Zephyr walked to the sink to wash his hands, and turned around to find himself surrounded by the restaurant's girls.
Syr's face was currently filled with intense curiosity about Zephyr's upcoming cooking process.
Anya's ears were perked up high, clearly enjoying the spectacle.
Meanwhile, Chloe pulled out a piece of pork hind leg from the ice pile and placed it on the prep table. "The ingredients are from the same batch I just used. Feel free to use any of the seasonings. Just do it your own way."
"Alright."
Zephyr took the ingredients laid out on the counter. His gaze swept quickly over the pork, and he felt that his current understanding of ingredients was on a completely different level than before.
He reached out and took a slicing knife from the rack. The moment he gripped the handle, the ability he had acquired earlier felt ready to be used at will.
He adjusted his grip to the proper angle, hooking his thumb on the spine of the blade near the handle, with his index finger resting against the flat of the blade. This grip would stabilize the blade to the greatest extent possible.
The moment the sharp edge touched the pork, it slid along the grain of the muscle fibers, each slice coming off perfectly uniform in thickness. The cut surfaces were smooth and flat, without a single rough edge. He moved so fast that only afterimages could be seen.
In a brief moment, the entire leg was sliced into neatly arranged thin pieces, each glistening with a pink luster.
"Nya!?"
Although Anya wasn't good at cooking, slacking off in the kitchen every day meant she had still seen Chloe and Lunoire prepping ingredients. She had never seen anyone slice so quickly and yet so neatly. If this knife technique were used to hack people, who knew how effective it would be?
"So amazing, nya!"
Zephyr paid no attention to the astonished stares behind him. He placed the sliced meat into a mixing bowl and began marinating it. Thyme, rosemary, minced garlic—the measurements were precise to the gram.
He didn't even need a measuring spoon, he could grasp the perfect ratio purely by feel.
Once the marinating was done, he turned toward the stove and began cooking.
The meat sizzled sharply as it hit the hot oil, and steam mixed with the fragrance of thyme and rosemary filled the entire kitchen.
He skillfully managed the grill. His timing was so flawless that no one could find any fault. A perfect caramelized crust formed on the surface while the juices inside were fully locked deep within the fibers.
Finally, he began seasoning. He pinched some salt with his fingertips and sprinkled it evenly, ensuring the saltiness of the pork chops was controlled just right.
After completing all these steps, he placed the grilled pork chops in a pan to rest. Once the juices slowly seeped out, he collected them and began preparing the sauce.
Compared to Chloe, he chose a different approach. He poured red wine, minced onions, and bay leaves, reducing it repeatedly over high heat until the brown sauce gradually thickened.
His movements throughout the entire process were exceptionally fluid. Every step seemed like a program written into his body. He didn't need to think at all, naturally grasping the most perfect state.
Soon,, Grilled Pork Chop (Zephyr's Version), was successfully prepared.
He arranged the seared meat on a white porcelain plate, drizzled it with the simmered sauce, and finally garnished it with chopped parsley.
Holding the plate, he turned around and looked up at the crowd gathered behind him. "It should be something like this. I think it should taste decent?"
Chloe picked up a slice of pork, dipped it in the sauce, and popped it into her mouth. With just a simple chew, nothing but disbelief remained in her eyes.
The meat was much more tender than imagined. The perfect caramelized crust on the outside crackled between her teeth, followed immediately by a burst of rich juices locked inside the fibers. It was mixed with the subtle, spicy aroma of thyme and the saltiness was just right.
Most importantly, the sauce was thick enough to cling perfectly to the surface of the meat slices, carrying the rich texture of red wine and various spices, cutting through the greasiness of the fat.
The flavor profile of the dish was incredibly distinct. Yet it did not mask the original taste of the ingredients. Instead, it elevated the flavor of this grilled pork chop to a whole new height.
Unbelievable!
Chloe's chewing slowly came to a halt. When she looked at Zephyr again, complex emotions welled up in her eyes.
She nodded. "Indeed. The food you cook tastes better than mine."
As Chloe's voice faded, the girls watching nearby couldn't resist crowding over.
Syr, Anya, and even Lunoire all picked up a slice and popped it into their mouths.
Anya's ears twitched with excitement and her pupils were filled with joy. "It's delicious, nya!"
"I feel like the food Zephyr makes is just better than Chloe's, but Chloe's is good too."
Syr gazed at Zephyr. "It's really delicious."
Just then, a young Adventurer's slightly timid voice drifted in from the dining room. "Aunt Mia... can we order now?"
Mia had originally wanted to try a taste, but being interrupted, she turned to look at the Adventurer at the kitchen door and frowned.
"Wait a moment. Can't you see we're eating?"
The Adventurer shrank his neck and quickly pulled his head back.
Zephyr's lips twitched.
Ignoring the brief interlude, Mia picked up a piece of grilled pork chop from the plate and put it in her mouth, carefully savoring the flavor of the dish.
This was on a completely different level from the one she had just eaten. Even though the ingredients and the cooking method were the same, the final presentation's layers, flavor, and texture were all elevated to a brand-new height.
As for this grilled pork chop, let alone their restaurant, even in the entire dining industry of Orario—Mia felt that no one could make it better than this.
Mia couldn't help but exclaim, "You really give me quite a few surprises."
She knew very well that excellent culinary skills required time to mature and constant accumulation of experience to finally produce a satisfying dish.
Was it really reasonable for Zephyr, who was at most fourteen or fifteen years old, to effortlessly make a dish of this caliber?
Realizing that the atmosphere had turned a bit serious, Mia's stern face uncharacteristically softened into a smile.
"Zephyr. With this skill of yours, although our restaurant's doesn't recruit male staff, if you ever grow tired of the Adventurer life, you are welcome to come and be a chef here."
Zephyr looked up, meeting Mia's face which was filled with a smile.,Her tone didn't sound like she was joking.
If, under other circumstances, had he not become an Adventurer of the Loki Familia, Mia's proposal would be quite nice.
Is it wrong to be surrounded by beautiful girls in a pub?
But now, he knew very well what goal he wanted to pursue.
He said, "If I have time in the future, I don't mind coming to the pub to share some of the dishes I cook."
"Alright. You guys chat, I'll go out to greet the customers."
Mia knew that her usually stern image was the source of tension and didn't linger in the kitchen.