Send My Love To The Chef (Gordon Ramsay)

Dinner in Hell

!!!!!Trigger warnings for the whole book!!!!!!

Self-harm, mentions of suicide and depression, flashbacks of domestic abuse, mentions of child abuse, violence, graphic language

Chapter 1 Dinner in Hell

Nickie's POV

"And we need to get everyone who was cast their scripts. Can you handle that Jacob?" There's a pause on the other end. "Jacob! Can you handle that?"

"Yeah, I guess." I frown. When am I going to fire him?

"Jacob, I didn't hire you to guess. Just send out the scripts. I'm meeting with Pitt to discuss his interest in the film." I hang up abruptly and get out of my car. I smooth out my dress and fix my hair. I'm early but I might as well go ahead and head in. Tossing my keys to the valet, I head inside. I'm greeted at the door by the waiter. I always watch Hell's Kitchen on TV but I can never seem to remember his name.

"Ah, Ms. Burke. I was told to look for you. Mr. Pitt is already here so if you will follow me." I guess Brad was earlier than me. He leads me to the back. The back, back. He walks me into the kitchen and I realize that Brad booked the VIP table. Of course, in the middle of a Hell's Kitchen season. As I enter Chef Ramsey looks over and smiles brightly. He stops the Chefs for a moment.

"Our VIP table is here. Screenwriter, director, actor, and Hollywood filmmaker Nickie Clarke." They all clap. I nod, embarrassed. "Don't fuck her food up." He looks over at me, smiles slightly, then jumps back on the pass.

"Here is your seat ma'am. My name is Jean-Philippe. What can I get you to drink?" He pulls out his pen and pad.

"Just waters fine. Thanks." He runs off to get my drink. I turn my attention to Brad Pitt. "Really Brad? VIP?" He smiles.

"Oh come on. We're famous. You're famous. Deal with it."

"So, you're interested in my film?" I deflect. He nods. "It's about a teenager who struggles to overcome his depression. He ends up turning to the culinary arts to cope." I'm interrupted by Chef Ramsay yelling.

"It's fucking raw you bloody idiot!" Ramsay throws the food, and the plate, in the garbage. Jean-Philippe returns with my drink.

"Thank you. Anyway, he gets bullied because of this and attempts suicide. Then there's this big thing in rehab where he just cooks and gets to know himself again." I stop because Brad is smiling. "What?"

"You just sound so passionate."

"Well, I am. I love my job." I stop for a moment, reminiscing. "Anyways I have the script, you can look over it and ask me any immediate questions you have. Your part would be the doctor at the rehab facility." I pull a printed script out of my bag, also taking out my handwritten script with marks all over it. "Here it is." I slide it over to him and sip my water.

"'A Chef's Cut' Oh, I like that. It's a double meaning, right? Like him cutting food and him cutting himself?"

"Yes thank you for getting that." I turn my attention to the kitchen while Brad reads. The competing Chefs have on black jackets so it's close to the end of the season.

"Milly! I need that Wellington. Milly! Listen! Communicate, you blubbering idiot." Chef Ramsay is always hard on his Chefs but I can tell he's really a nice person. If he's not in the kitchen with you. "T. Well done on the filet mignon." See.

"Are you ready to order?" Jean-Philippe asks, reappearing out of nowhere.

"Yes, I would like the filet mignon." I motion for Brad to order, but he is reading too intensely to notice. "Brad. Brad!" He looks up. "Are you going to order?"