The Chef From the Apocalypse Enters the Food Industry - Chapter 31

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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 31. A Small Frown
Jang Owner—the one who used to tease me by insisting I call him “hyung” whenever he felt bored.
Lately, his expression had taken on a melancholic cast.
What could possibly be wrong?
‘The store’s sales can’t be doing poorly, can they?’
It was the lowest among the three establishments, true enough.
Yet the revenue still surpassed that of most ordinary restaurants.
‘I’ve confirmed it several times already. He even said his life had become more comfortable because of it.’
Before the Food Truck, he’d tried his hand at business in various directions, but he’d never earned this much back then.
So why the long face?
I wasn’t the type to simply observe and stay silent.
I found a moment during break time to ask.
“You don’t look well, Owner.”
“Hey now. I told you to call me hyung, not Owner.”
He tried to brush it off, but his eyes betrayed a somber mood.
In moments like this, I should play along, shouldn’t I?
“Right, hyung. Is something troubling you?”
“Well… um…”
Typical. It was rare for him to hesitate like this.
“Please, speak freely.”
“It’s a bit difficult to talk about. I feel like I’m just being petty…”
“So what if you are? We’re past that point between us.”
This was the Owner who’d believed in me alone and abandoned the Youth Mall to come here.
I’d heard the Youth Mall he’d recently opened was doing well too.
He’d given that up to come here—I could indulge a hundred complaints from him.
“Ha ha. I suppose you’re right.”
“So tell me.”
“It’s just…”
The Owner finally began to speak.
And I sat quietly, listening to every word.
* * *
‘That’s completely understandable.’
After hearing everything, I understood fully.
“So if I’m understanding correctly, the business is doing well, but you’re worried because only the pudding is selling?”
“Exactly. Making money is wonderful, truly. I’m grateful for it. Really. But… it bothers me that the main menu items aren’t moving.”
“Ah… it’s like you prepared everything so carefully, but no one appreciates it, isn’t it?”
“!!!!!”
His eyes widened with the question of how I could possibly know.
“It feels like if just one person would try it, things might change. Like you’re reaching for something just out of grasp. Am I right?”
“How do you understand me so well?!”
“That’s true. Ha ha.”
“Seriously. I could be a fortune teller!”
This kind of thing.
It’s something you can experience whether it’s cooking or not.
When all your careful preparation fails to reach its intended goal.
When you hope someone will understand, but no one empathizes.
My mind keeps telling me it’s fine, reassuring myself over and over.
But it’s not. Absolutely not fine.
‘How could that possibly be fine?’
It couldn’t be.
I can’t just leave it as is.
If I don’t address the problem, time will transform it into an illness.
‘A sickness of the heart. It will gnaw away at me.’
The original cause is simple, or perhaps it could be fixed from the beginning.
Even if no one acknowledges my efforts, doing my best can at least erase regret.
‘Leaving it untouched is the real problem.’
Later on, I won’t even remember why I developed such an illness, and I’ll wander lost forever.
Jang Owner stood at the starting point of all this.
He’d shared his difficult inner thoughts with me, however reluctantly.
That was something to be grateful for.
Because it was something he could only say by holding me close.
‘This is good.’
The gratitude of being together with another person.
It was always a warm feeling, no matter when I felt it.
This gratitude only grows when shared with others.
And fortunately, I had the ability to find a way to resolve it together.
By the way, that method was simple.
“So, shall we try to solve this together?”
“How?”
“Since cooking is the concern, we should solve it with cooking.”
“What do you mean?”
“Home-style menu. Let’s work on it together.”
We could find the answer through cooking.
This time, that cooking would be Hong Kong home-style cuisine.
“…Will that be alright?”
“Pardon? Why not? What could be wrong with it?”
“If my sales go up….”
“Puhaha. You worry about so much. Come on, let’s take a look together.”
I needed to find a good menu worthy of dispelling Jang Owner’s lingering concerns.
* * *
‘First, the direction.’
The essence of Hong Kong home cooking is simple.
Steaming and stir-frying. And broths, mainly.
It uses less oil than authentic Chinese cuisine, making it lighter, and even soy sauce is used to enhance umami rather than for saltiness.
Garlic, scallions, and ginger are essential.
Less spicy, less sweet, less oily. Clear broth.
That’s what defines it.
Put differently, it’s simple.
“Your cooking lacks seasoning, Jang Owner.”
“But that’s the authentic way.”
“Usually, yes. That’s correct. But we’re running a business, aren’t we? With lightly seasoned dishes, it’s bound to be difficult to compete. I think you’ve been approaching this from the wrong angle?”
“Ah…! That’s true!”
I’d found the direction to the solution.
Now I just needed to find the method.
“But we can’t just make everything heavily seasoned either, right?”
“Right. Then the distinctive character would disappear.”
“Preserving the character of Hong Kong home cooking while achieving the perfect seasoning balance. That’s not easy.”
“Normally I’d recommend steamed dishes to enhance flavor. But that would take too long, wouldn’t it?”
“Exactly. That’s why I’m skipping steamed dishes. The time investment makes it hard to justify the unit cost.”
“Right. If we can’t hit the unit cost, it’s all for nothing.”
“We’re doing this to run a business, after all.”
“Hmm…”
Finding a concrete method wasn’t easy.
If I increased the seasoning too much, I risked losing the distinctive character.
Even if I added special touches like steamed dishes, time was the problem.
So I needed to find something that could be simmered for a long time like steamed dishes to develop flavor, without raising the unit cost.
And there was something that perfectly suited Korean palates too.
“Ah…! I’ve got an idea.”
“What is it?”
“What about broth?”
“Broth? You want to go with broth? That takes time too…”
“Something like Seolleongtang that we can serve. What I’m thinking is—”
I found my answer in broth.
There was one type of broth that could deliver an exotic feel.
And it was—
* * *
“Apple broth is served!”
It was apple broth.
The first thing that comes to mind when you think of apples.
“You make broth from apples?”
“Yes.”
“There’s nothing red here. I mean, even if we overlook the skin… I don’t see any apples at all?”
“Right? Haha.”
I wasn’t talking about those bright red apples.
“It is an apple, but not the kind you’re thinking of.”
“Then what?”
“Before I explain, would you like to try this vegetable first? It’s green.”
“Yes!”
Following Jang Owner’s words, the Customer took a spoonful along with the unfamiliar green vegetable.
The Customer’s eyes widened as he tasted it.
“The flavor is so deep… it’s different from the vegetables I usually eat?”
“See? This is an apple.”
“This is an apple? But it’s green.”
“Haha. Yes. In Hong Kong, they call this an apple.”
“How exotic?”
“Right. But you’ll be even more surprised when you hear what we call it in our country.”
“Oh. What is it?”
The resourceful Jang Owner explained as if letting the other Customers hear as well.
With everyone’s attention on him, he revealed the true meaning of the apple.
“In our language, this apple is actually a luffa.”
“!!!!”
“A luffa?”
“What?”
The Customers who had been listening quietly gasped and repeated his words in surprise.
“Yes. A luffa. In our country, we only use luffas as luffas, right? But in foreign countries, this is actually a fairly common ingredient.”
“A luffa?”
“Yes. A luffa. Haha. Everyone, please try some.”
Jang Owner naturally brought out small bowls he’d prepared beforehand and distributed them.
An impromptu tasting session began in an instant.
“Wow…”
“Delicious.”
Comfort settled on the faces of the Customers as they each took a bite.
There was a deep flavor that was difficult to describe.
“It’s clearer and more delicate than you’d expect.”
“Exactly!”
“And it has depth, right?”
“Yes!”
Jang Owner offered his assessment of the flavor with perfect timing.
The Customers who heard him nodded in agreement.
Everyone was satisfied.
Jang Owner wasn’t the type to end things here.
“Now, for the grand finale. This small bowl isn’t quite enough, is it?”
“No!”
“As a service for all our guests today, everyone gets a complimentary bowl.”
“Wow…!”
“Please, wait just a moment!”
I brought out the service portions.
“Wow…!”
“Thank you so much!”
First, with the exotic and delicious cuisine.
Second, with the flavor descriptions.
Third, with the service.
Jang Owner demonstrated the skill to pull off a triple hit in one go.
And then.
“I’ll have an apple soup too!”
“Me as well!”
“Please, one for me!”
It was an instant hit.
* * *
The number of people eating with satisfaction grew.
Beyond my kimbap and ramen, now Hong Kong-style home cooking as well.
While apple soup was the initial offering, several other soup dishes would soon be added to the menu.
The rotating soup dishes each week would continue to add character to the Hong Kong-style offerings.
Just doing that would keep the success flowing.
‘This is nice.’
A good result born from finding problems together and solving them.
I felt so proud and satisfied.
“You seem quite pleased?”
It must have shown. There was no reason to hide it.
“I am. Haha. Look at them eating so happily over there. Don’t they look content?”
“Yes. They truly do look happy.”
“Right? I love that expression on their faces. You feel the same way, don’t you, Haran?”
“…Yes!”
My response seemed to please her greatly, and Haran gazed at the customers for a long moment.
Her face was filled with warmth and satisfaction.
‘That makes sense.’
She was someone who loved cooking and seeing people enjoy the taste of her food.
When customers were happy, she was happy too.
That’s why I’d been waiting.
‘It’s about time I said something.’
Haran, who loves cooking.
Jin-woo, who puts on a bright face but seems to carry worries.
I was waiting for one of these two to finally open up to me.
Whatever it might be, I felt ready to listen now.
‘And I would be happy too.’
Moving forward together like this, I was waiting for that moment.
But then again.
Waiting doesn’t always bring only good things your way.
“Hello. Are you the Owner?”
“Yes. Who might you be?”
“If you don’t mind, would you have a moment to talk?”

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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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