Gordon's Food Critic and Chef

Dinner

Riley's POV
"Eating is a necessity, but cooking is an art."

A/N: There will be grammar mistakes, please tell me about them nicely. I will take criticism, not hate. Thank you for reading this. Comment and like if you want. I also accept suggestions and comments that make me laugh!

   Stepping out of my car I hand the valet my keys and am led inside the building where the smell of amazing food hits my nose. My long time friend since childhood, Chris Evans, just finished filming the avengers and called me up, asking if I wanted to go out tonight to celebrate. He told me that he had gotten a table at Hell's Kitchen, at the chefs table, and wanted me to go with him. Me being me, I had to say yes.

   While Chris's job is an actor, mine happens to be a food critic. I used to be a chef but had the desire to travel so I set my sights on judging other people's food.  After a year traveling, I met a guy and we hooked up and stayed together for a few years. 5 months ago, I learned I was pregnant and he signed his rights to the child over to me and left, saying he would never be a father.

   Ever since he left, I focused on my job. Where Chris is known for his acting roles, I was known for making or breaking restaurants. So having the chance to go to Hell's Kitchen, and try their food, I felt like it was an once in a life time chance. So here I am, pregnant and meeting Chris Evans for a celebratory dinner, I can't wait.

   As I walk in, I am met with the smiling face of my host who recognizes my face right away. "Right this way, Ms. Allen." He tells me with a smile. As he leads me through the tables, I spot some people that I know through Chris as well as some chefs that I have critiqued in the past. As we arrive to the kitchen, the smell gets even better and stronger.

   That's not the only thing that get stronger though. The closer I get, the more that I can hear Chef Ramsey yelling at the competing Chefs. "It's raw! Feel that, it's bloody cold."  He yells before slamming it into the trash. As I enter the kitchen, Chris spots me and stands up before walking over to me.

   "Riley! Look at you, you are stunning! How have you been?" He asks as he gives me a light hug, carful of my growing stomach. "Chris! You look great as well. I'm feeling great! I can't believe that I'm here! Thank you Chris." I tell him as he lets me go from the hug before I take off my coat. My host takes my coat from my hands and seems to run off as people arrive at the door to be seated. Ok then. I am actually about to take a seat before I hear a voice grab my attention.

   "Chefs, I have the honor of introducing world class chef and food critic, Riley Allen. She will be dining at the chefs table along with Mr. Evans. So don't screw up, she'll know it." Ramsey says before ordering them to get back to cooking. The man in question walks over to me and flashes a smile.

"Chef Gordon Ramsey, it is an honor to meet you Ms. Allen." He says as he shakes my hand. "No no, it is amazing to finally meet you. I had the amazing chance to actually eat at one of your grills you were cooking at for a week and had to give it 5 stars, my taste buds lit up like a Christmas tree, Mr. Ramsey." I reply, shaking his hand before he lets go.

   "Well, thank you, and call me Gordon, please. " He tells me, never looking away from my eyes. "Well Gordon, your welcome. That and you might want to look at blue team. I smell something burned." I whisper to him as I take a seat while nodding at said team.

Gordon nods in my direction before running off in search of something burned. As time passed, me and Chris caught up on what has been happening in our lives. The food was finally brought to us and the appetizer was amazing, but it went down from the main dish. I stared out good. But then I felt something thin and long get stuck in my throat.  I lift my hand to my mouth and pull out a long black hair from my mouth. My eyes widen as I place the hair on tge plate.

I look over to Chris to see a shocked look on his face. I look back at my plate to see what looks like 2 more pieces of hair. Looking at the dish I feel nause raise up my throat. "Excuse me" I tell Chris before I jump up and run for the bathroom with a hand covering my mouth.

After a few minutes of puking my lungs up I feel better. I clean up and enter the kitchen again, taking a seat next to Chris who grabs my hand. The first thing I noticed was that the blue team who cooked my food was no longer in the kitchen.

"Better?" Chris asks me as I take a sip of water. "I'm fine, Chris. Just missing a lung." I tell him, making him chuckle. "It really is a shame, I was looking forward to a good Hell's Kitchen dinner. I don't want to leave this place saying I had good service but hair in my food!" I tell Chris as the back storage door opens and the blue team pour out from behind Gordon.

"One more hair on any plate and you're out! Understood?" Gordon yells at the blue team. "Yes, chief!" Is repeated as the blue team gets back to work. Gordon spot me back at the table and heads in my direction. "How are you darling?" He asks me, kneeling on the floor next to my seat in the booth.

"I'm good. We're good." I reply, rubbing my stomach just as a red team member slips and sends scallops flying across the kitchen. I cover my mouth and shake my head. I look back at Gordon and I watch as he closes his eyes and pinches the bridge of his nose. With quick movements he walks over to the red kitchen and yells for them to leave and pic two people to put up for getting the boot.

After the red team leaves I look over to Chris. "This is funny yet painful to watch at the same time." He tells me, seeing I was going to say the same thing. I laugh and nod my head at his words. I was about to reply when his phone goes off, making him give me a pained look. "Go head and go. We might have to reschedule anyway. I have a feeling blue team is about to get kicked out as well." I tell him, making him kiss my hand before getting up and leaving.

Not even 10 minutes later, blue team is leaving the kitchen with their heads hanging low and given the same orders as the red team, pick two to boot. I see that he is about to close the whole place down before I stand up and catch his attention. "Gordon." I say before he can close the whole place down. "Let me cook. It is the last two tables. Let's not let them go hungry?" I say as I walk toward him. I can hear everyone stop and look at him, waiting for a answer. With a nod of his head, the people cheer and I crab an apron.

-END OF DINNER-
As the last dish goes out of the kitchen, I'm wiping down the counters and turning stoves off. "Thank you for helping." Gordon tells me as we finish shutting down the kitchen. "It's not a problem at all. I love working in the kitchen. It's my safe place. Also the best tasting place as well." I say as I take a bite of a lamb plate I made extra since my dinner was ruined. Gordon laughs at my words and steals a bite from my plate. "Hey!" I jokingly yell, smacking him with a towel.

I look around the big kitchen and spin in a lazy circle. "You miss cooking don't you." He asks me, shaking me from my small daydream. "Yeah. Eating is nothing like making it. My grandmother used to say that 'eating is a necessity, but cooking is an art.' I miss being that artist." I tell him, walking back to the lamb. "Well. You haven't lost your touch. This is a really good lamb." He tells me as I take a bite. I nod as he seems to be thinking something over.

"Are you free tomorrow?" He suddenly asks me, making me curious. "Why?" I ask, taking another bite of my dinner. "Should you like to be a judge for the chefs tomorrow? I could use one that isn't me." He tells me, making me smile. "What's the catch?" I ask him, raising my eyebrows. At this he really laughs and nods his head. "Breakfast for me and to show the chefs what it's really like to be a master in the kitchen." He replies, holding his hand out. "Why the hell not. I get to spend more time around this pretty kitchen and the food." I say, shaking his hand before walking toward the door to leave. "I wasn't talking about the food in the pantry either. Mines already hot." I say over my shoulder, making Gordon choke on the last piece of lamb he just put in his mouth.

This is going to be fun. "See you at breakfast. I'll be here at 5:30."