Bitter tastes

'Verum Gustus' (Latin): True taste.

Sulyvahn Solstice owns a renowned restaurant called 'Verum Gustus'. Despite losing his sense of taste in a tragic incident when he was a young boy, he emerged as a talented and famous figure in the culinary world, earning his first Michelin star at just the age of 21.
Where the pursuit of perfection reigns supreme in the culinary world, Sulyvahn, now 24, challenges conventional notions of 'love' in cooking.
Critics marvel at his dishes while lamenting the absence of traditional warmth, attributing his creations to a mysterious touch that defies conventional norms. Curious about the significance of 'love' as an ingredient, the chef embarks on a journey to explore the boundaries of taste, experimenting with a myriad of ingredients he could get his hands on to elevate his culinary art.

Ps: I don't know shit in cooking but I'm still writing a culinary themed story lmao.

(Warning:
Mature themes.
Cannibalism (mostly unintentional)/ cannibalistic symbolism.
Not a romance story despite the unreliable summary haha.
Story contains dark/disturbing themes such as violence/gore, physiological distress, crime scenes, graphic depictions related to culinary experimentation.
Morally ambiguous characters.
Psychological horror?)