Posted by Civilian Cort Belanger (Executive Assistant to Lt. Gov.) in You Won, But Did You Really?

Posted by Civilian Dorma Fen (Governor’s Assistant) in You Won, But Did You Really?

Posted by Civilian Cort Belanger (Executive Assistant to Lt. Gov.) in You Won, But Did You Really?

(snip)

Dorma shook her head. “No. They also failed to have the spare ingredients for a second dish. Well, they didn’t fail to have them. They screwed up the first time they made the dish and that was their second attempt.” She poured herself more wine. “It is heartbreaking. I just wanted t-” and she was interrupted by the kitchen doors swinging open and a tall human male and the previous student, eyes still red from crying, walked to the table. The human carried two 0lates whose aroma was the very definition of mouth-watering. The red-eyed student looked up at the human and the human simply said “Go ahead .”

The other student spoke in barely a whisper. “Chef. Sir. I present to you a Halitian steak tare-tare with… with…” and the human leaned in and said “Peppercorn and horseradish sauce and Rigelian Burgundy mushrooms.” The student took a shaky breath and said “Peppercorn and horseradish sauce and Rigelian Burgundy mushrooms. Enjoy.” and they turned to walk away when Dorma said “Stop. Grant?” she asked as she looked at the human, “What is this?” Grant looked at Dorma and said “I am simply helping Detrel being his dish out, Chef. Can’t have him tripping again, now can we?” Dorma cast a look at Cort and cooked an eyebrow. She looked back at Grant and said “So you are telling me this is his dish?” Grant nodded once emphatically. Dorma nodded slightly and then looked at Detrel. “Detrel… is this your dish? Is this dish prepared and created by you and you alone?” Detrel looked at Grant almost pleasingly, and then cast their eyes to the floor. “No, Chef. It is not.” Dorma’s jaw clenched. “Set it down. And then get everyone out here. Now.” Her tone had an edge that could cut the steak in front of them. “Yes, Chef!” both said and theyvset the plates down and bolted for the kitchen.

Cort had met her gaze with a slightly raised brow and said nothing. He was most definitely curious how she would handle this turn of events and it was certainly a serious situation. But what route would she go? He sipped on his wine while they waited for the students to enter.

Slowly, the students trickled out and formed a line about ten feet from the table. Dorma stood up and looked at all of them. “Fraud. Cheating. Culinary plagiarism is what this is.” She began to walk back and forth in front of them like a drill instructor berating new recruits. “This is how this is going to work. Anyone of you who wants to tell me the truth… that Grant made this dish-” and she pointed the table, “- and Detrel is passing it off as his own… step forward.” She stopped paving and waited. There was a few exchanges of glances, and one of the students started to move but a hand fell on their shoulder. For many long, silent, miserable moments… nothing happened.

And then Dorma smiled. “Good. You have learned. A kitchen isn’t just the chef. It’s everyone in it. A kitchen rises or falls based on the staff. Because it is the ENTIRE staff that makes the food what it is. From the chef, to the sous chef, to the dishwasher… everyone relies on one another. Now… Grant.” and she moved to sttand in front of him. “You showed great leadership and poise, and you put into action the number one rule which is the food must be served well. And you tried to save your fellow cook. I commend you. And I will talk to the recruiters coming in personally about you during the job fair.” She moved in front of Detrel. “You know I cannot pass you now, correct?” she said softly. Tears welled up in his eyes and he nodded. “But…” Dorma continued, “… I can allow you to retake the course next semester. Practice. Cook every chance you get. And get out of your head. Just. Cook. Nothing more.” Detrel’s eyes went wide and he nodded vigorously. Dorma nodded and then said “Clean up. I want the kitchen perfect before Mr. Belanger and I are done with your grades.” and the students all said “Yes Chef!” in unison and walked quickly back into the kitchen.

Dorma took her seat and exhaled a long, slow, breath. “Sometimes I really love this job.” she said with a smile and she took a drink.

Dorma Fen

Cort smiled warmly at her. “And it shows. I have to admit I know nothing about the running of a kitchen, but I do know sometimes you need your team to cover for you while you get yourself together. And that can’t happen without some measure of trust and respect. I also know from experience you don’t always get a second chance and failure happens. I think the student will do so much better for having a chance to learn that in an environment that is, if not low stakes, lower than it might be elsewhere or at another time.”

~Cort Belanger

“Detrel is a terrible cook. He has no sense of balance or harmony when it comes to flavor. But if he fails, I want it to be because he prepared food that isn’t up to par… not because he tripped over a rug.” and she shrugged. “A kitchen is not dissimilar to the Tower, you know. If one of us slips, it effects all of us. Same in a kitchen. Except in a kitchen, a slip can’t start a war…” and she grinned as shifted her glass, “… usually.” and she laughed as she began to taste the dish before them.

Dorma Fen

Cort snorted. “Hush now, we’re going to be at that gala too. I don’t know that I believe in jinxes but let’s not tempt fate, shall we? It’s just a good thing the Vren are bringing their own food.”

He cut off a piece of the tender steak, speared a mushroom and swept it through the creamy sauce. Now this dish he had a great familiarity with, at least in its original form. Not that he was expecting it to be the same. But Cort at least felt he knew what a great and balanced dish of this style tasted like, having grown up with versions of it. Popping the bite into his out and chewing, it was quite good. Not great, but good. He took a sip of the red wine, which naturally complimented it and wrote, Steak is well seasoned, and the sauce balances out the steak nicely, making for an overall enjoyable dish. The horseradish adds a kick that cuts through the richness of the sauce.

He set the padd down and nodded slowly. “That’s pretty good. Perhaps slightly overdone for my tastes, but unless it’s well-done I wasn’t going to comment to them. Though this does make me wonder what Grant was going to serve us if they were letting Detrel use their dish. Hope they could cobble something together?”

~Cort Belanger

Dorma wrote a few notes and said “Grant is an exceptional talent. But unlike a lot of new chef’s, he isn’t arrogant. And he prefers his art to be a collaborative effort, which means he will do truly amazing things I think. This dish is not representative of his work, but I imagine he lowered the level to better sell us… me… on the creator.” She sipped her wine and then said “When he lands somewhere and is working on his own, we should get all of us together and go to dinner. I think both offices would really enjoy that.”

Dorma Fen