Jollof Love

6 - Toxic Flavourings

"Chef Folarin Ade-Cole on mesmerizing our taste buds, one bite at a time," Folarin read out the title, and blew out a breath of air. "First of all, I think the writer should be sacked. That's a crappy title. Other than that, I look good in the picture."

"You are rising in the Culinary world, and I want to keep it that way," Chef Rouge said. "It also speaks well of our institute, and for you as my mentee."

"A bit narcissistic, don't you think?" Folarin mumbled.

"Your affiliation with The Rouge Effect will take you places, and as my mentee, I expect nothing less than the best," Chef Rouge said. "So, I have a proposition for you."

He shifted his notepad to Folarin. Folarin looked between it and the Chef, then grabbed it off the table as he perused the content.

"You want me to lead the next cohort of the intermediary class?" Folarin asked, the surprise evident in his tone.

"Not without help of course," Chef Rouge smiled, if a twitch of the lips was considered a smile. "You have the head Chefs at a standby. They will be in every class, monitoring you. It's a training for you."

"But I...I don't know if I am ready to take on teaching..."

"Is that doubt I hear?" Chef Rouge asked, pinning Folarin with one of his intense stares. "If as a product of The Rouge Effect you are having doubts at this stage, leave. I can't deal with an ounce of doubt. Courage is the watchword at..."

"I get it, Chef, I was just surprised, that's all," Folarin resisted the urge to roll his eyes. "I'll do it. It's just, you are springing it on me out of the blue. I hope the pay will be worth it."

"You are affiliated to The Rouge Effect, no payment could surpass that," Chef Rouge said.

"Understand, but how much are we talking in money?" Folarin asked. "Yes, I am still a sous chef in training, but I am way past sous chef and you know that. So seeing as you have given me such generous responsibility, how much are we talking?"

Chef's Rouge's eye began to twitch again. Folarin had come to learn that his eye twitching wasn't a good sign, but his mouth twitching was. And so, he sat and waited for the Chef. With nimble dexterity and the grace of a seasoned chef, Chef Rouge's fingers deftly twirl the ballpen in his hand, spinning and rotating with the same elegance that he employed when whisking sauces or plating dishes, reminiscent of the delicate knife work required in culinary arts.

"How do I dare ask for money? How silly of me. The experience at The Rouge Effect," Folarin mentioned the institute's name with an exaggerated French accent. "Is enough. Thanks Chef. You just changed my life."

He knew the Chef had been a breath away from dealing with him, and he couldn't handle any punishment with his cast hand.

The Chef slid another paper to him, and Folarin perused that as well.

"You could have just emailed me all these, you know?" Folarin said.

"It's still in the works, I need you to have a look at it before I do that," Chef Rouge said.

"There is an online scholarship." Folarin noted with interest. "Last time you did this was how long ago? Three years? What made you decide to bring it up again?"

"As you know, The Rouge Effect doesn't need marketing to show how it surpasses every culinary institute in the country, but a scholarship can be a way to find the the diamond in the rough," Chef Rouge said, a dreamy look in his eyes. "It's for everyone and anyone, and I decided, it should be a biannual thing. Good, yes?"

"I guess, I'm not opposed to the idea," Folarin shrugged. "Just it being biannual is a bit of a stretch. Make it an annual thing."

"Well, we'll see, as for now, focus on studying everything you can," Chef Rouge bent down and came back up with a stack of three heavy books, and dumped them with a thud on the table. "That's all for now. See me in a month's time before I travel."