Chapter 223: I'm Here to Replace You as Deputy Chef!

"So, Sui-kun, you're here for an internship?" Sonoka asked, her smile gentle and warm.

"Yes," Sui nodded. He hadn't expected his second internship would take place at Sonoka's restaurant.

"When I first received the notification from Totsuki, I was a little worried. But when I found out it was you, Sui-kun, I was so relieved and happy," Sonoka said with a soft smile.

Sui hesitated before adding, "But, Sonoka-senpai, your restaurant doesn't seem to have a great reputation. I overheard some of the customers' comments outside."

Hearing this, Sonoka's expression dimmed slightly. She nodded and said, "Yes, we've been facing some challenges since the restaurant opened."

Then, she suddenly bowed deeply to Sui, her large chest swaying with the movement. This made Sui glance over unintentionally.

"I'm so sorry for causing trouble, Sui-kun," Sonoka apologized.

"Not at all," Sui quickly replied, thinking how innocent, kind, and cute this senpai was—so much so that it was no surprise she had been taken advantage of. "Since I'm here for my internship, I'll do everything I can to help you."

"Really? Thank you so much, Sui-kun!" Sonoka looked at him gratefully.

The two of them sat down at one of the tables in the restaurant. Although Sui's new internship location wasn't as prestigious as Kirinoya, leaving a significant impact here would still be the key to passing. Given the restaurant's poor performance, making meaningful improvements would be much more challenging.

"By the way, Sonoka-senpai, why isn't your restaurant doing well?" Sui asked.

"It might be because I'm still a new graduate, and I haven't been able to meet the expectations of picky diners," Sonoka sighed, looking frustrated.

Sui nodded. It was true that it was difficult for a recent graduate to establish themselves in the high-end culinary world. Even Shinomiya Kojiro, who had graduated as Totsuki's top student, spent six years honing his craft before opening his own restaurant. He had also faced near-bankruptcy due to early management issues.

Of course, Shinomiya's struggles were in the competitive 8th arrondissement of Paris, where the difficulty was much higher than here. Moreover, Totsuki's reputation in Japan meant that even mediocre alumni could attract customers by advertising their status as Totsuki graduates.

Sonoka hesitated before adding, "Also, Mr. Fabre, our deputy chef, has been altering my recipes without permission, and it's been affecting the taste."

Sui raised an eyebrow, unsurprised. "Could I try the onion chicken soup that was altered?"

Sonoka blinked in surprise but then nodded. "Of course. There's some left in the kitchen."

She went into the kitchen and returned with a bowl of the soup.

"This is the version Mr. Fabre modified," she said.

Sui nodded, picking up a spoon to taste it. After one sip, he frowned.

"The flavor of this onion chicken soup is off," he remarked. "Normally, the chicken and onions should be marinated with salt, pepper, and olive oil. But there's no olive oil here. Also, when frying, the onions should be sautéed in a cold pan with cold oil until they brown, before adding the other ingredients. Instead, he fried everything together."

Sonoka stared at him in awe. "That's amazing!"

She hadn't expected Sui to identify the exact issues after just a single taste. Could it be that he had a gift similar to Miss Erina's God Tongue?

"But Mr. Fabre said this recipe is more in line with authentic Western cuisine," she hesitated, unsure.

"That's not right. His method actually worsens the taste," Sui said flatly, frowning.

Sonoka bit her lip, unable to refute his claim. Though she was kind and gentle, she wasn't naive. As Totsuki's former second seat, she understood that Fabre's changes were detrimental to the food. She had just been too soft to confront him about it.

"Sonoka-senpai, I think you should replace your deputy chef," Sui said seriously.

"But our restaurant doesn't have a good reputation, so it's hard to attract skilled chefs," Sonoka admitted after a moment. "When I first opened, any chef with decent experience didn't want to work under an inexperienced 18-year-old. Mr. Fabre was the only applicant, and since he had prior restaurant experience, I quickly made him the deputy chef."

She sighed, "Later, I found out he was frequently altering recipes, but by then, our business had declined, making it even harder to recruit talented chefs. Besides, I feel bad about letting him go."

Sui shook his head, thinking that this senpai was too kind and naive. But then he remembered how, during the Autumn Elections, she couldn't make a decisive choice and ended up advancing both Megumi and Hayama. He understood her soft-heartedness.

"But, Sonoka-senpai, can you really let your restaurant continue like this?" Sui asked, looking directly into her eyes. "If you're okay with it, I'd be willing to step in as the deputy chef."

"Y-you as the deputy chef?" Sonoka's eyes widened in surprise.

——

When Sui and Sonoka entered the kitchen, Fabre was busy experimenting with a dish. Seeing Sui, he grinned mockingly.

"From now on, you'll be in charge of washing dishes. Just because you're a Totsuki student doesn't mean you get special treatment. Even if you're one of the Elite Ten, don't expect any privileges," Fabre said smugly.

"Sorry, but I'm not here to wash dishes," Sui responded with a smile. "I'm here to take your place. From now on, you'll be my assistant in the kitchen—temporarily, of course. But if your performance doesn't improve, you might not even be able to stay as an assistant."

Fabre froze, then his face twisted in anger. "What nonsense are you spouting, kid? Who do you think you are?"

"I'm sorry, Mr. Fabre," Sonoka suddenly mustered the courage to speak, "but I've made this decision. I hope you can accept working as Sui-kun's assistant in the kitchen, at least for now."