Of course, one night of culinary perfection wasn’t enough. She had to pull this off every night, which was why she was grateful Kyle was still planning on hiring an ex-Michelin critic to keep an eye on her.
By the end of the evening, she was humming a Latin beatas she cleaned up. When Claude appeared again, she dried her hands on her apron.
“Monsieur Silver requests your presence, Chef, to thank you for the meal, if you are available.”
She followed him out of the kitchen, her heart rapping against her ribs. The robust man was seated with a few other men she didn’t recognize. Again, she wondered at the industriousness of people finding a way to garner a reservation, because she doubted they’d made one as soon as the restaurant had reopened. They were booked out for nine months.
“Chef Garcia,” William called, twirling his snifter ofChartreuse Jaune,which would complement the poached pears and crystalized gingerbread he’d had for dessert. “I cannot think of when I have enjoyed a better meal. When I heard all of the rumblings about your bread and food pairings, I knew I needed to come to Nanine’s. The praise is well deserved. I plan to add mine to the growing list. Your menu is inspired. Sheer perfection.”
She had to lock down a hefty flood of emotion. “Thank you, Mr. Silver. It’s an honor and a pleasure to serve you here at Nanine’s.”
“The pleasure was mine.” He lifted his glass to her—to her! “The special of oysters with kumquats and mini-canelés was spectacular. Did you really come up with that only yesterday?”
Nodding, she let herself smile, not surprised he’d asked the waitstaff. “You know chefs and seasonal produce.”
Lifting his glass to his lips, he took another sip. “You clearly are a talented chef, but I would expect nothing less from someone who’s worked with Chef Marcel Fournier in Miami. Nanine’s is lucky to have you. I know Nanine’s has had a history with the Michelin people, but I wish you the very best. From where I’m sitting, your excellence stands in a class all its own. Thank you again for our meal.”
The other people at the table smiled at her and thankedher as well. She made herself smile back before muttering her own thanks and taking one step at a time back to the kitchen. When she was inside, she gave another thumbs-up to the staff. Then she detoured to the cooler. Inside, she took off her apron and fanned herself with her T-shirt. Her inner temperature had been turned to broil.
Talented chef.
A class all its own.
Holy shit! He was going to write that kind of stuff for the whole world to see. She took a few deep breaths of cold air, gripping a cold shelf to calm down.
As she did, the shock from William Silver’s praise faded. Buried within it was a dark seed, one she didn’t like to think about—Nanine’s history with Michelin. But he’d mentioned it, which meant there were still murmurs about it.
Was it significant?
Everyone knew Nanine’s had never received a star because of another larger-than-life person in the cooking industry. The status William Silver held as a food critic wasn’t even close to the power Chef Auguste Dassault wielded.
Beyond being a three-star Michelin chef and honoree of every culinary and excellence award both in and out of France, he was one of three people who advised the French presidency on who was worthy of being part of the famed French culinary scene. He was one of those men who ran the system and created glass ceilings for people like her.
He was already a legend when he’d seduced Nanine at cooking school by pretending he was divorcing, only to deny he’d fathered a child with her, call her a slut far and wide, and blackball her from finding a job in the industry.
Another chef had eventually hired her on, largely because Chef Dassault had also seduced his wife. But Dassault had later used his power in French cooking circles to keep Nanine’s from receiving a star. He was retired now, however, and Nanine was no longer the head chef. They’dhoped this meant his vendetta was over and the past finished.
So why had William Silver brought up the past snub?
Madison kicked the aluminum leg of the storage shelf. Dammit, maybe she was being paranoid, but her nature was suspicious. She didn’t expect anyone to give her anything.
That star, though…
She’d worked for that. Shaking herself, she walked back into the kitchen to continue cleanup. Tonight she would have a drink with the staff. They had good reason to celebrate. Then she was going home to Kyle to share the news.
William Silver was going to write about Nanine’s, not shredding them with his pen but praising their menu.
She had to trust the Michelin people would be as open-minded.
Except she’d always been short on trust.
