When Kazuya came out after changing clothes, Akiho led him back to the lobby and quietly said, "Let's start with the kitchen work."
Kazuya had some professional ethics. He followed Akiho to the kitchen, which was actually part of the hall, directly facing the sake and food customers. It was spacious and clean, without a trace of greasy smoke. There were three or four stoves, five or six pots, and various kitchen appliances, all looking new. It seemed like this place hadn't been open for long.
The twin sisters, Chika and Ayaka, were squatting on the ground picking vegetables. Seeing Kazuya coming in, they both raised their heads, winked at him and burst into laughter together, clearly not considering the recent fight as a big deal. Kazuya smiled at them, then focused on listening to Akiho's introduction to the kitchen tools.
Akiho explained in a soft voice where everything was, and then said, "Here, we mainly focus on selling alcoholic drinks. The food, apart from fresh vegetables, is mostly semi-finished products. All you need to do is fry, grill, or stir-fry them. Of course, we also offer some set meals, like omurice and sauce-covered rice, but they are all very simple. My father is the head chef, I'm the assistant, and from now on, you'll be another."
"No problem!" Kazuya replied.
While they were chatting, the curtain was lifted and Naotaka emerged. He nodded at Kazuya and then started preparing ingredients over the hot stove.
Kazuya glanced around the hall. Since school ended early and office workers hadn't finished their work yet, there were no customers in the izakaya at the moment. He wonder, "Are we starting to cook now?"
Akiho pulled out a large electric rice cooker, "We need to eat first. If we don't eat now, we won't have time when customers arrive. Come on, let me teach you how to cook rice."
Kazuya had some experience living independently, so he chuckled, "I know the basics. I can handle it."
Akiho stepped back and made some space, "Fine, I watch you do it."
Kazuya took the rice and started washing it in a basin. After draining the water, he was about to pour it into the rice cooker when Akiho calmly asked, "Is that all you consider as washing?"
Kazuya was puzzled, "What do we need to wash else?"
Akiho rolled up her sleeves and took the basin with washed rice from him. She explained, "Washing rice is not just about cleaning. It's about polishing the surface of the grains, allowing them to grind against each other."
Adding some water, she kneaded the rice. "It's fine if you do it at home for yourself, but here, we're selling it. The human palate is sensitive. Even if the customers can't say what difference after eating, they can feel the difference."
After kneading for a while, she continued, "After washing, you also need to let the rice soak in water for a while. This ensures that the rice won't be undercooked, making it soft and with an excellent texture..."
She glanced at Kazuya, who seemed lost in thought, and asked, "Are you even listening?"
Kazuya snapped out of his daze and quickly said, "Sorry, please continue."
Akiho gave him a strange look, took the soaked rice, and placed it in the rice cooker. "Next is boiling eggs. Please wait a moment."
Kazuya responded, "Thank you."
Akiho turned to get eggs, and Kazuya stared at the semi-transparent dialogue box in his field of view, seemed somewhat dazed. "Akiho is teaching you the skill [Home cooking]. Would you like to learn?"
Was this an opportunity to learn a skill from a master? He selected yes, and his mind suddenly felt a bit fuzzy. A prompt appeared: " [Home cooking] has been learned. Current level: LV1."
With this skill reward, this job became more than just for earning living expenses. Kazuya's enthusiasm for the job instantly surged. After a brief thought, he understood the process of boiling eggs and eagerly took the eggs, "Miss Sakura, let me do it!"
He couldn't miss the chance to gain experience points.
Akiho felt strange but allowed him to proceed. She stood by and was ready to correct any mistakes. Never underestimate the work in an izakaya. In this world, anything that could be praised was not easy to achieve!
Akiho stood beside him, watching as Kazuya executed the steps exactly as she had in mind. There was no fault in his actions. She picked up an egg from the cold water, gently tapped it horizontally, and the shell effortlessly split in two. She delicately separated the egg white and yolk, finding them perfectly layered with a slightly runny yolk, appearing impeccable.
Akiho didn't quite understand why he could cook eggs flawlessly while being unsure about rice. Could it be that he had a special fondness for eggs?
Satisfied with the egg, she changed the subject, "Can you julienne? Can you do a chiffonade or make decorative cuts?"
Julienne referred to the technique of cutting vegetables into thin strips, as in peeling a radish layer by layer, and those with advanced skills could peel a whole radish without breaking it, like unrolling a roll of paper. It was considered one of the basic knife skills for chefs. The cuts were so thin that one could faintly see through the radish layer, demonstrating the required thinness. This skill had various applications, such as for sashimi or sushi.
Chiffonade was used in soups and stews, where you wanted the vegetable pieces to be soft inside yet maintain their shape. To achieve this, you had to make a few cuts in advance, ensuring there were no visible knife marks for aesthetics.
Decorative cuts involved creating attractive shapes with ingredients, like radish flowers or octopus sausages.
For Akiho, they were the most advanced techniques she had mastered. Kazuya replied honestly, "I haven't tried it before. How about I give it a shot?"
"What do you mean by 'haven't tried'?" Akiho was somewhat puzzled. Knife skills couldn't be learned solely from books, and she had never heard of someone mastering them without practice. She patiently explained, "Let me demonstrate first. Please pay close attention."
Kazuya didn't object, "Sure."
Akiho took a knife and a radish, demonstrating with remarkable dexterity. The peeled radish layer was as thin as a cicada's wing. It seemed like this was part of her daily work, and she was extremely skilled. Kazuya watched closely and, at the same time, compared the movements with the impression in his mind.
Akiho cut the radish layer into square pieces and placed them on a plate. She then twirled the knife between her fingers, performing a knife flower. She handed the knife handle to Kazuya after that, "Your turn. It's okay if you fail. This requires a lot of practice."
Kazuya, eager to gain experience points, had been itching to start. Holding the knife in one hand and the radish in the other, he realized that the passive effect [Sword Mastery] could come into effect, probably because Japanese knives and swords were interchangeable. With the additional benefits from the level 7, he felt in complete control of the knife.
Akiho stood by and observed. The skillful use of knife allowed him to smoothly remove the radish skin without damaging the inner part. He effortlessly peeled off a long strip of radish layer whose thickness was perfect.
"That's good enough." Although his speed was slightly slower than hers, she couldn't find any flaws. Akiho asked, "Have you learned cooking before?"
Kazuya didn't want to stop. He was waiting to finish and gain experience points. He tilted his head slightly, "No. Thanks for your patient teaching."
He had been on guard in case Akiho to plot against him again. However, she seemed to have completely forgotten the unpleasant incident, obeying her father's orders and appearing as if nothing had happened. This character made him appreciate her more, and he softened his attitude.
Akiho found this somewhat unbelievable. His expression didn't resemble that of someone who had done this task for a long time. Initially, peeling radishes might seem interesting to newcomers, but after a while, they would get bored.
It appeared that Kazuya had indeed just learned this. How clever of him. He must not be underestimated! There is need to observe him carefully to find any weaknesses to defeat him!