chiffonades | inbox for golden peacock

[Oh.

Oh dang, this guy actually knows what he's talking about. Holy crap that sounds delicious. Rise is stunned for a couple of moments after he lobbies the ball back into her court.] ...wow, okay, honestly? I'm pretty impressed! Not a lot of guys could put together a menu like that on the spot.

[His question makes her sigh.] You know what's dumb? People tell me my food's too spicy or it'll kill them if they eat too much, but I think it's really good! It's just got flavor, that's all!

Ah, well, I might have a leg up on a lot of the people here. [ Sanji's been here long enough, and has been open enough that he is a cook, that it's easy to forget that not everyone here knows he is one. And having gotten caught up in talking about food and romantic dinners, he's totally forgotten to share that tidbit with her. ] I'm a cook, see? Best one in the whole damn resort, too. So thinking up meals just comes naturally to me.

[ Really, coming up with new dishes and delicious meals is a passion of his, all things considered.

What she says next makes him hum thoughtfully. ] Huh. Nothing wrong with making it spicy if that's how you like it. Ah, but not everyone does so… you gotta know how to cook for your audience. You know, know how to make it how they like. [ Which is probably one of the things that separates a professionally trained cook from someone with no real experience. ] I, uh, could probably give you some pointers sometime, if you want. Help you make your food even better. That way you'll really wow whoever you wanna woo when the time comes.

...really? You wouldn't mind doing that?

[She was really confident in her cooking! But then...] When I showed Weiss how to make tempura she acted like she was about to die, it was so spicy.

It's just a totally more mature sort of flavor, that's all! Senpai never minded too much.

[But senpai also ate his niece's science project out of the fridge.]

Dunno how good of a teacher I really am, but– wouldn't have offered if I minded, would I?

[ Which maybe isn't universally true– Sanji's sure there are people who would offer something like that out of social obligation, but he isn't among them. ] Huh. Weiss's got a pretty good pallet, but maybe she just doesn't like spice? What all'd you put in the tempura?

[ Not that she needs to tell him! He won't be offended if she'd rather not say. ] But, uh, yeah, the offer stands. I'd be more than happy to help a lovely lady make sure her cooking skills are good enough to woo whoever she wants.

[ Shh, he might not know what she looks like, she sounds lovely and that counts for something! ]

Just chili powder!

And hot sauce!

[Really. Honestly.

Okay, lots of it.

Her embarrassment is enough to make her almost miss that a hunky-sounding guy is offering to teach her how to cook.]

Huh. [ He thinks just for a second, considering. ] Okay, second question. How spicy do you like your food? Like one a scale from one to ten.

[ Look, he can't see her but he can hear the tinge of potential embarrassment in her voice. The last thing he actually wants is to embarrass her, which is why he picks his words carefully. ]

'cause if you really like spicy foods, and someone else doesn't, it's pretty easy to make it too hot, you know? [ He grins, though, and even if she can't see it? It's obvious in the tone of his voice. ] Once you know that, it's simple to correct for. You just need someone to show you how.

W-well, it's just.

[Augh this is embarrassing but he's being so sweet and non-judgmental about it]

Um, so, I had a job when I was younger, and I'd be doing photoshoots or rehearsals and all of the adults around kept treating me like a little kid and it was really annoying. Sooooo, I was like, I'm gonna prove that I'm mature, look how hot I like my food!

[Now that she's saying it out loud it just seems dumb.] So, uh, pretty hot, I guess?

Huh. [ Whatever answer he's expecting from her, it's not the one that Rise gives. It's not that it's outlandish or anything. Actually, it's perfectly believable as far as he's concerned. Smiling behind the partition, he gives his head a little shake. ]

You know, I, uh, started work in restaurants when I was pretty young. The cooks all did the same thing to me, too, you know? So to look more grown up, I started smoking. [ His hand fiddles with the lighter in his pocket as he talks. ] I don't think it actually worked, and what you did was a helluva lot healthier, but I get that. Uh, why you did it.

[ Sanji still remembers how bad the smoke had burned those first few times… and how fast he'd gotten used to it. ]

But– yeah, sounds like you just need some lessons in how to make food that's not super spicy. Should be easy to learn, if you want?

...yeah, no offense, but my thing's not nearly as bad for you. [It does make her feel a little better about things, though. She's not the only one who had this issue!

So she exhales a little. A relax.] My friend Naoto, she's always telling me that it's simple as following the recipe, but that just feels kinda... boring?

inbox for golden peacock

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject