Wild Hearts

Carolina 'Lina' Gomez

"Hey Lina, someone's looking for you. Another unhappy customer. What did you do again?"

I drizzled olive oil on top of the well-done steak. I put the container on top of the counter and gave my boss an odd look.

An unhappy customer? Like as early as now? I have not even reached the middle of my shift.

I work as a chef here in De Rico's World Gourmet Restaurant. I have been working here for a year now. I used to move from one resto to another and I hope this will be the last resto and I so wanted to stay in peace because I am so tired of finding another workplace.

The reason why I hopped from one resto to another because of two reasons.

First,

Is that I need a high paying salary because I am saving to have my own restaurant and also to plan a month vacation stay in Paris for my parents' anniversary. They have been wanting to go to Paris and I will be their 'fairy goddaughter' to grant it. De Rico's restaurant pays big-time because of certain fact that this is a five-star restaurant and the owner gives on-top bonuses to every dish that customers give kudos with. And, apparently, I only got one instance and that was for a slice of chocolate moist cake coming from a dear kid.

I know I should be happy but a slice of cake? I did not even made that cake. That cake was delivered and made by a French patissiere. I only brought it to the kid's table and sang him a birthday song. My heart has been aching since that moment because I do not deserve a bonus pay from my boss. But he said I deserved it because I made the kid happy and the rest of the kitchen people wanted me to have it because they pitied me. I felt such a loser that day. I wanted to receive that bonus for a dish that I made with my own skill and not because someone else has done it for me.

And second,

My past boss' were such a pain. They always belittle me because I have few experiences. Like how can I have 'big experiences' if they won't let me become the chef I wanted to be?

You see, I am kind of Remy from the movie Ratatouille! Except that I am a human and a girl for that matter. I cook with passion and I create masterpieces! I explore every taste palettes and I have been wanting to bring new dishes out there. I wanted the people to try a new food in their mouths and be in a place of sensational flavors that they have not been before.

I know I sound too Remy-like but I grew up in a household with parents who were not professional chefs but cooked like one. Both of my parents were food enthusiasts. All my life, I have wanted to be a chef of my own. Free like how my parents cook in our small kitchen. Happy while serving and contented with a smile on the first bite.

The only people who enjoys my cooking aside my lovable parents are my closest best of friends. Sunny, Viva, Koto and Kiko-these four girls all love my created dish and always supported me to my aspiration of having my own restaurant.

We have been friends since freshmen in highschool and we stuck like an all-mighty glue. Inseperable. Always together like magnets.

Until in our twenties, we still goof around, pull pranks, share laughters and tell stories about our unfortunate events in the workplace and also having romantic stories of our single lives.

Well, I am not that pressured with my 'relationship life', though, my parents kept on telling me that I should get a boyfriend now because I am twenty-four and blah and blah and so much blahs.

Well, I will soon but I do not think that I have the time yet since I am also aiming to have my restaurant before I reached the max age of being a single lady.

I still have a lot of dreams in mind. And that is to have my created dish turn out to life. I have always wanted to see those bewildered faces of the customers once they have a taste of my own recipes.