Chemistry

8.The Chemistry Behind Cooking (6)

1 minute later.

Jeong-woo stood in front of the makeshift cooking station wearing the attire of a chef brought by the FD. There were eight knives displayed next to the cutting board.

There were fans and pots whose purpose was unknown, while the digital scale and measuring cup were the only things that felt familiar.

‘What am I doing here?’

The planned evening was for Yoon Yi-seol to go home, and he would join the three old men over there for some pork belly with soju.

Hyun-min, who had briefly conversed with the PD, approached Jeong-woo and kindly placed his hand on his tense shoulder, speaking gently.

“You don’t need to feel discouraged. If you follow the prescribed method and measurements, I believe that anyone can cook.”

“I might betray your expectations. I feel like I’ll disappoint you today.”

“That won’t happen.”

Confidently declaring, Hyun-min began selecting the first ingredient next to Jeong-woo. Speaking as if having a conversation with the VJ who was filming up close, he started speaking.

“The opposing team is making seafood green onion pancakes (haemul pajeon), so we’ll make beef and scallion skewers with our special sauce.”

Upon hearing Hyun-min’s words, expressing his desire to showcase his skills as a chef while maintaining a common ingredient theme, Jeong-woo’s gaze shifted to the makeshift cooking station on the opposite side.

His mother was selecting ingredients, and Yoon Yi-seol waved discreetly.

‘I have to work hard, I can’t give up.’

What a twist of fate. If he was chosen, intentionally sabotaging the dish was out of the question, but he also didn’t want his mother and Yoon Yi-seol to lose.

Amidst his dilemma, Hyun-min gave his first instruction.

“We’ll marinate it, Mr. Jeong-woo.”

“Marinate…? What’s that?”

“It’s like seasoning the meat. But it has a greater effect. Since we have ingredients for five servings…”

2 ounces of soy sauce, 1 ounce of toasted sesame oil, 20 grams of sugar, minced garlic, and 7 grams of grated ginger. Hyun-min provided the precise measurements.

‘Oh?’

As the clean instructions fell, Jeong-woo effortlessly moved, dividing the ingredients on a small glass plate. In the meantime, Hyun-min swiftly sliced the piece of beef and handed the bowl to Jeong-woo.

“You’re quick, huh? Now, coat the meat with all of that. Mix it well.”

This task was also not difficult at all. As the mixed ingredients covered the surface of the beef, Jeong-woo observed it, giving it a glimpse of the chemical world.

The oil components mixed on the surface had firmly adhered to the moisture of the meat itself, creating a solid layer.

Meanwhile, molecules with the fragrance of ginger, appearing to be cineole, gingerol, and gingerberry, were penetrating and relentlessly attacking the gamey odor of the beef.

“So, you’re trying to maintain the juiciness and remove the gamey smell with the marinade?”

“You know it well.”

“That’s right.”

“See. Cooking isn’t that difficult.”

Since the principle itself was chemistry, it felt familiar instead.

After marinating the meat, Hyun-min wrapped it with plastic wrap and placed it in an icebox. This time, he placed a wide saucepan on a portable gas stove.

“We’ll make a sauce with a hollandaise base and add orange for a refreshing taste. The ingredients are…”

Under Hyun-min’s gentle instructions, Jeong-woo found and placed the ingredients accurately, as if he was possessed.

There were 18 grams of a red vegetable resembling shallot peel, 2 grams of whole peppercorns, and 3 ounces of vinegar in the pan.

‘Water, 3 ounces too.’

Having a sense of proportion, there was no need to measure the water precisely from a water bottle. Once he became familiar, he could estimate by sight, just like mixing compounds.

“Chef, what do we do now?”

“You’ve already put everything in?”

“This is… better than I expected. Oh, you want more to do?”

While the water in the heated saucepan was bubbling, Hyun-min cracked 6 eggs and quickly separated the yolks. He then placed them next to Jeong-woo.

“When the water is almost gone, strain it and pour it into this bowl.”

“Okay.”

Suddenly, the sauce preparation flowed smoothly as if they were in sync.

“Now keep whisking with a whisk. Quickly.”

“Like this?”

“The amount of butter…”

While Hyun-min briefly turned his head, Jeong-woo swiftly sliced off the butter with a knife.

“Is this about 18 ounces?”

“That’s right. Did you weigh it on the scale just now?”

“Ah… yes.”

‘With my eyes.’

While Jeong-woo continued to mix the sauce, incorporating the butter, Hyun-min took out the red oranges and swiftly peeled them with the smallest knife among the 8 knives.

Squeezing the juice into the whisked sauce, Hyun-min raised his head with a satisfied expression.

“Is cooking faster than you expected? The meat needs another 5 minutes to mature, but I have nothing to do. Jeong-woo, what about you? Are you okay? You’re doing well.”

“It’s just that this doesn’t feel like cooking to me. You added 1.5 ounces of that juice.”

“Huh? How did you know? Your estimation skills are good.”

Jeong-woo chuckled and spoke. He couldn’t help but think that the kitchen with a professional chef who cooked only with precise measurements felt like a laboratory.

“We still have time, so we can even smoke it. Take a break when the sauce thickens, Jeong-woo.”

As Jeong-woo watched Hyun-min start setting up the small grill, he turned his head, wondering what the opposing team was doing.

-Oh, sorry.

Yoon Yi-seol, who was mixing flour and water for the pancake, accidentally splattered the batter on VJ’s clothes, apologizing.

Hong Ji-sook was thinly slicing the squid next to them.

-Just mix it slowly until there are no lumps.

-Yes.

Yoon Yi-seol smiled at Hong Ji-sook, who returned a faint smile.

Jeong-woo felt strange watching the harmonious mother and daughter.

‘She’s my mother…’

He couldn’t remember the last time Hong Ji-sook had spoken to him so gently. Was it when he got accepted to college?

It had been almost 7 years. This intense feeling must be jealousy.

“Jeong-woo, now you need to taste it. Salt, pepper, cayenne pepper. You have to mix these three in the right proportion…”

This time, it was an order to mix a very subtle amount according to personal taste, not a precise measurement.

“Chef, I really have no confidence in this. The taste of food depends heavily on the sense of seasoning. My taste buds are useless.”

“Trust your senses. When I look at it, Jeong-woo, you have talent. The vice-captain must have been mistaken.”

Jeong-woo’s chest swelled with Hyun-min’s continued praise. He thought he was just good at cooking, but he turned out to be unexpectedly kind. He didn’t realize that it might feel even more pronounced compared to his stoic mother.

‘This isn’t how it should be.’

Jeong-woo opened his eyes wide and looked into the microcosm of the sauce.

Yellow droplets of oil were softly coalescing as if they were attracting each other.

When he lightly sprinkled salt on it, the droplets that came into contact burst and some seeped through the bubbles like water.

‘I don’t know. It’s not like chemical products. I can’t quite grasp it.’

Since it had to be harmonious, he sprinkled it nicely for now and added the pepper. Then he tasted it with a chopstick, poking it into the sauce.

“Wow.”

“Why are you like that?”

“T-The taste…”

Jeong-woo looked at the sauce with trembling eyes.

“It’s delicious. It’s refreshing and savory, yet smooth.”

“That’s right. This sauce is hard to fail.”

Perhaps this was the first successful dish in his life. Jeong-woo laughed happily, and Hyun-min placed the aged meat on the cutting board.

“Jeong-woo, please chop the green onions into finger-sized pieces.”

“Yes.”

With great care, Jeong-woo, who was determined, sliced the green onions, even though it was just one stalk. Then Hyun-min threaded the sliced green onions onto the skewers, alternating with the pieces of beef.

And thus, the first skewer was completed.

“Now, we grill it, right? This is something I’m not good at.”

“Jeong-woo, you know in American movies, don’t men often grill meat outdoors and have a beer?”

“Yes.”

“It’s not difficult at all. Just put it on here, close the lid, wait for 30 seconds, flip it, and it’s done.”

Hyun-min pointed to the grill, which was filled with heat, and smiled politely.

Jeong-woo was surprised. This handsome chef in his late thirties possessed not only skill but also the kindness to consider a novice in cooking. He was truly an attractive man.

Thanks to him, Jeong-woo couldn’t help but think that cooking wasn’t such a big deal.

As he glanced towards the living room, he noticed the rice shop owner looking at them with an expression that seemed to say, “Can I have some of that?”

The image of his cruel mother occasionally removing meat from the soup came to mind, overlapping with that scene.

‘Alright, let’s do our best regardless of the outcome.’

As the beef touched the grill and sizzled, Jeong-woo made up his mind.

Hyun-min placed the first prototype on a small plate and handed it to Jeong-woo, sprinkling sauce on top.

“Try it. Jeong-woo, you’ve practically made it all.”

Jeong-woo took a bite of the dish, which consisted of green onions, beef, and sauce.

‘Wow…’

He felt a luxurious taste that seemed like something he could only experience in an expensive restaurant, as it tantalized his taste buds and stimulated his salivary glands.

“It’s amazing, the taste.”

Hyun-min’s confident face displayed an expression that seemed to say, “I told you so.”

Two plates were placed on the table.

As the five elderly people sat in a row, holding their chopsticks and slowly savoring the taste, Jeong-woo approached Yoon Yi-seol, who was standing in a camera-free area.

“Was it worth it?”

Nodding, her eyes were filled with laughter.

“I flipped the pancake for the first time.”

“You mean Yi-seol personally cooked it?”

“Yes, that’s why I’m a bit nervous.”

Jeong-woo looked at Grandma, who was tearing off a corner of the seafood pancake and placing it in her mouth. Yoon Yi-seol also turned her head nervously.

-Oh, it tastes delicious.

Seeing Grandma complimenting her, Yoon Yi-seol let out a sigh of relief.

“Jeong-woo, it’s amazing, isn’t it? It’s fascinating how it turns into the dishes we usually see just by following the instructions.”

Yoon Yi-seol seemed to have experienced a similar sensation to her own, creating a high-end sauce as she followed the instructions.

‘Wait, did I help my mom without realizing it?’

Noticing flour on his forehead, Jeong-woo grabbed a towel and handed it to Yoon Yi-seol.

“Why?”

“It’s on your forehead. There’s a lot of flour.”

Pointing to her small forehead covered in white powder, Jeong-woo surprised her, and she reflexively reached out to wipe it away.

“Oh, what are you doing with flour on your hands?”

“You’re right.”

Since there was even more flour on her hands, Jeong-woo naturally used the towel to wipe her forehead. Yoon Yi-seol slightly tensed her neck.

“Thank you.”

“If I’m the manager, it’s natural to do my job.”

“That’s right.”

Yoon Yi-seol, with a blush on her neck, avoided Jeong-woo’s gaze and bowed her head.

Meanwhile, the elderly people who had finished tasting the food each chose their favorite dish and held the flag in their hands.

“Yi-seol, looks like the results are out.”

Yoon Yi-seol raised her head, and her pupils trembled.

Hyun-min and Hong Ji-sook stood next to the table. When Producer Choi gave the signal, the elderly people raised their flags simultaneously.

“Huh?”

Jeong-woo, who had been watching together, let out a sigh. There were only five flags with the last name “Hong.” It was a complete defeat for Hyun-min.

-It’s all delicious, but this is my taste.

-Pajeon is good for makgeolli (alcoholic drink, rice wine).

-This one has a hint of sweetness.

The elderly people continued with their straightforward comments.

Hyun-min, like Jeong-woo, had an incredulous expression at the results, but Hong Ji-sook remained calm.

“Yahoo! Jeong-woo! Your mother won!”

Yoon Yi-seol cheered and ran towards Hong Ji-sook. Watching that, Jeong-woo suddenly felt a surge of competitiveness that had been faint until now.

When Hong Ji-sook chose “braised cod” as the second dish, Hyun-min immediately declared that he would make “cod skewers.”

“Jeong-woo, prepare the marinade. I’ll continue with the preparations.”

The cod, which had narrowly escaped at the market, was now on the cutting board.

‘Nice to meet you again. Here you are now.’

With a quick eye, the cod’s head, body, and scales were separated by the chef’s touch. Meanwhile, Jeong-woo accurately gathered the ingredients called by Hyun-min.

Hyun-min, who was spreading the cod fillets on the grill, was surprised when he saw the cooking station in front of Jeong-woo.

“You’ve already measured everything?”

“I was in the zone.”

About ten different ingredients, including cashew nuts, mung beans, and Thai peppers, were lined up on a large plate. Jeong-woo’s eyes, shining with passion, were captured by the VJ’s camera.

20 minutes later.

Two dishes were placed on the judging table.

Jeong-woo stood in the back, waiting for the results, and inwardly hoped that this time it would be different.

The skewers, which had a smoky flavor and were mixed with a rare sauce called “apple mango chutney,” elicited admiration when tasted.

It was a wonderful meal with a combination of minty spiciness and a complex balance of sweetness and saltiness.

-Hmm, it’s tastier than it looks.

One of the grandfathers nodded his head.

“It’s fine.”

Watching Jeong-woo, who was fervently engrossed with his fist clenched, Yoon Yi-seol smiled and spoke.

-Are the results ready?

As the elderly people nodded their heads, the PD gave a signal. And the flags were raised.

“Why?”

Once again, there were five “Hong” flags. Although I checked the other flags, they clearly had the name “Hyun” on them.

-Of course, it’s Hong. Her savory dishes always hit the spot.

-The radish is well-cooked.

-What’s this? Why does it taste like perilla?

The subjective evaluations of the elderly people, with distinct preferences, continued. Jeong-woo, halfway bewildered by the unexpected results, looked at Hyun-min returning to the cooking station.

“Jeong-woo, stay strong.”

“Yi-seol, you too.”

Yoon Yi-seol showed a “fighting” gesture and walked towards Hong Ji-sook.

‘So, this is my mother’s skill, huh?’