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Mmm! Mess hall food is just the best!
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You're really piling up the plates there, Raphael. You must've been extra hungry.
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Yeah, I was just out exercising. Food always tastes best after a long workout!
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You should tell the chefs how much you enjoyed it. I'm sure they'd be pleased.
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Will do! You know, I opened an inn myself, and I've been doing the cooking there.
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Except, I've never gotten a compliment from a customer. Not even once.
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So they didn't like it? I wonder why.
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I guess it just didn't taste very good.
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Honestly, I don't know a whole lot about cooking, so I had a pretty rough time in the kitchen.
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Hmmm. In that case, why don't we work on it together?
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You may not have as many chances to cook here, but I bet we can still find opportunities to hone your skills.
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Believe me, one of the best feelings in the world is having someone tell you they enjoyed a meal you created.
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Hold on, you're gonna train me? You're the best, Ashe!
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We'll get started right away. First, let's see you make something so I can get a feel for your skill level.
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Well? How's it taste?
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Well, it's not bad necessarily. But a huge pile of meat isn't really a meal. It's just...meat.
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Wait, you want something more than that? To each his own, I guess.
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If you're going to focus on one ingredient, you have to work on your seasonings. This just tastes like a slab of bacon wrapped around a salt lick.
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Also, try using some vegetables—for a garnish if nothing else. A little splash of color will make your dishes more appealing to the eye.
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Huh. I never thought about how food looked.
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That's something my father always used to say: "If flavor is king, appearance is the royal court!"
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He's actually the one who taught me that adding some color with vegetables will make things taste better, too.
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Well, I guess I could jam a cucumber in there or something if you think it'd help.
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You can't just "jam" things in without thinking about it, Raphael! You have to prepare them first, then arrange them in a way that's pleasing to the eye.
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Every ingredient requires careful preparation in order to bring out its true flavor.
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Uh...OK. I think I get it.
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For example, try seasoning the meat with some herbs, then boil your vegetables to remove the bitterness. After that, fan them out on the platter and—
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Wait, hang on. I boil the bitterness out of the herbs, then platter the season? But which season? Fall? Spring?
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Ughhh! This is way harder than just throwing a hunk of beef on a plate!
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Deep breaths, Raphael. You can do this.
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And since this whole training thing was my idea, I promise to stick it out to the very end.
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Thanks, Ashe. With your help, I'm gonna make grub that'll have folks licking their plates!