Busy day
ZANE
"ANOTHER TWO ORDERS OF CHICKEN KATSU!"
The small kitchen is a whirlwind of activity, with customer orders flying in faster than I can count. The pressure is real—if you don't keep up, you'll quickly find yourself buried under a mountain of tickets. But here I am, in my first week, managing to stay afloat. So far, so good.
The boss here is a gem—warm, welcoming, and genuinely friendly. I was pleasantly surprised by the pay, too. For a place that's not exactly the talk of the town, they take good care of their staff. Honestly, the work environment is pretty chill. Sure, the kitchen is always busy, but it's not the kind of stress that makes you want to run for the exit.
We're a tight-knit team—just me as a chef and a crew of cookers. Everyone has their role, and somehow, it all comes together in this cozy little eatery.
At first , only a few customers came to Adriella's Foodhaus, Suddenly, the place was buzzing, and the number of customers tripled. It's not just about my reputation, though—the food we serve is both delicious and affordable, offering great value for money and leaving customers satisfied and full. It's just the way I like.
Being a chef isn't difficult for me. Most of the time, I focus on giving orders, supervising, and teaching, especially when customers don't specifically request dishes cooked by me since most can't afford it. But with us being short-handed right now, I'm stepping in to help with the cooking—especially the more complex dishes that require precision, balance, and a lot of hard work.
*The sound of a bell reverberated through the kitchen.*
"Two orders of chicken katsu, done!" I announced as I completed the order. The pressure at work right now is intense, with a constant stream of customers. We can hardly take breaks because there's always someone new coming in to place an order. Expanding the kitchen and hiring more staff would definitely make things easier.
After a rough week filled with regrets, anger, and thoughts of revenge, I decided to shift my focus entirely to my work. I realized that if I let these feelings linger, I'd only sink deeper into depression, neglect my health, get sick, and eventually face some serious consequences—something I'm determined to avoid.
"Chef Zane! Mr. Galvez is outside, calling for you. He has something to give you!"
"Okay!" I respond, quickly removing my disposable gloves after hearing my bestfriends name and going outside to meet him. What could he be giving me at this hour? I hope it's something worth my time.
"That's Chef Zane! Let's take a picture!"
"Is that Chef Zane? He's so handsome in person!"
"SPREAD MY OYSTER, SIR!"
"MANNERS, PLEASE!"
"HANDSOME!"
"SO HANDSOME YET CUTE I'M GOING TO FAINT, PLEASE HOLD ME. ."
I flashed a grin at the fans who recognized me as I made my way to the restaurant's exit, momentarily making them wait for photos. Brando, however, is my priority since that guy has a small patience.
"Zanie! My friend!" he shouted with a burst of excitement.
"I brought you some pie!" he continued, practically bouncing with enthusiasm. "I know how much you love it, so when I saw it, I just had to get some. It's so cute—I ended up buying five boxes of strawberry pie! I'm keeping one, but the other four are for you!" Brando's words tumbled out in a rapid-fire burst, almost too fast to follow.
I opened my mouth to protest, not sure how I could possibly eat all that pie, but Brando was already waving me off. "Oh no! Look at the time! I've got to run now, frenny!"
"BYEEEEEEE!" Brando shouted as he exited, sending a flying kiss my way. How did he even know the time when he wasn't wearing a watch? It's like I'm drowning in blessings, but honestly, I feel like a dumping ground with all the stuff Brando's been throwing my way. He keeps sending me new things, and now my apartment's bursting at the seams with all his gifts. Luckily, he doesn't mind if I donate the ones I barely use to orphanage, so I've managed to clear out some space and breathe a little easier.
After Brando disappeared around the corner, I headed back to our cozy little restaurant, clutching the strawberry mascarpone cream pie he'd handed me.
I smiled again at the group of customers patiently waiting to snap pictures with me. But instead of indulging them right away, I excused myself, ducking into the kitchen to stash Brando's surprise safely. I figured Ill share the three pies with the staff and the fourth? Well, that one's coming home with me.
"Thank you, Chef! You're the best!" Liz said after I gave them the pies, which made me happy, honestly.
"Make sure to finish that up when I come back. If not, I'll charge you for it," I joked.
"Chef, by the time you return, we might have even eaten the boxes!" Mike laughed.
"True, Chef, we're not to be underestimated when it comes to food!" Gabbie chimed in, and everyone agreed.
"Alright. I'll be out for a moment. I've kept the customers waiting, and they want to take pictures with me," I smile.
"OKAY. GO ENTERTAIN THEM, CHEF!" they all said in unison.
"CHEF ZANE! CHEF ZANE! HERE!" shouted one customer. They were all pushing to be first, clamoring for pictures, and the restaurant was quickly becoming a madhouse. You could feel the tension building.
So I raised my voice, "ATTENTION, EVERYONE! IF YOU WANT A PICTURE WITH ME, PLEASE TAKE A SEAT FIRST. I'LL COME TO YOU."
"THIS ISN'T A RACE, OKAY? EVERYONE WILL GET THEIR TURN TO TAKE A PICTURE."
"IF YOU DON'T FOLLOW, DON'T EXPECT ME TO COME TO YOUR TABLE. BUT IF YOU PLAY BY THE RULES AND BEHAVE, I PROMISE I'LL VISIT YOUR TABLE,"
"WE'RE DISRUPTING OTHER CUSTOMERS WHO ARE STILL TRYING TO ORDER. LET'S BE GOOD AND RESPONSIBLE CUSTOMER FOR ONCE."
After I addressed the crowd, everyone quickly settled down and took their seats. It was a relief to see them respond so well; the chaos faded, and I started working my way from the left side, where it was closest.
"Hello," I greeted with a bright smile.
"CHEF—"
"SHHHH," I hushed him.
"Please keep your voices down. I'm coming to you, so there's no need to shout," I said calmly, still smiling. "We're disturbing others, and we want everyone to enjoy their meal."
Their excitement was understandable, but a little quiet would go a long way in keeping the atmosphere pleasant for everyone.
They nodded and stood quietly, understanding the need for calm. I walked over, posing with a peace sign and a smile. At each table, I switched up the poses, making sure everyone got a unique shot. Even though the restaurant wasn't very big, it still took about twenty minutes to get through everyone. But the extra time spent chatting with the customers and taking pictures really boosted their satisfaction and added to the restaurant's charm.
Exhausted but content, I finally made my way back to the kitchen, flashing a final smile as I waved goodbye to the dining crowd.
I headed to the small room next to the kitchen where the employees could take a break. After all the exhausting, nonstop interactions earlier, I needed a moment to recharge.
My colleagues had done a great job managing the orders, even with the restaurant being packed. There were still a few customers waiting and some takeouts left, but the remaining orders were minor and would be wrapped up soon. So, I lay down to rest for a bit. Our employer, Ma'am Adriella, is very kind, taking care of us like friends. We work hard to help her restaurant and grow even more.
"Chef, let's eat! There are no more orders coming in, lunch is over, and the place is finally quieter. It's the perfect time for us to grab a bite," Gabbie said, making me snap awake from my nap.
When I looked at the clock, I saw it was almost one in the afternoon, and I had slept for an hour.
"Oh, why didn't you wake me? It's embarrassing if I'm sleeping while you're all working," I said, feeling flustered as I fixed my hair and jumped up.
"It's okay, Chef. You're here to teach and supervise. We were just really tied up earlier, so we needed your help," Gabbie explained, which makes me grateful to have understanding and easygoing coworkers. They might be noisy, energetic, and playful, but they know how to stay professional when it comes to works.
"Alright, let's go," I said.
"Chef, we need to hurry! We might run out of chicken—Mike's such a big eater," Gabbie said, pulling me along.
"Chef! Gab, why did it take you so long to get here? Look at Mike—hes already on his fifth chicken!" Liz complained, her frustration evident as we arrived in the kitchen.
"Good thing we reserved six chickens for the both of you," Mikha said with a grin, lifting a bowl piled high with chicken.
As we dug into our feast, laughter filled the air, and playful teasing became our main course.
It's safe to say, I've been happy recently.