The Chef From the Apocalypse Enters the Food Industry - Chapter 35

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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 35. The Bomb Explodes!
It detonated.
Just as I’d anticipated.
I’d delivered one kick through the dish variety.
While it provided an element of surprise, what truly mattered was the taste.
I’d hidden another kick within it.
That was texture.
The reason I chose lasagna kimbap from the start was precisely because of the texture.
The sensation of chewing—texture itself is a dimension of taste.
To achieve this, I’d layered kimbap upon kimbap, composing it with multiple fillings.
The first hidden kick beneath the seaweed.
Crispy fried thin noodles concealed beneath the seaweed.
I’d saved my firepower for this moment.
Inspired by kadaif, this element itself delivers a crispy texture that bursts forth like fried food.
Once you bite through this crispy sensation,
The seasoned crab meat emerges as if waiting for this very moment.
Finely shredded, seasoned crab meat appears.
The seasoning and crab meat gently anchor what could otherwise seem bland.
Crab meat itself pairs beautifully with kimbap.
Softness following the crispness.
Before the delicious seasoning coating it fades completely, rice seasoned with perilla oil seaweed and pepper arrives.
This creates a five-beat rhythm.
The seaweed’s texture. The noodles’ crispness.
The crab meat’s softness.
The kick from the seasoning!
Rice that neutralizes it, then delivers a sharp, peppery punch.
Like a perfect harmony, the rhythm aligns flawlessly, and when the taste hits—what can you do?
Even if you tried to resist, you couldn’t.
“Th-this is delicious!”
That distinctive expression food vloggers make.
Once you make that face while eating something delicious, the game is already over.
“Wow… how do you create a taste like this from kimbap?”
“You called it lasagna kimbap, and it’s really innovative.”
This won’t do.
I have to admit it.
It’s delicious.
“Well then, the lasagna kimbap passes!”
“Wow. I could eat two of these, no—two servings!”
“But there’s still the most important one left, right?”
“Right. Ramen is what matters. We’re a snack bar, after all!”
They refused to give up until the very end.
With the determination that they wouldn’t hold back this time, they brought the Hong Kong ramen to their lips.
Slurrrp—
One bite, smooth and clean—
Like someone who reviews restaurants, they ate in a way that looked delicious.
Now, you’d expect them to say it tastes bad here.
But this couldn’t possibly taste bad.
‘I’ve simmered it and enhanced the flavor even further.’
By simmering the loofah gourd broth, I’d multiplied its taste!
The refreshing quality from the green onions rushes in—whoosh—forcing an expression of deliciousness onto their faces.
“Mmm….”
“This is insane.”
In the end, they too acknowledged the taste.
* * *
And so, the final moment!
Regardless of how much they were paid, they acted desperately.
The taste is good. I admit it.
The idea is good too.
But.
“Um… does the unit cost work out with this?”
“It does. It’s delicious, but… other customers need to eat this too… if you’re only preparing it specially for us like this, it feels a bit off, doesn’t it?”
That was precisely the matter of realistic unit costs.
In other words, they brought up the argument that this was ‘hospitality cooking’ for Youtubers.
‘How pathetic.’
I thought they wouldn’t easily admit defeat.
Of course, from the reviewers’ perspective, this would be their justification.
That’s right. A dish that doesn’t meet unit cost standards ends up being nothing more than a one-time event.
But here, my answer was already predetermined.
“Of course the unit cost works out.”
“Pardon?”
“Look closely at the lasagna kimbap. There aren’t many ingredients in it.”
Seaweed. Thin noodles. Imitation crab meat. Rice.
Fewer ingredients go into it than you’d think.
“Ah…!”
“Even if we use various seasonings, this level is definitely solvable within the unit cost.”
“But… it requires a lot of labor, doesn’t it?”
“Labor? Yes, it does require some.”
Wow. They’re even worried about labor costs.
In other words, they’re saying the wages are too high.
But what can I do.
I may not know how to serve, but I’m more than capable of cooking on my own.
And finally, there’s one thing I have that they don’t.
“If it requires more hands, then those labor costs factor into the unit price, right…”
“I handle it all by myself. And instead.”
“Hmm?”
Sincerity.
“Isn’t it fun?”
“Pardon?”
“If I was only thinking about unit prices and making money, I would’ve chosen a different dish. Haha.”
“What do you mean…”
“Sure, it requires a lot of effort and there’s much to consider, so it can be grueling. But I find it enjoyable. That’s why it’s fine.”
“Doesn’t it exhaust you?”
“Exhaustion? Well, maybe later I’ll feel it’s hard and grueling. But that’s for then… Right now, I’m okay with it because I enjoy it. Cooking is fun to me.”
I love cooking.
Even if it’s an enemy, when they taste something delicious like this, that genuine joy that emerges—I love it.
Yes. That was enough.
And honestly.
‘I’m making plenty of money anyway, right?’
In this wonderful environment, doing what I want—there’s no way it could be hard.
This is my true feeling.
The joy I’m experiencing right now.
All I hoped for was that it would come across well.
-Ooooh…!
-That’s romance. Pure romance.
-Tch… That’s a real chef right there.
-Insane!
.
.
The chat window I glimpsed was explosive.
[Congratulations.]
[You have completed the Quest.]
[The stat 【Luck】 has been created.]
[The stat 【Luck】 has increased.]
The defense was successful.
‘I’m curious how far this luck will take me.’
* * *
The stat Luck.
Literally, things flowing smoothly.
This stat, which rarely appeared even in my past life, was something I only obtained years after awakening.
Luck wasn’t a power that manifested directly.
‘Still, the effect is undeniable.’
Instead, I naturally felt it guiding me in a positive direction.
Even with the same dishes, my success rate increased.
Things that should fail by probability end up succeeding.
As my luck stat rose, fortune followed accordingly.
Would this turn out the same way?
YouTube’s influence proved far more effective than expected.
-Hey, let’s go check that place out.
-We should visit once too.
-Ugh… take my money! Take it all!
-It’s nearby, should we grab a meal?
The unedited footage uploaded after the broadcast must have caught the algorithm’s favor.
Comments flooded in on the videos from all three Youtubers who visited.
The effect appeared immediately.
In the most positive way.
“Is this the place?”
“Oh yeah! This is it! Looks just like in the video.”
“Perfect! Let’s try it right now.”
“Hey, look at all these people. Doesn’t it already smell like a famous restaurant?”
New customers arrived.
Visitors I’d never seen before.
“Kimbap here!”
“Is the lasagna kimbap available!?”
“I’ll have the Hong Kong ramen!”
They were all looking for the same thing.
Yesterday’s dishes.
“Normally it’s up to the owner, but today we can make it special!”
“Oh! Please do!”
“Me too!”
“Yes! Order received!”
There was no reason we couldn’t serve them.
For reference, we’d already prepared everything in advance.
“Jang, everything’s ready, right?”
“Of course! I’ve been simmering the broth since yesterday evening!”
Jang Owner had prepared a large batch of scouring pad broth at the Hong Kong Restaurant beforehand.
Despite the exhaustion from simmering since yesterday, his face was bright.
“I can finally pay back a debt with this!”
“A debt?”
“You helped me add this menu item. Since it ended up benefiting my brother, I’m just so happy about it!”
“Haha. That’s not a debt at all. But it’s nice working together like this.”
“Right? It’s really good.”
If anything, he seemed even more energized.
“I’m ready too!”
Haran, who had dreamed of cooking, came out early with me to prepare the base ingredients.
Deep-frying thin noodles, seasoning the crab meat, roasting seaweed—simple tasks, but they were all necessary.
‘She was happy.’
Throughout the entire preparation, Haran’s face never lost its smile.
She had said she was satisfied with just serving.
But it was clear she truly wanted to cook.
‘I need to talk to her about this later.’
This was something we’d need to discuss further down the road.
“We have another order!”
“Yes, coming right up!”
Right now, I was too busy handling the incoming orders.
* * *
The building undergoing interior renovation, soon to become a cafe.
Four people stood on its highest rooftop.
Three of them were Youtubers, including Hyeon-seung TV, who had uploaded a video yesterday.
“…I’m sorry.”
“We’re truly sorry.”
The four of them, positioned at the building near the Factory Cafeteria, now hung their heads low.
Facing the Promotions Team Leader.
“It wasn’t that difficult, was it? Just go, eat, and say it tastes bad. That’s all you needed to do. It’s nothing. Right?”
“…That’s right.”
“You just needed to provide some background scenery. The rest was my job.”
“Yes, sir.”
The three readily agreed.
But the Promotions Team Leader thumped his chest in frustration.
‘How could they fail at something so simple?’
He couldn’t understand the current situation at all.
Going and saying it tastes bad wasn’t that difficult.
Yet they failed.
“Haven’t you been to Michelin-starred French restaurants?”
“I have. Several times.”
“Then why do you get so amazed when you go there?”
“That’s….”
“What do you mean ‘that’s’!”
How was this even difficult?
He couldn’t understand, but then came words he understood even less.
“…It was really delicious.”
“That’s right. It really was delicious, I’m telling you? I was actually trying to hold back, but once I tasted it… my mouth filled with saliva and the dopamine just exploded, there was nothing I could do about it…”
“That’s right. The flavor really is!”
They were recalling yesterday’s taste.
Everyone was already savoring it again with their palates.
The Promotions Team Leader grew even more flustered.
“Wait, are you seriously giving a taste review right now? I’m asking why you failed, and here you are sitting around evaluating the flavor!”
“….”
“….”
“….”
Perhaps embarrassed. The three fell silent again.
But the team leader’s exasperation showed no signs of fading.
Neither did the pounding in his chest.
‘If the Owner finds out about this, things will get complicated. I was just trying to earn some points, and now look at this mess.’
What was supposed to be a way to earn points had turned into helping the enemy instead.
If his involvement in this were to be revealed, the situation would become far more complicated.
‘I need to stop here.’
The longer the tail, the easier it is to catch.
The team leader decided to quietly wrap this matter up for now.
“Let’s keep this between us for now. Since the project failed, there won’t be any separate advertising budget execution…… right?”
Just as he was about to settle things.
The Promotions Team Leader’s phone rang.
The name displayed on the screen was three characters.
[Respected Owner Jang On-gyu]
“…Ah.”
Upon seeing it, the team leader had an instant realization.
‘I’m done for.’
He’d been caught.

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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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