Hell's Smitten (Gordon Ramsay x Reader)

Chapter 25- Vegans? In MY Restaurant?

Monday, July 1st, 2013

The next morning, the dorm rooms fill with the sound of the phone ringing. Everyone in the red dorms sleepily groans or toss under their covers, it takes almost five rings before someone from the blue team gets up and answers it.

After another thirty seconds, Garrett's deep and boisterous voice shakes the rooms.

"AYO! EVERYONE! UP AND AT 'EM! CHEF RAMSAY NEEDS US DOWNSTAIRS IN TEN MINUTES!"

We all try to jump to action as fast as people who just got done lazing around on a Sunday can. I affix the microphone to my undershirt, sighing. Am I going to have to wait the entire week to get to speak candidly to Gordon? 'Gordon' rolls around in my mind as I savor the permission he'd given me to call him by his first name. Of course, I'd only use it privately. I don't want people suspecting anything.

We gather downstairs, and I can't help myself as I not-so-subtly check him out. God, I wish I'd been able to take his shirt off. I wanted to run my hands over his chest... and elsewhere. I feel myself start to get hotter, so I try and put the brakes on that train of thought.

"Good morning, ladies and gentlemen. Today's challenge is going to be the most interesting one thus far. I hope you all have studied all sorts of cuisine because this one will be a doozie if not." Ramsay crosses his arms.

I go over different cuisine types in my head– Mexican, Chinese, low-carb, fusion, but which one will he pick?

"This will be a first ever occurrence for Hell's Kitchen. I'd like you all to give a warm welcome to our guest and star of the evening, Chef Juliana de Souza!" He gestures to the door, where a young and peppy Brazilian woman waves with both hands as she enters. She has a tie-dyed long skirt on and a ruffled top, sandals just peeking out from beneath the hem of her skirt.

"Hello my Sunshines!" she smiles and waves at us again. Some of the blue team members glance at each other. With their eyes they are silently communicating– did this chick just call us Sunshines?

Gordon waits until the men look forward.

"Chef de Souza owns the very exclusive vegan restaurant, Naked Flowers. You did hear that right everyone, Juliana is going to be hosting her yearly vegan convention at Hell's Kitchen this year!" Ramsay grins mischievously as he surveys our faces.

Vegan?! I'd never made vegan food before. Many of the red team also look equally as confused as I. Only Gail is completely at ease, the shadow of a smile on her lips.

"I've made the most delicious and delectable vegan food ingredients available to you all. I want to see each team come up with an appetizer and two entrees. Now here is your chance to talk to Chef de Souza and see what her ideas are."

Chef de Souza sits in the chair across from Chef Ramsay, her eyes closed, humming to herself. We all stand silently waiting for her, but she never stops humming. Eventually, Kalyani clears her throat and steps forward.

"Chef de Souza, I was wondering if you could tell me what kind of food you like."

The chef opens her eyes and smiles widely at Kalyani.

"Beautiful girl, I'd love if you would make a dish that makes you feel like you're at one with nature. The sun on your skin and the wind through your hair." She goes back to humming and closed her eyes once more.

Kalyani shrugs as she steps back in line, and I take a second to consider if there was any actual information in what de Souza had just finished saying.

Abel steps forward next, his hands clasped behind himself.

"Ma'am, is there anything you don't like?"