be the taste testers for this little foray. He raised an eyebrow at Suigetsu and Sakura as they came in.
"I'm just saying that it's odd is all," Suigetsu said not yelling but clearly close. Sakura looked pissed off.
"You just don't like the idea of a woman who is comfortable enough with herself to change in the same room as the men. What's the matter? Afraid that I might have bigger balls than you?" Sakura spat at him as understanding hit Sasuke. So that was what the problem was. Suigetsu looked ready to let loose on her, but Sasuke smoothly interrupted with a clearing of his throat. Both of the line cooks looked at him and Sasuke could see Naruto doing his best to hold in a snicker.
"I just thought I would remind everyone of something before we got started," Sasuke said dryly, "Whatever issues you have with each other outside the kitchen need to stay outside the kitchen. But I'm more than willing to forgive the two of you this time. Suigetsu, if Sakura wants to change with the guys, let her. It's not your job to tell her who she can and can't show her assets to. Sakura, Suigetsu is just saying that you changing in the same room is a new experience for him. Try to remember that not everyone is as experienced as you are." By the time Sasuke finished talking both of them were blushing a light pink color. Good. They wouldn't be doing it again. "Now, I want you to make me some negimaki (12)." No sooner were the words out of Sasuke's mouth than everyone sprang into action. Sasuke watched as Naruto began blanching (13) asparagus while Suigetsu chopped the excess off the scallions. Sakura began mixing the marinade, dancing around Suigetsu with calls of "behind you" and "move damnit". Gaara had the grill heating as he coated a grill pan with vegetable oil. Naruto no sooner called for the scallions than they were there. Not a minute later, Naruto was spooning out the vegetables onto a cutting board where Suigetsu was patting them dry. Naruto moved around Suigetsu so that he could wrap the dry vegetables in the beef tenderloin, which were handed off to Sakura to be coated in the sauce. Once coated, they were handed to Gaara who seared them on the prepared pan. Sasuke founded himself helping out as they finished cooking, moving to slice the rolls and plate them. It took them about twenty minutes to do the three portions, a decent time.
"Now let's hope that wasn't all show and no taste," Sasuke said as he took two plates and Naruto the third. Everyone had been looking accomplished once they finished with the cooking, but at his words they grew apprehensive. They walked out to where Hinata, Gai, and Lee were waiting. The plates were put in front of them and the not confirmed members of the staff watched nervously as the first bites were taken. Sasuke had moved behind the bar to get some sake and shot glasses. They needed to have the right wine after all.
"Oh, my god," Hinata said and Sasuke looked at her sharply. Was that a good oh my god or a bad one? She eep'd and looked over his shoulder. "Th..that..w..was…gr…great," she finally managed to stutter out. Sasuke shot Naruto a look. Her bread was divine, but her stuttering was going to have to go. He couldn't wait twenty minutes for her to get a sentence out.
"That is the most youthful food I have ever tasted!" Gai said and Lee nodded enthusiastically. Sasuke raised an eyebrow. What the fuck was that about? Naruto leaned over as though to translate.
"Anything having to do with youth or being youthful is the optimum of good," Naruto whispered as Gai and Lee started some kind of rant on just how youthful the food was. Sasuke eyed the two runners with trepidation. They wouldn't be like that during service, would they? They could loose customers to that.
"Fine," Sasuke said as Hinata offered her plate to the other cooks. Everyone stopped to look at him. "Report here by ten a week from Friday. Bring your knives, and don't bother with your jackets. I'll take care of that." He ignored the way everyone was grinning and celebrating the fact that they had managed to get the job. They could cook together, now they just had to survive the pressure of cooking for two hundred plus on opening night. That was a lot of covers (14) for an untried team.
Terms:
Foodie: Meaning someone who learns and wants to know about food, but doesn't, as a rule, cook.
Runners: people who run the food from the kitchen to the dining room. A good runner is fast and can carry more than four plates at a time.
Stations: the area in which you are cooking. Some of these include grill, starters, fish, etc.
On the fly: an expression meaning fast and on top of what you already have. Different from a refire because you start over on whatever it was instead of just cooking it longer.
Starter: meaning appetizer or something used to begin the meal.
Sashimi: a raw Japanese fish dish, normally consisting of tuna
Ferran Adria: a well-known chef for his cutting edge techniques and owner of El Bulli in Spain.
Sous-chef: the chef just under the head chef. He runs the kitchen in the absence of the head chef, can line cook every station in the kitchen, and generally watches the chef's back.
Saucier: an expert in making sauces, marinades, glazes, etc.
Patisserie: an in house baker and desert maker. They are somewhat separate from the main kitchen, but fall under direction of the head chef for things such as ordering.
Uchiwa: a traditional Japanese fan. Sasuke's clan symbol.
Negimaki: glazed Japanese beef and scallion rolls. I have edited the recipe a little for time purposes, but the dish is very good.
Blanching: basically boiling a vegetable or meat.
Covers: number of meals (starter, entrée, and desert) turned out by a kitchen.