1 Prologue
In Los Angeles, CA
Inside a sound-stage studio, a competition takes place where you can see a large kitchen area with several cooking stations which is overlooked by a balcony, a well-stocked pantry, a freezer/fridge area and a fine-dining restaurant/seating dining area room used for certain challenges.
A 25-year-old youth is fiercely chopping ingredients with a knife, but the weird thing is, the ingredients that he chopped are so precise that people with OCD can only bow to him.
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(Flashback-kun)
His name is Dante Smith, a slightly handsome youth whose family has a big cooking background.
His grandfather on his mom's side is a Half-Japanese and Half-Korean, a famous cooking expert who specialise on Japanese and Korean cuisine with some knowledge on other Asian cuisines.
His grandmother on his mom's side is a Half-Chinese and Half-Taiwanese, a famous cooking expert who specialise on Chinese and Taiwanese cuisine with some knowledge on other Asian cuisines.
His grandfather on his father's side is a Half-American and Half-French, a famous cooking expert who specialise on American and French cuisine with some knowledge on other Western cuisines.
His grandmother on his father's side is a Half-German and Half-Italian, a famous cooking expert who specialise on German and Italian cuisine with some knowledge on other Western cuisines.
His father is a famous meat expert who specialise on handling and cooking various meat dishes, he travels the world to find and create the perfect meat dish, while his mother is a famous pastry expert who was rumoured that her dishes can make people's clothes burst from ecstasy.
Dante Smith was a genius, he started talking in the age of 7 months, walking in the age of 10 months, properly running in the age of 1 and a half, playing with a wooden blunt knife at the age of 3.
His family has big expectations on him, so they trained him strictly when he was 4 years old till 15 years old. His foundation on cooking is unbreakable, to be trained by big-shots for 11 years. His knowledge stems from his family's cooking background, so his theoretical knowledge about cooking is vaster than any 2nd rate chefs while his practical skills are even better, because nearly every day (except when he's sick or formal occasions) from 4 years old to 15 years old, he hasn't stop training; knife, fire control, carving and various cooking techniques are second nature to him.
His family celebrated on him passing their standards for the "basic level". After the celebration, they announced that they we're going to start training him in the "intermediate level" but after they announced the news to him, they saw his face paled and sweat forming in his forehead.
(Flashback-kun end)
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( Dante P.O.V )
'From as far as I can remember, my family has been strictly training me to the bone. Do this, do that, it must be precise! Why did you cut it 2 millimetre shorter than I told you! Well I'm sick of it, they don't let me do anything I want... want to watch the TV? you get cooking videos, want to watch a movie? watch a cooking documentary, play a video game? play a cooking simulator! I hate it! Cooking this, cooking that! They trained me so strictly that I started having dull dreams where I f*cking practice my cooking skills.
When I was 10 yrs. old, I overheard my parents saying that my training will be over when I pass their "basic level" so I rejoiced! I started practising my practical skills diligently and studying theoretical knowledge zealously. Five years later I pass their "basic level" only to find out that they are going to continue training me with their "intermediate level"? F*uck! If there is an "intermediate level" won't there be a master and grand master level too?! Nope! F*ck this shit I'm out!'
I stared at my family in deep silence for a few seconds and say " I'm sorry, but I can't do this sh*t anymore, looking at me like that.. with your cold piercing gazes, Haha! Ahahahahaha! F*ck you guys! I was always envious of our neighbourhood's children... feeling the warmth of their family through my eyes, watching them grow up where their parents support them and their decisions.. and then there's we, a family treating each other coldly.. treating each other like p*ss.. I mean I get it! All of you married through arranged marriage to keep the cooking lineage running, so I know you hate each other but it's 2010 now! can't you at least change the way you raise a child!"
I look at them hoping that there's hope in changing their mindsets, but nope. There's no change at all.. looking at their unchanging faces, the hope that I ignited diminished faster than a bullet. The only thing that I can think of is that their hearts and soul are frozen.
After staring at them for a while, I sighed then shook my head and say "I had enough of your cold eyes. Goodbye.. maybe forever."
After that, I turned around and walked towards the door to exit the house. After exiting the house, I thought about my future and what do I do? where do I go? what is my goal? After thinking for a moment I decided to not call a cab and just walk to where ever fate brings me..
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(A/N: First fanfic/novel, please bear the terrible grammar/spelling errors. The story will be slow to maintain quality, but I think my work will be low-medium quality, hopefully It will turn into a high quality fanfic. The update of the chapters will be inconsistent as I am very slow in writing and English is my second language, so sorry in advance ✌✌✌. Thank you for reading! If you like the story, please add it in your library 🙏🙏🙏.)
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