THE ALGORITHM

4.

"Mm..." Penny hummed.

"Now, please get out there and get him out of the kitchen."

Penny didn't say anything. She grabbed her apron and wrapped it around her tiny waist. Bert headed for the exit and immediately placed his attention on Penny.

"Hey, kid..." He called out to her again for her attention.

Penny looked over, waiting for him to speak.

"You've been working for a while now—four years," Bert began. Penny didn't react to his realization. She kept up with her hire date. "And I just want to say that...I'm proud of you. You went from waitress to a chef—a damn good one. Keep up the good work."

A smile or grin didn't etch across her face. She just nodded and said, "Thank you...Bert."

Penny found herself returning to the kitchen. She got rid of Simon, putting him back on sous duty. Like an expert, she worked with her team and moved around the kitchen collecting ingredients. The expediter, Emily, made sure the orders flowed accurately. It was her job to ensure each dish was prepared and plated correctly.

"Order number six needs gravy!" Georgie yelled out as she checked the other dishes. Penny didn't say anything, but she gave the girl an annoyed look for yelling in her ear. Simon managed to pour thick, brown gravy on the bed of homemade mashed potatoes.

"Hey, Penny. You're needed in the front." Josh, the waiter, announced as he walked into the kitchen in his uniform.

"What?" Penny pushed out in exhaustion. "I'm handling a lot right now. What is it?"

Josh shook his head and sighed, "Bert wants to speak with you. Table eight."

"He just wants to get on my nerves... He just told me to get to work and now..." Penny trailed off as she whispered words to herself. Simon took over, allowing her to head to the front. She looked around the dining area, realizing it was bustling with customers. Swiftly, she pinpointed Bert speaking with a well-dressed man. Hesitantly, Penny walked over, and Bert wasted no time introducing her. He grabbed her by her shoulders, pulling her near.

"Luis. I would like you to meet the chef behind all of this delicious food. Penelope Bailey—she's our head chef. Penelope, this is Luis Bellamy."

Luis kept his composure as he sat there with his legs crossed. His brunette hair was shaggy and had a lot of volume. Luis made sure to keep a clean-shaven face—it almost looked as smooth as a baby's bottom. His ice-blue eyes examined Penny closely before he held his pale hand out. Penny looked at him strangely but decided to shake his hand.

"Well." Luis pushed out. "It's nice to meet you. Finally, I see your face...and I'm not disappointed."

Luis's comment was weird, and Penny made sure to wear a puzzled expression on her face. Bert noticed her expression but tried to keep his composure. He wasn't expecting the man to say that.

"Every time I come here, I always get the wagyu beef with the truffle sauce, and oh—the chocolate lava cake is just...astonishing."

Penny didn't know what to say. She stood there with Luis' hand enwrapped around hers. Gently, she pulled away, but he didn't try to stop her. Swiftly, she focused on Bert before saying, "Um...thank you."

"You are most welcome. Your culinary skills are remarkable. I must say, you could be working in a much fancier establishment."

Penny didn't find his comment funny, so she didn't laugh. Bert, on the other hand, decided to push out a hearty laugh.

"Ah, don't encourage her too much. What would I do without my star chef?"

Bert's response was serious. He had other chefs, but they weren't as talented as Penny. She cooked from scratch, measuring and combining ingredients to create the perfect dish. He didn't know what he would do if Penny decided to quit.