Folding my arms, I stood beside Michelle as the two of us watched how Chef Pou prepared his signature dish, Lean Pou Noodles; now, I've never taken a cooking class or anything like that, but as I watched him, I couldn't help but nod. All of his actions were smooth, fluid, and precise, just like an experienced chef as he diced the various vegetables; once he finished cutting the vegetables, he would then put each diced ingredient on a scale, and he'd either remove or add more until he got his desired weight, which caused me to furrow my brows, but I didn't see anything wrong with that.
After that, he placed all the diced vegetables inside a singular pot along with a unique thermometer that precisely gauged the pot temperature, something Chef Pou kept a close eye on, constantly turning the dial to either increase or lessen the fire's intensity. Once he got the desired temperature, precisely three-hundred twenty-two degrees Fahrenheit, he grabbed another pot while using a measuring cup to fill it with exactly three cups of water before placing it on the stove along with a second thermometer.
When the water reached its boiling point, Chef Pou added one-hundred-twenty-five noodles; how do I know it's exactly that much? Well, I watched as he counted the noddles. While the two pots were cooking, he then grabbed some greens meant to slightly spice and enhance the dish's flavor before adding them to the pot filled with diced vegetables, which he stirred in a specific pattern. After that, the three of us just stood still while patiently waiting several minutes before Chef Pou carefully dumped the pot of diced vegetables and greens into the pot full of boiling noodles.
Sitting the pot in a specific pattern, he added several different spices into the mix while continuing to stir slowly for a few minutes, glancing at the clock several times before grabbing a small bowl off on the side, only to pour the contents of the pot into a said bowl. Chef Pou added a final pink petal atop the noodles before handing the bowl to me, which I took without any hesitation, though I didn't immediately eat it; I first smelled it and closely inspected it before finally taking a bite.
"Your dish is great, Chef Pou, even slightly better than the one you previously made, but in the end, it's still missing its personality, and after watching you cook, I believe I've figured out why." Stated Alexander as he took a bite using a fork, causing him to nod while Pou furrowed his brows with an inquisitive gaze.
"What do you believe is the reason for that, Chef Vestalis?" Asked Pou curiously as he looked at Alexander, who attempted to feed Michelle, though she was too full despite the hungry look in her eyes.
"Your movements are too precise, too detailed, and you don't allow any room for freedom, which inhibits your ability to allow your passion to flow into your dish. A Chef who makes dishes because he has to will one day reach a ceiling, but a Chef who makes a dish because he wants to will have limitless growth, and while I can tell that you, Chef Pou, have a passion for cooking, your strict movements are not allowing it to flow properly." Stated Alexander seriously as he handed Michelle the bowl of noodles, while Pou's eyes slightly widened at this revelation.
"Passion? I understand what you're referring to, Chef Vestalis, but as a Chef, is it not our duty to make a perfect dish everyone will enjoy?" Questioned Pou with a curious look as he gazed at Alexander, who shook his head, which confused him.
"No, such a thing is impossible, Chef Pou; the way I see it, cooking is an art and is therefore subjective, which means it's impossible for everyone to enjoy your dish. Even if you make a dish that the gods themselves praise, it'll be impossible for everyone in existence to feel the same as everyone has different tastes." Declared Alexander lightly as he looked at Pou, who nodded in understanding, using this chance to learn and further refine his culinary knowledge.
"I see." Muttered Pou hesitantly with furrowed brows and a slightly confused expression, causing Alexander to roll up his sleeves and step forward.
"Here, I think it'll be easier to show you, Chef Pou." Said Alexander as he tied his hair back into a ponytail before beginning to cook while Pou and Michelle stood beside each other, wordlessly watching.
I cooked the same exact dish as Chef Pou, using the same exact ingredients, except I wasn't nearly as strict with the servings; in fact, I didn't even bother to check anything; I moved purely based on instinct. If it looked to be the right amount, then I'd add it to the dish, and while you could say it might've been a little sloppy, I've been doing this for multiple years; I wasn't exactly new to this. Besides, I had tasted the dish three times, so I got an idea, though I always made sure to taste the dish, something I noticed Chef Pou never did.
Once I finished cooking, I grabbed a second bowl and poured the contents of the pot into it before placing a single-pink petal on top, only to stab a fork right beside it.
"One Serving of Lean Pou Noodles!" Said Alexander with a slight smile as he handed the bowl to Pou, who took it and closely inspected it before finally grabbing the fork and taking a bite.
"Ahh, I can taste it; I finally understand what you mean, Chef Vestalis. Your dish is truly splendid; mine can't compare!" Declared Pou with a smile as he released a satisfied sigh while eating Alexander's Lean Pou Noodles before happily yelling toward the ceiling, garnering looks from everyone in the kitchen before they continued what they were previously doing.
"I appreciate the praise, Chef Pou, but I wouldn't dare go that far; even if my dish is better, it's only by a small amount. I've got no doubt after this, your Lean Pou Noodles dish will be superior to mine." Stated Alexander with a wry smile as he took off his apron and stuffed it back in this space pouch, only for Pou to shake his head.
"You're too humble, young Chef Vestalis; your culinary talent is impressive! You're already able to best an old man like me." Said Pou seriously with a grin while continuing to devour the bowl as if he had been starved for weeks.
"Thank you for the compliment, Chef Pou; it means quite a lot from such an experienced Chef like yourself, and while I'd love to continue to cook, I'm currently in the middle of a date. I can't keep her waiting for too long." Remarked Alexander with a smile while rubbing his head before gesturing to Michelle, who was standing right beside Pou.
"Oh, I see; my apologies; we Chefs get very riled up when it comes to cooking. I won't hold you any longer, but you must come and visit when you have time to spare." Said Pou with a nod in a much more friendly and respectful voice as he set his bowl down and headed toward the door from which they had initially entered.
"I can assure you, I'll do so; I wouldn't wish to pass on the chance to use such a nice kitchen, not to mention learn from an experienced Chef like yourself." Replied Alexander with a nod as he wrapped his arm around Michelle's shoulder while following Pou, leading them out of the kitchen and back into the dining portion of the restaurant.
"I also wouldn't wish to pass the chance to learn from such a talented young Chef like yourself. Now, as the owner of this restaurant, I shall grant the two of you lifetime passes; you can come and eat here for free whenever you wish." Declared Pou with a grin as he stopped and glanced at Alexander and Michelle, the latter widening her eyes in astonishment.
"E-Eh, are you sure, Chef Pou? I intend to come here with a friend, and she eats a lot, and I mean a LOT." Asked Alexander hesitantly as he looked at Pou while Michelle was clenching her fist in joy.
"Nonsense, you helped me see the errors of my ways, Chef Vestalis; this is the least I can do; besides, as a Chef, you should know there is no better glory than seeing a customer leave with a full belly and a satisfied expression." Said Pou sternly as he looked up at Alexander before patting his shoulder, causing him to begrudgingly nod in agreement.
"Haa, you're not wrong. Just know, if she eats you out of business, I warned you." Replied Alexander as he looked at Pou, who merely laughed before going behind him and pushing.
"I'm more than ready for such a challenge; now, go and enjoy your date. You may be a Chef, but you're still a young man." Remarked Pou, smiling as he stood on the steps, waving down at them.
Waving at Chef Pou, Michelle and I returned to the first floor and headed towards the front entrance; while doing so, the young Elven woman at the front gave me a friendly wave, which I reciprocated, which earned me a huff from Michelle, though I ignored that.
"So, where are we going now, Chef Vestalis?" Asked Michelle curiously as she glanced at Alexander while leaning into his embrace.
"Eh, no idea; we've already had brunch, so why not walk around a little?" Replied Alexander as he shrugged his shoulders and continued walking down the street with Michelle, who nodded in agreement.