The Winner Is . . . Read online

  Chef Gary leaned over the counter next to Rae. “What’s that?” He pointed to the strainer in the sink.

  “Vermicelli rice noodles for my fresh roll.” Rae dipped her tongs into the strainer to pull up a few, but instead ended up with the whole large, gelatinous mass. “OH NO! The noodles fused together!” She dropped the blob back into the strainer and let the tongs fall to the counter. “Now I have to start again.” She looked up at the clock. Was there even time? Could she fix what she already had? Chef Gary left her standing at the sink, knife in one hand and a new package of noodles in the other.

  Caroline pushed pulse on the food processor twice, then twice more. Chef Gary approached just as she was opening the top. He watched silently. Caroline frowned, dipped a spoon into the almond mixture, and examined it. What? It wasn’t crumbs! She’d pulsed too much and now it was flour! Chef Gary slowly backed away. A good chef always found a path out of a mistake. Caroline just needed time to think, but there wasn’t any. The minutes were winding down quickly.

  Oliver’s pan of macaroni and cheese was in the oven. He checked it regularly—every two minutes.

  “Mmmm, smells good over here.”

  “Thank you, Chef. I’m baking a thin layer of macaroni and cheese. When it’s firmed up, I’ll cut out mini rectangles to use as the base of my bruschetta.”

  “Very clever. And on top?”

  “Pistachio pesto sauce.” Oliver held up the bag of pistachios.

  Chef Gary looked at the clock, then back at the bag. “Shouldn’t you get started? You’ve got to shell all those pistachios.”

  “WHAT?” Oliver ripped open the bag and pistachios rolled all over the counter. “I thought these were already shelled!”

  Chef Gary returned to the front of the room.

  “FIFTEEN MINUTES!”

  “Everything going smoothly?” Chef Margolis gave the room a quick scan.

  “Mostly.” Chef Gary nodded. “You know how it is—there are always a few bumps.”

  Chapter 24

  t the five-minute warning, Caroline, Rae, and Oliver were all plating.

  Caroline selected the best six nuggets, put her chili mayonnaise into a piping bag, and carefully topped three of the nuggets with a mayonnaise twist. It was the exact consistency she’d hoped for: creamy yet firm. She carefully placed the remaining three nuggets on top and then lined them on edge across the middle of a square plate. Her finishing touch was a decorative drizzle of chili sauce on the side.

  Rae pulled her fresh roll wrap from the water, arranged the bacon, fried vermicelli noodles, diced tomatoes, and lettuce on the bottom corner, and rolled. Others might struggle, but she was good at crafts; she had patience. She moistened the sides, folded them in, and then rolled the top to close it. Four minutes left and only one more to go. She cut the fresh rolls in half and arranged three half rolls in the center of the large plate. She added creative swirls of tangy mayonnaise to the side, and a sprinkling of microgreens finished off the presentation.

  Oliver generously brushed pistachio pesto over his macaroni bruschetta, added fresh diced tomatoes, and set it on a rectangular board. Two more samples and then a sprinkling of shelled salted chopped pistachios over the tops, and he was done.

  “TIME!”

  Six hands quickly shot into the air.

  “CUT.”

  Chef Gary nudged Chef Margolis. “It’s what you’ve been waiting for. Now we get to taste these amazing creations. Oliver, can you please bring your plate to the table and tell us what you’ve made?”

  Oliver walked to the table and set his board down. “I made a brumaca with a topping of pistachio pesto, fried pancetta, fresh tomatoes, and salted pistachios.”

  Chef Margolis studied the board. “Brumaca? What’s that?”

  Oliver smiled. It was the exact question he’d been hoping for. “Well, sir, brumaca is a mash-up of bruschetta and mac and cheese. My base is made from baked mac and cheese.”

  “Well, I have to try this.” Chef Margolis picked one up and took a bite. “Crunchy and flavorful. What kind of cheese did you use?”

  “A mixture of cheeses, sir. Asiago, fontina, and aged Parmesan.”

  “I’m impressed. Well done.” Chef Margolis popped the rest into his mouth.

  Oliver was happy with his review. The judges had used words like superb, flavorful, creative, and sophisticated.

  Caroline was next. She carried her plate slowly up to the front. Why did she always have displays that could tip over? And why hadn’t she thought of making up a fancy name like Oliver had? It was too late now.

  “I was inspired by French macarons. I made savory chicken nuggets with a sweet chili mayonnaise.”

  “Brilliant! It’s simple but inventive. The best ideas are often the more straightforward ones.” Chef Margolis popped a nugget into his mouth.

  “I’m having one too!” Chef Gary said.

  “Tangy, spicy, and just the right amount of crunch. The breading is very delicate. What did you use?”

  “Rosemary-infused almond flour.”

  Chef Margolis turned to Chef Aimee. “I think I should be worried. I could be out of a job.”

  Chef Aimee tried the nugget and nodded. “You might be right.”

  Rae was last. “I made a BLT fresh roll with a tomato and bacon salsa, crispy vermicelli, lettuce, and a tangy mayonnaise sauce.”

  Chef Margolis studied the plate. “Beautiful presentation—and quite an impressive design with mayonnaise sauce. I’m guessing you’re a visual artist as well.”

  Rae nodded. “Yes, Chef.”

  Chef Margolis dipped the fresh roll into the sauce and took a bite. “This has wonderful textures: crunchy and chewy. And the sauce complements the flavors of the salty bacon and the sweet tomatoes. Well done.”

  Chef Gary liked the bacon salsa, and Chef Aimee said it was much better than a BLT sandwich.

  ⋅ ⋅ ⋅ ⋅

  The junior chefs stood in place while the judges moved to the back of the room. Normally they were back in just minutes, but not today. It was taking forever.

  Chef Aimee led the way back to the table. “This was a difficult challenge, but I think it might have been even harder for us. You each presented innovative dishes that were creative and flavorful, and the plating was flawless. I know we’re about to applaud the winner, but before we do, I’d like to take a minute to acknowledge each and every one of you.” The judges all clapped.

  Rae blushed, Caroline grinned, and even Oliver smiled.

  Chef Aimee turned to Chef Margolis. “Will you make the announcement?”

  “Of course. I’d be honored. This was a tightly fought challenge, but the winner had a clear culinary vision and expressed it flawlessly. Caroline, you are the winner of this challenge. Your idea was innovative, fresh, and new. You took an established idea and gave it a creative and sophisticated twist. That kind of genius is rare. Congratulations, Caroline. Please come forward.”

  I was surprised that Caroline won, but then, she had kind of an advantage. French cuisine isn’t much of a challenge for her. Her mom is a French chef. Maybe she wouldn’t have done so well if she’d gotten Asian or Italian. I still think mine was more creative. I even made up a new name for my dish.

  I don’t feel bad about losing. I did my best. We all did. I think it just came down to preference. Chef Margolis liked Caroline’s twist on a dessert item, probably because it’s the kind of thing he would do.

  I still can’t believe I won. Sometimes my brain surprises me—it just comes up with ideas. Can I do it again tomorrow and Thursday? Of course. I have two pins. That’s not luck, that’s talent.

  Chapter 25

  ae shot a quick look at Caroline’s apron. Now they both had two pins each. They were tied, and that felt right, but Oliver—he had three! She couldn’t let him win. She needed the advantage in the last challenge. There was still time. They were all doing well—anyone could win.

  “No cameras,” promised Chef Nancy. They were back in the schoo
l studio for a quick lesson. “This will just be us, and it will be fast. I know you’re all tired.”

  Rae frowned. No cameras? That meant no surprise challenge, which meant NO PINS! Now she had to wait until tomorrow.

  “I want to talk about kitchen lingo. Most of them are idioms.” Chef Nancy smiled sneakily. “‘Eighty-six the croutons on the salad.’ ‘How many orders on deck?’ ‘˜This taco is dying on the pass!’”

  Rae giggled.

  Caroline looked confused.

  Oliver raised his hand. “Excuse me, ma’am. Is there going to be a test?”

  “No, Oliver, there won’t be a test, but this might be helpful in a future challenge. I prepared a handout of terms, so you can look it over, for fun. Plus, if you ever work in a restaurant, you’ll want to know these. You might even use them in your own food truck.”

  KITCHEN LINGO

  AND ITS MEANING

  Eighty-six: You have run out of something and it’s no longer available on the menu, or you want to take something off the order. “Blueberry pancakes, eighty-six the butter.”

  In the weeds: You need help. You’re behind in your order and you don’t know how to catch up. “I’m in the weeds!”

  On the fly: The food item is needed right away. Perhaps you sent out a Caesar salad but forgot to add the croutons. The salad will come back and the server will say, “I need croutons on this on the fly.”

  Mise: Short for mise en place. You all know what this means and how important it is to being successful. “My mise is ready to go.”

  On deck: The orders that have been placed and are waiting to be cooked. You might say, “I have two burgers and three pot pies on deck.”

  Dying on the pass: Food that is prepared and ready to be served, but it’s sitting getting cold and not being delivered to the customer. “This chicken is dying on the pass.”

  SOS: Sauce on the side. “Spaghetti SOS.”

  All day: This refers to all the food a cook is supposed to cook—the cook’s open orders. For clarification a cook may ask, “Can you give me an all day?” The response would be, “You have five salads, three pastas, and one burger all day.”

  Fire: To start cooking, but with more urgency. “Fire one order of fries!”

  Caroline scanned the page. “It’s like a whole different language.”

  Rae made a face. “I wouldn’t want to eat anything that died on the pass, and I definitely don’t want to be in the weeds.”

  Caroline agreed. “I hope that doesn’t happen to any of us. Eighty-six the weeds!”

  Chef Nancy looked at Oliver. “How about you, Oliver? Want to give it a try?”

  “Okay, ma’am.” Oliver paused, then held out his hand. “New whisk pin on the fly.”

  Chef Nancy smiled. “Very funny. Eighty-six that. Let’s call it a day.”

  Wednesday

  Chapter 26

  ay—real breakfast!” Caroline filled a bowl with cereal. “Eighty-six the smoothie! Two more days and then I don’t have to eat this every day.”

  “I think you’re giving it too much credit.” Rae chose a cinnamon bun and a bowl of strawberries. “Cereal isn’t making you win.”

  Caroline poured in the milk. “Why take chances? It’s good luck.”

  Oliver watched, chewing on a bagel with lox and cream cheese.

  Chef Nancy breezed in. “Good morning, junior chefs. Ready to visit some food trucks?”

  Suddenly everyone was excited.

  “Real food trucks?”

  “Do we get to go in them?”

  “How many are there?”

  She held up her hand. “Let’s hold all the questions until we get there.”

  ⋅ ⋅ ⋅ ⋅

  An hour later, they pulled into a bustling parking lot filled with colorful food trucks, overhanging lights, and tented picnic tables.

  “There are fourteen trucks in this pod, and each one has a creatively distinct menu. You have fifteen minutes to look around, and then we’ll meet up there.” She pointed to a big white tent.

  Chef Nancy was right; each truck had its own specialty.

  Caroline pointed to Meaty Eaty. “That one sells only meat sandwiches, and Waco Taco sells only tacos.”

  “I thought there’d be more variety in each food truck,” confessed Oliver. “You know, like in a restaurant.”

  Rae looked around. “Look at all the choices. There are fish and chips, pizza, tacos, BBQ, sushi, Indian food, ramen, Korean food, Chinese omelets, sausages, Hawaiian food, noodles, sandwiches, and burgers. If you put them all together, it’s like the best restaurant ever!”

  Oliver nodded, but he wasn’t convinced.

  Chef Dorian of the Slider Spot was expecting them, and happily offered a tour. “Just pop your head in and have a look. Just enough room to make the best sliders in town.”

  It was the shortest tour ever. The space inside the truck was tiny. It was only eight feet wide. There was a counter under the big serving window, and next to a small sink. A mini stove with an oven was on the far back wall, under a stack of shelves crammed with supplies.

  Chef Dorian pointed to the driver’s seat. “I can get up and go any time I want! It’s heaven on wheels!”

  ⋅ ⋅ ⋅ ⋅

  Chef Nancy met the junior chefs outside the tent. “It’s our usual setup. We have your workstations, the pantry, and the table at the front for judging. But there isn’t time to look around. Cameras are on and Chef Gary is inside.”

  “Welcome, junior chefs.” Chef Gary waved them closer. “Are you ready to learn more about the food truck biz? After all, one of you will be joining in very soon.”

  “YES, CHEF!”

  “Great! Well, I want to introduce you to a few of the proprietors here at this pod. This is Chef Valentina from Waco Taco, Chef Jenny from Aloha Café, and Chef Phil from Holy Smokes BBQ. They’re here to answer your questions. What do you want to know? These are the experts. Who wants to start?”

  Oliver raised his hand. “I was wondering: Why do the trucks have such small menus?”

  Chef Valentina answered first. “There are many reasons. The kitchen in the food truck is small, so there isn’t the room to prepare all kinds of different meals.”

  “And there’s a system,” added Chef Jenny. “Many of the items on my menu have similar ingredients, and that’s on purpose. I can keep the number of ingredients low and mix and match them to make different dishes.”

  “And there’s the time factor,” said Chef Phil. “When someone orders a meal, they don’t want to wait around for more than five minutes. I have to deliver the meal fast. My ingredients are prepped and ready to go. So when I get an order all I have to do is cook, plate, and serve.”

  The chefs had lots of advice. Prepare as much as you can before you open for business. Think about efficiency—can you use your ingredients in more than one dish and use different sauces to spice up your menu? Practice so you’ll know where you should store everything. Mise en place is crucial for the final assembly of your dishes. And most important, make everything on your menu to the best of your ability. One standout dish is better than three mediocre offerings.

  “Wow! Valuable advice. Thank you, chefs!” Everyone clapped. Chef Jenny and Chef Phil waved goodbye, but Chef Valentina stayed right next to Chef Gary.

  “Challenge time,” whispered Rae.

  “I’m ready for it.” Caroline’s brain was already thinking. Waco Taco was Mexican—that had to be a clue.

  Chef Gary leaned forward. “In just a minute we’ll go back there.” He pointed to the table at the back of the tent. “Chef Valentina is going to give us a lesson on . . .”

  She smiled and finished his sentence. “. . . handmade tortillas!”

  “Nope, no challenge right now,” whispered Rae.

  Caroline agreed, but now she had another clue: tacos!

  Chapter 27

  Corn tortillas are fun and easy to make. It’s just three ingredients: masa harina, salt, and hot water. You mix them up until the
dough is soft like Play-Doh, not too sticky and not too dry, and then you let it rest in a covered bowl for fifteen minutes. This lets the masa harina absorb the water.

  My favorite part was pressing the tortillas in the tortilla press. You roll a small ball of dough until it looks like a Ping-Pong ball. Then you put it in the press and push down with the handle on the lid. Done!

  Tortillas cook fast—only one or two minutes per side on a hot griddle. You have to keep them wrapped up in a kitchen tortilla basket so they stay soft and warm. Fresh tortillas are worth the trouble. They’re totally delicious!

  OLLING.”

  The first two words out of Chef Gary’s mouth were “Taco challenge.”

  Rae smiled. This was going to be easy. She already knew what to make: smoky pulled pork tacos with a chipotle créma.

  Chef Gary paused for a few seconds, then continued. “You have forty minutes to create two distinctively different vegetarian tacos, and we want you to use fresh vegetables. You may use canned beans without penalty, as there isn’t time to make them from scratch. The pantry will be open for the duration of the challenge, so we’ll start right from here. Are you ready?”

  “YES, CHEF!”

  “Let’s get cooking!”

  Oliver passed Rae on the way to the pantry. She watched him fill his basket with radishes, cilantro, chipotle peppers, onions, tomatillos, mayonnaise, cauliflower, and garlic. How did he have a menu so fast? She took out a pencil and paper. She had to make a list—it was the only way she could stay organized.