My Lady Chef { La Vita Series } - Volume 1

Chapter 61 : Improving Living Conditions

Ely's POV:

Now that my husband is away.

I now hold the power of the entire Aisenburg Household in my hands.

Milford had educated me that aside from the usual duties a mistress of the house immerses herself in, The duke has given me the freedom to even throw parties or sources as long as a budget is made in advance.

But I surprised them when the first thing I did was make menu plans for the servants.

From what Linda told me. The staff eats the same uninspiring fare every single day.

Which was either grilled chicken, mutton or boiled beef with gravy, a side of boiled potatoes or old bread with a bowl of steamed green soup.

No wonder Linda preferred eating my cooking. Even a modern cafeteria has more variety.

When I saw who planned this menu, Why was I not surprised that it was Mrs. Yates who chooses the food and is given the food budget to adjust it.

And based on the numbers written in the expense ledgers, the amount written for such simple fare is weirdly expensive for simple stuff.

Until I checked the stock pantry room and realized that Mrs. Yates likes stocking up on the same ingredients 3 months in advance. Since the Aisenburg pantries are enchanted to never spoil and will retain their freshness till they are taken out.

She must be using the extra money for the next budget plans for herself because there were varying discrepancies.

When I declared that I would take care of the menu planning. Mrs. Yates argued with me over it.

But she clammed up and turned a lovely shade of purple when I showed her the ledgers and hinted that I knew about her stealing.

In the end, she quietly gave up the budget and the power to make the menu plans in exchange for my silence.

Since my talent in cooking is now out in the open, I started planning monthly budget plans with Chef Jorge who was very enthusiastic and wanted to introduce simple Kalderosian and local staples into the plans.

This shows that his creativity was being suppressed by Mrs Yates' orders to keep the staff meal bland.

From what I know of the island kingdom. Their specialties are seafood stews and fish dishes.

Since I have heard how some of the staff were yearning for fish lately. I decided to include 2 inexpensive fish dishes on the menu.

Before deciding that every breakfast, lunch and dinner. The meal set will have a main, a side item and a small simple dessert.

And that there will be a trial of eight different meal set variations and changing or swapping components every month with our backup dishes in case the staff gets bored.

But in the end, we made sure there were enough vegetables, protein and carbohydrates for every servant's needs. Especially the younger servants.

When Chef Jorge wondered if it is not too much but when I showed him the budget calculations; he was amazed at my planning skills and how I was able to include them in my budget.

We both decided to finalize the staff menu after a three-month trial and to see which meal set is more popular.

Then I started planning the monthly special treat for the knights too and had Linda ask Captain Niles what the knights usually love to eat as monthly treats.

Which worried Chef Jorge that I might collapse from overworking.

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