God of Cooking – Chapter 108: Arbitration expenses (3)

The next day, there were no conversations between Jo Minjoon and Kaya. It wasn’t because they didn’t have anything to say. There were a lot of emotions and thoughts to say it all in that short time, and if they said something sloppily they could go astray and end there.

Because of that, Kaya could only treat Jo Minjoon with a blunt voice. Jo Ara whispered on Jo Minjoon’s ear.

“Oppa, did you do something wrong?”
“Don’t ask.”

Seeing that the voice was dark really seemed like they had fought. In this kind of problems, if a third party said something it would be meaningless.

They hoped for something to happen so it removed that uncomfortable feeling between them…..But it seemed that time wasn’t willing to wait for them. The staff told them that there wasn’t much time left for the plane, and in the end they could only get on the plane.

Jo Minjoon looked at Grand Chef’s house reflected outside of the car’s window. He would be returning soon but…..as a participant and a member, this was the end. And as he thought like that, he felt deafened.

But it was now farewell. Jo Minjoon lowered his sight. Kaya and Anderson were looking at him. They would walk their own paths.

‘Me too…….. I can’t fall back either.’

His feet tickled.

–

#Is Jo Minjoon’s elimination an obvious result, or an unexpected thing?

Grand Chef also faced its third season. And the reaction towards it was so hot it was even difficult to compare it to the previous seasons, and to the point it was called as the ‘best season’. What could be the reason of that hot reaction? Many viewers picked a ‘character’.

For the three people with the clearest characters to have remained, it was quite a good development for the viewers and for the staff. But because of that, Jo’s elimination left a lot of regret. It was because of the love the viewers gave him, but most of all because they didn’t quite like the process he got eliminated.

When the 16th episode was broadcasted six days ago, the theme was ‘cooking for your family. Thinking about the familiar image, it was a theme that could be given once. But the problem was on the point that a vague theme was a really big handicap for Jo.

First, Jo’s identity was that of a foreigner that came from Korea. So his cooking could obviously show a Korean and foreign feeling. But until now, the judges showed quite a fastidious attitude when it came to foreign dishes, and this day wasn’t an exception.

The reason the judges said was the factor of Jo’s elimination was ‘nervousness.’ But what could be the reason that Jo was more nervous compared to the other two? Wasn’t the unfamiliar meal one of those reasons? That was the public opinion. Actually, Jo’s dishes were quite distanced to a formal Lorean meal. This also meant that Jo was taking into account the judges way of evaluating.

……..(ellipsis)……….

They say that cooking can only be based on subjective judgement, but the reality was that Jo’s elimination left some regret. They only hoped for Jo’s trajectory from now on to ease that regret.

The final episode of Grand Chef season 3 will be broadcasted on the 13th of July at 7 PM, as a live broadcast.

2010.07.07 – Angela Eve

“Is it this person again……”

When he thought that someone wrote a quite a good article, there were many cases where he saw the name Angela Eve. She was really comparable to that Jesicca that appeared out of nowhere at the restaurant on the past.

Jo Minjoon let out a long sigh. The breath surrounded the face hotly because of the mask and it disappeared. July. Even if it was New York, it shouldn’t be that cold. The sun rays were warm, and there were many people with short sleeves. Aside from that, it wasn’t even outside, but inside the airport. However, Jo Minjoon only had to keep wearing the mask.

It wasn’t to look cool, or that he caught a cold. As he walked with his bare face, there were a lot of people that approached him as they recognized him. Honestly speaking, he rather liked it at first…… but it was really exhausting. A familiar voice was heard next to him.

“You are reading an article again.”
“She writes well. This person.”
“If you keep worrying about that, you will get sick.”
“You really grew up, worrying about your oppa and all. How was it, was America fun?”
“………Don’t speak like you are a resident. You haven’t even gone to many places.”

Jo Minjoon smiled brightly instead of replying. After leaving Grand Chef, Jo Minjoon took Lee Hyeseon and Jo Ara too various places. He showed them the Grand Canyon they wanted to see, and also Hollywood’s signboard. The ending was at New York. Of course, they also ate various dishes. Lee Hyeseon said with a regrettable voice.

“It would have been good if your dad was also here.”
“He can always come later.”
“…….When are you planning on returning to Korea?”
“For now, I think that I will go back after the finals end. But…… Regarding on the schedule of the following program, it may change.”
“Wherever you go, don’t lose yourself. I’m happy that you are doing well…….but at the same time, I feel uneasy. There are a lot of eyes directed at you. And among them, there will be many that have enmity against you without reason. But don’t get shaken and don’t be scared. You understand me, right?”
“Yes. I do.”

At that moment, the announcement of the plane was heard. It was announcing that it would soon leave. Jo Minjoon smiled faintly and said.

“You will have to leave now. Time is up.”
“…….Right. Be well. If anything happens, call me.”
“Don’t worry. Nothing will happen. And I will call you.”
“Oppa.”

Before going to the security check, Jo Ara called him for the last time. Jo Minjoon just looked at her. Jo Ara smirked and said.

“Kaya was prettier than on the screen. Anderson was also handsome.”
“……..What?”
“No, I’m just saying.”

Even before he could say something at the unexpected words, Jo Ara disappeared while getting pushed by the line. Jo Minjoon turned back with a dirty face. He also had to slowly leave to Chicago. Today was the 7th and the finals was on the 13th. The day Martin asked him to come to Grand Chef’s house was today. It wasn’t only him, but the other 7 that got in the top 10 must also have gotten the same call.

‘Am I meeting them again?’

–

The word ‘magazine’ made you think up of an analogic susceptibility and coolness. The coated pages, and the words next to the pretty model. Of course, depending on how provocative those words were, the level of that magazine was also felt differently.

“…….This magazine is also trash.”

Kim Dongbin frowned while chewing beet and salad with a pure he didn’t know the identity of. After he became a chef’s magazine reporter, there was one thing he became accustomed to: eating alone and solving the meals outside. However he just couldn’t get accustomed to putting a not delicious dish, no, something similar to a dish inside his mouth.

The dishes kept coming out. Sea mussel soup, pork souvigne. However even after eating that, Kim Dongbin’s face still wasn’t bright. It was to the point that the employee that was at the hall started to get aware.

— A feeling of having eaten an industrial art made with a piece of paper that seems like a pretty dish. The service and the atmosphere was good, but the dishes are trash. A restaurant that you would only come to get the right atmosphere, and if not, a restaurant that isn’t worth it. The grade is between the lowest and low. Most of all, the linguine that’s so salty it’s painful…….

‘……I will have to write it when I go back.’

It was to the point that just being seated here made his mood worsen. And when he saw the receipt and the price of 65 thousand won (60 dollars), his mood became even worse. The cashier smiled brightly and asked with a clear voice.

“Was the food delicious?”
“……..It was fine.”

He couldn’t say that it was delicious. He hit around the bush saying that it was fine, but the cashier understood. Because customers like him wouldn’t have been one or two. The smile didn’t disappear, but it could clearly be seen that the expectation in the smile of the cashier disappeared. To feel consoled at that truth, was he a really timid consumer?

“How can they sell those things and receive money? They really like it by selling it for 65 thousand won. With just 6.5k won I could have ate a Korean dish.”

The grumbling didn’t stop until he returned to the magazine house. The intern, who was eating a cup ramen in his seat, saw Kim Dongbin and laughed awkwardly.

“Is it a failure again?”
“These taste house scammer blogger bastards…… You really don’t have anywhere to call a taste house and set that up? Ugh, why aren’t they getting bankrupt? Is the building from the owner? No, even if it’s his, it’s too much. He would get a lot more money if he rented it to anyone rather than doing that on that time.”
“Isn’t it that you have a romance of your own? A kind of a hobby in life.”
“Hey, even if I have some for delicious things, I don’t for disgusting ones. Even if it’s a secluded mountain district with the beautiful sound of bugs and grass, depending on whether there is a tile roofed house or a straw thatched house, the genre may come and go between thriller and a recovery spring.”

At Kim Dongbin’s words, the intern couldn’t say anything and just scratched his cheek. Kim Dongbin glanced at the interns notebook and looked at the video that showed on the screen. There were familiar foreigners dressed up with chef uniforms and quite good dishes passed through the screen. Kim Dongbin extended his head and said.

“Is this that? Grand Chef.”
“Yes. There was also a Korean participant called Jo Minjoon, but he got eliminated this time. Speaking of which…….”

The intern said with a courteous voice.

“Now that he got eliminated he should soon come to Korea, so how about we get an interview with him?”
“Hey, we are a magazine that is quite recognized. What do you want to do by bringing a kid that couldn’t even win an amateur competition?”
“But he has an absolute sense of taste, so shouldn’t it be fine? Speaking realistically, it’s something that not even chefs can get in their careers.”
“Speaking about the career is for when he becomes a good chef later on. In the first place, who will prove that it’s not made up?”
“We can test him. And if we treat him as a rising star chef, there won’t be any problems.”
“We have a lot of things to write right now. Let’s not prolong our work for nothing and focus on our work. And don’t pour the ramen soup on the keyboard.”

Kim Dongbin put back the intern’s depressed face and went back to his seat. As he wrote down the bitter critics about the restaurant he went, the words the intern told him roamed in his ear. He minimized the tab he was working in and turned on the internet. And as soon as he searched for the name Jo Minjoon, a provocative related search appeared.

Absolute sense of taste Jo Minjoon.

It was just like a setting like he was the main character of a cooking manga.(TL: It says manhua, but well) (PR: I call it chuuka ichiban)  He did tell the intern if it wasn’t set up or what, but he also knew really way that there would be no way. There was no reason for top class chefs that are famous to participate on a set up on a well going broadcast like Grand Chef.

And looking at the cooking process and the results, compared to his age it was quite a good feeling. And he also had quite a lot of fans. Maybe it was because of his handsome and calm looks, or because of the genius like and mystical feeling the absolute sense of taste gave. Whether it was inside or outside of their country, there were extremely few people that disliked him.

‘He has a popularity that’s comparable to a star chef even before debuting.’

It was at that moment when he was feeling awe and bitterness at the same moment about the power of the broadcasts. He mumbled with a low voice.

“A rising star interview……”

The sound of the mouse clicking didn’t stop for a long while.

< Arbitration expenses (3) > End

Translator’s note: Thanks for reading!

PR Note:

Translator : Subak
Proofreader : Saihikawa