Accepted under the mentorship of your idol and the world's hottest chef Gordon Ramsay, you must prove your skill and determination through competing in Hell's Kitchen- A month long cooking contest versus fifteen other fierce contestants and difficul...
The next morning we are woken up by Chef Scott telling us to hurry up as Chef Ramsay has our next challenge ready for us.
We rush to put on our jackets and head downstairs. An unusual sight greets us as we walk through the kitchens.
Chef Ramsay gives us a welcoming grin from his seat upon a tall, wooden, gold-accented throne. His posture while seated in the chair is laid back, one arm thrown casually over the left arm of the chair and his other elbow resting on the right arm of the chair, his chin between his thumb and index finger. He's got a golden crown atop his head that gleams as the spotlight above radiates down. It's partially lopsided, which gives off a devil-may-care vibe. We go to stand outside of our kitchens and I can't help but feel reverence as I admire him.
"Good morning, Chefs," he greets us, his voice a bit quieter than normal.
"Morning, Chef!" we respond.
"Excited to hear about today's challenge?" he questions.
"Yes, Chef!" we shout.
"Excellent! Today's challenge is a bit of a spin on the old 'King of the Hill' concept. For starters, we have a beautiful crown here for the winning chef to keep. Secondly, the winner of today's contest will have immunity from elimination, as promised." He trails his eyes across the lineup of chefs before him.
"But there's one more thing I need from today's winner." He sits up in the chair and locks eyes with me.
"I'm having a bit of trouble with my voice today due to how much I had to yell during yesterday's piss poor dinner service. It's not gone but if I have to start yelling then I'm sure it will be. It should be alright by tomorrow, but I need today's winner to help me at dinner service tonight. It's a unique opportunity to work the pass– one that has never been offered so soon in the competition." He moves his eyes from mine and I feel myself breathe again. "This means I'll need you to call out tickets, get everyone's times and yes– even yell at people for me if they deserve it. I'll be by your side the whole time, but you'll be the true head of the kitchen. Got it?"
"Yes, Chef!" we respond then look at each other. Each of us have a different emotion written on our faces.
Red's face has gone red in what I assume to be stage fright. Pietro is giddily elbowing Kalyani, who returns his elbow with a grin. Dave runs his hand through his hair and exhales nervously. Gina meets my gaze with a shrug as if she's not sure if she wants to win and have all that responsibility so soon. Bella is hyping herself up, bouncing in place. Taylor looks determinedly at Chef Ramsay, ignoring everyone else. Then there's Abel, whose expression is the same calm mask he's worn every day since he arrived. That expression worries me the most out of everyone else's.
"To make this a bit more interesting, the proteins you'll be using today will be a bit... unusual." Gordon gives a sly grin and turns his head towards the right side of the restaurant. We follow his lead and turn to look at a black curtain I'd not noticed until now.
Sous Chef Christina pushes a trolley with four silver-domed platters on it through the curtain. Behind her, Chef Scott follows with a trolley that has three domed platters resting on top. They stop at the center point between Chef Ramsay and the lineup of chefs.
"Who would like to go first?" Gordon asks, opening his palm towards the domes.
"I'll go first, Chef," Pietro says, stepping forward. He reaches for a domed lid and pulls it up.
"Alligator," Pietro mumbles, then looks concerned as he takes his meat back to the line and sets it behind him.
Gina goes next and takes the lid off the platter nearest to her.
"Rabbit!" she exclaims and smiles before taking it back to the line.
Up next, Dave lifts his lid.
"Emu?" he questions, then looks up at Chef Ramsay. "Is that one of those big birds?"
"Correct, Dave." Gordon nods.
Dave turns and takes his plate with him, uncertainty etching his features.
I decide to go next. I approach the domed platters and go for the one on the far right.
When I lift the lid, something that I'd never expected to ever cook with greets me.
"P-python?" I say, then pick up my plate, holding it in front of me as I take a closer look. The meat is light pink, tall but not very wide. It's maybe an inch and a half thick. I have no idea how to cook this at all.
"Ah, python! I was wondering who'd get that one. I bet you've never cooked with a snake before, have you?" Gordon inquires.
"No, Chef. Never. I've never even touched a snake in real life," I respond.
"It's quite good. Good luck cooking it, (Y/N)." Gordon smiles at me confidently.
If Gordon isn't worried about it, then I'll try not to be. But eww, who wants to eat a snake?
Abel steps forward after me and lifts his dome.
"Scottish wild pheasant," he says smoothly, then takes his plate back to the line. That sounded like a fancy person kind of ingredient. Abel probably eats Scottish wild pheasant right after a fox hunt on his father's prize race horse...
Taylor follows up after him and selects her domed platter.
"Kangaroo!" she giggles, then hops as she heads back to the line, eliciting a laugh from the lineup chefs and Chef Ramsay.
Kalyani picks her platter next, carefully lifting the dome as if she expects whatever is under it to jump out at her.
"It's yak, chef," she says simply, then shrugs and takes her plate, setting it behind her spot on the lineup.
Bella steps out of line and selects the second to last dome.
"Antelope, what?" she asks no one in particular and doesn't wait for an answer before heading back in line.
Red is last up. She heads right for the last dome and lifts it, squinting in concentration.
"Duck!" she exclaims, then grins at Chef Ramsay who returns the grin. She heads back to the line and waits with everyone else for our final instructions.
"You're welcome to use any other ingredients you like, but your meat should be your centerpiece. You'll have one hour to cook something amazing. Your time starts..." he pauses. "NOW!"
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