KEITH O'HARE
THE CHEF
THAT FROZE
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Anya loved to cook. She had been cooking since she was a little girl, and she had always dreamed of being a professional chef. Friends often said her food was delicious and original, and even the fussy eaters would pig out when they went round to her house for dinner.
But she had never had the opportunity to pursue her dream. She had a good job as a software engineer, and she didn't want to risk it all.
Chapter 1 - The Amateur Chef
My dream is to be a chef.
I love cooking
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Then, one day, her best friend, Sarah, asked her to cater her wedding. Anya was thrilled. This was the perfect opportunity to finally show the world what she was capable of.
Anya immediately started planning the menu. She was determined to make Sarah's wedding meal the best meal of her life. She would deliver a spread of the most mouth-watering food on the planet!
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Chapter 2 - The Menu
Mini-quiches with spinach and feta cheese Bruschetta with tomatoes, ham and basil
Roasted chicken with rosemary and garlic Salmon with lemon butter sauce
Vegetable lasagna
Chocolate mousse Tiramisu
She spent weeks planning the menu, and she tasted countless recipes.
She wanted to create a meal that was both delicious and unique.
In the end, she decided on the following menu:
Appetizers:
Main Course:
Dessert:
Anya was confident that this menu would please everyone. She had something for everyone, from the meat-eaters to the vegetarians. She was sure everyone would eat their fill, and drink to their heart’s content. And she knew that the desserts would be a hit.
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Starters
Main Course
Dessert
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The day of the wedding finally arrived. Anya woke up early and started cooking. She had a lot of work to do, but she was excited. She was finally going to show the world what she was capable of.
Anya worked tirelessly all day. She prepared the appetisers, the main course, and the desserts. She even made her own bread. And she did it all without any help.
When the guests arrived, Anya was exhausted but happy.
But then, just as the guests were beginning to take their seats, Anya realised that she had made a terrible mistake.
She had forgotten to buy chocolate for the desserts. How can you have Chocolate Mousse and Tiramisu without chocolate?
Anya was panicking. She didn't have enough time to make a new dessert from scratch. She was a bundle of nerves and about to give up when she suddenly remembered a recipe for a quick and easy dessert that she used to make with her Mum at her own birthday parties when she was a child.
She asked her friend, who was helping as sous-chef, to pop down to the supermarket quickly, and on her way back to pick up three packets of cereal.
Chapter 3 - The Big Day
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As the guests were finishing the main course and sipping on champagne, the best man and father of the bride were giving their after-dinner speeches.
Anya had just enough time to add the finishing touches to her ‘surprise’
dessert.
She had to announce that there was a change to the menu, that the new dessert would be a trip down memory lane for all of them, something that would remind them of home, childhood and love. A perfect end to a wedding dinner.
Then they brought out the dessert and everyone gasped. At first no-one was sure what to say, but then some people started laughing and every eagerly started to dig in.
The dessert was frozen banana pops, wrapped in coloured corn flakes.
It was fun, tongue-in-cheek and everyone loved it. A perfect, light- hearted note to end the wedding.
Anya was relieved. She had saved the day. And she had realised that she didn't need to be a professional chef to create delicious food.
She was a talented amateur chef, and that was enough.
Chapter 4 - The Surprise
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THE END!
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My child is such a fussy eater, he only eats chicken nuggets and fries.
I'm so tired, I'm just going to pig out on pizza and ice cream tonight.
We hired a caterer to make all the food for our wedding.
The table was set with a spread of delicious dishes.
The smell of freshly baked bread is mouth-watering.
1. A fussy eater - A person who is very particular about what they eat.
(Noun)
2. To pig out - To eat a large amount of food, especially in an unhealthy way. (Verb)
3. To cater - To provide food and drinks for a party or other event.
(Verb)
4. A spread - A large amount of food. (Noun)
5. Mouth-watering - Very appetising and making one want to eat.
(Adjective)
Useful Vocabulary
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The children ate their fill at the buffet.
The guests drank to their hearts' content at the party.
The new restaurant has been a hit with the locals.
We ordered a variety of appetisers to share.
I made the cake from scratch using my grandmother's recipe.
I was a bundle of nerves before my presentation.
The sous-chef is responsible for assisting the head chef in preparing meals.
6. To eat your fill - To eat as much as you want. (Verb)
7. To drink to your heart’s content - To drink as much as you want.
(Verb)
8. To be a hit - To be very popular and successful. (Verb)
9. Appetisers - Small dishes of food that are served before a main course. (Noun)
10. To make something from scratch - To make something from the beginning, without using any pre-made ingredients. (Verb)
11. A bundle of nerves - A very nervous person. (Noun)
12. A sous-chef - A second-in-command chef. (Noun)
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I'm going to pop down to the shop to pick up some milk.
I was sipping on a glass of wine while I read the newspaper.
I added the finishing touches to the painting by signing my name.
Looking at old photos was a trip down memory lane.
Everyone dug in to the delicious meal.
He made a tongue-in-cheek remark about her new haircut.
We had a light-hearted conversation over coffee.
13. To pop down (to a shop) - To go to a shop quickly. (Verb)
14. To sip - To drink slowly, a little bit at a time. (Verb)
15. To add the finishing touches - To make the final additions to something that is already almost finished. (Verb)
16. A trip down memory lane - A nostalgic journey back in time. (Noun)
17. To dig in - To start eating. (Verb)
18. Tongue-in-cheek - Playful or ironic, not meant to be taken seriously.
(Adjective)
19. Light-hearted - Cheerful and carefree. (Adjective)
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