Salmon and Shrimp with Creamy Garlic Sauce.
Spicy Seafood Stew.
King Fish Roasted in Butter and Served with Provençale Sauce.
For now, this was it.
Ashley set the note aside and began with the King Fish. The oven was already preheated, so she quickly greased the baking sheet.
She prepared the butter mixture by combining butter, paprika, parsley, lemon zest and juice, as well as salt and pepper.
Spreading the mixture over the entire fillet, she transferred it to the baking sheet and let the fish roast.
The Provençale sauce was already in another container, as she had prepared it beforehand.
Moving on to the Salmon and Shrimp with Creamy Garlic Sauce, she patted the salmon fillets dry and seasoned both sides with salt, black pepper, paprika, and garlic powder.
Most of the seasoning ingredients were quite similar across dishes, with only slight variations, so it didn't take much time.
Meanwhile, she had heated a skillet with butter and oil. She cooked the shrimp first, then moved on to the salmon.
She seasoned it and then fried it.
Ashley hadn't prepared the creamy garlic sauce beforehand, as it tasted best when freshly made. She quickly put the ingredients together and served the sauce.
Bringing the King Fish out when the timer went off, she plated it and added the sauce over the roasted fish. Covering it with silver foil, Ashley stirred the seafood stew, it was almost ready.
Letting out a sigh, she began plating, and once done, handed the dishes through the window carefully.
It took her about forty minutes to prepare everything. Glancing beside her, she saw Chef Hughes was also finishing up, adding the final touches.
River approached her. "Let's go. The main dish is also ready."
Ashley went to clean her hands and washed her face before heading out. Only then did she realize her face and neck were covered in sweat.
Part of it was due to the accumulated heat in the kitchen, but she knew the real reason her nerves.
She so badly wanted to do well.
Ashley walked with River through the hallways to the private rooms.
They passed the main lobby, which was unusually crowded. "Is there some occasion tonight?"
River glanced in the direction of her gaze. "Nah. It's just the usual crowd. This is the first time our restaurant has been running in full swing since you've been here."
Yeah, that was true. Ever since she joined, the restaurant had either been partially operating or fully closed.
"Would you like to present?"
Ashley shook her hands. "You do it today. I'll just stand beside you."
River chuckled. "Nervous?"
"Not really, but I've never done it before." Before this, Ashley had worked in local restaurants where there wasn't even time to catch a breath.
Plating and presentation held no real value there. Those were the trademarks of fancy places.
"By the way, who selects the chefs for presenting the dishes?" Ashley asked, remembering the glares she'd received from others.
"Depends either on the guests or on what dishes were made. Based on that, Chef Hughes or the management decides."
"Who sent us today, then?"
"It was the management. Actually, what happens is that Chef Hughes rarely cooks in kitchens anymore. He mostly focuses on teaching skills. But The Divine is the exception."
Ashley listened as they stepped into the elevator.
"The Divine is a restaurant very close to his heart, so he still cooks here for certain guests. But he never does the presentation, so he sends me… since I've been with Chef Hughes since I was little."
This was exactly what Ashley wanted to know.
She had heard that Chef Hughes kept very few people in his close circle, and River seemed to be one of them. "If you don't mind me asking, how exactly do you know Chef Hughes?"
River smiled. "That's quite a story, and I'm afraid I can't tell it now." He nodded at the double doors as they exited the elevator.
They had arrived. "Never mind. Next time," Ashley said, straightening her back and smoothing the creases on her coat.
"Ready?"
"Yeah."
"Let's go then." River opened the door, and immediately, Ashley's eyes met with the one person she least expected to see.
She stared blankly at the man, then her gaze scanned the rest of the room, taking in each and every face.
River stood at the front and smiled. "A pleasant evening, all! I'm Sous Chef River, and she is Sous Chef—"
"Ashley," the man said, curving his lips into a smug smile.
River paused and looked at Ashley, who was staring at the man with a neutral expression.
He glanced forward again and, for some strange reason, didn't like the way the man was eyeing Ashley up and down.
Ashley stopped herself from clenching her jaw and averted her gaze.
Robert.
She couldn't believe it had to be him—of all people.