📖 Chapter 1 – Rebirth of the Food Emperor
---
The world around Raj blurred into darkness. The sound of screeching tires still echoed in his ears. He remembered the headlights of a truck rushing toward him, the horn blaring, and then—nothing.
When his eyes opened again, he expected the sterile white of a hospital room, maybe the smell of disinfectant, maybe pain. Instead, he was staring at a cracked ceiling fan in a room that felt painfully familiar.
Raj bolted upright, his chest heaving. The air smelled of dust, old paint, and faint curry. The narrow bed he was sitting on had the same thin mattress he remembered hating during his college years. The wooden desk near the window was stacked with engineering books, and on top of it lay a Nokia keypad phone and an ancient Dell laptop.
He stumbled toward the mirror nailed to the wall. His breath caught in his throat. The face staring back wasn't the tired, wrinkled 35-year-old entrepreneur who had spent his last days drowning in debt and regret. This was him at 25 years old—slim, sharp-eyed, full of youth.
"No… no way…" Raj whispered, his fingers trembling as they touched his smooth jawline. "This… this is me? In 2010?"
His heart pounded. Could it be real? Had he gone back in time?
Just then, golden light shimmered in front of him, forming a floating panel.
> [Food Empire System Activated]
Time Reversal Successful.
Welcome, Raj.
Your destiny: To build the greatest food empire in history.
Raj's eyes widened. "A… system? Just like those Chinese and Korean webnovels I used to binge?"
The panel shifted, showing his status:
Name: Raj
Level: 1 (Iron Chef Tier)
XP: 0/100
Talents: Cooking 7/10, Business Acumen 9/10, Innovation 9/10, Marketing 8/10
Starter Pack:
Golden Frying Pan (Doubles taste, reduces cooking time)
Freshness Seal ×100
Universal Recipe Book (Locked)
Raj stood frozen. Then, slowly, a smile spread across his lips.
In 2025, he had dreamed of building India's first true global food brand—something that could rival McDonald's, Domino's, and Starbucks. But corruption, competition, and sheer bad luck had crushed him. He died a failure.
But now… he had been sent back fifteen years. To 2010. Before Swiggy, before Zomato, before UPI, before the food-tech revolution. With his knowledge of the future, his mother's recipes, and now this Food Empire System, he had been given a second chance.
The golden panel blinked again:
> [First Mission: Sell 100 plates of food within 7 days.]
Reward: Unlock "Ingredient Analysis" skill.
Raj clenched his fists. A hundred plates? That's nothing.
His stomach growled, and he chuckled. Of course, it had to start with food.
---
The First Idea
Raj leaned back in his chair, memories flooding him. His late mother's vada pav—the spiced potato patty tucked into bread, topped with chutneys—was legendary in their neighborhood. Every time she made it, neighbors would come knocking.
"If I start anywhere," Raj muttered, "it has to be with vada pav."
But this time, he wouldn't just sell it. With the Golden Frying Pan, he could make something unforgettable. Food that healed, inspired, and made people crave more.
---
The Street Market
The next morning, Raj walked to the bustling street outside his college. It was alive with smells—pav bhaji simmering in butter, samosas crackling in hot oil, the sweet aroma of jalebis frying. The lane was crowded with hungry students and office workers.
At the corner, a thick-mustached man stood behind a cart stacked with vada pavs. His stall had the biggest crowd. Raj recognized him immediately: Shankar, the self-proclaimed king of street food in that area.
Raj approached another vendor and casually asked, "Bhaiya, if I wanted to open a stall here, what would it take?"
Before the vendor could answer, Shankar's booming laugh cut across.
"Kid, don't waste your time." He eyed Raj's clean shirt and college bag. "College boys can't run stalls. This isn't a joke. Go study, pass exams, and get a real job."
Raj met his gaze steadily. "Maybe I want to try."
Shankar sneered. "Try? Do you even know how to make a chutney? Do you know how to handle a rush of 200 people? This business eats weaklings alive. Stick to your books, boy."
Raj's lips curved into a small smile. Perfect. A rival already.
"Then let's see whose vada pav the people like more," Raj said calmly.
The crowd chuckled. Some students whispered, "Is he serious?" Others smirked, already curious.
Shankar waved dismissively. "Fine, try. But don't come crying when you lose everything."
Raj turned away, but his system panel blinked.
> [Hidden Rival Detected: Shankar – Street Food Veteran]
Defeat him in popularity to unlock bonus rewards.
Raj's blood boiled with excitement. He wasn't just reliving the past. He was rewriting it.
---
Back to the Kitchen
That night, Raj borrowed a small stove from his hostel warden. He opened the Golden Frying Pan from his starter pack. The metal shimmered faintly, as though infused with light.
He mashed boiled potatoes, mixed in green chilies, coriander, ginger, garlic, and spices—his mother's recipe. The aroma alone made his roommate peek in.
"Bro, are you cooking? Smells like heaven!"
Raj smiled. "First customer, maybe?"
He dipped the patty into gram flour batter and fried it in the golden pan. The sizzling sound was sharper, almost musical. When he lifted it out, the crust was crisp, golden, glowing faintly.
He placed it inside a pav, added green chutney, tamarind chutney, and garlic chutney. He handed it over.
His roommate took a bite—and froze. His eyes widened, tears forming. "Raj… this is insane. This isn't food. This is… magic."
Raj's system panel blinked again:
> [First Dish Cooked with Golden Frying Pan.]
XP +10.
Raj laughed, tears stinging his eyes. "This time, I'll build it. My food empire. From this vada pav, I'll build a kingdom."
Preparations
The next morning, Raj woke earlier than he had in years. His heart was hammering with excitement.
The system mission echoed in his mind:
> "Sell 100 plates of food in 7 days."
Raj pulled out a notepad and began listing everything he would need. Bread, potatoes, spices, chutneys, oil. The basics were simple, but he remembered from experience that details could make or break a dish. A slightly fresher bun, a chutney with perfect balance, a crispier vada—these were the things that drew people back.
But he had an advantage: the Golden Frying Pan and the Freshness Seal.
He borrowed ₹2,000 from his roommate under the pretext of a "college project" and made his way to the wholesale market. The vendors were loud, haggling aggressively, but Raj knew prices from his business experience in 2025. He bargained ruthlessly, shaving off every extra rupee.
When he returned, the ingredients glowed faintly as he applied the Freshness Seal. A notification appeared:
> [Ingredients Preserved: +10 Quality Bonus]
Raj smiled. "Even a basic potato will taste like gold now."
---
The First Day
By evening, Raj wheeled out a second-hand cart he had managed to rent from a friendly old vendor. He painted its wooden board himself, in rough red letters:
"Raj's Special Vada Pav – Taste of Home"
As the sun dipped, he set up near the college gate, opposite Shankar's crowded stall. The older man spotted him instantly.
Shankar crossed his arms and barked, "So the kid really came. Don't cry when no one eats your food."
Raj didn't answer. He simply heated oil in the Golden Frying Pan. The sound of bubbling drew curious eyes.
The first student approached hesitantly. "Bro… are you selling vada pav? Looks new."
Raj smiled warmly. "First customer discount—₹5 only."
The boy took a bite. His eyes widened instantly. "Holy—! This… this is amazing!"
Another student joined in. Then another. Within ten minutes, a small line had formed. The chutneys popped with flavor, the vada crust was impossibly crisp, the pav soft and warm. The Golden Frying Pan was working wonders.
A system message blinked:
> [XP +1 per plate]
[Current Sales: 12/100]
Raj grinned. The mission was already underway.
---
The Rush
By 7 PM, the line stretched across the gate. Word spread like wildfire: "There's a new stall opposite Shankar's, and his vada pav tastes like magic!"
Raj worked tirelessly, frying, assembling, serving. His hands moved with supernatural rhythm, guided by the system.
> [Mini Skill Unlocked: Multitasking Efficiency]
Reaction speed increased by 20%.
Despite the rush, he never lost focus. Each vada pav came out perfect—crispy, steaming, irresistible.
"Bhaiya, give me three more!"
"Add extra chutney, please!"
"Yaar, this is better than my mom's cooking!"
Raj's heart swelled. This was more than just food. This was his second chance.
---
The Rival Strikes
Shankar's face grew darker with every passing minute. His once-busy stall now looked deserted compared to Raj's. Customers whispered, laughed, some even abandoned his line for the new boy.
Finally, Shankar snapped. He sent two of his workers across. They pretended to buy, but one "accidentally" spilled chutney across Raj's cart, while the other tried to knock over the frying pan.
Gasps erupted. Raj stepped back, his jaw tightening.
But the system blinked:
> [Sabotage Attempt Detected]
Golden Frying Pan – Immune to Spills, Stains, Breakage.
The pan shimmered, oil steady as if untouched. Raj calmly wiped the board, then placed two fresh vadas on buns and handed them to waiting customers.
The crowd erupted in cheers. Students shouted at Shankar's men: "Shame!" "Cowards!" "Afraid of real competition?"
Shankar's face turned red. For the first time in years, his throne was shaken.
---
Victory
By closing time, Raj had sold out completely. Every last pav was gone. He was drenched in sweat, but the joy in his chest was overwhelming.
The system chimed:
> [Mission Complete: 100/100 Plates Sold.]
Reward Unlocked: Ingredient Analysis
Skill: See hidden freshness, nutrition, and potential of ingredients.
Raj collapsed onto his cart, laughing. "It's real. It's really happening."
His friends surrounded him, cheering. "Raj, you're a legend already!"
But across the street, Shankar glared with murderous intent. "Enjoy this, boy. Tomorrow, I'll bury you."
Raj wiped his hands, looking at the stars above. "This stall is just the beginning. Shankar, Domino's, McDonald's… everyone. I'm coming for all of you."
The golden panel shimmered faintly, as if approving his vow.
---