TIMER: 30:00
Marron heard the timer squeal and knew it was time.
She held her carving knife over the perfectly rested crystalfeather chicken thighs.
The audience saw the stat lens evaluate her food and gasped.
[Best Carving Window Achieved: Critical Juiciness Preserved]
She sliced the chicken with utmost care. The camera zoomed in on the way the steam curled out of the meat.
Each cut gleamed with a golden finish. When she saw her glaze caught the stage lights like sunlight on amber, Marron knew this dish was a winner.
I've tried to get peak deliciousness from this chicken. Now it's time to plate!
+
TIMER: 15:00
Marron's dish was plated with love in each layer:
A perfectly leveled cup of buttery mana rice.
Chicken was fanned gently beside it.
On top, a drizzle of caramel-glaze reduction, sauce-thick and warm.
Since the contestants' work stations were being projected to the audience, sometimes they heard comments from the speakers.
Even Marron.
"Oooh, what a pretty pudding! That's the first time I've seen it in a teacup--isn't she going to take it out?"
"Looks like it's meant to be eaten inside the cup."
Marron's face paled. It absolutely is not meant to be eaten in the cu--oh! Need to take it out of the container...
She gently poured boiling water into a bowl and dipped the bottom of the teacup for a few seconds. Then she grabbed a serving plate and inverted the cup onto it.
I hope it releases smoothly...this is always the nerve-wracking part.
Luckily, she heard a soft slurp.
"Now we're in business!" She lifted the teacup and heard the audience gasp. The rich caramel poured onto the pudding, resulting in a luxurious amber over gleaming dark yellow custard.
"Oh gosh that was so satisfying."
"I wish I could've recorded that--I could watch the caramel pour onto that custard forever."
Secretly, Marron was pleased about the audience comments. It was that part of the competition she missed the most--people experiencing her food with all of their senses.
"Don't lose focus now, Marron!"
Mokko's voice cut through her thoughts, and she gave him a thumbs up. "We've gotten so far, I can't stop now!"
She took her time checking all four puddings for any imperfections. One key difference was how dark her custard was compared to Earth's eggs.
"Adding the yolks must have made it very rich...better offset that with whipped cream! And this...it looks like a cherry..."
She finished the pudding with a tiny spring of greenbloom for contrast.
TIMER: 01:00
A pop-up appeared in front of her.
[What will you call this dish?]
Marron grinned and typed in her chosen name, pressing enter and flipping her hair with confidence.
"There's only one name I'd give this dish."
The interface chimed.
[Dish Name Confirmed: Sunday Brunch with Mom]
[Final Buff Prediction: +10 Vitality / +10 Stamina / +15 Emotional Fortitude]
[Sentiment Tier: Legendary Comfort]
The final plated dish was projected to the audience as she spun it once, counterclockwise at her station. As she did so, a mechanical voice said 'lock-in confirmed. Marron Louvel, please await judging."
She heard a wave of murmurs from the audience, but a few voices rose high above all the others.
"Wait...is that all she's made? In 60 minutes?" Someone said, until they saw the glittering caramel on the custard base. Unknown to Marron, there was also a pale aura coming from the dessert, as if it were inviting the audience to eat it.
"Is that… a memory dish?"
+
Sweet Passion spun her mic and and put one hand on her hip. "Oh baby, that's Soul right there! And that custard's giving some major Cozy vibes. I feel like I just got a warm hug just by looking at it!"
She turned to the audience. "Doesn't it just make you imagine a family table?"
A rumble of agreement swept the audience, and Marron was so happy she thought she would cry.
They get me.
+
[Judges Table]
The three judges leaned forward as the dishes were brought to them under glass domes. The fourth dish went to the VIP, who nodded her thanks to Marron.
The dwarf judge spun the chicken and pudding around before taking a deep sniff of both. "Smells like my grandmother's porch during festival week."
Meanwhile, the parchment-skinned judge closed his eyes to absorb the pudding's aura, and the chicken's scent.
[Stat Pulse Detected: Emotional Calm Within a 3-Meter Radius]
Elka was spellbound by the dessert. "It's rather simple, but...the warmth from both dishes...I can feel it from here."
Balen, on the other hand, wasn't impressed. "Where's the drama, Marron? The flair?!" He looked away, but Luma giggled when she saw him swallow.
"He really wanted to eat her food. I understand why. To that girl, comfort isn't weakness. She's tapped into one of the most ancient types of food magic: nostalgia and memories."
She glanced at her bacon-wrapped lettuce and the way it shone like a beautiful green stone in the middle of a black square plate.
"Whetvale is obsessed with aesthetics, but...maybe we should consider adding more of ourselves in the food."
Marron stepped back from her station and wiped her sweat with a face towel.
I've tried my best. The rest is out of my hands.
She heard the loudspeakers boom:
[Judges, Please Lock In Your Scores for Marron Louvel's Dish. 2 Minutes Left.]
[Audience, you may write your vote and tags on your tablets. Voting is now Open.]
The projector showcased the different words audience members wrote for Marron's dish--all emotional, like she hoped.
"Home"
"Hope"
"Craving"
"I miss my mom!"
"I want to eat 10 servings right now."
"Too simple"
"I expected more artistry from a Whetvale contestant"
+
Marron wiped her hands on her apron and held the counter to steady herself.
That's okay. Not everyone will love your dish and that's fine.
If at least one judge understands who I am with this plate, that's all I need.
Just one shot.
"I'm not trying to impress people with my plating. I want my food to mean something. That's who I am, at my core. I'm not a trained chef. Just a girl who wanted to save something important..."
She wiped her eyes and said softly,
"Time to let the food speak."