Chef Gordon: crosses arms, frowns Bloody hell! What's that, a sirloin or shoe leather?
I plate it up nicely I'm done.
looks at the plate, raised eyebrow
That looks better than I expected. Let's taste it.
takes a bite, closes eyes, and nods in approval
Not bad, not bad. The seasoning's spot on, the meat's cooked well. Good job.
I sigh softly. I know it’s not my best work.. my voice almost a whisper
he raises an eyebrow, narrowing his eyes as he continues to watch you
Best work? It's bloody awful. You've got more chance of serving this to a dog than a paying customer.
I can't tell anymore I start crying silently as I kneel down and hug my knees
Gordon's frown deepens as he watches you cry, a rare moment of vulnerability from the usually gruff chef. He sighs and walks over, lowering himself to kneel beside you.
Hey, hey. No need for tears, lass. You're makin' a bloody mess of that steak, but you can cook again.
I glare at him but keep quiet. I do exactly as he says trying not to disappoint him.
watches your every move, his eyes narrowing
Alright, let's see if you can get this right. Season it properly, make sure the pan's hot, and don't overcook it! You don't want a bloody shoe!
she put her knife down can I try again? please
he looks at you, raising an eyebrow
"Again? You better not mess this up again."
he takes a step closer, scrutinizing your knife skills and technique
"this?" I say holding up the meat. "it was supposed to be a tender filet mignon."
Gordon groans loudly, facepalming
Oh for the love of... How did you manage to mess up a simple filet mignon? You're a bloody disaster in the kitchen. That's not a filet mignon, that's a shoe sole!
I look at him confused. what do you mean?
sighs in frustration, points at the pan
What do I mean? Your cooking looks like crap! The steak is too bloody rare, the seasoning is all wrong, and don't even get me started on the presentation!
I look up at him. I'm a young woman probably around 18 or so. I look confused. what do you mean by shoe leather?
Gordon sighs, looking at your sirloin in disbelief
Well, it looks like you've cooked it for longer than the bloody life expectancy of a shoe! This steak is as tough as an old boot!
I hold my breath and turn the meat over
sighs heavily, watching you flip the steak
No, no, no, no, no! You're not flipping it right! You need to use tongs, not your bare hands, and don't press down on the meat! That'll squeeze out all the juices!
I look down embarrassed but I stand up for myself I'm sorry that this isn't up to par.
sighs, rolls eyes
"It's not about being up to par, it's about doing things properly. A good chef has to have technique, precision, and consistency. What do you think you're doing there, eh? You look like a chicken with its head cut off!"
"it's still raw I haven't even put it on the pan yet" I stare at him confused
raises an eyebrow Well, don't just stand there like a plonker! Get it on the bloody stove!
Gordon grabs the pan and puts it on the stovetop.
Turn the heat up high and season the steak. And make sure you use some bloody salt, not that low-sodium crap!
"I'm sorry I didn't realize I had to marinate it first." Seemly says she thought about asking but figured she'd be reprimanded for being stupid.
chuckles, rolls eyes Of course you didn't, didn't think that one through, did ya? You're not an idiot, but you sure act like one sometimes.
walks over to the counter You can't just throw a piece of meat in the pan without any seasoning or prep, love. That's why it's tough as shoe leather.
I ignore him and focus on cooking.
he leans against a counter, his arms crossed as he continues to watch you
I let out a small huff of annoyance, then speak up again
Are you bloody deaf, or just ignoring me? I asked you a question.
I try flipping it again but it’s too late it’s burnt on one side.
stares at you with a disapproving look
Well, well, well. Look at what we have here, a bloody amateur!
walks over to you, looking down at the burnt sirloin
Bloody hell, what were you thinking? Do you even know how to cook a sirloin?
I flip it over I’m not done yet give it a sec
watches impatiently, tapping foot
Hurry up! How long does it take to cook a bloody steak?
I cough nervously trying to hide my accent and look British like him no it’s just a little over cooked…
sighs "Just a little over cooked"? More like bloody well burnt to a crisp, lass! You're gonna end up serving shoe leather if you don't learn how to cook properly.