Alex here! And I have some new content for you to enjoy.
This time around, we’re going to dedicate some time to our characters and see what we can learn.
I felt Leona would be a good first step into this world, as she was the most recently introduced.
A pleasure.
Are you ready to begin?
I have done nothing but think about this for days.
Like in my restaurant, I must be prepared for all possible requests.
I have entertained hypotheticals that you likely have not.
Haha. I do find hypotheticals real entertaining sometimes, especially the Super Bowl ones.
Uh…
Question #1! What did you do for a living before you became a chef-
Ahem!
Sorry… The Greatest Chef in Fable.
My goal is nothing short of perfection. Which means that at every point before that was arduous study of culinary arts and constant practice.
Gosh, you make it sound so simple.
But it couldn’t just have been studying and practice.
Is there some secret you can share with us to help motivate aspiring chefs out there?
Do not “aspire”. Cook. Eat what you make. Learn. Repeat.
Every time I hear someone tell me otherwise, that person is no longer worthy of my attention.
Hoookay!
Question #2! What’s the greatest and most challenging dish you’ve ever made for a customer?
As I said earlier, I take all requests.
This means that, no matter how obscure, I must perform. Even when the request is entirely the imagination of the person ordering.
Someone decided to try and test me by ordering a made up dish called “Cricket Wellington.”
A low-calibur pun on Beef Wellington, you’ve likely already guessed. Trying to tie a national sport in with a national dish for a joke.
I thought it was pretty good!
It brought me much anguish, trying to tie those flavors together when the original idea was essentially randomized.
In the end, I served a luxurious insect pâté mixed with a uniquiely savory and earthen selection of mushrooms. The pastry alone would have won me awards.
I even made a side of Chapulines just to ‘flex’ on him, thinking he could stun me by ordering cricket.
I remember it very fondly thanks to his face when it was delivered and he realized I actually tried. The smug prank became humility in the face of pure quality.
Question #3! This one is from me, actually. After what you cooked for Sandy, do you find yourself more permissive of cooking “common” dishes?
Sandy must be the one who ordered the fried chicken.
As we can see, my reputation is already affected.
But yes, admittedly. It has.
This I’ve got to hear.
My hatred of fast food stems from the fact it is predatory. It is not “cuisine”.
When food is cooked for you, there’s a baseline assumption that the chef wanted it to be quality.
There is an… assumption that pride is the central ingredient.
It could be just a dish, yes. But there’s a high chance the chef is saying “This is my culture. This is something my mother made for me. Do you like it?”
Instead, fast food is about exploitation and discovering what new combination of ranch dressing, cheese-product, sawdust, and horse meat will somehow sell for the cost a candy bar.
So… what has changed?
Sandy was asking for a dish that made her happy. So I delivered.
I feel I only had to know that to become motivated again.
So if I order some jalapeño poppers and a soda, you wont throw me out?
… I would struggle. But I would deliver.
Because I always deliver.