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"Let's go in James I will fix it"
I said in my determined voice while looking into James' eyes. "A-are you sure but what will we say to the head chef if he came to know you entered the kitchen without his permission," he said in his worried voice as he heard me while putting his both hands on my shoulder explaining the seriousness of the situation.
"I know James what I'm doing if he comes to know he will fire me but it's not important now saving our restaurant's name is important. So let's go because soon we have to start serving food" I said in my assuring voice as I was ready to face the consequences but before I wanted to give myself a fair chance. What if he decides to fire me I will happily leave my job as I will have the small satisfaction of working in the kitchen even if it's my last time. James nodded at me in understanding and like that I took the first-ever step in the kitchen not knowing what will happen to me next.
"What are you doing here Sage. The head chef will fire you if he sees you" William said in his panicked voice as he tried to push me out of the kitchen before the head chef came.
"William" I called him but he was not listed so I moved out of his hold. "I know what I'm doing we will discuss later what will happen to me first let's check the fish," I said in my serious voice stopping him by putting my hand on his shoulder. Listening to me he looked at James who nodded his head in yes. William nodded in yes and we walked inside to see the smoked fish.
"Let's see the fish first," I said as I took it out of the smoker which was wrapped in banana leaves. We all held our breath as I opened the leaf.
"Oh God it's over smoked it's completely ruined," William said in his panicked voice looking at the fish.
"I can't even call head chef or chef Oliver, how are we going to fix it?" James said in the same worried tone.
"Guys don't panic, let me see what I can do," I said in my composed voice trying to stop their rumbling. I was trying to be composed on the outside but from inside a storm was going on in me.
"Let's first see how overcooked the fish is," I said under my breath but they heard me. I cut the small part and tasted it. It was beyond overcooked taking all the raw taste of fish with lots of smoke. They looked at my face and understood the situation.
"I knew it was not fixable. What will we serve in the main course? This thing is ruined" James said in his anxious voice.
"Head chef will have our head served today on a platter with cherries in our mouth," William said as he massaged his template in stress.
"Stop thinking of an extreme case and let me fix it first," I said while unwrapping the whole fish and transferring it to the big plate. While they were rambling I thought of an idea of fixing its overcooked smoky flavour.
"James handed me a knife and some pan," I said in my hurried voice.
"William chops some white onion, celery stick, garlic, fennel, and leek only white parts," I said in my hurried voice as I put the pan on the flame which James handed me. I took out some old herbs I brought from the Asian market. I chopped the leaves and asked James for a muslin cloth and put all the herbs in it. Tying the knot I put aside.
"What are you making," James asked in his curious voice as his eyes followed me every moment.
"I'm trying to make a fish fumet to take out all the smoky flavour from it. He nodded in understanding. I added 2 bay leaves, 2 sprigs of rosemary, 1 handful of flat-leaf parsley leaves,6 sprigs of thyme
5 peppercorns in boiling water into a muslin cloth and tied the knot and dropped in boiling water.
"Here" William handed the chopped vegetables. I added them too in with some other vegetables which I finely chopped with some olive oil. I let everything simmer at high flame as we didn't have much time to let it cook for an hour. As all the vegetables were nice and soft I tasted the fumet and added salt and lemon to balance the taste. I started cutting the fish in medium-size rectangles. William and James both kept looking at me with curious eyes. The fish was already cooked so I decided to just drop them in the fumet gently so they could absorb the flavour of it and close the lid as I turn off the flame.
"Now we just have to let it rest for ten minutes so the smoky flavour is reduced," I said in my relieved voice. James and William did the same.
"The head chef asked us to bring the food. Wait, what are you doing here" Logan's hurried voice changed to a confused one at the end.
"Long story I will tell you some other day. Now let's take the food" William said with a smile on his face as he wrapped his hand around Logan's shoulder. They arranged the food on the trolley properly and took it to serve the guest as I took a deep breath in anxiety not knowing what will happen next. Before walking out of the kitchen I let my eyes roam all over it. What if it's my last time seeing it? I should have most of my situation. Once I felt a little contained I walked out of it a d towards the dining area. Critics were seated in their respective seats. All of them looked like they were from different countries with their mighty aura.
"This is Logan, William, and James" I stood a little away from everyone as I saw chef Oliver was introducing the whole chef team. I felt bad because I was not a part of such an amazing team.
"Who is that guy?" I heard someone saying in their Russian accent while pointing at me, making my blood run cold as my heart beat fast.
"Who?" I heard the head chef ask in his authoritative voice. His grey eye fell on me making me want to hide behind the door. It looked like I was disturbing them.
"He is my intern," the head chef said as he saw my discomfort.
"He is the one who arranged the tables," chef Oliver said in his enthusiastic voice, making me look at him with wide eyes.
"Young man, why are you standing there, come in front," the same man said in his Russian accent and I unknowingly looked at the head chef for permission. He nodded his head and I started taking small steps towards them.
"I should say the arrangements look so appreciative," one of the critics said, making me smile as William bumped his shoulder with me while wiggling his eyebrow as the critic praised me. I heard the throat getting cleared by the head chef as he eyed me and William.
"Let's start with starters," chef Oliver said, getting his cue. One by one the food was served and I stood there bracing myself for what will happen when it's time for the main course. The critic judged the food as they wrote something on the paper.
"Now it's a time of the main course from all the fish dishes this the authentic dish prepared by smoking fish hope you enjoy it," chef Oliver said as the dish was being brought but as soon as lits were open head chef and chef Oliver looked at us with a raised eyebrow as there was not just smoked fish. I don't know why but grey eyes were fixed on me as if I was the one who was the culprit. But he kept his mouth shut as the dish was served to the critic.
"We thought it was authentic smoked fish," a Japanese critic said while looking at the head chef.
"It is authentically smoked fish with a twisting fish fumet," I said with a smile before he could say something else. The critic nodded in awareness. They smelled it first and I braced myself as they took the first bite. I don't know how the flavour was going with fish as I had not got time to taste it. The critic tasted it slowly tasting the flavour and my heartbeat increased even more. And hard stairs from grey eyes were not doing any good to my heart. If that critic didn't say anything I would faint here.
"Wow, I have never tasted such balanced flavourful fish fumet before. It balances the sharp smokey flavour of fish. I loved it. For me it's the start of the whole dinner menu" he said with a smile that reached his eyes as he continued eating. Other critics nodded in yes.
"I must say chef you have done a great job," he said looking at the head chef with the same smile on his face.
"I'm not the one who cooked it," he said while looking at us asking who cooked it. William pointed at me and the head chef's eyes widened with an unknown expression in them. I don't know if I should be relieved or fearful from the look in his eyes.
"My intern cooked it, '' he informed them while his eyes were still fixed on me.
"I must say your intern is quite talented. If you don't mind chef Xanthus. I would like to ask him something" the critic with a Russian accent asked. And I saw a grey-eyed monster nodding his head with second thoughts.
"So are you done interning here?" He asked me in his thick accent and I moved my head in no.
"Do you want to join my team as my assistant?" The critic with a Russian accent asked me straight away, making my eyes wide with such a big opportunity. I looked at my head and saw his jaw was clenched and his eyes fixed on me, waiting to hear my answer.
Not being an inter anymore. I will be his assistant. I will be able to do so many new things. I looked at everyone and they had a pinched smile on their face. They all were trying to look happy but they didn't want me to go. Even Logan had the same look on his face. I won't be able to get friends like them there. I smiled at the critic and said "I'm happy here, thank you for the opportunity."
"Offer is still on, if you have changed your mind let me know," he said in a thick voice making me nod in yes.
"Well it's result time," they said, getting our attention as they were now done discussing.
"Congratulations Mr Xanthus Villin, your restaurant has been approved with the highest rank," they said, shaking hands with the head chef and we squeal in happiness. Everything was done and we all waited there for our scolding until they saw off the guest. Soon they came back and I hid behind William as I felt his gaze on me. He gestured to me with his finger to come in front and follow him. I looked at everyone for help but they just smiled at me. I followed him to the kitchen but I stood out as he walked in. Is he going to fire me now? He turned and looked at me and the next thing I knew he grabbed my hand and pulled me towards him making me gasp in surprise as I was standing in his arms in the middle of the kitchen.
"You were thinking of leaving this place," he asked in his demanding voice while looking straight into my eyes as I struggled to make some distance between us by placing my hands on his chest. He made his grip strong on me, not letting me go. His question made me look back in his eyes as I moved my head in no.
"Don't even bring that thought in your mind tiny even by mistake or else you have to deal with me," he said in his threatening voice, making me nod my head in stunned as he used the name he once gave me. I don't know what was happening to me anymore.
"Good report to me in the kitchen at sharp nine o'clock tomorrow," he said in the same voice as he let me go and walked out of there as I nodded my head in yes very faintly. I was expecting to scold but I witnessed something else.
"Can someone explain what happened just now"
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A/N
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