The Forbidden Love

Secret Recipe

It has been two bustling months since Estelle had sorted herself down in Paris. She was wanting to move to Paris to create individuality for herself as a prominent chef. Estelle often considered her career as the most important part of herself and she believes it is her identity. Estelle is a Commis Chef at Le Café Paris, a three-Michelin-starred restaurant. Le Café Paris is nestled a 5 minutes walk from the iconic Eiffel Tower. 

The army of chefs in Le Café Paris is led by the talented Philippe Allard, who prepares simple dishes of state-of-the-art cuisine. Le Café Paris is unarguably one of the best French restaurants even being frequented by a chic clientele that set such a romantic ambiance with a panoramic view that offers dining options on the terrace and under the glass roof. Le Café Paris has always been flocked by business class people, celebrities, and tourists regardless of any time of the year.

'Tu me manques, grand-mère' whispered Estelle in a missing downhearted tone while looking into a picture of an elderly woman with a gracious smile.

She recalls her grandmother often saying, "Essie, la carrière est importante pour une personne" to her since she was a young girl. Her grandmother was dearest to her and showed her love by sharing the family's traditional recipes and cookery tips. Estelle started off her interest in culinary by being a helping hand to her grandmother since she was as young as six years old.

The grandmother's traditional bisque is the favorite for all in the family, especially Estelle. Estelle had spent a good time recreating the bisque and eventually, it became her signature dish. Appealing dishes for the eyes and the tastiest meals were well learned by Estelle. Her culinary skills made her a real artist, and her cooking became her art.

It has been very tough for the family, especially Estelle when the grandmother died a year ago. Estelle kissed the picture and put it back inside her journal pocket. The first time when she gets a day off on Saturday was in the second week at work. She was still new in Paris and was trying hard to make herself at home. It was a very tiring week for her, and she had spent the day only buying things from the market and locked herself back in the tiny apartment. She never had the chance to explore the city for the past two months.

Estelle wrote an extensive list of to-do things in Paris for the day in the journal and it starts as simple as having breakfast at the cafe down the busy street at Rue d'Abbeville, walking around the flea market, getting some books from the Shakespeare and Company, a tour at the Louvre Museum, and the day ends with the stroll at the bank of Seine river.