ONN ENTERTAINMENT: Heath’s Kitchen
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Originally Published on July 25th, 2491
ONN ENTERTAINMENT/Produced by MGM FoodNET
The show’s intro sweeps through the newly built Metropole Restaurant on the MGM Concourse at Habitat-0419 It’s a showcase of gold and stone, framed by stunning views of the station around. The Announcer introduces the show to a dramatic score.
“When a chef is interviewing to work in a restaurant, they will often be asked to stage for the owner.”
Stage here is said ‘stahj’ as the cameras sweep through a stunning array of black marble and gold,
“Sol-Famous Chef Heath Winters returns this season with his most luxurious prize yet. 16 chefs will compete for the Executive Chef position at the multi-million credit Metropole Restaurant on Habitat-0419. Chef Winters has spared no expense, with custom-designed furniture, hand carved floorings, and the finest ingredients to be found in the system. Are these chefs up to meet the challenge? Or will they burn out before they have the chance to win a spot in Heath’s Kitchen?”
The Show opens with a voiceover montage, Heath’s New London Cockney showing it’s typical gravelly tension as the camera pans to MGM’s Corporate Headquarters in Cocoon, As the camera displays one stunningly designed restaurant after another.
“I’ll always say that family is the best inspiration. There’s something that changes inside you when you become a parent, and this tiny little chaos of noise and arms and legs and noise gradually becomes a person, and an adult. And no matter how that journey has gone, it’s hard not to just be proud that you managed not to kill them. My show started with the inspiration of my family. My wife Sharon, and my daughter Alice.”
There are some family pictures of red-headed Heath and the lovely wisp of a woman with light brown hair that must be Shannon together with Alice as a little girl with strawberry blond curls and huge blue eyes. There are more pictures of the family, showing Alice’s maturation from a painfully adorable little girl to an equally adorable nerdy teenager phase, to some lovely graduation photos.
“I realized how much smarter Alice was when I realized I was trying my damnedest to keep up with a teenager. And failing. How could I have helped to make that? I’m not a simp, but Alice was always a bit ahead of everyone else. That deserved every opportunity I could give her. And no matter how she may have tried, she has never disappointed me. I knew I was going to have to pay for the best of everything, and that meant I was going to need to do more than just one steakhouse. I’ve built SIXTEEN restaurants, and rehabbed dozens of others. So when I say this season is a reflection of the fruits of my labor, I mean it. When she graduated the first time, I thought I would burst with pride. By the third time, I was overwhelmed at what she had been able to do. Watching her throughout her career, she was doing things I could not even comprehend. But she always took the time to spend with family.”
There’s a montage of Alice’s appearances on her dad’s show, sometimes as a cute peppy little guest judge, other times, sleeves rolled up in the kitchen peeling potatoes and not looking happy about it, and plenty of very positive polished footage in between, of her with her family.
“After she was hurt at work, the surgery they had to do was so much. I was so scared we would lose her. But she fought back and healed better than before. It’s hard to look at her now, and remember how much they had to rebuild back then.”
Heath chokes up a bit, and clears his throat before continuing, giving the story a sympathetic tone.
“Sharon and I knew that much surgery could change someone on a core level. But we knew no matter what, she was our Alice. She would always be curious and ambitious, and no amount of augmentation could take that away from her.”
There’s a collage from episodes of Asking Alice, with highlights of her coverage of the Martian War and Black Tenet.
“When she started doing her show, I was excited that we had something else to share as peers, and she did even better than I could have hoped. She’s always risen to the occasion, and learning that she would be representing our company at New Geneva, I was inspired to create a new restaurant to honor that. Metropole is a reflection of how I see my daughter. The colors, décor, and menu are all inspired by her: stylish, elegant, luxurious; and it’s not too far from her residence on the MGM Concourse in Habitat 0419. So she’ll be able to pop in when she likes, or entertain groups when she needs to. There was no way I could do it as a surprise, so I just didn't tell her until I had to. Better to ask forgiveness than permission.”
The video cuts to Heath walking toward the dueling kitchen set as the focus of his newest restaurant.
“Each week, four chefs will compete in a head to head cooking challenge to determine which of them will move to the championship round. They’ll plan their menu, acquire ingredients, and have to lead their team in full service. The Chef with the highest score at the end of the challenges moves to the Championship round.”
There’s clips of those chaotic services, with some of Heath’s more legendary ranting.
There’s another camera sweep through the restaurant again, before the camera goes back to Heath, standing in front of the judges’ table. “Let’s meet our judges. First, of course, the inspiration behind Metropole, and host of Asking Alice, my daughter, Doctor Alice Winters.”
Alice ascends the dais to the judge’s table in an elegant gown, and kisses her father affectionately on the cheek before taking her seat with that perpetual subtle smile that keeps her expression open and pleasant.
“Next, FoodNET critic and author Devonne Diggs.”
Devonne is an impressively flamboyant character who shakes Heath’s hand before grasping both of Alice’s hands and kissing the air next to her cheeks. A gesture she returns with enthusiasm.
“And Michelin Sol Chef Joaquin Ilante, Owner and Executive Chef at Brazen Steakhouse in JaDubai.”
Joaquin is a swarthy lean man with a hardness that expects nothing short of perfection. He shakes Heath’s hand in the familiar way of old friends, the Chef has filled this position for several seasons. He greets Alice with a familiar hug and a brief exchange of words before taking his seat.
The camera pans back from the judges’ table to a door where the contestants enter in a line, each introduced with a montage and sound bite.
“Chef Rodan McAllister, Executive Chef at Ballyhoo Steakhouse in New Dallas was nominated for the Wolfgang Puck Rising Star award in 2498, and was on FoodNET’s top ten cultural chefs of 2490.”
Rodan is a big burly fellow with a shockingly well-maintained handlebar mustache, who’s gravelly voice and accent seem almost affected.
“I’ve really liked bringing upscale dining a down-home touch, and think my background would be a good fit for this new restaurant. I came up through hard work, like Heath, and I think that’s going to show in my quality and consistency.”
“Chef Ellis L’Auberge, co-owner of La Petit Aubergine Cafe in Nouveau Paris has been awarded a Michelin star, the Saveur award for Excellence, and Placed third on Epicuro’s Must Dine Chefs 2489.”
The spindly hook-nosed chef with an almost sleepy look seems almost disinterested.
“Cooking is an art in its purest form. A restaurant like Metropole should serve as a frame to the craft of the chef leading the kitchen. My art would elevate the frame of this restaurant.”
“Chef Kaito Takemura, Chef De Cuisine of Kuburo Elevated Izakaya has been featured on several competitive cooking shows, and is a New Tokyo Certified Iron Chef.”
Shaved bald, the chef has a heavy and serious demeanor, and an intent expression.
“Winning this competition to become the Executive Chef of a Heath Winters restaurant would be a supreme honor. My strategy will be to win over Alice herself. I have a daughter of my own, and I know well that when she is happy, so am I.”
“Chef Elaine Brocker, Chef de Cuisine at Avocabro Grill, has been awarded a Michelin Star, and FoodNet’s Top Places to dine in Mega LA.”
Elaine is a strong looking woman with intent green eyes and an expression that speaks to experience and skill.
“The Upper end of Mega LA is all about its connections to some of the best Agriplexes in the system. Bringing that knowledge of how to prepare and present the freshest and rarest ingredients I think will serve me well in both the competition, and the restaurant itself.”
The Chefs are put to the first challenge, which, in the spirit of the extravagance of Metropole, is to prepare a dish incorporating gold. There’s at least one spectacular failure and one stunning success. Alice overall is a pretty thoughtful judge and she and Joaquin banter well. But she does a better job of subtly enabling Devonne’s legendary sharp wit. Her commentary tends toward the technical, and she tends to be a bit more balanced in her critiques.
Alice has high praise for Chef Takemura’s dish.
“OK, wow. I am so glad you not only kept this concept, you absolutely stepped up the game and this is incredible. I didn’t even know there were edible pearls until now, and not only is that a bit mind-blowing, they taste almost exactly how I would hope they would. And they add so much to this sushi dish, visually and textually. I really would like to see this on the menu here permanently. Without question. Well done.”
She said of the 24 Karat Hand Roll, which was presented as a sushi hand roll filled with white wine pickled sea cucumber, white truffle cream cheese, cloned and farmed salmon, foie gras and a saffron butter wasabi wrapped in 24 karat gold leaf, and topped with diamond dust and an edible pearl created by mutated oysters. It is a visually stunning dish and the show reports that each serving cost over $800CR to make.
People who know Alice might pick up how careful she is with what she says, and how she holds herself. She’s incredibly mindful of her role, and what’s expected of her, and that shows every time the camera turns on her. She is presented with an inedible dish by Chef McAllister, fried Wagyu beef curls.
“I can appreciate the attempt at innovation. But I think the concept detracts from the ingredient itself. If you’re going to do a gastronomy breakdown on something like a Wagyu steak, you need to exaggerate the things that make it identifiable, because you’re about to make it look and feel so different. Gastronomy’s such a cool field. But it’s not just about using an unorthodox cooking method. It’s about creating a surreal experience. A little like eating blindfolded. But cooler because nothing is going to taste or look, or feel like what it does otherwise. I’m here for gastronomy. Keep trying.”
The main challenge allows the chefs to prepare and present the dish of their choice for the judges. While Chef Rodan redeems himself with a steak that receives incredibly high remarks, and a promise from Alice to visit Ballyhoo when she is in New Dallas.
But it’s not enough to top Chef Ellis, whose stunning take on Duck Confit leaves Joaquin and Alice both speechless. Devonne gushes over the flawless execution and perfect texture, though notes the flavors seem muted to him.
Elaine Brocker’s Vegan Wellington earns high praise for its freshness and brightness, and innovative spin on a traditionally New London style dish. Though it doesn’t seem to get the same marks as L’Auberge’s dish.
Chef Takemura shines again, this time with an elegantly constructed Wagyu dish that bridges tradition with luxury in the manner a true competitor should be capable of.
In the moments of debate, Joaquin prods at Devonne and asks, “Did they at least make it difficult for you?”
Devonne waves his wine glass around loosely as he speaks, “Quite. They’re all very different, and their takes on the requirements are little surprises themselves. I was looking forward to judging this season simply because I know Heath’s getting the absolute best of the best in the system and so the decisions absolutely should be difficult.”
Alice smiles between the mena and says, “I agree. I don’t think we’re really ever going to have this kind of opportunity again, and really Chef McAllister may have misstepped in the initial challenge, but he definitely showed what he was capable of in the final round. I love Elaine’s approach to her ingredients. It’s so pure and is so very much about making sure each aspect is presented. But Chef L’Auberge just stunned me with that absolutely flawless confit.”
Jaoquin beams upon her and expresses, “Precisely. That’s a difficult dish to pull off, and it can become a greasy mess in the wrong hands. But I feel like Chef Takemura did a wonderful job presenting luxury with tradition that may be a bit more in line with the intended theme for Metropole.”
After a brief break, the judges come back to announce Chef Takemura as progressing to the championship round. Though all of the chefs receive high praise for their dishes, as well as enthusiastic promises from the judges to visit them in their home environments. ans