Coincidentally, the next day to her wedding was also the launch day of The Divine after it's renovation was finished.
With the change in appearance came a change in the menu as well. Except for the signature dishes, there were now additions in continental cuisine.
Ashley had always been a pure vegetarian, but surprisingly, her specialty was seafood.
And since, apart from Chef Hughes, no one else could match that level of expertise, she was being trained in that culinary zone.
River approached her with a high five. "Wassup?"
"Good. You tell me?" Ashley tied her apron.
"Fantastic. You excited for today? This is practically your first day."
Ever since she joined, she hadn't exactly cooked for the customers. It had just been training to get her hands used to the set menu.
"Kind of." Ashley wasn't completely excited, nor was she completely casual about it. Her nerves lay somewhere in the middle.
More than anything, she was self-conscious because it would be her first time sharing the kitchen with Chef Hughes.
"Is Chef Hughes here?"
River shook his head as he sat on the chair. "Not yet. He usually arrives half an hour before the evening shift."
The Divine had three shifts, and the menu differed for each one. Normally, chefs working here were selected based on their specialties, but a few, like River, worked all three shifts.
These were the all-rounders.
The morning offered a light but exotic menu, mostly filled with different kinds of toasts and beverages.
The afternoon had the widest range of dishes among all three shifts. It was the most complex to prepare for.
If Ashley wasn't wrong, based on her specialties, she might be asked to join the afternoon shift later on.
For now, she had been selected mainly for the evening shift and her only responsibility was cooking seafood.
That was it.
Ashley nodded and sat down. Her left hand rested on her lap when River's gaze fell there.
"Is the ring special? You wear it almost every day."
Ashley didn't expect a comment about the ring. "Uh?" She looked at it.
To avoid revealing too much, Ashley had been removing the ring from her ring finger and placing it on her index finger every day before work.
Turned out, the ring was too eye-catching even there. "Kind of." She unconsciously covered the ring with her right hand and got up. "I'll go and prepare the ingredients."
"Sure," River replied as Ashley walked away.
He had asked casually, but had his question about the ring made her uncomfortable?
After River's comment, Ashley was noticeably conscious about the ring for the rest of the day.
She thought about removing it entirely, but that would make her discomfort too obvious.
River wasn't a fool, he'd catch on. And honestly, Ashley doubted anyone else even gave the ring much thought.
Perhaps they were simply curious. It was all in her head, making her uncomfortable about others discovering her marriage.
Damn!
Just as River had said, Chef Hughes entered the restaurant exactly half an hour before the evening shift. River went to greet him with a handshake. "The ingredients are ready, Chef."
Chef Hughes wore his iconic white coat which was a symbol of honor awarded to him on an international platform.
Ashley stood in line with the others, holding her breath.
His very presence made her straighten up in respect. What he had achieved were dreams for most, and for Ashley, even dreaming about it felt out of reach.
Chef Hughes was a man of few words. His aura was strict. After discussing a few things with River, he finally turned to the rest of the team lined up.
He made eye contact with each person before giving a silent nod of acknowledgment.
No words were needed. That simple nod held great power.
After that, Chef Hughes strode inside. A simultaneous release of breath followed.
So it wasn't just her.
"Ashley,"
River came to her. "Later, you'll be cooking at the panel right next to Chef Hughes."
Her eyes widened. "What?"
"Yes. It kind of follows the hierarchy of dishes. With the major signature dishes being prepared by Chef Hughes, seafood comes next."
"And what if I ruin the entire dish?" she asked, her nerves kicking in. Her first thought had been that she had to do her best.
But what if she didn't?
River gave a sympathetic smile. "Want the honest truth?"
"Yeah."
"The opportunity will go to waste. There are many who could only dream of standing beside him in the kitchen."
Ashley went silent. She would have to be extremely focused. "Okay."
"Our restaurant has only ever lacked someone truly skilled in seafood. You've got the edge, make full use of it."
"I will."
"Also, we'll be having a few VIPs today. You'll accompany me to introduce the menu."
"Alright. Shouldn't Chef Hughes be doing that, though?"
Normally, Executive Chefs handled that.
"He doesn't do it anymore."
"Okay."
Ashley walked into the kitchen. The aroma of various dishes already filled the air, and the sizzling sound of ingredients hitting hot oil echoed around.
She stepped up to her panel and began the basic preparations.
From what she had heard, a group of business delegates would be visiting today. They had to be taken care of properly.
These were River's instructions.
Ashley took the menu and scanned the dishes she might be assigned to later. The ingredients were all prepped.
At the same time, she watched Chef Hughes from the corner of her eye.
The way his hands moved without even looking, he already knew where everything was.
His movements were so clean, so sharp. For a moment, she forgot what she was supposed to be doing. Her attention snapped back as a beep sounded on her panel.
A small chit was pushed through the window in front of her, and she grabbed it immediately.