The Head Chef

“Are you sure you want me to come with you?” Captain Finnian asked his best friend, Quixly.

Quixly nodded enthusiastically while he rubbed his four hands down his clothes to smooth them out. He was wearing a fancy black suit with shoulder plates that stuck straight out horizontally. Finnian thought they were obnoxious, but Quixly assured him it was very nice formal wear from his home planet, Grebotrab

“I need a wingman,” Quixly said. “This is my first fancy date with Xankandria. And on IDOR! It has to be perfect.”

IDOR, or Intergalactic Day Of Romance, was a holiday recognized throughout the universe to celebrate love and romance. Today was the first IDOR since Quixly and Xankandria had started dating, so Quixly was insistent that it go well.

Finnian chuckled at his friend. “Quixly, you need a wingman when you’re trying to impress a new girl. You’ve been dating Xankandria for months. You know she loves you. You don’t need a wingman.”

Quixly shrugged, all four shoulder plates doing a little dance. “Well, I’m nervous and I want a wingman. Besides, I know ya want to eat at Dinwebneeze.”

Captain Finnian couldn’t argue with that. Dinwebneeze was one of the fanciest restaurants in the whole quadrant. People traveled far and wide to eat there, especially on a day like IDOR. Finnian didn’t care much for how fancy a place was, but he loved good food, and Dinwebneeze was known for its spectacular dishes.

“That’s true enough,” Captain Finnian said with a smile. He grabbed his spaceship controls and made a slight adjustment to their direction. The friends continued to talk about food as they finished their journey to the restaurant.

Once they landed in the vast spaceship parking terminal in front of Dinwebneeze, the two friends got out and walked to the spot where they would meet up with Xankandria. They got a few funny looks with Quixly dressed in his formal Grebotrabin suit and Finnian in his casual clothes, but it was IDOR and people generally assumed they were waiting for his date.

“Do I look ok?” Quixly asked, rubbing his hands down his suit once again to get out any wrinkles. He was visibly nervous and was rocking from one leg to the other.

Captain Finnian smiled at his friend. “You look great. Just like the last 20 times you asked. Just relax. You’ve been on dates with Xankandria before, this is nothing new.”

Right then, the most gorgeous woman walked around the corner, and they both froze in surprise. It was Xankandria, but not the Xankandria they were accustomed to. Typically, she wore sports jerseys or other athletic clothing, and very minimal makeup. Today she was in the most stunning golden dress that fit her toned body perfectly. Her makeup was done up too, which made her three eyes really pop.

“Wow. Za.” Quixly said, completely absorbed in his girlfriend’s new appearance. Then he shook his head and started talking frantically. “Wowza. Wowza wowza wowza! Oh no! Captain, what am I doing? She’s way outta my league! I can’t do this! Gee wizzy dizzy I think I’m gonna faint.”

“You’ll do great,” Finnian said, slapping his friend on the back. “She’s only a little bit out of your league, and she’s the same Xankandria you know and love.”

As if to prove the point, Xankandria finally got close enough to talk and said, “Quixly! You look absolutely dashing! Oh, this is so fun!” She then took her boyfriend in a big hug and kissed his cheek.

“You, you’re GORGEOUS!” Quixly exclaimed after their hug. “I mean, you’re always gorgeous. But wowza, today you’re even more so! Not that you weren’t before though. You were just as beautiful before. But that doesn’t mean this isn’t better than the jerseys. But I also love your jerseys…”

Xankandria just laughed and pulled her boyfriend into another hug. “I love you,” she said. Then she grabbed his two left hands with her two right hands and started walking towards the restaurant. “Now be a gentleman and take me on our date.”

Captain Finnian stood on the other side of Quixly as they walked, and the three of them chatted on their way to the front door. Quixly soon got over his nerves and was back to his usual goofy self.

When they walked in the door, Finnian was amazed at how big the restaurant was. There were easily over a hundred tables within view, with doorways leading to even more. Not to mention the building was several stories high. Although the walls and ceiling were dark in color, everything was decorated in red, white, and pink, the universal colors of love. Soft romantic music was playing, and there were beautiful flowers on all the tables. Captain Finnian noticed that nearly every table had only two people, obviously couples in love. IDOR was in full swing, and it was impossible to not smile at the sight.

Quixly checked in with the host who led them up a staircase and into a side room to the table he had reserved. It was of course a table for two, and Finnian happily let the couple break away from him to enjoy their date. He then went and grabbed a seat at the bar. It was within view of Quixly’s table, which was what Quixly had asked him to do ahead of time. Finnian knew that his friend didn’t need a wingman, but he sat at the bar anyway to fulfill his promise. Besides, he could order food there too, which was the important part.

The stools at the bar would normally be full of single people or groups of friends, but IDOR wasn’t the day for that, so it was relatively empty tonight. Finnian looked around to take it all in and couldn’t help but notice a huge photograph on a far wall of a stunning whirlpool galaxy. It was a picture he and Quixly had taken a year or so earlier. It was always fun to see the random places their artwork showed up.

He looked forward again and saw that behind the bar was a full view of the kitchen. Finnian knew that fancy restaurants often kept the view of the kitchen open as a sign that they had nothing to hide.

There were close to two dozen people working in the kitchen, but he quickly found the head chef, recognizable by the teal blue chef’s clothing and hat she was wearing. There were orange accents on it as well, but those were likely more for style, as the teal was what symbolized her position in the kitchen.

After watching for a bit, Finnian realized he didn’t need the color to know who was in charge. The head chef was yelling orders left and right while smelling and tasting all the dishes before sending them out. She wasn’t angry or mean, just absolutely in control.

She had dark brown skin with the slightest purple hint to it. Her hair was black with super tight curls, and it came almost to her shoulders in the back, her hat holding everything in the front away from the food. She had long slender antennae that drooped at the top into small purple orbs. She was a round, full figured woman, which Finnian thought was the sign of a good chef. In his opinion, only a chef who didn’t like their own food would stay thin.

All in all, Finnian decided she was a rather attractive woman, and the attraction was only heightened by her obvious passion towards her craft. He couldn’t wait to try her food.

“Are you ready to order, sir?” a waiter asked Finnian, snapping him out of his thoughts. He realized he hadn’t even looked at the menu and took a quick glance at it. He didn’t recognize a single item on it.

“Um, I’m not sure yet,” the captain replied. “What do you suggest?”

The waiter smiled, recognizing that their menu was not easy to decipher. “Great question, sir. I would have to recommend the Crondta Gumvdi. It’s our chef’s signature recipe, and something you can only find here.”

“I’ll take that, then!” Finnian replied with a smile. The waiter nodded, took his menu, and went back to the kitchen to put his order in the queue.

Finnian sat contentedly for a few minutes and then heard loud laughter behind him. He turned and saw Xankandria laughing her head off while Quixly was frantically wiping spilled appetizer off his nice suit. Quixly soon joined in the laughter too though and accidentally knocked a drink onto Xankandria. That made them both laugh harder, and they soon scooted closer to each other and started to help wipe the messes off each other’s clothes while they continued to giggle. It was the perfect romantic scene. Finnian had known his friend wouldn’t need a wingman.

“Sir, your food,” the waiter said, placing two bowls in front of Finnian. He turned around and his nose was hit with pure bliss.

The bowl on the left was bigger and was half full of a small green grain. They were round but not perfectly circular and were steaming lightly. It had a soft, pleasant scent to it.

The bowl on the right was smaller and was full of a creamy orange liquid filled with protein and vegetables. That was the dish that smelled so strong and divine. It had so many different smells that blended perfectly together. Captain Finnian wanted to dig right in, but he wasn’t completely sure how.

“Pour the smaller dish over the larger one,” the waiter instructed. “They go best together. The chef also recommends this local juice to go with the dish,” he said, setting down a cold glass with a bright purple drink inside. “Enjoy!”

“Thank you!” Finnian said, and followed his instructions of pouring the orange soupy dish over the grains. He mixed it all together and then took a bite.

It was an experience unlike any other. There was layer after layer of rich, creamy, spicy flavor. Every flavor blended perfectly with the others, complementing and lifting them. Finnian chewed slowly, enjoying every moment as the taste and texture overwhelmed his senses. After swallowing he noticed a faint heat that lingered. It was the best food he had ever eaten.

He quickly ate several more bites, completely absorbed in the experience. The subtle spicy heat continued to build, so after a few minutes he decided to try the drink. It was a thick juice with pulp that made it feel like he was drinking straight from the fruit. He didn’t know what type of fruit it was, but the sweet flavor contrasted delightfully with the savory dish, and it helped dispel the spiciness so that he could get back into the food without getting overwhelmed by the heat.

After a few minutes of eating, a voice in front of him asked, “Are you enjoying your meal, sir?”

Finnian looked up and standing in front of him was the head chef. She had a grin on her face that suggested she already knew the answer to her question.

“Did you make this?” he asked, his mouth half full of food.

She chuckled. “Yep! It’s my own recipe.”

Finnian smiled and looked at her again. She had big, dark eyes and subtle red lipstick that accentuated her smile. The purple under her chocolaty brown skin was more obvious up close, especially on her cheeks, acting as a natural blush. Her antennae bobbed up and down ever so slightly, reacting from her movement when she spoke. She was beautiful. And she had just cooked Finnian the most amazing dish he had ever eaten. He knew he had to talk with her more.

“Ma’am,” he said, after swallowing the remaining food in his mouth. “That was the most delicious food I’ve ever had in my entire life. I don’t even know what to say.”

She laughed, causing her antennae to bob some more. Finnian found the motion very cute. “I’m flattered!” she replied. “I mean, I know my food is good, but I don’t often hear people moan and sigh in pleasure while eating it, so I knew I had to come and ask.”

Finnian blushed slightly. He didn’t realize his enjoyment had been so vocal. He quickly recovered though and smiled at her. “Like I said, it was amazing. Absolutely spectacular. I don’t suppose I could convince you to tell me the recipe?”

She shook her head. “No way. I’d lose business if every random traveler knew all my secrets.”

Captain Finnian chuckled, and then there was a moment of silence between the two. He finally broke it by asking, “I suppose you have to get back to the kitchen soon?”

“I’m actually on my break right now,” she replied. “I was gonna go eat in the back room.”

“Well, there’s an open seat right here,” Finnian said. “Why don’t you join me?”

She thought about it for a moment and then grinned. “Actually, I’d love to. Let me go grab my food and warm it up real quick.”

Finnian smiled as she walked back towards the kitchen. Then his heart jumped as he realized he had just asked a girl to eat dinner with him on IDOR. Was it a date or just a friendly meal? He wasn’t sure. Suddenly he felt like he was the one in need of a wingman. Then he shrugged. He could fly through a field of asteroids without breaking a sweat, surely he could handle dinner with a cute girl.

Before long the chef walked out around the bar with a steaming bowl of food. She had removed her hat but still wore her chef’s uniform.

She sat down and turned to face him. “I realized I never introduced myself. My name is Ubnadwa. What’s your name?”

“Finnian,” he replied. “It’s great to meet you, Ubnadwa.”

“Likewise,” she said. She took a bite of food, swallowed, and then asked, “So, what’s a handsome guy like you doing by yourself on IDOR?”

Captain Finnian raised his eyebrows. She was forward. He thought about saying something along the lines of, “Looking for a beautiful woman like yourself,” but decided it was too bold and cheesy. He’d keep things casual.

“I’m just here acting as a wingman for my friend.” He gestured over to Quixly.

Ubnadwa turned and saw the couple in love and smiled. “Doesn’t look like he needs a wingman.”

“He doesn’t,” Finnian replied with a chuckle. “But we’re best friends and he was kind enough to invite me along. I’d heard the legends about this place and couldn’t turn it down. Besides, I’m kind of married to the job, so I didn’t have any date plans anyway.”

Ubnadwa nodded. “I get that. I always have to work on IDOR, but my schedule doesn’t leave much room for romance anyway. What do you do for work?”

“I’m a photographer,” Finnian said.

She raised an eyebrow. “A photographer who can afford to eat at Dinwebneeze? How does that work out?”

“I do space photography,” Captain Finnian explained. “Me and my friend Quixly over there explore the universe taking pictures of rare or never before seen sights.”

Ubnadwa had a mouth full of food and gestured for him to continue. She still wasn’t very impressed.

Finnian looked around and found the photo on the wall he had noticed earlier. “See that picture over there?” he asked.

The chef swallowed and nodded. “Yeah, I actually love that picture. It’s so beautiful. It makes me feel so much joy and wonder every time I look at it. So, you do photography like that?”

Finnian chuckled. “Not like that. Exactly that. I took that picture.”

Ubnadwa’s beautiful dark eyes got big with surprise. “You took that picture? No way.”

“Really, I did. I recognized it as soon as I walked in.”

“That’s incredible!” Ubnadwa exclaimed. She suddenly saw Captain Finnian in a new light. Rather than just the good-looking patron, he was a fellow artist who could also create strong emotions with his craft.

Finnian shrugged. “Thanks, but it’s nothing compared to this meal you made. Now that’s incredible.”

Their conversation continued, and they talked all about their work, their art, their lives, their dreams, and so much more. As they spoke, Finnian noticed increasingly how attractive Ubnadwa was and how much he liked her. He didn’t know if it was the IDOR atmosphere or something else, but he didn’t want their conversation to ever end.

Unfortunately, her break only lasted so long, and before they knew it she was called back into the kitchen.

“Thank you, Finnian,” she said, and she took his hands in hers. “I really enjoyed getting to know you. Let’s meet up again. Soon.” She leaned in and gave him a kiss on the cheek. Then she slipped him a note with her contact information on it and rushed back into the kitchen.

Finnian watched her go in a daze. He added her contact information to his watch so he wouldn’t forget and sent her his contact info too. He watched her take command of the kitchen once again and couldn’t help a huge smile from spreading across his face.

Moments later he felt a tap on his shoulder and turned to see Quixly and Xankandria. “Ready to go?” Quixly asked. Xankandria had two of his arms in hers and was cuddled up close against his side. Finnian knew they had plans to watch a movie close by and he was their ride.

“Yep, let’s get you two lovebirds to your show!” he said, and started walking with them towards the exit.

“That food was incredible!” Quixly exclaimed as they walked. “The chef must be amazing.”

“You have no idea,” Finnian replied. He took one last glance behind them, but the kitchen was already out of view. He unconsciously touched his cheek where she had kissed him, and somehow knew that a new adventure had just begun.