Yes Chef!

chapter 1

Monday 2:30 AM — at the apartment

I can't sleep at all. The neighbor upstairs has been celebrating her birthday for 2 hours already. I've tried everything: earplugs, relaxing music, podcasts, but nothing works. It seems that Rihanna screaming through the speakers has a very severe effect on my brain.

Tomorrow, I have work, and I know very well that Augustus, my boss, won't give me any respite, and especially no mistakes like the one last week will be tolerated. That crazy Cameron tried to sabotage me. Him and his brother, they always cause trouble.Having a lot of trouble falling asleep, I try to concoct for the tenth time this week THE dish that will impress the chef. I know he resents me a lot for the potato mistake, so I've bet everything on this dish to redeem myself.I get to work as if I were on Master Chef. And an hour later, it's ready. I'm not hungry, but I have no choice but to test it. To honor the meal, I call Jess, my best friend for already 8 years.She answers on the first ring.

"Jess!"

"You're awake at this hour for?"

"Look what I made, a beautiful orange chicken."

"Nath, it's 2 AM, you're not serious!" She tells me in a reproachful tone.

"Oh, come on, you know I have to give my all tomorrow."

"Yes, but you've made the same dish 100 times this week."

"Practice makes perfect, my dear."

"Hmm, anyway. You called me for?"

"What, can't I call my friend??"

"Well no, I'm busy right now."

"Busy with?"

"Max is coming in less than 5 minutes."

"And you blame me for not sleeping, pff."

"Yeah, yeah, I'll call you later?"

"Okay... but I don't want to be an aunt, okay?"

"Bye!"

She hangs up on me... that's Jess, too unpredictable, you'd think she doesn't like me. But well, luckily I know her. I put the phone down on the table after taking at least 10 photos of the chicken. It really is beautiful.Despite my stomach being full to the brim, I force myself to eat the chicken, noting every flavor detected in my little notebook.

Around 4:30 AM, I get a notification on Instagram, a friend request. Cameroon.What does this guy want? First, he sabotages me, now he wants to be friends.I send him a quick message.

"What do you want?"Not even 5 minutes later, he replies.

"Your friendship 🥹"

"Do you take me for a fool?"

"Excuse me?"

"You think I don't know what you're up to? Seriously, being my friend to sabotage me better? No thanks."

"You watch too many movies, it's crazy."

"Anyway, no! Let's stay colleagues, it's better that way."

"You're tough, honestly... it was all in good fun."

"I'M TOUGH? I almost got kicked out of the internship."

"Come on, your uncle would never have done that!""You don't know him well."

"Anyway, accept the request."

"For?"

"Accept it, don't ask questions."

"Huh, first of all, it's not an order."

"Okay, you're really annoying, forget it."

"Get lost."

In a fit of anger, I even blocked him. Who does this guy think he is? A real narcissist, that one.I finally fall asleep around 5 AM, which I regretted bitterly when my alarm rang at 6 AM. I thought I was going to faint from how tired I was. In no time, I was standing in front of the restaurant, my bag in hand, and dark circles under my eyes.

Paula at the entrance didn't hesitate to remind me that I looked like a walking mess."Well, someone didn't sleep.""Good morning to you too, Paula."

"Sweetie, you'll need to fix your appearance, Augustus doesn't like sleepy souls in his kitchen."

"Understood."

I head towards the lockers. Mine is located right next to the restroom, so I take the opportunity to look at my face, and what I see paralyzes me. I really look like nothing, as if I had been thoroughly beaten the night before. I almost run to the entrance to ask Paula if she has anything to fix my face.Luckily, she has something to take care of my face. Even though she has a lighter complexion than mine, she manages to give me a semblance of beauty. I thank her and promise myself internally to bring her a gift tomorrow.Around 7 AM, the chef arrives, as if he himself isn't the most punctual, but since I care about my job, I keep my mouth shut and greet him with my best smile.

"Good morning, chef."

"Good morning."

He's cold, even though it's quite hot in the kitchen. I don't disturb him any further and head to my station. I cut vegetables, proteins, and everything else that comes to hand for hours. I'm so exhausted that I feel like I've reached my forties.My shift ends, and I can finally take a break before the restaurant opens for dinner service. At the family table, as they call it here, Camila, the second female chef, is in the middle of a heated conversation with a certain José. I try my best not to listen, but it seems my ears have other ideas.

It's already been 2 weeks since José left Camila, and she's begging him as best she can to forgive her. It's so sad and personal that I leave the room, my porridge in hand, and cross the entire restaurant to eat outside.

The fresh air does me a world of good, and I feel like I'm regaining energy. I continue eating my porridge while watching the cars go by. I hear someone knocking on the window, I turn around and see Cameron and his twin. They stare at me as if I were a thief. I turn back and try to act as if I'm too busy eating, but unfortunately, both of them come out at the same time and continue staring at me.

"What?"

"You know if Augustus sees you there, you're fired?"

"What do you mean?"

"You're sitting all dirty in front of a 4-star restaurant eating from a filthy bowl," Chris replies.

"I didn't know."

I get up immediately, ready to return to the family room, but Cameron calls out to me.

"You better behave."

"What's it to you?"

"Watch your mouth... I can tell Augustus everything."

"Don't you have anything better to do with your day?"

I pull away from his grip and make sure to give him my most menacing look. He annoys me so much, it's unbelievable.

7 PM — restaurant opens for dinner service

My back hurts a lot, and my stomach is growling. All the other chefs are in a meeting with Augustus, and since I'm an intern, I don't have access. Do you see the injustice? Pff, while waiting for him to return to the kitchen, I continue prepping the same vegetables as this morning.Shortly after, they all burst into the kitchen. They are unrecognizable, their faces so tight that even a tickle wouldn't affect them.

Augustus stands at the front of the kitchen and gives us the same speech as every night."Well, as you know, I have a reputation to uphold, so make sure to be excellent. I don't want a single dish returned to the kitchen, no complaints. Nothing negative! Is that clear?""Yes, chef," we all shout in unison.My uncle has quite a character, but don't think he's mean, far from it, he's even the kindest on the planet, I'd say, but when it comes to his kitchen, he's tougher than iron.