Page 11 of A Very Grumpy Chef

She grins. “It’s okay.”

I relax as she takes my hand and tugs me toward the door. I lead her inside and through the kitchen, where I prepped our lunch earlier. I show her out to the front of house and our table.

“I’m going to get started on the food. Can I get you something to drink?” I ask.

“Just a water, please.”

“Coming right up.”

I run back into the kitchen and slide our lunch into the oven. “Can you finish this?” I ask my sous chef, Sarah.

“Yes, Chef.”

I thank her and grab Coco and me a glass of water before joining her at our table.

“So, what do you think of the place?” I ask as I slide into the chair across from her.

“It’s lovely. Very romantic.”

“Glad you approve.”

“You mentioned revamping it. What are your plans?”

“Not much out here. It’s solid. It’s more the menu and some staffing changes.”

“No more steaks at the steakhouse?” she teases.

I laugh. “No, we’ll still serve steaks, but I’m going to add a seasonal menu with local produce and offer a new range of desserts.”

“Have you already decided on the menu?”

“No, not yet. I’ve found some suppliers, but I’m stuck on the menu. That’s one of the reasons I’m here. I thought I needed to switch things up. The restaurant in New York is doing well, but I felt stagnant there. All the meals I came up with felt… flat.”

“So, you packed up and moved to the other side of the country, bought a restaurant, and started teaching cooking classes,” she fills in.

“Yeah, pretty much.”

Sarah comes out of the kitchen with two plates and sets them down in front of us. “Herb Roasted Prime Rib, served with a garden elephant garlic cream, squash blossom frittata, marinated Sungold tomatoes, and English thyme jus. Enjoy,” she says quietly before she bustles back to the kitchen.

Coco moans. “This looks amazing.”

I clear my throat, shifting in my seat. My pants are suddenly too tight.

“This isn’t usually on the menu here. It was one of my favorite meals from my place back in New York.”

“The one with all the Michelin Stars?”

“Yep.”

“Ohhh.”

I laugh at her wide-eyed appreciation. “I hope you like it.”

We both dig in.

Coco sighs happily. “It’s delicious.”

“Thanks.”