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Lights, Camera, Cook!
Lights, Camera, Cook! Read online
Contents
* * *
Title Page
Contents
Copyright
Dedication
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Chapter 34
Chapter 35
Chapter 36
Chapter 37
Chapter 38
Essential Knife Techniques for the Young Chef
Sample Chapter from THE HEAT IS ON
Buy the Book
Middle Grade Mania!
About the Author
About the Illustrator
Connect with HMH on Social Media
Copyright © 2017 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Illustrations copyright © 2017 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Text copyright © 2016 by The Culinary Institute of America, pages 174–78 from The Young Chef
All rights reserved. For information about permission to reproduce selections from this book, write to [email protected] or to Permissions, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company, 3 Park Avenue, 19th Floor, New York, New York 10016.
www.hmhco.com
Illustrations by Aurélie Blard-Quintard
Illustrations by Andrea Miller, pages 174–78
The Library of Congress has cataloged the print edition as follows:
Names: Harper, Charise Mericle, author. | Blard-Quintard, Aurelie, illustrator.
Title: Lights, camera, cook! / Charise Mericle Harper ; illustrated by Aurelie Blard-Quintard.
Description: Boston ; New York : HMH Books for Young Readers, 2017. | Series: Next Best Junior Chef ; 1 | Summary: Follows Tate, Rae, Caroline, and Oliver, ages nine to eleven, both on and off-camera as they compete in a televised cooking competition. Includes cooking tips.
Identifiers: LCCN 2016038369 | ISBN 9780544912601 (paper over board)
Subjects: | CYAC: Cooking—Fiction. | Contests—Fiction. | Television—Production and direction—Fiction. | Friendship—Fiction. | BISAC: JUVENILE FICTION / Cooking & Food. | JUVENILE FICTION / Action & Adventure / General. | JUVENILE FICTION / Humorous Stories. | JUVENILE FICTION / Performing Arts / Television & Radio. | JUVENILE FICTION / Media Tie-In. | JUVENILE FICTION / Business, Careers, Occupations.
Classification: LCC PZ7.H231323 Lig 2017 | DDC [Fic]—dc23
LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2016038369
eISBN 978-1-328-82894-1
v1.0617
Thank you to my mother, for always making a home-cooked meal.
Thank you to Ruth Oliver, for support and cooking tips.
Thank you to Frances Smith, for helping bring Oliver to life.
Thank you to the food trucks of Portland, because who has time to cook and write?
Friday—The Arrival
Chapter 1
he filming studio was a hive of activity. And then . . .
“BOOMS!”
“LIGHTS!”
“CAMERAS!”
“ROLLING!”
There was silence. Everyone waited.
“Welcome to Next Best Junior Chef, where all the action is in the kitchen!” The announcer’s voice filled the air with energy and excitement. “This week, four young chefs will battle it out in a series of challenges that will test their culinary skills, knowledge, and creativity. Thursday’s challenge will send one chef home, and the three remaining contestants will be one step closer to the final elimination round. Pick your favorites now, because one of these talented chefs WILL BE the Next Best Junior Chef!
“Our esteemed judges include Chef Vera Porter of the famous Porter Farm Restaurant, renowned pastry chef Aimee Copley, and Chef Gary Lee, restaurant proprietor and host of the award-winning show Adventures in Cooking. Make no mistake, the judges will be watching our competitors very closely. Everything counts, and will be taken into consideration, when we get to the final elimination round.
“Our young chefs will be mentored by Chef Nancy Patel, the 2013 recipient of the Golden Spoon Award.
“The winner of Next Best Junior Chef will receive two life-changing prizes: a food truck specially designed for the winner and a guest spot on Adventures in Cooking when it begins filming this summer in . . . the beautiful countryside of Italy!
“Our four young chefs have survived countless interviews, taste tests, and chopping challenges. They can purée, sauté, broil, bake, and fry with skill beyond their years. They’re the cream of the crop, and they can’t wait to get cooking. So, let’s meet our competitors.”
The junior chefs were lined up and ready outside the big doorway of the filming studio. As soon as the announcer called their names, they’d come in, one at a time, for a grand entrance. Chef Nancy had prepared them, because once the cameras were rolling, everything had to be perfect.
The announcer continued: “Next Best Junior Chef invites contestant Caroline to the table. Caroline is from Chicago, Illinois.”
Chef Nancy tapped Caroline on the shoulder. “Go.”
Caroline took a deep breath and walked through the door and down the ramp toward the front of the room. She passed the workstations, one of which would be hers, but she didn’t look. Her eyes stayed glued to her destination. The judges, Chef Gary, Chef Aimee, and Chef Porter, stood next to one another behind a long table, smiling and waiting.
Chef Gary stepped forward. “Welcome, Caroline. Please tell us: How did you get to be such a good cook?”
The cameras, the lights, the judges—these made Caroline nervous, but not the question. She knew exactly what to say. Chef Nancy had helped them practice their answers.
“I’m lucky—I’ve been around good food my whole life. My family owns a French bistro and my mother is a chef, so I speak French, English, and food. It’s like a third language for me. Cooking is a way to express myself.”
“Wow!” Chef Gary took a step back. “How old are you?”
“Eleven.”
“Well, I can’t wait to see what your food is going to tell us.”
Caroline blushed. “Thank you, Chef.”
The interview was over. Tate was next. Caroline breathed a sigh of relief.
“Next Best Junior Chef invites contestant Tate to the table. Tate hails from Seattle, Washington.”
Tate couldn’t wait to get to the front of the room. It was hard not to run, and then when he got there, it was hard to stand still.
Chef Aimee smiled and leaned forward. “Welcome, Tate—I know I’m supposed to ask you a cooking question, but first I have to know . . . how old are you?”
Tate swayed back and forth on the balls of his feet. “Nine.”
Chef Aimee shook her head. “Unbelievable! You’re our youngest contestant ever. Congratulations! Was it difficult to become one of the four junior chefs in this competition?”
Tate chopped the air with his hand. “Not really. I’m good with a knife, and I like cooking, so it was fun. People are always surprised when they see what I
can do in the kitchen.”
Chef Aimee smiled. “Ooh, I like surprises. Well done, Tate. I can’t wait for you to surprise me, too.”
Tate nodded and grinned until he heard the announcer’s voice.
“Next Best Junior Chef invites contestant Oliver to the—”
“CUT! CUT! CUT!” A man brushed past Oliver and ran down the ramp. “Take five! Camera problem. We’ll start up again in five minutes tops.”
Chef Nancy called Oliver back from the ramp. “I’m sorry, Oliver. We’ll start again when Steve gives us the signal. He’s the producer, so if he says it’s only five minutes, I’m sure he’s right.”
Oliver nodded. “Yes, ma’am.” He could wait. He was the King of Calm.
Chapter 2
liver timed the break. It was four minutes and fifty-three seconds—less than five minutes. Steve was right. Oliver smiled. He liked precision, things in order—no surprises. He took his place at the door and waited for the announcer.
“Next Best Junior Chef invites contestant Oliver to the table. Oliver is twelve and from Montgomery, Alabama.”
Oliver marched down the ramp, his shoulders back and head high. He’d practiced at home in front of the mirror. First impressions were important—that’s what his mom said, and he believed her. She was good with image stuff; she was a designer.
When he got to the front he looked right at Chef Porter. You could learn a lot from paying attention. The judges were going down the line, taking turns with the questions. He smiled, feeling lucky. His question was coming from the best chef there.
Chef Porter smiled back. “Welcome, Oliver. Can you tell us what excites you most about this competition?”
Oliver waited for a second and then answered. The King of Calm did not rush. “Yes, ma’am. I’m excited about the opportunity to learn new things, and then use that knowledge to refine my cooking skills. Being a chef is a journey, not a destination. I want my food to reflect my journey of discovery and excitement, but in a quiet, thoughtful way. In the kitchen, I am the King of Calm.”
Chef Porter clasped her hands over her heart. “Well said, Oliver. I look forward to seeing the fruits of that journey.”
Rae was the last contestant, but she didn’t mind. It was better than going first. Last gave you time to absorb the details, notice things. She’d listened to Oliver’s answer but she had no idea what he was talking about. “Journey,” “discovery,” “king”—it was all a jumble. And then the announcer was calling her name.
“And last but certainly not least, Next Best Junior Chef invites contestant Rae to the table. Rae is eleven years old and from Port Chester, New York.”
Steve nodded to Chef Nancy and she tapped Rae on the shoulder. “Go.”
Rae stepped through the door. Everything was brighter than she’d imagined, and blurry. Like a dream—out of focus. She moved slowly down the ramp toward the front of the room. It took longer than it had in the practice, but finally she was there, next to Oliver.
“Welcome, Rae—so happy you are with us.” Chef Gary’s face was swirling, his voice distant, and then . . . everything went dark.
Chef Nancy rushed forward, but she wouldn’t make it. Rae was already falling—in a second she’d be on the ground. And then two arms shot out and caught her. It was a surprise, lucky and unexpected. It was Oliver.
Oliver hadn’t even thought about it. It was just a reflex. Playing catch was his favorite pastime—after cooking, of course—and he was good at it. In the battle against gravity, Oliver always won. Rae was slumped in his arms, heavy. He almost dropped her, but then there was help. The medics, the judges, and Chef Nancy, suddenly everyone was there.
Chapter 3
ae was sitting up, talking, sipping water. She was going to be fine. Chef Nancy gave everyone a thirty-minute break while the studio staff figured out what to do next. Steve the producer and a cameraperson got some reactions while they waited. Tate was happy for the chance to move around.
I was smiling at Rae while she was walking down the ramp, because girls need to stick together. We’re not friends yet, but we will be. I can just tell. The fainting was scary. I’m glad she’s okay. She’s lucky Oliver was there to catch her. I know this is a competition, but I like that we can still help each other.
Oliver’s a hero. He saved Rae! That’s the kind of thing my dad does in the army. He saves people all over the world. First he was in Afghanistan, and now he’s in South Korea. It’s really hard to have him be so far away, but he’s brave, so I can be brave too.
No, sir, I do not think I’m a hero. When I see something that needs to be done, I just do it. I’m glad Rae is okay and glad that I could help.
A contestant fainting in front of the judges was something new. It was a shock to everyone. Usually the producer didn’t like surprises, but this was different. It was the kind of twist that made him smile. The King of Calm saving a fellow contestant was perfect for TV.
Steve was ecstatic. “Audiences love a hero!”
After a short meeting with Chef Nancy, Steve gave her a new job—making sure Oliver lived up to his name.
When Rae was recovered, everyone lined up in front of the judges again so she could film her interview.
Steve held up his hand. “Rolling!”
That was the word that got everything started. The cameras turned on.
Chef Gary gently shook Rae’s hand. “Welcome, Rae—so happy you’re okay. That was quite a fall. I don’t usually get that kind of reaction from a new contestant.”
Rae blushed and looked down. “Well, I was really excited and I guess I didn’t drink enough water, and . . . I got kind of dizzy.”
Chef Gary feigned disbelief. “WHAT? So it wasn’t that you were in awe of me because I’m a rock star of cooking?”
Chef Aimee leaned over and interrupted. “You might be a cooking star, but you’re no rock star.” She covered her ears. “You do not want to hear this man sing.”
Everyone laughed.
Chef Gary held up his hand. “Wait a minute. Are you daring me to sing? Because an Adventure Chef never says no to a . . .” Chef Gary pointed to the contestants.
“CHALLENGE!” they all shouted together.
They all knew what to say. It was Chef Gary’s famous tag line from his other show, Adventures in Cooking.
Chef Porter clapped her hands. Once, twice—the whole room went silent. She had that kind of power. “I’m going to step in here so we can talk about something other than Chef Gary’s singing.”
Chef Gary made a face like his feelings were hurt, but Chef Porter ignored him.
She smiled at Rae. “Rae, can you tell us . . . was there someone in your life who encouraged you to cook?”
Rae nodded. “My grandma, she loves watching cooking shows on TV. We’d watch them all the time, and then one day we just decided to try some of the recipes. Pretty soon we were cooking new things almost every day. And then when our neighbors found out, they gave us even more recipes to try.”
“What dish are you most proud of?” asked Chef Aimee.
Rae smiled. This was the exact question she was expecting. “Baklava. It’s a dessert from Turkey, with honey, pistachios, and walnuts. It takes hours to make, and the filo dough is really tricky. You have to be really careful with it or it’ll all stick together in a big doughy clump.”
“I know it.” Chef Aimee shook her head. “Not an easy dish to make, but certainly an easy one to eat!” She patted her tummy. “Congratulations and welcome. I can’t wait to see the new recipes you’ll try out on us.”
“Thank you, Chef.” Rae smiled and double nodded. Once for the compliment and once because the interview was over. She exhaled a sigh of relief.
But the relief didn’t last long. There were more interviews, for all of them. Chef Nancy pointed to a row of stools on the other side of the filming studio.
“You’ll be doing regular interviews with Steve. We need them for TV, but don’t be nervous, Steve will guide you—it’ll be fun an
d easy.”
When they got to the stools, Steve introduced Janet and Mark, two camerapeople. They looked up, waved, and then disappeared behind their cameras again.
Steve pointed to the stools. “Okay, chefs. Please take a seat.” When everyone was seated he continued. “If we do this right, it won’t take long. There are only two things to remember.” He held up a finger. “Number one—always answer honestly, and number two . . .” He added another finger. “When I ask you a question, please repeat the question first before giving your answer. For example, if I ask: Why do you like apples?, you say: I like apples because . . . and then you tell me your answer. Does everyone understand?”
Four heads bobbed up and down.
“Super!” Steve high-fived the air. “Okay, let’s get started. Today’s question is . . . Why will you be the Next Best Junior Chef?”
I will be the Next Best Junior Chef because I have a good understanding of all the skills involved in cooking. I know how different foods and spices work together.
I will be the Next Best Junior Chef because I’m cool, calm, creative, and collected. I think things through and I never make mistakes.
I will be the Next Best Junior Chef because I’m excited about cooking and I’m not afraid to try new things.
I will be the Next Best Junior Chef because I’m an inventor. I like creating interesting food combinations people have never tasted before.
Chapter 4
orter Farm was impressively large. In addition to the filming complex, it supported a working farm, a world-class restaurant, a residential lodge, and acres of natural wooded forest. After a picnic lunch, Chef Nancy took the junior chefs on a tour of the facilities.