Chapter 2

It has been two weeks since Mari started working inside the kitchen of 'LOIS', she is currently stationed at the salad bar or cold station. Their chef informed her that every month, Mari will be shifted into another station until she was able to rotate in all of the stations of the kitchen. He wanted her to know every station that is inside the kitchen so that if one station ever needs one person to help them out, Mari is one of those people who can help. Mari agreed to that since she already had some experience being an all-rounder in the kitchen. During her internship in Country U, she was the only intern who got to experience every station of the kitchen. Even though she doesn't know why she was always assigned to different stations at that time she just thinks positively by saying to herself that it is a good experience to know every station of the kitchen. Thus, being able to experience that again would help her and her boss to know the best station fitted for her.

"Mari!" called out Lucas the sous-chef of the kitchen.

"Yes, chef?" answered Mari

"Hey, I told you not to call me Chef, only Chef Gino can be called that"

"But you are also a chef, I mean you are the sous-chef so technically I should be calling you chef. Isn't that right?" Mari just can't get used to calling anybody that has a position by their names only. She was taught in their university to call those who are sous-chef, head chef, or even the chef de partie a chef as a form of respect. And yet, people in country A will only call chef towards their head chef and no one else.

"I know that I am the sous-chef but at least get used to calling me Lucas only, ok? You can only call Gino, Chef Gino. Is that understood?"

"Yes, chef. AH! I mean Lucas" said the now blushing Mari. She is not used to calling him by his name which is why she got easily embarrassed.

"anyway, Chef Gino, reminded me to tell you that by next week we will be serving three hundred pax for a wedding party that will be happening here. The couple chooses our restaurant as their wedding reception. They are a loyal customer of our restaurant that is why they also want everyone in their family and friends to know how good our dishes are. Everyone here knew about the event except you since we had this discussion a week before you arrive. So, I need you to stay focus and from today onwards you will be following me. is that understood?" Lucas is the youngest sous-chef in the kitchen before Mari came, he got his position after winning the yearly competition of the restaurant wherein all the cooks are being tested to the best of their ability. The winner will be the sous-chef of the year and the one who got the best dish will have their dish include in the menu. So far Lucas has been the sous-chef for two executives years already and most of his dishes were included in the menu of the restaurant or the other restaurant that is owned by the same owner as 'LOIS'.

"Yes, I understand," Mari thinks of Lucas as her older brother. The man was just a year older than her and yet he is already a sous-chef while Mari hasn't even able to establish her grounds.

"Alright, follow me and I will explain to you our menu for that day" Lucas and Mari went outside the kitchen to discuss the menu. The menu for the party is a little different compare to the menu of the restaurant. It consists more of Hors d'oeuvres and other main dishes.

"Alright, The salad would be simple for that day since the couple would want to have light dishes as much as possible. Since the hors d'oeuvres would fall under your station as well, we've decided to make the salad part of the hors d'oeuvres too. Remember what I said earlier? We have three hundred pax for that event" Lucas started to explain the things that needed to be explained to Mari.

"Yes"

"then you should be aware that you and the cold station can't just make the exact number of hors d'oeuvres right?"

"Yes, In any event, all the station are supposed to have a back-up in case something happen nor an additional guest shows up. Although in case of the hors d'oeuvres and canapés are expected to have more than the exact number since there is the possibility that a guest would bring one more companion," said Mari. Hors d'oeuvres and canapés are a type of appetizer that can be eaten in one to two bites only. It is mostly served during a party that doesn't require any heavy meal for the guest.

"good, then just to be sure we will have a back-up at least eighty on each type. Although Chef Gino will order more ingredients for all the items that are on the menu. Alright, we will have three types of hors d'oeuvres and three types of canapés. That should be enough but make sure to be ready to make more of whatever type would be the most favorite of all the guest."

"Got it, chef"

"Hey! I said call me Lucas, why are you so hard-headed?"

"sorry Lucas, just that I am used to calling others that are kinda like a senior or more experienced than me. Please get used to it"

"no can do, You will always call me Lucas whether we are at work or outside of work so you get used to it! Got that? Also, I would rather not get used to you calling me chef but rather you get used to calling me by my name and not the other way around"

"yes…Lucas. Anyway, what is next for the appetizer?" Mari changes the topic since they seem to be getting out of topic.

"urgh! You are good at changing topic huh"

"But you change the topic first though" the two of them seem to be getting along pretty well that they almost started arguing if not for the need of finishing their work.

"Anyway, back to the topic, Here is the recipe of Hors d'oeuvres and canapés that the cold stations would be making for that day. Everyone has a copy of all the recipes that will be making for any events. And since you are new here, I will slowly give you the recipes that we use for each event. Unless there is a sudden request from the guest we use the menu that we have for each event." Lucas handed a compilation of recipes that they will be using for the event.

"Got it, thank you"

"Alright, next to the menu is the main dish, we will have chicken, beef, and fish. There will be some that are vegetarian that have requested something different for their starches but so far the starch that we will be using is risotto, mashed potato, and baby potatoes. And as for the vegetables, Chef Gino hasn't told us what will be placed in each of the dishes so only he will know what will it be. But I will ask him later about it, though it will be most likely handled by the hot station so just focus on what your station would be making cause that will be a lot more than the main dishes. And then for the Dessert, I think they have decided to make a dessert table wherein it would be filled in from time to time, that way the guest would be able to freely choose whatever dessert they would want. Alright, that is mostly everything that we will do for the event, drinks and other stuff would be handled by the bartender and the servers so all we got to do is make all the dishes for the event. Understood?" Lucas finish explaining everything to Mari the things they needed to do for the event. Lucas was assigned to guide and teach Mari throughout the whole time of her trainingship granted that no one knows if she will be given a sponsorship to have a working visa so that she would be able to work under them for a few more years.

After their working hours, everyone is getting ready to go home while some were going to hang out for the night. Mari on the other hand needed to reject their offer of going with them to hang out since she was the one assigned to do grocery for her and Jessa. The two have decided to do the grocery weekly and they would alternately do it each week.

"Why didn't you go with them?" asked Lucas who saw Mari by the exit waving goodbye to their colleagues.

Lucas is a little attracted to Mari and probably every guy that doesn't have a girlfriend or a wife is attracted to her since she is a very beautiful lady that has long black hair and brown eyes. She got a perfect body shape despite her working inside the kitchen nor eating a lot of sweets, she was still able to maintain her body shape.

"Nah, I got some errands to do so maybe next time. What about you Lucas? Aren't you going somewhere to hang out?" asked Mari while the two of them started to walk down the street.

"Nope got nothing of that sort. But I'm free to accompany you if you want, where are you going anyway?"

"well, I need to buy groceries for me and my roommate, so I gotta go to the grocery store."

"I see, how about I go with you then I could give you a ride and all so you won't have to worry about your ride home."

"But"

"No buts, let's go now, or else the grocery store will close down. you'll have a bigger problem if that happens, right? Besides I will not do anything bad to you, I'm just going to accompany you and give you a ride. But perhaps we could take this opportunity to get to know each other more since we will be working a lot together from now on, don't you think?"

"*giggle* alright, you win Lucas. I wonder when will I win against you. *sigh* let's go then" Mari feels likes that she gets more tired whenever she argues with Lucas. Lately, the two of them have been arguing about little things and it is always Lucas who wins the argument. Everyone inside the kitchen finds their argument fun to watch that they all got used to seeing it almost every day ever since Mari joined them.

The whole ride towards the grocery store was a little quiet and since it was just a short ride that they arrive soon at the store. Lucas told Mari that she could leave her bag and just carry her phone and wallet with her so that she won't have to carry her bag around while shopping. Mari did so and then the two of them went inside the store.

"Are you also going to buy something?" asked Mari to Lucas who took the cart.

"not sure but, let's just use this one cart, it's big enough to fit a lot of things anyway," said Lucas as he pushes the cart while he walks beside Mari. The two of them started to walk around each aisle of the store. Most of the items in the cart were for Mari since she is buying items for the whole week of grocery items and it is for her and Jessa. Jessa did request a few of her favorite items so aside from their share food, Mari also bought some of their personal or favorite items.

Lucas on the other side became her consultant in which item would be best to buy. The two of them look like a couple doing some grocery for the two of them, at least that is what other people see it. There are a few people who started to gossip about the two of them. Lucas heard one of them and began to smile before he decided to tease Mari.

"did you hear that?" Lucas likes the idea of what he heard from one of the gossipy ladies they pass by.

"hear what?' Mari on the other hand was very busy choosing which bread she is going to buy.

"Well, a lady we just pass by started to gossip with her friend over there saying that we are a cute couple. I think so too, so why don't the two of us start dating?"

"What?! I have no plan in dating anyone yet" Mari was so shocked to hear what Lucas just said and she did blush a little that is why she turns around as soon as she said that so that Lucas won't notice her now blushing face.

"aw, why? Though, wait don't you have a boyfriend?" For Lucas seeing a beautiful lady like Mari, he is so sure that she is taken. This is why he got confused when he heard that Mari doesn't plan on dating anyone yet. Mari didn't answer him back and continued to choose the items that she needed so that they could leave the place. Lucas wanted to press more into the matter but seeing that Mari is not answering him that he just decided to drop it.