The Chef From the Apocalypse Enters the Food Industry - Chapter 21

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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 21. The Cooking Competition (6)
“The competition has concluded successfully!”
The finals had ended.
It was a major regional competition that spanned from preliminaries through the finals.
The rare, grand competition had wrapped up in spectacular fashion.
The city officials who organized the event and the broadcast personnel who participated all wore smiles of satisfaction.
-At this rate, we can expect decent viewership ratings, right?
-Viewership? This could launch as a full series!
-Oh! Not a pilot, but an actual series!?
-That’s right! A full program!
Everyone present understood clearly.
All this success was thanks to the chefs who had demonstrated their skills so brilliantly.
-At this level, don’t you think we could hold another competition?
-We could even make it a regional festival.
-It seems those individuals did quite well.
-Ahem. Yes, they did. They performed so well that it was a success!
-So, the next one too?
-Well… let’s observe for now. It could be a one-time thing, you know? Fresh faces are what matter.
-Ah, yes…
Still, everyone remembered that those who created the substance were the most important.
‘Quite impressive. I can see people with real talent here.’
Perhaps because of this, Jang On-gyu, holding a weighty object in his hand, felt quite satisfied.
‘There are many talented individuals, but… those two in particular are the cream of the crop.’
Kim Seon-woo and Jang I-su, engaged in quiet conversation.
Jang On-gyu’s gaze naturally followed these two.
A deep smile had settled on his face.
“Hmm… you’re staring quite intently.”
“Hmph… that Super Pass or whatever. That’s the problem. That right there.”
Objections emerged from the judges beside him.
The fact that they were voicing complaints despite the otherwise good atmosphere showed they were quite heated.
After all, they must have lobbied extensively just to secure their judge positions.
For them, those two must be thorns in their sides.
Jang On-gyu sensed this atmosphere as well.
‘No matter where you go, local favoritism exists.’
Regional bias. This was something that often occurred at regional competitions.
Jang On-gyu usually accommodated such situations.
When opening locations for his franchise, resistance would often create difficulties.
But this time was different.
This time, he paid no attention to the objections whatsoever.
Instead, he welcomed this resistance.
‘Let them object if they want. The stronger the objection, the better the picture I’ll paint.’
I hadn’t told anyone yet.
But thinking about the pictures I’d draw in the future, this current resistance had become a gain for me.
Well, everything works out perfectly.
Jang On-gyu thought this way, waiting for the MC to announce the winner.
“…It ended very successfully. I’m already looking forward to next year! You will call me again next year, right?”
“Haha. Are you already reserving your spot in advance?”
“Then Saerom, you won’t be coming?”
“Oh, I’ll come if you call me! It’s two hours away from here, so just call me two hours before!”
“I was planning to call you an hour before, but that’s unfortunate!”
“Oh! Then I’ll move to a place that’s one hour away in advance!”
“Hahaha. Moving and all. I’ll call you two days before, not two hours!”
“Wow!”
Jang Han-su and Lee Sae-rom bounced off each other’s energy, lifting the atmosphere.
They were making the people waiting for the awards wait appropriately.
Not too long, yet without letting the anticipation fade away.
It was like seasoning a dish perfectly—knowing how to balance the flavor of the atmosphere.
‘He really knows where the line is. He’s useful.’
Right when the atmosphere reached its peak, just before anticipation turned into boredom.
“Alright! Everyone’s been waiting! Hoping to see Saerom with us again next year, I now announce the grand champion!”
Boom boom boom boom—
The sound of drums beating filled the air as if on cue.
Jang Han-su raised his hand and shouted as if he’d been waiting.
“A second business genius in the making! Presenting the Four-Color Harmony! Kim Seon-woo!”
The winner was announced.
“Woooow!”
“Amazing!”
Great applause and cheers erupted together.
* * *
“Now, let me invite the champion to the stage.”
Standing on that stage, there was only one thing I had to say.
“Thank you.”
A word of gratitude. I was grateful to everyone here.
For enjoying the food deliciously.
For finding joy through such food.
All of it was good and joyful to me.
That moment is when I and the people eating my food are most meaningfully connected.
Perhaps that’s why.
‘At least for today, I’m grateful to everyone.’
Even those judges frowning looked beautiful to me.
If they hadn’t set the stage for me.
I would never have experienced the joy of winning in a competition like this.
They gave me a precious experience I never had even during the apocalypse.
Today, I could transform any negative emotion into something positive.
“I’ll cherish today’s victory as a gift from all of you.”
I meant it sincerely.
That I had received the greatest gift from everyone.
As I lifted the trophy while savoring that joy, applause erupted from the crowd.
-You’re the best! Our owner!
-You were amazing today too!
-Haha. Look at how much they all love you.
Among them, while the regular customers showed varied reactions, Jin-woo gave the most overwhelming applause, putting everyone else to shame.
‘Kekeke….’
It was good. Very good.
Savoring the joy of being together with everyone.
It was the moment I descended from the podium with a bow.
[You have gained 100 Fame.]
[Congratulations.]
[You have completed the Quest.]
The highlight that concluded this brief yet long schedule also erupted.
* * *
I stood in my designated spot after descending from the podium and checked the rewards for the completed Quest.
[You have entered the true path of the food service business.]
Even the Quest itself congratulated me, telling me I had entered the true path.
‘What comes next, I wonder.’
I still don’t know. This Quest appears precisely when crises occur.
Everything remains uncertain.
But one thing is certain.
‘I can turn crises into opportunities.’
Quests given from somewhere.
Solving them brings me great benefits.
When you think about it, a Quest might not be a complex task but a gift.
That gift was delivered to me.
[2 Skills will be upgraded.]
The promised upgrade of 2 skills.
[【Dishware Enhancement】 is being upgraded to 【Restaurant Enhancement】.]
‘Oh…!’
A craftsman doesn’t blame his tools, but all the tools he uses are of the highest quality, they say.
Dishware Enhancement was what strengthened those tools.
During the apocalypse, I even used enhanced dishware as weapons.
In any case, this essential skill has been strengthened.
‘Restaurant Enhancement. I was just thinking about expanding the store anyway, and this is perfect, isn’t it? Lucky me.’
I never expected it to upgrade to Restaurant Enhancement.
It’s exactly what it sounds like. A skill that can enhance not just dishes, but the restaurant itself that I’m running.
With this, I could transform my restaurant into something far more impressive than before.
For someone like me who’s planning to open a branch at the Youth Mall after the competition, this is the ultimate skill.
And there’s one more thing.
‘Huh?’
A miracle had occurred.
The second reward wasn’t just an upgrade.
[The healing effect obtained through the title 【Table for Five Hundred】 is recognized as a skill.]
[You have obtained the skill 【Healing】.]
The healing effect I gained through the Table for Five Hundred.
The system recognized it as a skill.
‘This is… significant.’
Whether something was a skill or not made quite a difference.
I could infuse my cooking with healing effects as I desired, or so I thought.
But it wasn’t an official skill.
Because of that, there was one major drawback.
‘The failure rate was quite high.’
I couldn’t always infuse the effect whenever I wanted.
The probability of failure was considerable.
‘If only I could use it freely…’
If I could have used it at will all the time, I could have saved far more people in my previous life.
That’s why culinary healing was like a miracle.
I never expected it to be recognized as a skill.
‘Ah…’
Memories of those I couldn’t save in my previous life flashed through my mind.
My first comrade, who died laughing because he couldn’t eat his fill.
My second comrade, who said my cooking was the best and scolded me not to waste it.
And that one too, who said that while monsters weren’t ingredients, my cooking was still the best.
If I had possessed this skill, I could have saved them.
To receive just one skill seemed insufficient—the regret of not having saved those people without this skill ran too deep.
Even so, I considered this a miraculous occurrence.

[Through the Quest’s effect, your Healing Skill is upgraded.]
[The healing effect becomes stronger than before.]
[The probability of treatment creating miracles increases.]
[You can gain inspiration for new treatments.]
‘This is the best!’
Miracles are called miracles precisely because they come from unexpected places.
I welcomed any miracle like this.
A true miracle had been given to me as a gift.
* * *
The miracle that arrived with the competition.
This miracle had already taken root in my daily life.
“One bowl of ramen here, please!”
“Yes! Coming right up!”
Was it thanks to my rising reputation?
Customers who were already plentiful came in overwhelming numbers.
It felt like we had more than double the usual customers.
‘Wow, the Food Truck Zone seems completely packed?’
I had prepared more ingredients than usual, anticipating the rush.
But even that didn’t seem like it would be enough.
‘And the broadcast hasn’t even aired yet.’
Considering that the competition’s promotional effect hadn’t fully spread yet.
This truly deserved to be called a new miracle.
“Could I get three bowls of ramen?”
“I’m sorry, but we have a one-bowl limit per person.”
“Ah…!”
“I apologize.”
“No, it’s fine. Please come back next time.”
“Yes!”
New customers scattered throughout the crowd.
Explaining the rules to them happened frequently.
But I welcomed any inconvenience like this.
-Hahaha! One drink coming out here!
-We have butter squid! Hong Kong desserts!
This celebration was happening throughout the entire Food Truck Zone.
Even the resourceful Jang Owner and the Coffee Truck Owner displayed joyful expressions continuously.
The effect of shared fame with everyone!
‘It’s more joyful because I’m not alone but with many others.’
Could there be anything happier than this?
In this moment, I was the happiest I had ever been.
* * *
Seonwoo was savoring this joy when it happened.
“Here you go!”
Customers who had secretly made their way to the Food Truck Zone began arriving.

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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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