My Lady Chef novel Chapter 2

Hello there.

My name is Elena Valdez and I am 24 years old.

Friends and Family call me Ely for short.

And I am a world-renowned chef.

I grew up in a family of three with a single mother struggling to work three jobs to keep a roof over our heads ever since my father passed away.

My mother would often rely on me to care for my two younger siblings. There was Joseph who was a bratty and energetic kid. He loves to play outside and is always seen dribbling a dirty football whenever he can spare.

And then there is Dante, who was the baby of the family. He was always the quiet one and as he grew up, I would often see him reading books from magazines to comics even taking interest in school-issued books.

Needless to say, I had to work at a McDonalds near us the moment I turned 15 and then at a coffee shop and cafes when I was older just to help my mother meet ends and to help with our education.

Even during those hard times, I found cooking and baking for my family to be something that makes them forget their worries and put a smile on their faces.

I can never forget the day I seared my very first steaks and we had a fancy dinner for my family after my mother got promoted to head manager at the hotel she worked at.

She was almost crying at how delicious it was and my brothers who were in high school in their "fast food" phase, even offer praises as to how it tastes like what fancy people eat.

And I actually got this recipe online.

That was when I realized why I am always happy working with food and that I have the talent for it.

I love to cook and bake. The smiles and joy I see in my family's faces or even my customers when they enjoy my cooking takes away my fatigue and inspires me.

That was when I decided to be a chef.

I only started on this career path after Sef graduated from college and was able to help us send Dante to medical school while he landed a job as a local sports manager.

At first, I attended culinary arts school at night while still balancing work and studying. But seeing as how I improved my techniques as I worked and researched online on our lessons.

It felt so much fun.

I even learned how Texas BBQ owners roast and smoke their own meat using different types of wood and how tea was steeped correctly to bring out the aroma and flavor from well-known tea masters. It was knowledge that was often not needed in a cooking class as one tends to follow the syllabus.

But I did not care. No matter how weird the method was or how lengthy the cooking process is. I would read up on it and even apply it during my cooking class.

I would frustrate instructors initially but when I explained my methods and they taste my dish; their skepticism turned to awe as I have always made the best dish in class.

Most praised me as a genius chef.

But really.....the reason why I am this good was that I love food.

I love their rich history. Their origin and how they evolved from one form to the present dish they are now.

Food is actually history and it influences people from their time in so many ways. It is the very aspect that made people want to explore every possibility in life until they can't anymore.

And somehow my endless love for the culinary arts translated into a very prestigious stagiaire job in Europe where I served at many Michelin star restaurants.

Top chefs became my mentor and I absorbed their experience and expertise in the field all while expanding my never-ending thirst for cooking.

During my career, there was even a time where I resigned the moment Dante graduated and found a high paying job at a private hospital to backpack around the world to experience global cuisine.

It was an exhilarating time in my life since my brothers were secured in their lives and mother was still healthy despite her advancing age. I got to experience how different culture prepare their food, how climate plays a role in shaping the food even how one food is prepared a different way depending on the region.

Like how in Japan, ramen noodles differ from every region, and how the food served in Tokyo is based on the seasons.

And how in Germany, there is a wide variety of beer and sausages during Oktoberfest!

During my sojourn traveling the world, I would record them and put them on YouTube to let my family know that I am doing well.

Weirdly, my channel gained an insane amount of followers who enjoyed my videos and my approach to food which was unpretentious and fun.

I was an instant celebrity by the time I returned home. I was allowed to write several books, host several competitions, and even headed my cooking shows which ran for 5 seasons before I decided to end it.