The Assistant Chef, Part 3
"Mushroom and olive pizza for Table 17. Fish and chips for Table 2." Asuna said to Yui as the waitress takes the two dishes from the window.
"Got it!" Yui said before walking away. Eugeo carefully walks past her before entering the kitchen.
"Everyone! A quick word, please!" Eugeo said anxiously.
"What is it?" Asuna asked as she, Kirito and Klein pause their work and stare at him in confusion. Eugeo glances at the diners through the kitchen window before gesturing the chefs to come closer to him.
"The diners at Table 9 asked for something that isn't in the menu." Eugeo explained to them.
"What? Something entirely new?" Asuna asked in surprise.
"Yes! Something that this restaurant has never made before!" Eugeo said nervously.
"Not even Addie and Teddie?" Kirito asked.
"Yes!" Eugeo said to him with his eyes wide. "These customers, they used to eat here when Addie and Teddie were the owners. They didn't like the food back then, and now they are here again expecting something new from us. If we fail to satisfy them, their feedback will surely reflect badly on us, and our chances of repairing our restaurant's image will be ruined!"
"Alright, calm down." Kirito replied as he holds up his hands. He turns to Asuna and asks, "Asuna, can you think of anything on the spot?"
"I…um…" Asuna stuttered. "I wish I could but…" As she looks around the kitchen nervously, her eyes soon land on Klein. She gasps as an idea hatched inside her head. "Klein!"
"Yes?" Klein asked in surprise.
"You used to work in another restaurant. Is there any recipe you remember cooking there?" Asuna inquired. After staring dumbly at her for a moment, Klein lowers his head and rubs the back of his neck.
"Well…there are plenty of dishes that I still fondly remember cooking over there…" Klein said hesitantly.
"That's great!" Kirito said excitedly as he, Asuna and Eugeo perk up.
"But…" Klein lowered his hand. "It's been so long since I've cooked any of them…I don't know if I can pull them off perfectly."
Kirito, Asuna and Eugeo frown worriedly as they glance at each other. The manager places her hand on Klein's shoulder and said pleadingly, "Klein, I know you still haven't entirely got your confidence back. But we really need your help right now. I…need your help. Just forget about everything that happened that night and remember why you wanted to become a chef in the first place. Do it for us, and the people you loved."
Klein stares at Asuna again for a few moments as he contemplates what she had said. She is right. For the last two years and two months, all Klein could ever think of was the anger, sadness, and frustration he had since his firing from Le Concorde. And because of it, he had almost completely forgotten the reason why he followed his dream in being a chef in the first place. Now, he can either choose to continue doubting himself and risk letting everyone down again as he did back at Le Concorde or take this opportunity to redeem himself and prove to everyone what he is truly capable of.
Klein soon narrows his eyes and asked Asuna, "Do we have any leftover ground beef in the storeroom?"
"Yes, plentiful." Asuna replied.
"Good. I'll also need breadcrumbs, eggs, and nutmeg, please." Klein said.
Asuna nodded to him before turning to her assistant chef. "Kirito, I want you to assist Klein in working on whatever recipe he had in mind for Table 9. I'll help work on the dishes for the other tables at the meantime."
"Understood." Kirito nodded.
"Eugeo, tell the diners at Table 9 to wait for at least an hour." Klein said to the waiter.
"Got it." Eugeo said. "I hope we can pull this off."
"We have to." Asuna said solemnly to everyone present in the kitchen. Kirito, Klein and Eugeo nod their heads to her, and Asuna claps her hands. "Get to work!"
Eugeo leaves the kitchen to inform the diners at Table 9 while Asuna resumes her work on the potato salad at her workstation. Meanwhile, Kirito follows Klein to the centre of the kitchen where the bandana-wearing chef picks up a knife and a full onion from the table.
"So, what exactly are we going to cook, Klein?" Kirito asked.
Klein turned and smiled at him. "Hamburg steak."
Shortly after coming out of the storeroom with a container of fresh ground beef, Klein places it on the table just as Kirito finished mincing another onion into multiple tiny pieces on a chopping board. Kirito places the knife down, picks up the board, pours its contents into a glass bowl, and places it next to three other bowls of minced onions that he had made earlier.
"I'm done chopping four onions as you said. What do we do now?" Kirito asked as Klein removes the lid. After smelling the beef to make sure they are fresh, Klein looks back at Kirito.
"Pour the ground beef into a separate bowl. Add some salt onto it and mix them well with your hands until it is slightly sticky. Do it as quickly as possible." Klein instructed.
"Understood." Kirito said as he quickly grabs an empty bowl and pours the ground beef into it. Meanwhile, Klein grabs one of the bowls of minced onions and walks over to one of the frying pans placed above the stove. He places the bowl aside on the counter and grabs a bottle of cooking oil. He pours some oil into the pan, causing it to sizzle. After putting the bottle aside, he picks the bowl up and uses a wooden spoon to carefully pour half of its contents into the pan.
"Carefully pour half of the minced onions into the pan, and sauté them on low heat." Klein murmured to himself. He places the bowl of onions aside and stirs those that are in the pan around with the spoon. "Stir the onions around until they are fully coated with oil. When they are, add a dash of salt on them."
Some time later, Kirito kept doing what he was told to do until he felt the ground beef becoming slightly sticky in his hands, just as Klein said. Klein had also finished caramelizing the onions in his pan and pours them into a separate bowl. He grabs both bowls containing the sauteed and raw minced onions and walk back to Kirito.
"How this, Klein?" Kirito asked as Klein places the bowls of onions aside on the table. He looks down at the ground beef and gives him a thumbs-up.
"That should do it. Great job, sir." Klein replied with a small smile. "Now we can add the extra ingredients inside it." Klein now picks the bag of breadcrumbs up while Kirito grabs a fresh egg. As Kirito carefully breaks open the egg, the bandana-wearing chef opens the bag, scoops some crumbs with a spoon and pours them into the bowl of ground beef. "Add breadcrumbs…"
"An egg." Kirito added as he pours the raw egg onto the beef next.
"Nutmeg and pepper." Klein said as he sprinkles a bit of nutmeg and pepper from the shakers into the bowl.
"And finally, both the raw and sauteed onions." Kirito finished.
"That's right." Klein said as he grabs the bowls of raw and sauteed minced onions and pours them into the bowl of ground beef. "Now, you mix it again while I work on the next set of onions."
"Sure." Kirito nodded.
"Mind if I help out?" Asuna asked as she walks over to Klein. Klein stares blankly at her for a moment before smiling.
"Thanks. I appreciate it." Klein said.
"Just tell me what to do." Asuna said as she and Klein grab the next three bowls of raw minced onions from the table. As both chefs walk over to the stove, Kirito smiled as he watches them working together. He turns back to the bowl of ground beef and begins mixing it with his hands.
After Klein and Asuna are done caramelizing the next three sets of minced onions, they return to the centre of the kitchen to find Kirito done mixing the ground beef. That is when Klein proceeds to tell them the next step. The three chefs each grab a handful of ground beef from the bowl and Klein instructs them to continuously drop the meat from one hand to another.
"Keep dropping the meat from one hand to another to remove any air from it. Shape them up into patties, preferably make them around half an inch thick." Klein said to his superiors. Kirito and Asuna did what they are told, and when they are done, the three chefs place the four patties they have created onto a metal tray. Klein grabs the handles of the tray and Kirito and Asuna follow him to the refrigerator. Kirito opens it for him, and Klein inserts the tray inside it. "Now, we leave them inside the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes."
After Kirito closes the refrigerator, Klein instructs him, "At the meantime, while we work on the orders for the other tables, you can prepare the gravy for the steaks."
"You got it." Kirito winks an eye and gives a thumbs-up to Klein.
"I'll work on the mashed potatoes. Don't mind preparing some chopped asparagus and sweet corn, ma'am?" Klein asked Asuna.
"Leave them to me." Asuna smiled at him.
Thirty minutes later, Klein removes the tray of beef patties from the refrigerator and return to the stove. He carefully walks past Kirito and uses his wooden spoon to place all four beef patties onto his frying pan.
"Now we warm them up and grill them at medium heat." Klein said. Kirito momentarily turns his attention away from his gravy to watch the crusts forming above the beef patties.
"Interesting." Kirito murmured.
"Once the crust forms, cook them for three more minutes on low heat." Klein said as he lowers the heat. "When the sides turn white, I'll flip them over and repeat the process one more time." He turns to Kirito and asks, "How's the gravy coming along?"
Kirito smells the aroma of the gravy before flashing a smile at him. "Perfectly fine."
Klein nods his head to him before Kirito picks up his saucepan and return to the centre of the kitchen. After he finished grilling both sides of the patties, Klein turns off the heat and covers the frying pan with a clear lid. He leaves them alone for two minutes before removing the lid. He turns on the heat again and grills the patties again for another two minutes. He uses a bamboo skewer to poke the patties. When he sees juice oozing out from all four of them, a wide smile plasters across his face.
"They are ready." Klein said. He puts the skewer away and brings up the heat. After seeing the patties turn brown about 15 seconds later, Klein quickly turns off the stove. He picks up the pan and brings the patties over to the centre of the kitchen where his mashed potatoes and Kirito's gravy are. As Asuna walks over with her plate of chopped asparagus and sweet corn, Klein places one of the patties onto an empty plate. He scoops some mashed potatoes and places them beside the patty. Kirito pours the gravy over them, and Asuna finally adds the asparagus and sweet corn onto the other side of the plate.
After doing the same thing for the other three patties, Eugeo and Yui suddenly walk over and stand outside the kitchen window.
"Is the food for Table 9 ready?" Eugeo asked the chefs. After placing the first four Hamburg steaks he made in a long while onto two large trays, Klein lets out a heavy sigh as he hopes for the best. He and Asuna pick up the trays and walk over to the kitchen window to place them in front of the waiters.
"Special order for Table 9." Asuna said to Eugeo and Yui. As the waiters take the trays and bring the food over to the right table, Kirito walks over to Asuna and Klein, and the manager smiled weakly at both men. "Whatever happens, we did our best."
At the dining area, Eugeo and Yui place the Hamburg steaks in front of the diners of Table 9.
"We apologize for the wait." Eugeo said to them. "Enjoy your food."
As Eugeo and Yui back away, they see the diners staring down at their food for a few seconds. They pick up their cutlery and slowly cut a small portion of their food. Eugeo and Yui nervously watch the diners put the food into their mouths and taste it. They all stay still for a moment, causing Eugeo and Yui to panic. But suddenly, to their surprise, the diners continue eating their food with their eyes widened in amazement, which is a complete departure from their original snobbish demeanour.
"It's delicious!" The second diner said enthusiastically.
"It's so good!" The third diner agreed.
"I love it!" The fourth diner cried.
"I'm impressed." The first diner said in awe before he resumes eating his food.
Eugeo and Yui smiled in relief as they idly watch the diners indulge in their newest dish. Their praises are also getting the attention of the other diners as they momentarily turn their heads to them.
"Excuse me, waiter?" Eugeo turns to his left and sees the diners at Table 8 staring at him. "May I know what they are eating?"
After spending a few minutes taking several new orders, Eugeo rushes back into the kitchen, getting the attention of Asuna, Kirito, and Klein as they pause their work.
"How was it?" Asuna asked.
"They love it!" Eugeo cried happily. As Asuna, Kirito, and Klein laugh in delight and relief, the waiter continued, "The diners of Table 9 love it so much that it has gotten the attention of the other tables. Yui and I got eight new orders of the same dish!"
"Then what are we waiting for?" Asuna asked Kirito and Klein. "Get to work!"
"Yes ma'am!" Kirito and Klein replied in unison. As Asuna resumes her work at her workstation, Kirito gave a quick pat on Klein's back before gesturing him to repeat the process in making the Hamburg steaks. Klein gave a chuckle before following Kirito to the centre of the kitchen.
Throughout the rest of the night, Asuna, Kirito, and Klein continue working together as a team in the kitchen as Yui and Eugeo kept bringing them more orders. Both the chefs and waiters are able to finish cooking and deliver the food out of the kitchen in a timely manner, and the diners are loving what they have ordered, with Klein's newly made Hamburg steak being the hottest dish of the night.
Eventually, it was time for the restaurant to close. After the last few diners have left, Yui and Eugeo closed and locked the restaurant. They walk over to the counter, grab five canned drinks from the refrigerator and enter the kitchen to join Asuna, Kirito, and Klein. After every staff member has gotten a drink, Asuna clears her throat to get everyone's attention.
"Everyone, I declare tonight's dinner service…a success." Asuna said, causing Kirito, Klein, Yui and Eugeo to cheer in delight. "The feedback that I've received from the customers, especially four certain ones from Table 9, are generally positive with many of them praising our newest dish, the Hamburg steak, made by yours truly, Tsuboi 'Klein' Ryoutarou."
"Yaaaaayyy!" Yui cheered and clapped while Kirito and Eugeo give a pat on Klein's shoulders. As he sees and hears everyone complimenting him, Klein chuckles sheepishly and rubs the back of his neck. The bandana-wearing chef looks back at his manager as she smiles warmly and holds up her drink to him.
"Klein, from the bottom of my heart, thank you…" Asuna bows her head to him. "For saving our restaurant."
Klein was stunned for a few moments, feeling overwhelmed by Asuna's words of gratitude towards him as it was something he had never received in a long while since his firing from Le Concorde. He wipes his eyes and gives a soft chuckle.
"Heh, I got dust in my eyes." Klein sniffled. "You're welcome…ma'am."
Asuna nodded and said to all her employees, "Alright everyone-"
"Wait." Kirito suddenly interrupted, causing the others to turn to him in confusion.
"What is it?" Asuna asked.
"I have an announcement of my own too." Kirito said. "I would like to step down as assistant chef and return to my previous position as a saucier." He paused as he firmly places his hand on Klein's right shoulder, much to his surprise. "And I would like to suggest having Klein taking over the position of assistant chef."
"Me?!" Klein said incredulously. Kirito nods his head to him.
"Tonight, I have witnessed how you and Asuna are able to put your past grievances aside and truly work together as a team. I have the utmost coincidence in you that you can pull off brilliantly in the role of assistant chef." Kirito said encouragingly. Klein stares blankly at Kirito for a moment before smiling back at him.
"Thank you, Kirito." Klein said to him. He turns back to Asuna who now extends her hand to him.
"It's good to have you as my assistant chef, Klein." Asuna said.
"It would be an honour." Klein replied as he grabs her hand.
After a warm handshake, Asuna raises her canned drink in the air again and proclaimed, "Alright everyone…cheers!"
"CHEERS!" Kirito, Klein, Eugeo and Yui all cried in unison as they and Asuna clink their drinks together to commemorate a job well done. They lower their drinks, open their cans, take a few gulps and sigh blissfully.
Klein watches Asuna, Kirito and Eugeo now happily conversing with each other by sharing some memorable moments that happen in the kitchen and dining area tonight such as a funny conversation that Eugeo overheard from some of the diners at Table 2, and Kirito admitting how nervous he was in spilling the ground beef onto the floor during the air removal process. The bandana-wearing chef could not help but smile as their celebration greatly reminded him of all the happier times he had with his former boss and co-workers at Le Concorde. It used to be something he did not want to remember as he was still haunted by the painful memories of the accident, his subsequent firing, and his departure from the city he had long dreamt of living and working in. But as he was working with Kirito and Asuna tonight, it not only reignited his passion for the culinary arts, but also made him remember an event he had just a day before his return to Chicago. He closes his eyes and he reminisce that memory once more.
Two Years and Two Months Ago…
Klein folds up the last set of clothes on his now sheetless mattress and places them neatly inside his huge silver luggage. He zips and locks his luggage securely before carrying it up and placing it down on the floor at an upright position. When he is done, two men entered his room.
"Are you done?" One of the men asked.
"Yeah. Take it away." Klein replied softly. He backs away and watches the two movers remove the mattress from his bed and carefully carry it out of his room as they make their way back to their truck downstairs.
Dishearteningly, Klein looks around his bedroom that is now almost completely devoid of any furniture and appliances apart from his bed and wardrobe. Although the apartment was small, this place was his home for the last four years, and he felt happy living inside it. But tomorrow, all of it will be gone as he will permanently leave this place and move to an even smaller house back in his hometown, and everything he had ever experienced in the Big Apple will feel like a blink of an eye. Klein felt hurt over losing his job and opportunity to work in New York again, but he also felt guilty in costing the livelihoods of his fellow co-workers. Because of him, they too may never find a job in the culinary arts again. Perhaps he made the right decision to accept the reality that he will never be a chef again, and he will only hurt more people if he ever thinks of pursuing such a career again.
Suddenly, one of the movers enters his room and knocks on the door.
"Excuse me, sir. There's someone outside who wishes to speak with you." The mover said. Klein looked surprised as he wasn't expecting any visitors today. Nevertheless, he nods his head and leaves the bedroom. As he approaches the main entrance of his apartment, he widens his eyes in shock to find a man with short side-shaved brown hair standing outside his home.
"Hello Klein." The man greeted with a wave of his hand.
"Jackson?! What are you doing here?" Klein asked as he walks over to the unexpected visitor. "Aren't you supposed to be helping your father at Le Concorde?"
"True. But I would rather take the chance to say one last goodbye to you before you leave the city." Jackson said. Klein frowns and lowers his head.
"You didn't need to do that. Because of me, you ended up in the hospital. Who knows what would have happened to Le Concorde if you actually died that night?" Klein said dejectedly. "Maybe your father was right. I never should have been a chef in the first place."
"Klein, please. You can't blame yourself over what happened to us." Jackson said. He stuffs his hand inside the pocket of his jacket as he steps closer to him. "And you can't let my father's words demoralize you either."
As Jackson now removes a photo from his jacket, he hands it to Klein, who gave a soft gasp upon looking at it. It was a photo of him and Jackson that was taken on the night of the party. Inside the photo, he and the manager's son had their arms wrap around each other's shoulders while sitting at the pub's counter, each holding a glass of beer in their hands, and smiling for one of their fellow co-workers who took the moment for them with his camera.
"I'm sorry that you could no longer stay here. But the American dream doesn't just exist in New York. You're still a young and talented man, Klein. It's never too late to start all over. I hope no matter where you go next, you can keep your head up and never stop doing what you love to do." Jackson extends his hand to him. "And I wish you nothing but the best for your future."
Klein stayed silent as he looks back up at him. He quietly shakes his hand and Jackson gives him a pat on the shoulder before he turns around and leave. As the manager's son departs, Klein stares down at the photo again for a few seconds before he closes his eyes and sighs inwardly.
Klein smiled as he opens his eyes which are now brimmed with tears. Jackson was right after all. He can never change what happened to him that night, and he will always remember how painful it was for him to lose everything afterwards. But when he decided to work at Asuna's Baking Company, not only did he regain his love for cooking, not only did he make new friends and achieve his dream of being a second-in-command of a restaurant at last, but he also found his happiness again. Good things do come to those who continue following what they love after all.
"Klein, what's wrong?" Yui asked concernedly.
"Huh?" Klein said as he turns to the waitress and wipes the tears off his eyes. "Oh nothing, really."
"Do you have something in your eyes again?" Yui asked. Klein laughed in response.
"Well…it's just…" After taking a gulp, Klein smiled at Yui and uttered, "I'm just happy to be working in my dream job again."
Yui smiled back at him, and so did Asuna, Kirito and Eugeo. As Klein glances at every one of them, he bows his head to his new boss and co-workers with gratitude.
"Thank you…all of you."
The next day, Yui and Eugeo hastily place the cutlery and napkins on the dining tables as there is already a long line of people waiting outside the restaurant just minutes before opening time. After last night's dinner service, word quickly spread throughout the city that its food and service have greatly improved under Asuna's management, causing many residents of Chicago to come pay a visit and see if all the recent positive feedback of the restaurant that was once mocked and shunned by the public is true.
After making sure all the cutlery and napkins are neatly arranged, Yui and Eugeo turn to the kitchen window, and each give a thumbs-up to Asuna. Asuna winks an eye and returns the gesture to the waiters before she turns around to face Kirito and Klein.
"Are we ready?" Asuna asked. Kirito and Klein nod their heads to her, and the manager extends her arm. Kirito and Klein place their hands on top of hers and they all cheered in unison as they throw them into the air.
"LET'S GO!"
Sovereign: I would like to thank Allfather-Ford and LayLay lives for reviewing! Thanks!
