It was so exciting.
Libby decided to wait. This was an important moment for Hope. After the announcement, she’d look for an opportunity to approach Hope with her offer.
The offer she couldn’t refuse if Aunt Emma had it right.
ChapterFour
Hope
The cooking competition world was small.
Hope had a lot of friends who’d made it to the finals in other categories. She clapped for Carmel Turro, a friend she’d met when they placed one and two in a cream cheese baking competition a few years back. Carmel won the dessert category here in Vegas. Hope was so excited for her!
When they announced Ally Kid’s name as the finalist for the best sandwich, Hope hooted and hollered. Ally had been her roommate when they both auditioned for a cooking reality show. Neither made it far onThe Devil’s Diner, but they had supported each other as they withstood taunts from celebrity Chef Rami Ellston, the program’s host.
“You call this risotto? I call it risot-no!”
It was all part of the show, but it stung when Chef Ellston called them hacks. He was there now in Vegas. He was signing cookbooks, visiting the competitors as they worked, and he couldn’t have been nicer. He was on stage now, announcing winners. He was smiling and supportive.
Still, Ally and Hope had not enjoyed being screamed at by Chef Ellston for the TV auditions. It had soured Hope from auditioning for other programs like it. Ally kept at it and even won the prize on an episode ofChop or Flop. Hope had decided TV wasn’t her dream. Food, not TV, was her happy place.
Hope cheered when Sandy Lamb got an honorable mention in the special Chili cookoff event. Chili wasn’t a category in the competition, but every year they had a special event, and this year it was Chili. Sandy had won the very first recipe contest in Vegas a decade ago. She was a legend and still knocking it out of the park. She was also generous with tips and tricks to keep your cool in this unique environment.
Hope high-fived her friend Beth Plummer as Beth took to the stage to collect her honorable mention in the burger entrée category.
And everyone in the crowd cheered for Poppa BBQ. The pitmaster couldn’t lose. He was unstoppable, and pitmasters all over the country wanted to unseat him. Poppa BBQ had beat her out in a chicken wing contest a few years ago. Getting bested by Poppa BBQ was an experience many of her fellow food sport competitors shared. Poppa BBQ used this year’s event to announce that next year he wouldn’t be competing. He would be judging. That sent a murmur of excitement through the crowd. Maybe next year, someone else might take the crown without Poppa BBQ in the mix.
It was cutthroat in the competitive food world, but there was support and comradery. Hope had learned so much. And she was genuinely happy for every winner. Everyone there understood the work, the stress, and the disappointments on the road to winning.
Hope waited for the winners’ announcement with a grateful heart as she thought of her cooking friends. What a journey this had been. She’d forged a path in this part of her life without the girls or Archie. Maybe she shouldn’t be sad about that but proud. She was part of a little food family full of diverse and talented cooks.
And then it was time. Hope stood among hundreds of spectators as Celebrity Chef Rami Ellston took center stage with a microphone in hand. He dramatically announced that was time to reveal the final results to the crowd on Fremont Street.
This was it! The competitors in The World’s Best Dishes Food Competition had done their best. Hope had done her best. She held her breath.
Chef Ellston announced third place.
Second place.
A little wave of heartbreak bit at Hope’s chest. She didn’t think she’d win, but now she saw it hadn’t gone as well as she’d thought. She had hoped to place. Still, it had been an amazing few days. Hope was in the midst of managing her attitude and almost missed the winner announcement.
“The winner of The World’s Best Dishes Food Competition is Marcia H. Venerable and her Crustless Zucchini Pie!”
Hope heard a scream.
Carmel was cheering for her. Her? Had they just said her name?
Was she the winner?
“Come on up here, Marcia H. Venerable!” Chef Ellston gestured her toward the stage as though they were old friends.
Hope nodded. She put one Croc in front of the other but was really floating on air. Somehow, she was on stage; Chef Ellston smiled with his whiter-than-white teeth and handed her a giant check.
Hope looked out to see Poppa BBQ cheering for her. Beth, Sandy, Ally, and all of her food competitor friends were clapping. It was surreal. She’d won the whole thing!
She smiled for the camera and posed with the check. Chef Ellston was beaming, and also genuinely gracious. He helped her navigate pictures and the weirdness of being on the Fremont Street stage with a giant check in her hand.
“Good show, luv, come a long way from that tragic risotto,” Chef Ellston said. She laughed. He did know who she was.
