TFA1 6.6 - God Level Culinary
To explain Amethyst Merchant's culinary products and commodities related to it, Lt. Colonel Slane brought Chef Bianca. Her father was Italian Michelin three-star chef, while her mother was a French pastry chef in her father’s kitchen.
From an early age Chef Bianca was being trained to become a professional chef and pastry chef. And the result was, she succeeded in establishing a well-known pasticceria chain in Italy, as well as leading a three-star Michelin restaurant which became a staunch rival to his father's restaurant.
If it weren't for a group of shameless people pretending they didn't know how to interpret the word 'No!', Chef Bianca would never have left earth and joined Amethyst Merchant.
After Lt. Colonel Slane nodded at her, Chef Bianca took a step forward and slightly bowed, “Honorable Ser, my name is Sienna Bianca, Head Chef at Luise Petra, Maple Palace Hotel."
In an instant, disappointment gripped Maester Rivak's heart as he muttered, 'Even if it's only a restaurant in a hotel, it's still not wise to choose a very young woman as Head Chef.'
After the solar power plant's presentation that turned his heart upside down, Maester Rivak instinctively hoped that Amethyst Merchant's culinary level would give him the same level of shock. He didn't expect that Amethyst Merchant would introduce a young woman as a Head Chef.
On Amstel Continent, Head Chef was a position exclusively reserved for men. Therefore, it's natural that Maester Rivak didn't have high expectations from Chef Bianca. However the same disappointment didn't arise in Osvik's heart. The all-white outfit that Chef Bianca wore did not accentuate her curves. Even still, Osvik instinctively looked at her from top to bottom and left to right several times.
Usually, Osvik had absolutely no interest in women who were taller than him. But somehow, even though Chef Bianca was one head taller than him, Osvik still couldn’t help but to admire her beautiful but cold face. With their own mind and heart, Osvik, Maester Rivak, and the other Maester followed Chef Bianca to the mock-up kitchen.
After washing her snow white hands, Chef Bianca walked over to the coolbox she previously placed on the kitchen table. From the coolbox, she pulled out beef cuts and arranged them onto a stainless steel tray lined with a white towel.
"Please select the cut you want and the level of doneness."
A question mark instantly appeared on Osvik and the two Maesters' foreheads, as they stared at the raw beef cuts.
As a Maester of Culinary Tradition, Maester Rivak actually realized that the bright pink of beef cuts in front of him was a masterpiece. He could see they were the best cuts taken from a carefully risen calf. The freshness of the meat was also well preserved and there was no trace of blood or fishy and metallic smell.
Even so, Maester Rivak still did not understand the meaning of Chef Bianca's question. He had visited every high-class restaurant in Makai Royal City. Some of them did give their visitors an option to choose the cut they will eat. However, they were never asked to choose directly from raw pieces, let alone be asked to determine the level of doneness.
'Shouldn't the cooks determine the best doneness for the menu they are cooking?' Maester Rivak inwardly asked.
On earth, even a middle-class steak house has implemented a procedure to offer their guests the cuts they have. However, on Amstell Continent this procedure was not common practice.
Realizing that his guests were confused, Lt. Colonel Slane immediately intervened. "Chef, use the largest cuts with a level of doneness mid-rare."
"Understood."
Wasting no time Chef Bianca swiftly and gracefully started to her work, under the curious gazes of her guests.
Maester Rivak recognized some of the spices Chef Bianca used, such as honey, salt, pepper, and onion powder. He also recognizes the technique of applying spices by wrapping and kneading the meat, or using high temperature to lock the delicacy in the meat that was applied for a few breaths of time at the start of the cooking process.
What Maester Rivak didn't understand was, why Chef Bianca didn't continue to cook the meat using low heat until it's fully done. But drain the oil and broth before wrapping the meat in silvery paper, then putting it in a box with a glass door and bright light.
After that the oil and broth in the pan were used to roast carrots, potatoes, and asparagus, what was left then used to make a sauce based on red wine. Not long after that, Chef Bianca beautifully arranged the grilled meat on a serving plate.
Maester Rivak knew the concept of time using a clock. So he could calculate that the total time for Chef Bianca to cook was only 20 minutes. This was extraordinary considering that the young female chef started from scratch using raw meat which had not received any pre-processing such as marinade.
Even so, Maester Rivak still instinctively doubted the delicacy of grilled meat prepared by Chef Bianca. Because in the culinary world on Amstell Continent, there was a principle that delicacy was equal to the time invested in the cooking process.
On earth the same principle was also being applied, but only for menus with complex ingredients where the harmony of each ingredient could only be achieved after each ingredient had been separately pre-processed.
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For cooking at the home level, family restaurant, fast food restaurant, or street food, ingredients and seasonings were simplified to maximize efficiency while still producing maximum delicacy. Not to mention, on earth, the technique of breaking down protein using natural ingredients such as honey, pineapple, or other ingredients had also been developed to the highest potential.
For professional chefs, making delicious dishes was not difficult or took a long time. They could even use makeshift ingredients and seasonings. What was difficult was to make delicious dishes that could not be imitated, so people could not have them anywhere else.
However, Maester Rivak's doubt gradually faded. Slowly but surely, the smell of grilled meat on the plate started to prick his nose. Without realizing it, he started to swallow hard and even had to wipe the saliva that almost dripped from corner of his lips.
The grilled meat appearance and aroma easily stimulated Maester Rivak's instincts to the highest. The problem was, apart from a fork Maester Rivak did not find knife on the plate in his hand.
'How should I enjoy it?'
Maester Rivak asked silently, and the question was answered when Osvik, who could no longer hold back, used the fork to stab the grilled meat and brought it to his mouth.
However, Osvik only managed to bite the wind as the meat at his fork split in half and fell onto the plate. At the same time, from the meat that was still pink in color, a delicious aroma brutally burst out.
"Bastard!"
Without delay, Osvik used his hands to devour the piece of meat that had escaped his bite, and instantly his eyes widened. Then, he madly devoured whatever was left on his plate. He even used the slices of bread to wipe away the remaining sauce and stock.
However, Osvik was still not satisfied. Like a starving predator he looked at the grilled meat on Maester Rivak's plate. Maester Rivak and the other Maester immediately protected their plates. The two then heeded the etiquette of the meal and with ease they cut the grilled meat using the fork.
As soon as the piece of grilled meat landed on Maester Rivak's tongues, a burst of deliciousness instantly attacked his mouth, and after one small movement of his tongue the grilled meat melted away. Before he knew it, he had already swallowed the grilled meat.
'This. . .'
Amazement shook Maester Rivak's heart while he greedily put the second piece of grilled meat into his mouth.
At the same time, Osvik pitifully stared at the two maesters who were enjoying their grilled meat. Fortunately, Lt. Colonel Slane fully understands Osvik's feelings. With a smile he handed over his grilled meat.
"Ser Osvik, will you help me?"
"Of course." Without hesitation Osvik accepted the offer.
Now, it was Maester Rivak and his colleagues' turn to look at Osvik enviously. But they managed to refrain themselves from complaining and continued to eat carrots, asparagus, and roasted potatoes on their plates, and then cleaned off the remaining sauce and stock using a slices of white bread.
However, even though the plate was already clean and shiny, Maester Rivak still felt the urge to lick it. Luckily, he managed to hold back and put the plate to the table with a look full of regret, as if he had just been leaved behind by his true love.
'It is a great sin for me, to dare to think of myself as a Maester of Culinary. In front of this God Level Culinary, I'm just speck of dust. I'm sorry that I was born into this world.'
The shock in Maester Rivak's heart was so big and deep that he even regretted his existence in this world.
Meanwhile, Lt. Colonel Slane grinned widely. The impact was successfully created, so he gave Chef Bianca a signal to start presenting Amethyst Merchant’s culinary products.
First, Chef Bianca took her guests to the pantry and utensil room where various spices, ingredients, and equipment were neatly arranged. The explanation she gave got into the heart of her audience effortlessly, without any resistance. It was not an exaggeration to say that Chef Bianca was hypnotizing her guests.
From the pantry, she took her guests to a mini-bar where every alcoholic beverage that Amethyst Merchant could provide was on display, starting from wine, tequila, brandy, vodka, whiskey, and various other alcoholic drinks.
Until finally, Maester Rivak was shocked after discovering that Amur Beer and Lada Whiskey were not Amethyst Merchant's best products.
"Wait a minute, you mean Amur Beer and Lada Whiskey are standard products for commoners?"
Chef Bianca nodded. "Yes, but there is also a special edition of Amur Beer which is packaged in glass bottles."
Chef Bianca took three glasses and filled them with a few ice cubes, then poured two bottles of Amur Beer. She skillfully tilted the glass in her hand so the Amur Beer that came out of the bottle fell on the edge of the glass and produced thick foam.
A moment later Osvik and the two Maesters sipped the foam in their glass, and then sipped a mouthful of Amur Beer, and a deep satisfaction was visible on their faces in an instant. However, only Maester Rivak realized the difference between Amur Beer he had just drank and the Amur Beer he used to drink.
"The chestnut aroma in this version is much stronger."
Chef Bianca smiled a little before explaining, "I'm expert of alcoholic beverages, but at least let me explain."
"""Please."""
Osvik and the two Maesters replied while nodding simultaneously.
"When we pack it in barrels made of wood, there is a potential for chemical reactions. So overpowering aromas should be avoided or the life of the beer will be shorter.
Meanwhile, if we pack it in a glass bottle, the potential for chemical reactions is almost non-existent. So the desired aroma and taste can be maximized without worrying about beer's life."
Osvik nodded three times, and then with a hopeful gaze he asked, "Miss Bianca, will you work for me. I will double the salary and all the benefits you are currently receiving."
In any part of the world, hijacking human resources was a common thing, but only Osvik would do it right in front of the worker's boss.
Even so, Lt. Colonel Slane wasn't worried at all. He fully believed that in terms of salary and benefit, no one could beat Amethyst Merchant. Lt. Colonel Slane's confidence was then solidified by Chef Bianca's answer.
"I am honored by Ser Osvik's offer. Unfortunately, I have been contracted by Amethyst Merchant for the next 100 years. So I can't accept your generous offer."
After hearing Chef Bianca's answer, Osvik could only let his head down. Because he realized he could not force his will on Amethyst Merchant's workers.
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