The Chef From the Apocalypse Enters the Food Industry - Chapter 138

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 138. Getting Serious
The two of them, who had been staring intently at the result, asked as if they’d been waiting for this moment.
“We should reduce the boiling time, shouldn’t we?”
“Yes. From this to one minute forty seconds.”
“One minute forty….”
“Old Lady, you can write that down on paper.”
“Oh, yes!”
The Old Lady walked toward the counter and pulled out a pen. A rustling sound came from her apron pocket, and a notepad came out with it.
‘The two of them are naturally dividing their roles.’
It was a pleasant composition to watch.
Beside me, PD Ga lowered the camera slightly.
“This scene is good.”
“PD.”
“Oh, sorry. The wall, right?”
“Yes. The wall.”
The camera rose again.
* * *
“The noodles are fine at this point. Now for the broth.”
The Owner nodded and walked toward the large container holding the anchovy stock.
As he opened the lid, the distinctive aroma rose first. It wasn’t anchovy alone—kelp was in there too, a broth with solid fundamentals.
‘This is why the base isn’t bad.’
That’s why I said 2% last time. These two have already nailed the other 98%.
“Please ladle it as you normally would.”
The Owner scooped with a ladle and served a bowl.
I took it and sipped.
The broth itself was clean. No off-flavors, and the aftertaste faded neither too quickly nor too slowly.
‘This is the section worth praising.’
It was very good to have something to praise. So many people don’t even get the basics right.
“Your broth fundamentals are solid.”
“Th-thank you. I’ve thought about this very carefully over a long time.”
“Yes. I can see it.”
The Owner’s shoulders relaxed for a moment, then tensed again.
He’s nervous, but he’s someone who knows what he’s doing when he listens. He must have put in training. It’s just not shining through right now.
“But like I mentioned before, there’s no layer on top. No depth, in other words.”
“A layer?”
“Yes. The first spoonful is clean, but by the third spoonful it becomes bland. It’s too uniform.”
“…Now that you mention it, that does seem right.”
He was honest. He already knew. He just didn’t know how to fix it.
“So what should we add to make it different?”
“I’ll drizzle a spoonful of oil through it.”
“Oil?”
“Yes. Not sesame oil, but scallion oil.”
“Scallion oil?!”
“Yes. Scallion oil.”
It might not have resonated immediately. After all, scallions were such an accessible ingredient.
‘Truth be told, that’s exactly why I chose it. Easy accessibility means lower unit costs.’
In other words, it could be added to kalguksu without causing any significant issues.
Actually, this wasn’t the right moment to explain that yet.
What mattered was explaining the scallion oil itself.
“You chop the scallions finely and toast them gently in oil. When a customer arrives, you pour the broth into a bowl, then add a spoonful of the oil on top. Along with the aroma.”
“That’s… that’s all?”
“Yes. That’s all.”
“Simple.”
The Old Lady added a comment.
“Exactly. Simple is often the answer.”
There was a reason scallion oil had come to mind.
It had the effect of locking in aroma, so the fragrance lingered until the very end as the dish cooled.
‘The broth loses its flavor as it cools, but the oil acts as a barrier.’
That’s why it worked especially well with fast-eating dishes like kalguksu. And I intended to leverage that in my consulting.
“Why scallion oil specifically?”
The Owner asked.
Wow. His eyes were brimming with the desire to learn on his own, going beyond merely receiving instruction.
‘A beautiful hunger for knowledge.’
This was exactly the kind of attitude I loved to see.
Smiling at witnessing something I hadn’t anticipated, I answered.
“Scallion oil doesn’t clash with anchovies. Sesame oil is too assertive.”
“Ah…”
“Since kelp is providing the foundation underneath, what goes on top should be light and have an aroma that lingers long. That’s why the consulting seems simple too.”
“I see!”
“Well, when you actually try it, things might be a bit different. It’s not as simple as just adding more whenever.”
“Ah, I understand…”
“Let’s work through that together.”
“Sounds good!”
* * *
Dough, noodles, broth.
The three essential elements came together in an instant.
Now only one thing remained.
The finishing touch.
“Shall we make a bowl then?”
“Yes!”
The Owner turned on the burner and the range simultaneously. The sliced noodles and heated broth came up.
One minute forty seconds. The timer was set.
The Old Lady set out four bowls beside us. Seeing that PD Ga didn’t forget anyone, she was clearly someone who knew how to take care of those around her.
“You’ll be eating too, won’t you?”
“I tend to miss camera shots when I’m eating. I’ll pass.”
“You could just set it down and eat.”
“Ah, I need to keep recording this.”
The problem was that PD Ga was stubbornly refusing to eat.
‘This person was whining about quitting the Broadcasting Station, and now they’re already back to being a PD.’
There was nothing to be done. When this person made up their mind, persuasion was useless.
“Coming right up!”
In the meantime, the noodles went smoothly into the pot.
While they cooked, the Owner placed another pan on the heat.
“Here’s the scallion.”
The Old Lady brought over the scallions she’d already sliced into rings.
Over low heat, the scallions sizzled briefly before settling down.
‘The sound and aroma are perfect.’
* * *
‘It’s coming together. It’s really coming together.’
PD Ga’s hand adjusting the camera angle moved a beat faster.
The noodles cooked through, the broth was poured into the bowls, and a spoonful of scallion oil was drizzled on top.
Three bowls were lined up on the counter.
The Owner took the first sip.
“….”
There were no words.
The Old Lady watched him, then hastily dipped her spoon into her own bowl.
After one sip, her eyes widened.
“Dear, dear.”
“Yes.”
“This….”
“Yes. Yes… this….”
Their words trailed off.
They simply gazed at each other.
I understood. How much emotional turmoil they must have endured.
It seemed they had continued their efforts all along. They had simply lost their way.
And now, seeing it all come together in one stroke like this, it would have been strange not to feel moved.
‘With everything they’ve done, they could feel immediately from the first spoonful how different the taste had become.’
Slurp—
I stirred my bowl once and lifted a chopstick’s worth of noodles.
The thinned noodles held the broth perfectly as they came up. The texture felt lighter on the bite.
The scallion oil lingered on the roof of my mouth, its fragrance persisting to the very end.
‘This is sufficient. It has that kick to it.’
It was complete.
The Owner took another sip of the broth, then set down his chopsticks.
“…Is this really our store’s broth?”
“Yes. Everything is the same except for the scallion oil.”
“But how is it so different?”
“I mentioned building layers, didn’t I? A single layer of flavor like this can transform the entire dish.”
“I’ve heard the theory… but to think it would be like this…. Goodness. It feels like you’ve performed some kind of magic.”
“You’ve worked hard.”
The Owner stared at the completely empty bowl for a long time.
His eyes had turned red.
* * *
‘These people have accumulated quite a lot of emotion.’
PD Ga’s camera held on that face for an extended moment.
It was different from the usual broadcast camera. There was no lighting setup, no multiple angles.
Just one camera capturing one face.
But that was better.
‘So this is what they mean by YouTube sensibility.’
* * *
Learning something once wasn’t the end of it.
I needed to practice until they could do it with their eyes closed, until the movements were imprinted into their very bodies.
“Let’s practice.”
“Yes.”
The Owner rolled up his sleeves without hesitation. The Old Lady came out beside him and took her position as well.
They kneaded the dough again according to the ratio I’d taught them. Their hands moved faster than before.
They cut the noodles, heated the broth, and prepared the scallion oil once more.
Three bowls came out again.
“…You’re faster than before.”
“Once I tried it, I got the feel for it.”
The Owner laughed sheepishly.
‘This person has quick hands too.’
Now that I thought about it, the Skewer Shop Owner was the same way. Slow before things are decided, but faster than anyone once they are.
This one was even quicker. With both of them moving together, the speed doubled.
“From tomorrow on, you can continue like this. After about a week, it’ll be ingrained in your bodies.”
“Yes!”
“When customers arrive, just guide them along the flow I mentioned before. It’ll connect seamlessly from the entrance to the counter.”
“Yes, yes.”
I removed my apron and set it down on the counter.
“I’ll stop by once more tomorrow.”
“Tomorrow too?”
“Yes. I want to see the customers come in before I leave.”
“Thank you so much!”
Both of them bowed their heads simultaneously.
As I left the Store, I glanced back through the glass door.
The two of them stood before the counter, exchanged a look, and then began chattering excitedly about something.
Their expressions had transformed completely from when they first entered.
‘The consultation is done, so we’ve cleared one hurdle.’
PD Ga lowered his camera beside me.
“I think we have enough for the first episode.”
“Already?”
“Yes.”
“How much did you film?”
“If I captured the faces I needed to capture, then I got everything. Actually, well-shot footage doesn’t really need editing. Viewers are satisfied seeing it as is. There’s no need to force anything extra in. Unlike before.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes. Unlike before.”
“Ah… unlike before…”
“Heh. That’s how it is.”
PD Ga’s voice carried a lighter tone than usual.
Even his shoulders seemed lighter, as if the burden he’d carried from the Broadcasting Station had lifted somewhat.
‘He’s cleared his own hurdle too.’
Sunlight slanted down the Alley from its far end.
My next destination was already decided.
A Chef from the Apocalypse Ventures into the Food Industry
Author |
Heung-haeng
Publisher |
Samyang C&C
Editor-in-Chief |
Editorial Department
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Samyang C&C – Dream Books
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UCI |
G720:N+A063-20260206001
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blog.naver.com/dreambookss
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@dreambookss
Submissions |
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Without written permission from Samyang C&C – Dream Books, the contents of this book may not be used in any form or by any means.

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