Twelve Weeks of Ikarishipping
Week: Food Critic
Genre:Humor/Light Romance
Rating: K
AN:So, I tried doing cosplay for this week's theme. However, as you can see, that plan has failed miserably. Besides, I can't do cosplay, period. On the bright side, at least we can now see Shinji's cooking art to its full potential! As they say in France (where this is staged), cooking is an art! -Does the little obnoxious French chef kiss-XD So, yes, Hikari has a...sort of big ego (like in the anime), Shinji gets his own kitchen, and Reiji, our impromptu Trickster/manager, will try to advertise the family restaurant as best as he can...if he can remember to leave out the flaws, but then again, Tricksters are known to be...spontaneous.
Summary:There is a story told in a quaint town in Alsace (Al-zas), France, how an aspiring chef had unwittingly won the heart of a tough food critic, who loves good food very much. And now I ask you, where else can you get the finest quality of food, than in France, where cooking is at its best? Glossary at the end, and please excuse the little French phrases put in. I just couldn't help myself. -sweat drops-
Disclaimer: I don't own any of this, however, I do own the story of The Chef and the Food Critic. No, I don't believe there really is a French story about that, though it'd be quite hilarious if there was.
Week 9: Food Critic (a.k.a. The Chef and the Food Critic)
Bonjour, mes amis, and anyone else who has come to hear this wonderful little tale, though I must admit, it is quite...bizzare. After all, have you ever heard of someone winning the heart of another just by cooking?...okay, I admit, maybe you have, but it's not quite common, n'est-ce pas?
...mais, ce n'est pas importante. After all, mes amis, you are here to hear the tale of The Chef and the Food Critic!...ah, oui, not the most creative of titles, but I am sure the storyteller of this little tale was out of creative juices after finishing the story.
Oh, wait...I am the storyteller...okay, I admit it, not the most creative title I've come up with, but it's better than...than...okay, I've got nothing. Mais, ce n'est pas importante! Moving on! Ahem! So! The tale of The Chef and the Food Critic takes place in...
--
...the town of Abacourt wasn't large. In fact, it wasn't very widely known, but a young chef was determined to change that fact.
Chez Alogre was the most popular restaurant in the town, simply because the best chefs of Abacourt worked there. The restaurant once belonged to the late Monsieur Renji d'Alagogne, and now was under the care of his eldest son, Reiji, until his youngest, Shinji, was old enough to take ownership. Shinji was the only other person in the d'Alagogne family who had an inkling of wanting to cook in his blood--well, to better phrase it, he was the only other person in the d'Alagogne family who had even an ounce of cooking talent in his blood.
His father, Renji, as well as his mother, Hanako, was dead; his relatives were business men and women--they had no time for the creative arts, and Reiji, his elder brother, could not cook to save his life. However, he was a great manager and advertiser. With that in mind, Renji had written in his will that Reiji was to oversee Chez Alogre (named for Renji's deceased grand-mère, Alice d'Alagogne sans Alogre, whom he loved very much) until Shinji was twenty-five and would seize legal ownership of the restaurant.
It was nice, all in all, to have relatives who were business people. That meant more customers would come to Chez Alogre when tourists came visiting. Reiji, nonetheless, was extremely pleased when there was a business boom, even if Shinji always grumbled about how much harder he had to work.
Mind you, Shinji was no slacker, but working day after day, hour after hour, from nine o'clock in the morning till twenty-one o'clock (nine) at night was tiring, and he rarely had any vacation time. But then again, he couldn't really complain, especially if he wanted to one day become a renowned chef of France, so, day after day, month after month, Chef Shinji d'Alagogne would work from nine to nine, honing his skills and reaping in the compliments of the customers. Not a bad deal, really, except for the part of not having many vacation days.
And so, life continued, a monotenous trend for Shinji and the town of Abacourt, until one day, a stranger arrived...
--
Ohoho! Now, if this were to be a continuous story, don't you think that would make a nice prologue? Oh, wait, I'm interrupting the story. My bad!
--
The loudspeaker crackled to life as the announcer told everyone in la gare that the train departing for some small, out of the way town in Lorraine would be departing soon as a young woman sighed and stepped onto the platform. The train that had carried her from the capitol of Alsace to Abacourt was not as fast as le TGV in Paris, but at least it had gotten her to her destination quicker than taking her car. Plus, it was more efficient for the environment, and Hikari Mallamier was a big environmentalist. Everyone who kept up with her life and critiques knew that.
Hikari Mallamier was a food critic because she loved eating good food and informing people about good food and where to get it. However, that wasn't the only reason why she was a critic. In fact, she was a very good one. Food was her passion, and she wanted to spread the news of good food everywhere in France. She also secretly hoped that she would also be able to snag a young, fantastic chef for a husband as an added bonus as well, but so far, that wasn't working out too well.
On the bright side, she got to dine exquisitely, and at the finest restaurants in the big cities as well.
However, her unexpected trip to Abacourt (unannounced to the town at that) had left her most loyal followers stumped as to why she would want to go to an out of the way town like that. In all honesty, she had only come to the town because an acquaintance of hers mentioned that he had a nephew in Abacourt who was the best chef in that town. He had also mentioned that none of the food he ate even measured up to his nephew's cooking, not even the food in Paris's best restaurants. Naturally, her curiosity was piqued, because Jean Firuquet was notorious for never lying, and she had witnessed it first hand many times.
"Bonjour, Madamoiselle Mallamier!" Tyson von Halsbierge, her self-acclaimed guide and long-time friend, sauntered up to meet her, clasped her hand, and placed a kiss on both of her cheeks in the customary greeting while she copied the motions. "It has been a long time, n'est-ce pas?"
Hikari gave a tinkering laugh, higging her friend. "Oh, Tyson!" she cried cheerfully. "If you keep calling me that whenever we meet up, all of my adoring fans will swamp me!"
"Oho! Still as pompous as ever, I see," he replied playfully, escorting her out of la gare.
"Pompous, am I? Well, I'll show you pompous!" Hikari cried playfully, punching him lightly on the arm. "By the way, how is Annabelle?"
"She is doing fine," came the reply as Tyson placed Hikari's bag inside the trunk of his sleek, black sports car. "She just entered into her third trimester, and mon dieu! Her moods change faster than a chameleon!"
Hikari laughed again and got into the car. "Ah, well, give her my regards, won't you?"
"Very well, then." Tyson inserted the key and started up the engine. "Where to, then, mon amie?"
"Chez Alogre. I hear the food there is exquisite."
"Oh, it is." With a grin, Tyson revved the engine and the car shot out of the parking lot. They would get to the restaurant in no time.
--
Shinji d'Alagogne was the youngest chef in history of Chez Alogre, and his father had started the restaurant when he was twenty-seven. But he was not employed just because he was the owner's son--no, he was employed because he had talent and a love for cooking, the two traits most necessary for a chef to become famous, because if a chef did not have a love for cooking, how would his food taste delectable? And with talent, a chef could hone his skill and make his food taste even better than delectable. What more could an aspiring chef like him want?
Oh, right: a week of rest and relaxation, a.k.a. VACATION TIME!!
But no, Shinji did not present his case to his brother, Reiji, although he knew full well that he would've given Shinji all the time he needed to re-cooperate. No, Shinji was too stubborn to give up his dream to be a renowned chef and was willing to work himself to the bone to do it.
Sometimes Reiji wondered if his brother had super powers, or was just plain dumb.
He was willing to bet on the latter.
So, Shinji did not leave the borders of Abacourt (let alone the borders of Alsace), not even once, and spent most of his days stuck in the best kitchen in town (besides his own back home), slaving away in front of the stove, cooking. He didn't exactly hate his monotenous life. In fact, his relationship with his job was a love-hate one, but if working all day was what it took to become a famous chef, then so be it.
Yes, Shinji was determined.
And stupid.
At least, as far as Reiji would admit. Others would say that Shinji was a prodigy--a slightly obsessed one, yes, but a prodigy nonetheless.
With a sigh, Reiji leaned back in his swivel chair and scanned the documents in front of him. Shinji would be turning twenty-five in a few months, and he wanted to get all of the legal documents signed and out of the way so that there wouldn't be a big hassle when he finally gave his brother the deed to the restaurant.
Maybe then Shinji would get some common sense and go on vacation.
He sorely doubted that.
Very, very, very much.
"Mon dieu, mon frère est très têtu," Reiji grumbled, throwing the papers down onto the desk. "Maybe getting him hitch might change his mind...yep, a long honeymoon should do it..."
"Reiji, are you planning something again?" came a cool voice. Shinji stepped into the room, a tray laden with juice, a bowl of soup, and a sandwich in his hands. "Here's your lunch."
"Oh, mon petit frère! How kind of you!" Reiji chirped, taking a bite out of his sandwich.
"Must you always say that?" Shinji replied, rolling his eyes.
"But of course!" Reiji answered indignantly. "You know it is customary to compliment the chef!"
"You always overdo it, Reiji," came the reply. "Besides, thanking me is not a compliment."
"...ce n'est pas importante."
The ringing of the bell over the doorway could be heard, and a "Bonjour, monsieur," from a young woman and her male companion could be heard. Shinji and Reiji looked at each other, confusion flickering in their brown eyes. They rarely had any customers at this time of the day, for it was an hour pass lunch (running a restaurant meant that even the managers had to eat later due to the rush hour).
"Ah, one moment, please, madamoiselle et monsieur," Reiji replied, hurrying out of the office with Shinji close behind. "Bonjour et bien venue!"
Their customers were a young woman with ocean blue eyes and a taller man with flaming hair and bright green eyes. They didn't look much older than the two brothers, but it was the young woman that grabbed their attention. "Mon dieu!" Shinji uttered in complete surprise. "You're Hikari Mallamier!"
"Eh? C'est vrai?" Reiji did a quick scan of the woman's appearance. "Hmm...you're right, she does look like Hikari Mallamier, but how do you know if she really is her, and not an imposter?"
Shinji rolled his eyes. "You can't tell?" he muttered. "Look at her! She has that little hand bag that goes everywhere with her, the one that says 'Save the Earth'!"
"Oui, c'est vrai, mais..." Reiji narrowed his eyes and gave her a scrutinizing look. "Still...she might've just bought it somewhere and dressed up to look like Madamoiselle Mallamier..."
"Oh, for the love of it all!" Hikari grumbled, digging into her bag and pulling out her ID. "Voilà, mon permis de coinduire! Is that proof enough for you?"
Reiji laughed nervously and nodded. "Ah, yes, of course. So sorry," he stuttered, waving for the two to follow him to their table. "And might I ask why the great Hikari Mallamier has come to this humble restaurant?"
"I have heard from my acquaintance, Monsieur Jean Firuquet, that he had a nephew who worked here, and that his nephew is a very talented chef," Hikari replied cooly. "And I know that Monsieur Firuquet has the reputation of never lying, so I had to come and witness this nephew of his talents, and maybe write a review?"
"Hmm...Jean Firuquet..." Reiji rubbed his chin, thinking. They had many relatives, and it was hard to keep track of all of them. "Shinji, Jean Firuquet est notre oncle qui habite à Paris, n'est-ce pas?"
"Oui, je pense," was the chef's reply.
Hikari's eyes widened as she shifted her gaze between the two brothers. "So, you mean to say," she started slowly. "That one of you is the chef?"
Shinji hesitantly nodded his head. He knew that this was the big break he was looking for, but he had no idea if he was good enough. If the restaurant gained a good review, then more people would come to the restaurant, and he would become more widely known. However, if Chez Alogre gained a bad review...Shinji didn't even want to go there. Well, he would never know until he tried..."Oui, I am the chef," he said with determination gleaming in his eyes.
Hikari looked up at the younger brother and blushed. 'He's handsome,' she thought offhandedly before brushing away the thought. "Oh, wonderful," she replied, a bit airily. "Em, you wouldn't mind cooking something for me to try, would you?" 'Hikari! What are you doing, acting like a love-sick teenager?!' she berated herself silently. 'Act more confident! More brazen!'
"Of course not," Shinji replied, bowing a bit. "What would you like?"
Hikari smiled tentatively. "Surprise me."
--
Mon dieu! Is it that late already? I'm terribly sorry, but I must go now! Oh, please don't give me that look!...oh! So you want to know how it all ends? Well, Shinji and Hikari fell in love, got married, had six children, and lived happily ever after!
...okay, okay, so I was a bit exaggerating there...oh, all right, I skip forward to when Hikari tries the food, happy? Oh, good! Enjoy!
--
Hikari tentatively lifted the fork to her lips and placed the last bit of meat into her mouth. Her eyes widened at the taste--the chicken gravy on the meat was splendid, and he had put in just the right amount of spice! She didn't exactly hate to admit it, for she had never tasted anything quite like it, but Hikari had to say, it was the best meal she had ever eaten, and Jean Firuquet was right: Shinji was an amazing chef.
After dabbing her mouth with her napkin, Hikari looked up at Shinji and beamed at him. "I have to say, your uncle was correct," she complimented. "Your food was extraordinary! I've never tasted anything like it!" Shinji gave her a small smile that made her heart flutter. "I wouldn't mind marrying a man with your cooking skills," she said quietly, adverting her gaze.
Reiji couldn't help but jump at the opportunity. What luck! Maybe he could get Shinji to take that long-needed vacation after all, and get hitched in the process, like he had planned! Oh happy, happy, joy, joy! "Madamoiselle," he said, a sly grin on his face. "Shinji has just expressed the desire to know if you would like to join him tonight on a date."
Both couldn't help but blush as Shinji spluttered incoherent words angrily at his brother. Hikari, however, couldn't help but beam.
"I'd love to!"
Well, I must say! I believe this is my best drabble so far, nevermind what you readers think! -sweat drop-Um, what I mean, is that I feel that this drabble has the most effort put into it (plus it has French! I couldn't help myself!) What do you guys think?
AND A HAPPY (belated) BIRTHDAY TO YOU, RAYON1-SAN!
Glossary:
-Shinji: Paul
-Hikari: Dawn
-Reiji: Shinji's brother
-Alsace:Pronounced Al-zas; a region in France, probably most known for its German-like dishes and choucroute (sauerkraut).
-Abacourt: Pronounced Ah-bah-cour; a town in Alsace. No, I did not make this town up.
-Bonjour: Hello
-Mes amis:Pronounced Mezamee (for the lack of my pronunciation guidance skills...please try your best with this...); My friends
-N'est-ce pas:Pronounced Nesk pa; Isn't that so/isn't that right?
-Bizzare: Though it is also an English word, in French it means strange/odd...wait, it means the same thing in English...
-Mais: But
-Ce n'est pas importante: (XD One of my most favorite expressions!!) That's not important/That is not important
-Oui: Yes
-Chez: Technically..."(At) the house of..."
-Monsieur: Mr.
-Grand-mère: Grandmother
-La gare: The (train) station
-TGV: Train à Grande Vitesse, or...Train of Great Speed/a very fast train
-Madamoiselle: Pronunciation sometimes "leaves" out the a in "madam(e)", so it sounds like "Madmoiselle" unless you listen really closely; Miss/Ms.
-Mon dieu: Expression; "My God!"
-Mon amie:My friend (feminine-masculine is mon ami)
-Mon frère est très têtu.: "My brother is very stubborn."
-Mon petit frère: My little brother
-Bonjour et bien vennue: "Hello and welcome"
-C'est vrai(?): That's true(?)
-Voilà: Tada/Here is...
-Mon permis de conduire: My driver's licence
-Jean Firuquet est notre oncle qui habite à Paris, n'est-ce pas?: Jean Firuquet is our uncle, right?
-Je pense: I think
Review, s'il vous plaît (if you please)!
AN: 5/16/08: I am SOOOOOOO sorry, everyone, for not updating! Well, the truth is, I want you to all to be clinging to the edge of your chairs, begging me to update! -is bricked- lol just kidding! The truth is, it's May, y'know, the big "Finals" month. This means that I, the high school student that I am, am swamped in homework and finals. Seriously! I'm up to my neck in papers! Good news, though: I shall be updating over the summer (when I'm not busy with extra courses and summer reading projects)! Rejoice!...wait...reading projects...DANGIT! I have to do an APUSH (AP U.S. History) AND an Honors English 10 reading project! Noes!! -sobs- Attention, everyone! I shall never be updating again! -is bricked for being dramatic-