Chapter 36

Before I realized it, the classroom had filled up while I was lost in thought.

A familiar voice called out.

“Hyung.”

When I turned my head, Kim Cheolsu had already taken the seat beside me.

“Oh, you’re here?”

“Yeah. Guess it’s because it’s a Western cuisine class. Not a single empty seat.”

Kim Cheolsu looked around, then suddenly turned to me with a curious expression.

“Come to think of it, how was that third year Korean cuisine class the other day?”

“Ah… that.”

“What? A third year class?”

Jade suddenly popped up and jumped into the conversation, clearly intrigued.

I waved my hand in greeting.

“Long time no see, Jade. You’re taking Western cuisine too?”

“Of course. I’m taking both Korean and Western cuisine. But what’s this about a third year class?”

“Ah… I signed up for a third year Korean cuisine class.”

After I explained what had happened, Jade opened his eyes wide in disbelief.

“Oh my God!”

Jade’s native sounding accent made several people around us glance over.

“So what was it like? Was it fun?”

Kim Cheolsu pressed again from beside me, so I thought for a moment before answering.

What I could learn in Korean cuisine class was definitely different from Western cuisine.

“It was fun. Since it was a third year class, the dish difficulty was high, but I met a really good sunbae and learned a lot.”

“You already made friends?”

“What, jealous?”

“As if. I was just worried you might not adapt. Glad to see you didn’t end up as a loner.”

“You’re still the person I’m closest to at school.”

“Hah. Like anyone would enjoy hearing that. It’s just annoying.”

Even as he said that, Kim Cheolsu looked secretly pleased.

He really never changes.

Just then, the door opened and someone entered.

The professor in charge of the Western cuisine class was none other than Daniel Choi, the same one who oversaw the practical entrance exam.

The moment he appeared, the atmosphere in the classroom changed instantly.

The noisy students recognized him and immediately flinched, whispering among themselves.

“The professor for Western cuisine is Daniel Choi?”

“He was scary during the entrance exam. Now we have to see him every week?”

“We’re doomed. I heard Professor Daniel Choi doesn’t tolerate even the smallest mistake.”

“We really need to stay sharp.”

Daniel Choi walked calmly through the room under the students’ gazes and stopped at the front.

He didn’t say anything, yet his overwhelming presence controlled the room.

The previously noisy classroom fell silent in an instant.

His low voice echoed through the room.

“I’m Daniel Choi, and I’ll be teaching this Western cuisine class.”

Maintaining his usual expressionless face, he continued slowly.

“What do you think is the foundation of cooking?”

The students glanced at each other, but no one answered right away.

A brief silence passed before Kim Cheolsu suddenly raised his hand.

“I believe the foundation of cooking is attitude. A chef’s sincere intention to serve thoughtful food is as important as the finest seasoning.”

Other students slowly gathered courage and began sharing their thoughts.

Heat control. Harmony between ingredients. Plating.

As different opinions came out, Daniel Choi remained silent for a moment before speaking.

“All of those are good answers. But in my view, the foundation of cooking is preparation.”

A strange silence passed through the room.

It was such a basic element that no one had thought to mention it.

Daniel Choi looked over the students and added,

“Preparation, in other words knife work, is the foundation of a chef. It may look simple, but if you haven’t mastered it, no dish can truly be completed.”

After that, Daniel Choi wrote preparation on the board and continued explaining.

Today’s lesson was vegetable preparation.

There are many cutting techniques.

Dice, Julienne, and Brunoise.

Dice refers to cutting ingredients into evenly sized cubes and is commonly used for stews and soups.

Julienne refers to cutting vegetables into thin matchstick shapes and is useful for adding texture to dishes.

Lastly, Brunoise is an even finer dice that creates very small cubes, often used for sauces or garnishes.

There are many other methods as well.

After finishing his explanation, Daniel Choi quietly picked up a knife.

His hand moved smoothly and naturally as he began cutting the prepared vegetables.

He started with large dice cuts, then sliced the ingredients lengthwise into julienne strips.

Next, he quickly minced the julienne pieces into tiny brunoise cubes.

With the sound of the knife brushing against the cutting board, the vegetables were neatly arranged in moments.

The same ingredients gave off completely different impressions depending on the cut.

Daniel Choi pointed to the prepared vegetables.

“The reason these cutting methods exist is because knife work changes everything. Texture, how flavor is delivered, and even visual presentation.”

He placed the cut vegetables into a clear bowl and began making a sauce.

“The dish you will make today is ratatouille. Use the cutting methods I showed you and the sauce process you’re about to see to complete the dish.”

Silence settled over the room as the students quietly absorbed his words.

While demonstrating the sauce preparation, he added,

“It doesn’t need to be flashy. Just make the most basic ratatouille.”

“…”

“Of course, students who do exceptionally well will receive additional points toward their grade.”

The moment he finished speaking, the classroom stirred.

“Ratatouille?”

“Isn’t that too easy?”

“I’ve never made it before.”

Concerned murmurs filled the room.

Ratatouille itself isn’t a difficult dish to make. The ingredients are simple and the cooking process isn’t complicated.

Basically, you cut the vegetables, prepare the sauce, then cook everything in an oven or pan.

But the simpler a dish is, the harder it becomes to do it well.

With only simple ingredients and methods, you must bring out the maximum flavor.

The key point of today’s class became clear.

‘Stick to the fundamentals.’

After observing the restless students for a moment, Daniel Choi spoke firmly.

“Alright. Let’s begin.”

The murmuring stopped as students gathered around the prep stations.

I walked forward together with Kim Cheolsu and Jade, both looking visibly nervous.

* * *

Standing at the prep station, I gripped the knife confidently and began preparing the vegetables.

Tak!

Tak tak tak tak!

Ratatouille?

For me, it was honestly easier than cooking rice.

That was because back when I was a rookie in the kitchen, the seniors who used to boss me around with menial tasks had first taught me this dish.

As Daniel Choi said, ratatouille is perfect for learning a chef’s fundamentals.

Ingredient prep, knife work, heat control, and plating.

Even now, the words a senior once told me remain etched in my mind.

‘Great cooking starts with simple ingredients. But bringing out the best flavor from that simplicity is our job. This isn’t just a vegetable dish. It’s the art of harmony and balance.’

Ratatouille generally comes in two styles.

The traditional style from southern France and the confit byaldi style that many people recognize from the movie Ratatouille.

In truth, the latter was a variation created by the French Michelin chef Michel Guérard, so it’s slightly different from the original ratatouille.

But since it appeared in the film, it’s the version most familiar to the public.

Confit byaldi involves slicing vegetables thinly, arranging them neatly in circular layers, and slowly cooking them in the oven.

The classic style, on the other hand, uses larger diced vegetables cooked down like a stew.

The ingredients are the same, but the cooking method creates completely different dishes.

Isn’t that the charm of cooking?

Even with the same ingredients, a chef can create entirely new variations.

For this assignment, Daniel Choi had requested the classic style.

So I planned to recreate the warm flavors of southern French home cooking.

After preparing the vegetables grown under bright sunlight, I heated a pan with oil.

Over high heat, I sautéed onions first to release their aroma, then quickly added eggplant, zucchini, and bell peppers.

Once the vegetables softened and took on gentle color, I poured in crushed tomatoes and mixed everything evenly.

Bubble bubble.

As it simmered slowly, the natural vegetable broth blended with the bright acidity of the tomatoes.

After reducing it until the sauce thickened, I transferred the ratatouille, now softened like a stew, into a deep plate.

At that moment, a sharp voice rang out.

“It’s time to wrap up.”

Steam rose from the plate as the aroma of tomatoes and vegetables spread through the air.

* * *

The moment Daniel Choi announced the assignment that Yoo Ilhan had seen beforehand in the cheat sheet, he celebrated inwardly.

Ratatouille.

His grandfather had personally taught him this dish when he was still alive.

Ratatouille was a signature dish of his family’s restaurant.

When he was young, his grandfather had passed down secret recipes one by one.

Because of that, Yoo Ilhan not only knew the basic technique but even the smallest details.

On top of that, he had already practiced using the cheat sheet.

For this assignment, he felt confident.

This task was an important moment tied to both his pride and his family’s honor.

But once he actually started cooking, unease began creeping into his mind.

The reason was Kim Cheolsu at the station right in front of him.

The way Kim Cheolsu prepared ratatouille was far from ordinary.

Without realizing it, Yoo Ilhan found his eyes drawn toward Cheolsu’s station.

Neatly organized ingredients.

Vegetables prepared flawlessly.

Even the process of combining the sauce was calm and textbook perfect.

Yet a smile never left Kim Cheolsu’s face.

As if he was genuinely enjoying the act of cooking.

Watching everything unfold, Yoo Ilhan felt like the entire process was flowing along some predetermined path.

‘Why is he so skilled?’

He squeezed his eyes shut and tried to focus.

Right now, he barely had time to worry about his own dish.

But even as he tried to steady himself, his gaze kept drifting back to Kim Cheolsu.

Anxiety crept up his throat.

What if he finished second again?

What if he didn’t even make second place?

The moment his thoughts spiraled, the image of his parents’ disappointed faces surfaced in his mind.

And beside them, his younger brother wearing that meaningful smile.

That mocking gaze.

Already treated like furniture in his own house, Yoo Ilhan had nowhere left to retreat.

‘What should I do? What else can I do?’

Cold sweat ran down his forehead.

As time passed, Yoo Ilhan’s face gradually turned pale.