Reset Life with Infinite Talents - Chapter 114

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Infinite Talent Reset Life Episode 114

 

 

Everyone stares at Johann and the Chef with shocked expressions.

The Chef glances at the camera and forcibly smooths out her distorted face.

“Korean food… Hoho, you must be confident in your cooking?”

“Oh?”

That’s quite a fresh reaction.

Usually when something like this happens during broadcast filming, the other party tends to react more intensely.

The Owner Chef looked at the surprised Johann and smirked inwardly.

‘You think you’re the first or second person I’ve seen insulting vegan food?!’

It had been 4 years since she opened LA’s first vegan restaurant.

In that time, she had dealt with malicious meat lovers and fellow chefs from the industry.

A provocation from a Young Child like this was nothing.

‘But…’

This was an important broadcast appearance ahead of her second location opening. She couldn’t just let this kind of insult slide.

“Ah, you’re not just confident in eating, are you?”

If you can’t cook, shut up – that’s what the Chef was saying.

“Oh… will that be okay?”

Honestly, seeing such an unexpectedly gentle reaction, he briefly considered apologizing.

But after being provoked like this, he couldn’t back down. It could negatively affect the movie they were currently filming.

“Wow! Are you worried about me, a Monroe College graduate?”

Monroe College, specialized in culinary and hotel-related majors.

A prestigious private university with a long tradition established in 1933.

“Yes, then. I’ll go with vegan-style Korean food. And you…”

“I’ll use my recipes as they are.”

All these recipes were the Restaurant’s signature menu items.

It didn’t matter if Johann had seen the recipe book.

They were slightly modified versions for large-scale cooking anyway.

“Since it’s nine o’clock now… shall we make it until two? You need to get ingredients too.”

“Would that be okay?”

When Johann asked the Teacher, she quickly nodded.

“It’s fine! One o’clock is normally meal time anyway!”

Being an hour late would be understandable to everyone.

Johann nodded and slowly closed his eyes.

‘Enter. Search. Korean royal cuisine specialist.’

High-class Korean cuisine would probably be best.

Johann stabbed one of the flying orbs into his chest.

‘Ah.’

One person’s life unfolded in his mind.

Johann opened his eyes and looked at Emily.

“Emily, could you help me out?”

“Yes! Sure!”

“Thanks. And tell the kids to come over.”

There was quite a lot to buy.

The LA Morning Reporter watched Johann running out and picked up her phone.

“Send just one more camera! Hurry!”

Something interesting was happening.

 

* * *

 

The place where he was born was a Gisaeng House in Hanyang.

His Mother was a gisaeng, and he didn’t know who his Father was.

That’s what happens when a lowly gisaeng carelessly plays around.

The future of a Child born from a gisaeng’s body is only one thing.

Girls become gisaeng, and boys leave when the time comes, mostly becoming ruffians and dying away from home or becoming disabled.

‘Fortunately, he had talent in cooking.’

He loved eating, and enjoyed making food too.

The Kitchen of the Gisaeng House was his Playground.

At six years old, he started handling knives to prepare ingredients, and by ten he could season vegetables.

However, he always felt thirsty.

More diverse ingredients.

Newer cooking methods.

If they didn’t exist, he made them himself, and sometimes asked drunk Nobles about gastronomy. Whenever a Master Chef happened to visit the Gisaeng House, he gladly attended to all their needs.

At twenty years old, he became the head cook directing all cooking in the Kitchen.

The Gisaeng House where he stayed became famous as one of the top three in Hanyang thanks to his cooking skills.

Countless Powerful Families and Nobles visited the Gisaeng House daily to taste his food, and that rumor eventually reached the Royal Palace.

He gladly responded to the Royal Palace’s call.

The place where all of Joseon’s delicacies gathered.

The place where all of Joseon’s cooking methods gathered.

The Royal Kitchen.

It was the only place that could quench his thirst.

The Royal Kitchen he entered was paradise to him.

He absorbed all knowledge voraciously and made it his own.

As a result, he became a 9th rank clerk, and at thirty became a 6th rank supervisor with authority over the Crown Prince’s Kitchen in the Crown Prince’s Palace.

The Crown Prince’s Kitchen, newly created despite the existence of the Main Palace Kitchen.

That’s right. The Supreme Ruler of Joseon greatly disliked the owner of the Eastern Palace.

‘It didn’t matter to the Master Chef.’

He was just happy to be able to handle all of Joseon’s delicacies.

But from there, his misfortune began.

The Crown Prince should be an example to all people, so they constantly reduced the number of side dishes. The Crown Prince’s erratic behavior was due to fire energy, so fire usage should be reduced.

It was unfair.

Why was it his fault that the Crown Prince went mad, rampaged, and died locked in a rice chest?

He felt wronged until the moment he died from a knife wound while returning to his hometown.

“What do we need to buy?”

“First, onions, green onions, cabbage, radish…”

“Kelp, shiitake mushrooms.”

Friends gathered from the sudden call and Johann look at the approaching middle-aged woman, the investor.

“Right?”

‘A cook.’

Now he could smell it.

The scent of ingredients deeply embedded in her hands.

“Hello, I’m Johann Jefferson.”

“Hoho!”

The investor smiles satisfactorily at Johann pretending not to know.

“Nice to meet you. Hong Hee-sook, just call me Hong. And do you need anything?”

“Boiled beans and blanched bracken, spinach and bean sprouts, tofu and sweet potato noodles, pears, pine mushrooms, and whole peppercorns too.”

There were many other things needed besides these.

Sauces like soy sauce and gochujang, oils, and honey substitutes were also needed.

When Johann listed the necessary ingredients, Hong Hee-sook nodded.

“I can help with everything except the pine mushrooms. And what else?”

“The rest I need to go to Chinatown for…”

“Medicinal herbs?”

“Yes.”

“Medicinal herbs won’t suit American tastes though…”

“There are some that work universally.”

Hong Hee-sook laughs as if amused.

“Go here and tell them you came on my recommendation, they’ll give you what you want.”

“Is there anything you’d like from me?”

“A pretty painting? Of course I’ll pay for it.”

“…I’ll draw the most beautiful one for you.”

“Hoho! Go on then.”

‘She doesn’t seem like a bad person…’

‘The One Who Became a Star’ says so.

‘I don’t know what her intentions are, but should I accept her help for now?’

If she has ulterior motives, he can deal with that when the time comes.

“I can help with the pine mushrooms. You mean the mushrooms that grow under pine trees, right?”

“Emily, you can?”

“Yeah. Father likes pine mushrooms so there’s a place we deal with every month.”

This is the first time he’s hearing this.

“I’ll ask you then.”

“Okay!”

“And you guys…”

Johann made several requests to his friends as well, then headed toward the road.

“Rick!”

 

* * *

 

The ingredients and dishes Johann requested arrived quickly.

“It must have been an unreasonable request, but thank you for accommodating it.”

“Not at all!”

Hong Hee-sook is a big customer for them.

She orders ingredients for over a thousand servings every day.

“Please drop by sometime.”

“Haha. Yes!”

After the ingredient supplier left, Hong Hee-sook looked at the ingredients piled up in the kitchen.

‘Johann Jefferson.’

Four years ago, the Wolf Boy who had stirred her heart.

The multi-talented boy who had tormented countless children back then.

That boy is trying to cook.

“The bracken, spinach and bean sprouts must be for bibimbap.”

Seeing the sweet potato starch noodles, it must be for japchae, and the tofu seems like it would go in soup or stew.

“Flour and starch then…”

“Mrs. Hong?”

Hong Hee-sook turned her head to see Johann’s friends.

“What should we do?”

‘Oh my.’

The children clenched their fists with expressions asking to be given any task. She smiled warmly at the sight.

‘He’s made good friends.’

At least the movie won’t fall through due to personality issues.

“For now…”

“Are you sure these children will be alright, ma’am?”

The Owner Chef approached with a worried expression.

Hong Hee-sook looked at her intently and smiled slyly.

“Then may I just take these two ladies?”

Flinch!

“…Hohoho. Of course. You can take more if you’d like!”

“It’s fine. These two will do. Mrs. Vernon, Mrs. Anderson.”

“Yes!”

‘Tch!’

What a disaster.

‘To prepare a hundred servings at once, even this number is barely enough!’

She had tried to show a benevolent side and ended up giving away precious manpower.

The Owner Chef clicked her tongue inwardly and turned away, while Hong Hee-sook chuckled softly.

‘What kind of scheme is this.’

She doesn’t seem like a very good person.

She looked around at Johann’s friends and the ladies with a gentle smile.

“Then shall we start by preparing the ingredients together?”

Just as Johann had instructed.

“Yes!”

“Come here. I’ll teach you. Now, for the potatoes…”

“Oh, like this?”

“You’re doing well.”

“Hehe.”

The Owner Chef watched Hong Hee-sook and the children quickly become friendly, then clicked her tongue again and looked at the ladies.

“Well then, let’s get started too! Ma’am, wash the lettuce. And you wash the cauliflower.”

“Yes? Yes.”

“No. You need to add vinegar to the water first!”

The ladies’ expressions hardened at her commanding tone.

How much time had passed like this?

Johann entered carrying large, tall steamers and large-capacity pots.

‘Hmm?’

Something seemed off about the kitchen atmosphere.

“Johann! We finished preparing all the ingredients.”

“Oh…”

The ingredients were cut haphazardly, as if carefully prepared by beginners.

Johann paused.

‘Why is everything so big?’

All the ingredients – spinach, carrots, radish – were larger than what the ‘Master Chef’ knew.

Johann brought some raw spinach to his mouth.

“…This is insane.”

The bitter yet sweet juice tantalized his tongue.

‘This quality would be hard to find even in the Main Palace’s Royal Kitchen?’

Supreme quality that couldn’t be seen even in the Main Palace’s Royal Kitchen where meals for the King were prepared. The quality of all ingredients was far superior to what the ‘Master Chef’ knew.

The most shocking thing was the tofu.

‘Is this really tofu?’

During the Japanese invasions of Korea, there were stories of Ming Army soldiers who came to help Joseon becoming so enamored with Joseon tofu that they requested it every meal – Joseon tofu was renowned for its quality and taste.

But this tofu before his eyes was several times better than Joseon tofu from that time. It had a taste worthy of ingredients eaten by Immortals.

“What are you doing?”

“I need to know the condition of the ingredients to make food.”

“Oh my.”

That’s quite impressive.

‘Does he really know how to cook?’

It’s not just superficial knowledge, but it seems like he truly knows how to cook.

She points to the stainless steel pot she placed on the blazing burner.

“The broth is boiling.”

“Already?”

Johann quickly opens the lid.

Since the water hasn’t started boiling yet, only the ingredients are floating around, but seeing the large kelp and fragrant shiitake mushrooms makes his mouth water involuntarily.

Johann, who scooped up some broth with a ladle and brought it to his mouth, clicks his tongue.

His tongue, which had become as sensitive as a beast’s, draws out the taste it will have when completed.

‘If the Master Chef had known how to make broth this good, he wouldn’t have died for such an unfair reason.’

The Supreme One, who was narrow-minded and picky, and even had a finicky palate, obsessing over fine cuisine.

If the ‘Master Chef’ had shown this level of skill, he would have worked in the Main Palace Kitchen, not the Crown Prince’s Kitchen.

“You’re amazing!”

“Hoho! What should I do now?”

The friends also light up with excitement.

‘Since I’ve checked the condition of the ingredients…’

Johann looks at the neatly cut carrots and radish.

‘She must have prepared these.’

“Do you happen to know how to make goldongban, I mean, bibimbap?”

“So it was bibimbap ingredients after all. Don’t worry.”

“Thank you! Flash, Mason.”

“Yeah!”

“Mash the boiled beans.”

Mash them thoroughly to make them chunky.

“Joy and Lucy, finely chop the shiitake mushrooms and soaked glass noodles.”

It doesn’t matter if they’re crooked.

They’ll be mixed together to make filling anyway.

After asking the other friends as well, Johann heads toward where the bottled water is bundled.

“Oh, this place has water purification facilities installed, so you can use tap water directly.”

“Oh!”

That’s fortunate.

 

After washing all the cooking utensils and placing them on the burner, Johann looks at the medicinal herbs he bought from Chinatown.

“Smoked plum, cardamom, sandalwood, amomum fruit.”

All of them are of the finest quality.

Especially the smoked plum. The plums were properly dried and processed.

Splash!

When Johann poured all the medicinal herbs into the stainless steel pot filled about one-third with water, Emily was startled.

“Are these also ingredients for making broth?”

“Similar.”

He needs to boil them, remove the herbs, and use only the liquid.

‘Is this a Western pear?’

When he tasted it earlier, it was similar to the pears that came into the palace.

A pear with bland taste, prominent acidity, and rough texture.

However, this one is much softer and juicier.

As if it had been ripened.

“Phew.”

Now it’s time to start cooking in earnest.

It was the moment Johann gripped the knife.

“Ah.”

The feeling of it fitting perfectly in his hand. It was as if his hand had extended and become a tool.

For Johann, this was an unfamiliar yet strange sensation he was experiencing for the first time.

The knife seemed to cry out for him to wield it quickly, and Johann looked at the knife and smiled quietly.

“Then… shall we begin?”

As Johann grabs the pear, the Chef speaks to him.

“Hey, do you know how to handle a knife?”

‘The way he gave instructions just now seemed convincing, but…’

He’s still just a 15-year-old boy.

A boy who has no reason to enter the kitchen except when washing dishes.

“If you handle the knife carelessly…”

Slice!

At the smooth hand movement that cuts the narrow upper part of the bottle-shaped pear without hesitation, the Chef closes her mouth.

Slice slice slice!

‘…!’

The skilled knife work that peels the skin by rolling the pear on his hand as soon as he cuts the bottom and top parts.

Johann raises his head and speaks to the Chef.

“What about the knife?”

…Crack!

 

* * *

 

Chop! Slice! Slice slice!

“Wow!”

“Whoa!”

He puts finely chopped cabbage, napa cabbage, chives, glass noodles, shiitake mushrooms, pepper, and other ingredients mixed into a sticky filling onto palm-sized round flour dough and wraps it.

“How does that stay attached?”

Without applying any adhesive, just lightly brushing with water and pressing the ends of the dough together, they don’t fall apart.

“So fast!”

Blink once and one is made, blink again and ten are made.

It’s like magic.

“Hehe! Think I’ll lose?”

“I’ll make them better!”

The children burned with competitive spirit, and the Owner Chef’s eyes trembled.

‘Dumplings.’

Dumplings, one of the Chinese dishes.

Something she had eaten at a dim sum restaurant in Chinatown once, and heard that it was an extremely difficult dish to make.

‘He properly learned cooking.’

Just from watching how he prepared the ingredients earlier and his quick hand movements making dumplings, it’s obvious he’s worked in a kitchen for a long time.

‘Even so! Cooking is all about time!’

No matter how talented someone is, they can’t make proper dishes without standing in the kitchen for a long time.

The time spent in the kitchen equals the quality of cooking.

‘I’ve been in the kitchen for almost 10 years!’

There was no way she could lose.

Still, what annoyed her was that harmonious atmosphere.

‘What do they think the kitchen is!’

“Hey there! I told you not to use high heat!”

“Yes, yes?”

“Turn down the heat quickly!”

The chef forcibly swallowed his curses at the camera pointed toward him.

Hong Hee-sook turned her gaze to the large pot that was spewing hot steam.

Whoosh!

A sweet and sour aroma that enveloped her face.

‘Pear broth?’

Hong Hee-sook watched Johann moving busily here and there.

“Where could he have learned to make something like this at his age…”

Inside the pot, reddish water containing medicinal herbs was gently boiling.

“This must be the medicinal herbs bought from Chinatown…”

Though not commonly used herbs, the combination of pear flesh, dates, maple syrup, and cinnamon boiled like a decoction made the aroma not unfamiliar.

A nostalgic smell that seemed like she had encountered once before.

As she groaned and searched her memory, a delightful sound reached her ears.

Sizzle!

‘What is he making this time?’

She quickly ran over and widened her eyes.

Starch coating wrapped around potatoes, sweet potatoes, and carrots puffed up in the yellow oil.

Tempura that swelled white like packed snow on a winter day.

Johann nodded his head.

‘The rice is done, the vegetables are done, the tofu dumpling soup is boiling…’

The dessert was also cooling well in the refrigerator.

Now there was only one thing left.

“All mixed… Crazy! What! Why are you frying cotton!”

Flash and Mason, who were bringing over mixed soybeans, shiitake mushrooms ground in a blender, and finely chopped chives, were startled when they saw the pot.

“What? You’re frying cotton?”

The friends who crowded around looked at him as if asking if he was sane.

“It’s not cotton, it’s tempura.”

The dish’s name was Snow Flower Fry.

It was named by the Crown Prince because it looked like snowflakes.

It was a dish that used so much oil that even the ‘Master Chef’ had only made it twice.

‘The dish that Joseon’s Crown Prince loved most.’

However, it was too extravagant and expensive to serve easily.

“Try one each.”

“Is, is that okay?”

“Originally, you taste while cooking.”

That was the chef’s privilege.

Johann gave them each a piece of tempura that had been cooling on the oil strainer and put one in his own mouth.

Crunch!

A texture that broke crisply while sticking chewily.

Following that, well-cooked sweet potatoes, potatoes, and carrots chewed softly.

“…Wow.”

Not only the children but also Hong Hee-sook and the ladies helping widened their eyes as they looked at Johann.

“Holy! This seems like it could replace meat!”

Korean food without meat.

Honestly, Johann thought it was lacking.

The bibimbap that Mason’s mother had made several times was delicious because it had minced meat and eggs on top, and the soup with tofu and dumplings was tasty because it had clams and eggs.

The main dish wasn’t completely finished yet, but with just this tempura, it seemed like it could easily beat something like cauliflower steak.

“Meat? I’m going to make it now?”

“…Huh?”

“Korean food feels incomplete without meat.”

Johann smiled meaningfully and brought the bowl of finely chopped pine mushrooms to his mouth.

The crunchy texture and subtle pine fragrance spreading in his mouth.

“Perfect.”

Johann poured the pine mushrooms into the large bowl that Flash and Mason had brought, mixed them with pepper and sugar, and formed them into bean-sized lumps.

Sizzle!

Mushrooms and bean lumps cooking in the wok filled with oil.

This wasn’t the end.

Johann placed a new wok and lit the fire, then poured soy sauce when the wok heated up.

Hiss!

Soy sauce burning with a loud noise.

It was of such clear and deep quality that it would only be used when offering sacrifices to heaven.

“Watch carefully. I’m going to show you the magic of vegetables transforming into meat.”

The King of Joseon often reduced the number of side dishes with the nonsense that the Crown Prince should be an example to all people.

There were countless royal commands to restrict meat consumption.

‘But the Crown Prince liked meat.’

The servants had to shed blood, tears, and sweat daily to satisfy such a Crown Prince’s palate, and eventually the ‘Master Chef’ managed to create it.

Meat made from beans and mushrooms.

‘Originally it was grilled in oil, but…’

That was just a desperate measure because expensive oil couldn’t be used freely.

Johann put the fully fried mushrooms and bean lumps into the wok that was simmering with soy sauce and various sauces.

‘Good.’

Very good.

Because he could use pepper, sugar, oil, and mushrooms to his heart’s content.

A maniacal smile began to form on his lips.

 

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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