'Cook from your heart, Joe! Cook from your heart! ' Those words echoed through his mind over and over again, like a broken record. He had remembered precisely each and every moment leading to those words. His hands wet from sweat, twisting nervously even as his brain raced a million miles a minute trying to combine the flavour profiles of each ingredient and decide which combination would impress the judges. The scramble to get the right garlic chopper, the right white tailed sardine for his dish. His perfect dish that would gain him the highest honour yet in his career, one that would accord him the title of Super Chef. Unfortunately, he would go home that night without that honour.
Instead, Joe had received many criticisms about his dish from the judges of the competition. Liz Chatswood, renowned food critic and author of 'Can I Eat This?' had remarked 'I wish you had taken more risks. This seems like such a safe dish for a chef of your calibre'. Funkle Doigh, food critic and food photographer had simply said, 'The beetroot is too red'. But it was Elias Jose's comments which had cut the jugular.
Proving to teenage girls that 35 year old adult males can have idols too, Joe worshipped Jose with his extensive collection of the latter's cookbooks and DVDs. Elias Jose, Executive Chef of 3 star 9w493kjhfk Restaurant had inspired Joe to venture into the world of food while he was still working 5 hours a day as a plumber and charging clients $100 for a 10 minute job. Now, Joe has his own restaurant which has recently been voted the best new restaurant in town. He rises at 4am and works 16 hour days but at least he is happy. He loves his job. Jose had said, 'While the technique is superb, I find it lacks emotion. Where is the love? Cook from your heart, Joe! Cook from your heart!'.
'Yes, Elias. I remember your words, I will cook from my heart today', Joe psyched himself before the competition. He remembers to take a bow when he enters the now familiar Kitchen Field. It did not matter who his competitor today because for today, his competitor is himself. To produce his best dish, he only had to defeat himself.
The judges unveiled the secret ingredient - Durum wheat. While the camera pans in to his competitor looking bewildered, the crowd can see Joe running towards the barrel of wheat to scoop the high quality, $100 a kg wheat into his basket. They cheer him on as he raced back to his station. First, he tasted the grains. His head bobs up and down with approval. 'Sweet, with a hint of the earth in which it has been grown in. The farmers used top grade cow and chicken manure to fertilise the soil every two weeks.' An idea is already forming in his head about how best to showcase the ingredient...
Joe waited anxiously while his competitor presented his dish to the judges. It was a Chinese style fried rice, using Durum wheat instead. The aroma of the dried scallops, conpoy and egg filled the room, while Joe can only imagine the firm texture of the shark fin and abalone as he was not privy to the dish like the judges were. The judges looked impressed with the unconventional dish in front of them. What a match! A Chinese dish, using Western ingredient.
Soon, it was Joe's turn to present his dish. The host announced his dish, 'Macaroni and Cheese'. The judges did not look interested. After all, Mac and Cheese is very ordinary fare. But, they were still obliged to give a fair decision. One by one, the judges took their forks to the plate. First, they scrutinise the shape of the pasta. 'The macaroni is well formed, almost all of them have the same size, shape and weight.' Joe allowed a smile. Next, they smelt the dish. 'I can smell the durum wheat and also the cheese.. they smell very good together.' Then, they ate. Like dominos lined up against each other, the judges began to 'hmm....' They are beginning to comprehend the twist in the dish.
Liz Chatswood was the first to speak. 'There is a a single drop of salmon roe in each of the macaroni, is that right?' Joe nodded, pleased. 'Yes... it is quite a discovery. As I bite into the pasta, the sweet saltiness of the roe bursts and combines with the sweetness of the wheat in my mouth. It is a circus in my mouth right now!' Everyone gasped at Liz observation.
Funkle Doigh looked intently at her bowl and remarked, 'The way you have made the pasta seems to be different... the pasta is more yellow than usual. How did you make it?' Joe explained, 'I used wild duck egg when kneading the pasta. Wild ducks have brighter yellow yolks compared to chickens or free range ducks.' Funkle nodded, impressed.
Elias Jose seemed deep in thought. Joe wondered if he would realise the final twist of the dish. Finally Jose spoke, 'There is something different about this dish, this cheese. I can't quite place it. This cheese is not normal cheese.' Joe beamed. 'No, it is not normal cheese....' Jose seemed to have caught on before he finished his sentence. 'I get it... the mother's touch... No wonder the memories came flooding back when I tasted your dish. This has brought me back to days when I was still a babe... Yes, Joe.. this is what food is all about. Cooking for people, connecting with people. You are finally cooking with love, from the heart!'
That night, Joe placed his Super Chef trophy in his restaurant. He just could not stop beaming since the host announced his victory. But an early morning awaits him. Before he flicks the lights off, his eyes lingered on the trophy and the local Leader newspaper cut out with his face at the front, he thought about what a wonderful night it had been...
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