The Kitchen by Laura Carter

Author:Laura Carter
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Canelo
Published: 2021-09-15T00:00:00+00:00

* * *

There was an air of melancholy, or perhaps despondency, in the kitchen when she arrived at work. With each chef that came through the door, the mood seemed heavier. Were they grieving the end of Maggie’s career? A friendship? Or the excellent reputation her predecessor had spent years building?

Maggie had never been in this position – not only receiving such a resolute level of criticism but being in charge of a kitchen she had let down. She had no idea if she was supposed to act like nothing had happened, go on with the show, as the saying went. Or if she was supposed to openly address the review and do something about it. On the one hand, what was the point? She had less than eight weeks left before she was out of work and, thanks to Emily, possibly indefinitely (excluding getting a job at a fast food place, like Ethan had suggested). On the other, if she gave in now, she wouldn’t be fighting for Jean-Sébastien’s honour, for the pride of her chefs, for her own pride.

As she called the team into a huddle around the pass to explain the turbot special – which wasn’t necessary because it was a special they had cooked many times before with Jean-Sébastien at the helm – she felt all eyes on her, questioning and full of expectation.

She was braving herself to apologise to the team when Alexander snapped from behind her, ‘Chef. A word.’

She could have written the script for what Alexander said to her in his office without turning up.

Basically, Maggie had added fuel to his fire, justified the impending arrival of Ethan when, apparently, Alexander’s father had questioned the decision. He reiterated every negative line of Emily’s review, going so far as to embellish the adjectives.

‘Thank God I was here to put the only positive spin on that disaster,’ he said, slapping his hands down onto his desk where he perched, half-seated, half-standing, making Maggie feel like the naughty kid in school.

And if he would treat her like a child, she might as well behave as a petulant one…

‘She liked the wine, too,’ she said, smiling innocently.

‘Is this a joke to you, Maggie? Because the only farce here is what you’re doing in that kitchen.’

‘Is that so? Well, you were perfectly happy for me to wind down my three months in the manner of that “farce” before Emily’s article. I didn’t see you complaining about full covers and happy guests.’

He shook his head, clearly exasperated as he roughly rubbed at the stubble decorating his cheeks. ‘The sooner Ethan gets here, the better. For now, if you don’t want to be out on your ass, get back in the kitchen and make sure the next two months don’t ruin this restaurant for the long term.’

Maggie scoffed and turned to leave.

‘And, Maggie, if you can’t do it for me and all the men in that kitchen who will be out of work if you ruin us, do it for him.

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