Hell's Smitten (Gordon Ramsay x Reader)

Chapter 79- Black Jacket Challenges Part 4/4

Monday, July 15th, 2013

"I'm sorry to say it, but only one of the three of you will be making it into the black jacket lounge." Gordon rubs his hands together and his eyes move between Dave, Kalyani, and me. When his gaze meets mine, I see my worry reflected in them. My mouth goes dry as my anxiety peaks. I clutch my fists at my sides in an attempt to stifle my nerves.

This is my last chance.

"The final black jacket challenge will be a test of your skill in preparing what is known as an 'amuse-bouche', a bite-sized morsel traditionally served before the appetizer and main course. Your amuse-bouche should personify you as a chef and get your patrons excited for the rest of their meal."

He bounces on the balls of his feet. "Think of it as a first impression. If it is lackluster, they might think less of your food. If it is astounding, they will go into their meal with excitement for what is to come. Make sure that it is presented beautifully as well, yeah? You'll have thirty minutes to come up with two servings of anything you desire, so long as it can be eaten in one bite. Your time starts..." He glances at his watch. "Now!"

I push all my thoughts of inadequacy and anxiety out of my head. I don't have time to think about anything but what two tiny bites of food that I'm going to make.

My hands reach for two squash blossoms and a head of purple cauliflower as my eyes continue searching the ingredients. In the far back corner, I find what I had been searching for. The white, bulbous end of the delectable Porcini mushroom sticks out like a beacon from the surrounding green vegetables. Leave it to Ramsay to always have the rarest ingredients.

For my final ingredient, I grab some Mortadella Italian sausage and take the batch of food to my station. No more fuck-ups. No more forgetting things. This will be perfect I swear to myself, to Ramsay, and my parents as I roll up my sleeves.

I heat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and set a steamer pot to boiling. While my heat starts, I separate a small section of cauliflower from the head. I cut the Mortadella into thin slices and roll them up, keeping them thin at the bottom and loose at the top, like a tiny pink flower. Presentation, presentation, presentation rattles through my brain.

Gordon stays out of the kitchen this time, but I feel his eyes on me as I drop the cauliflower into the steamer and set my beautiful squash blossoms on a baking tray with the petals open. I pour some olive oil into a small dish and stir in a drop of raw honey until it mixes in, brush the open petals with the slightly-sweet mixture, turn them over, and pop them in the oven.

I rinse off the Porcini mushroom and examine it for bugs. Finding none, I lay it down on the cutting board. I won't be cutting it yet, to make sure it is as fresh as it can be when I finally plate it.

While my cauliflower and squash blossoms cook, I decide to root through the dishes looking for something stunning to present my dish with. In the back, I see a few plates with flat-bottomed spoons accompanying them. I pull the dishes out and examine them. The plates are white with gold-rimmed edges. In the very center, there is a black circle that looks to be hand-painted with intricate swirls inside and a laced outer edge. The bottom of the spoon has the same intricate circle design. It's perfect.

Taking two plates and two spoons, I set them out at my counter. Since I'm not steaming much cauliflower, it's likely already cooked. I remove the lid and a plume of vapor rises. Gently, I insert a knife into the stem of the cauliflower, feeling the perfect amount of resistance. I take the cauliflower and dump it into a food processor along with a small amount of the water it had been steaming in and press the purée button. When I stop to scrape the sides, I add in a small amount of butter, salt, garlic powder, and pepper to the mix and pulse it again.