Hell's Kitchen XX + X

Chapter 10

(Gordon's POV)

          I smile as she kept pushing me to the door. "Oh come on, Cassandra, I can stay over, maybe we can watch a movie, or pretend to watch said movie!"

          "No no no you have to go!" She had both hands on my shoulders, trying her best to push me, to no avail. Tonight's dinner service must have tired her out so much.

           "Fine." I right myself and went to the door. I opened it and gave her one last look. "Are you really, really sure?"

           "Yes!" she sighed. "Besides, I can't sleep knowing you're in my dorm."

           "I can guarantee, you won't be sleeping with me in here." I winked and walked away before she can make a comeback. "I'll see you tomorrow on training!"

           I jogged back to my car, feeling light on my feet. Cassandra does feel something, that's for sure. Just the thought of that brings something out of me that has been long buried since decades ago. I sped away in the Ferrari back to my own house in L.A, my mind filled with thoughts of her.

          My phone rang and I answered it through the car's built-in CarPlay feature, in a matter of moments, my car was filled with the most annoying Italian accent. "Buonasera!"

          I can't even get mad at him, that's how happy Cassandra made me. "Good evening to you too, Italian scumbag."

          "Why the hostility? Is it because of the roses? Was it too much?"

           I can practically see him smirking, that wanker. "I'll have you know she hated the roses and threw them away." There, that ought to wipe the smug expression off the fucker. He was silent and I can't help but chuckle. "I got her to admit that she feels for me,"

            "She wasn't drunk with my wine, was she?"

            "Of course, she wasn't!" I said disbelievingly. "Don't ruin this for me, Joe. Please."

           "It took me years before I got over Cayetana after you married her, and now you want me to get over Cassandra, too? Don't you think you're being too much, Gordon?"

           How could I forget that? Joe had mooned over Tana for years, yet she chose me. One drunken night led to another and I got her pregnant with Megan. Joe did not talk to me for years, until we got roped together to do the MasterChef series. "Joe, this is different. Cassandra is different...You have Deanna-"

           "To hell with Deanna! That no-good cheating woman from hell. Well, whatever Gordon. May the best man win. This time, I don't intend to lose."

          He dropped the call, and I pulled to the side of the road, frustrated. I got out of the car and leaned against the side. That bastard is a serious pain in the neck! I kicked at the dirt, imagining that fucker's face.

(X's POV)

         I smiled as walked to the restaurant for training. I wasn't really obligated to attend, I wanted to watch and help my new friends. Certainly not because of a certain chef who will be conducting the training!

          Okay, I might be lying to myself. I really do want to see him, but just to make sure yesterday wasn't a dream.

          I go through the doors and they were already starting in the kitchen. I looked around for him and spotted him teaching the men the proper technique in cooking risotto. I walked up to the pass. "Good morning, Chef."

           He looks up from the risotto and smiles. "Good morning, Ca—X." He nearly slipped and I laugh.

           "There are no cameras, Chef, it's okay."

           Kaito approached, thinking he was the one chef meant to call. "You call me, Chef?"

            "Not you, you donut. Cassandra."

           "Who?" the Japanese chef scratched his head until he made the connection. "Aaaah! Your name is Cassandra!"

            I smiled. "Weird huh?" I pointed to the risotto. "That's gonna burn if you don't stir it."

           He immediately turned back to his pan to stir. "Gahddammit!" The other men laughed at his misfortune and I made my way to the ladies' kitchen.

           I approached Angela who was searing some scallops. "Hey, big mama!" I grinned. Angela is truly an angel. She is the nicest person I know.

          "Have you eaten breakfast?" She asked as she scooped up the scallops unto a tray lined with a paper towel. I shook my head and reached for one of the scallops. "What you think?"

           I prodded the protein gently and swallowed it with some of the puree. "This one's good." I turned the others over. "This one's burnt." I pointed to one. "To get them, at like, a uniform sear, the first one you put on the pan should be the first one you flip."

            "Got it," she nodded and proceeded to cook another batch of scallops.

           "Hey, X!" This time it was Heidi. I knew she was one of the chefs who were in serious trouble and I really wanted to help her. I approached her at the hot apps station, looking over at three pans. "I tried cooking the way you did, like multiple pans, but look! My risottos are not the same color, but I swear I cooked them the same way!"

           True enough, the colours were varied. If this got served to Chef Ramsay at the pass, he might throw it at the wall, cussing all the while. I grabbed the largest hot pan and mixed the three pan worth of risottos until they blended into one colour. "The small pans are meant for one or two portions. If you are gonna do at least three or four potions, always do it in a big pan. Just one batch though, or else you are gonna get different cooks on rice." I took a spoonful and my mouth was filled with the taste of white wine. "Also go easy on the wine, let the alcohol cook off so the guests don't get drunk on the appetizer alone."

            "Thanks." She nodded shyly as I give her back the pan. I can sense that she wants to bounce back from last night's flop and I'll do my best to help her.

            "Anytime."

            Training passed much of the same fashion until it was lunch time and Gordon asked me to cook lunch for them, while demonstrating how I work in my kitchen. They all hung out at the pass as I set out to prepare 17 servings of my mushroom, leek, and tarragon pasta.

           As I was trained to, I worked fast in a kitchen. I paid no heed to the audience watching me as I chopped up the mushrooms, tossing it into the pan, then the leek, into the pan as well. I was working with six pans altogether so timing and consistency was important.

            The secret to being fast in the kitchen is not letting my mind wander. When I do something, I'm already planning the next step. After seasoning everything, I added the cooked pasta into the pans, letting it soak in all the flavour from the stock, mushrooms and leek. I went back to the chopping board to slice the tarragon, adding that in as well.

             From the pantry, I took out loaves of bread, slicing them, drizzling them with olive oil and brushing it with a garlic and butter mixture I made prior. I toasted them in a separate stove, just enough to get that nice toasted color and I went back to my pasta, turning off all the stoves and preparing to plate. I made sure that every portion is exactly the same as the others. I took the bread off the heat and plated them as well. In under twenty minutes, I was done. I put my hands up and smiled.

            Some of the chefs clapped, amazed at what I pulled off. I just can't imagine what Kimberly has against me. I paid it no heed and I served the plates to them.

            We all ate at the dining room, the chefs talked casually exchanging stories from where they came from, what they did, and I feel my mind wandering back to last night's conversation. I find him staring at me and I blushed, looking away.

           How am I going to survive this competition?!