That Butler, New Face

That Butler, Competition 3

"Time is up! We will now begin the judging!" the MC announced, signaling for the contestants to stop cooking. "First up is Persian Tabb's beef curry."

"Please enjoy," Chef Turpin said confidently as he served the judges his curry. The judges began tasting the dish without hesitation.

"The cuts of beef have not only been stewed to buttery tenderness, they are generously sized as well it is indeed a sumptuous dish," Chef Higham said. "However the stock tastes flat and has no aroma, which tells me... you have used curry powder," the royal chef said, sighing. "That a culinary professional would even consider using such a thing is reprehensible!" Higham scolded Turpin sternly, causing Turpin and two of the other chefs to turn blue with shock.

'Eh!? Uh-oh... we used it too...' Chef Rush and Chef Ripley thought. They were doomed now.

"From this, I'd say Dahlia blends its own spices, hm?" Viscount Druitt asked as he tasted the next curry. "But all I'm getting is heat, with no flavor anywhere to be found. Haah... I do however recognize your efforts..." He said, smiling wryly as he sighed, and Chef Rickman turned blue with shock at the viscount's diagnosis of his curry.

"Next, we have Chef Agni from Harold West!" the MC announced.

"This... is my curry," Agni said as he stepped forth, and he removed the silver cloche covering his curry, revealing an extravagant food platter that had a variety of curries in smaller bowls arranged on the large plate with the blue lobster as the centerpiece, accompanied by a little dome of rice. "A thali of homard... and seven curries," he said as he set it down before the judges.

"A whole homard bleu and a host of red, yellow, and green curries... What a vivid rainbow!" Chef Higham exclaimed, impressed. Agni definitely had full marks for presentation!

"I have prepared curries of differing heat and flavor so you have a selection from which to match your tastes. All the curries have been seasoned to pair with le homard bleu," Agni explained calmly.

"Seven authentic curries made by an Indian, with the shellfish centerpiece being that famed homard, hm..." Chef Higham said thoughtfully as he took a spoonful of one of the curries and some meat from the lobster. "Then without further ado..." The royal chef said as he tasted Agni's dish. "Delicious!! The flesh is firm and when chewed thoroughly fills the mouth with a nuanced sweetness," he said excitedly, blushing slightly out of surprise and pleasure at the sublime dish.

"And the sweet soup, the hot soup, the thin soup, the thick soup... they all harmonize with the savoriness of the lobster without killing it off!" Mister Carter praised, also blushing slightly.

"Ooh... Ooh..." Viscount Druitt moaned excitedly, blushing. Chêne sweat-dropped as an idiot hair popped out on her head. It sounded like he was having an orgasm... yuck. The viscount suddenly struck a pose, similar to how a Shakespearean actor would when playing the part of a love-struck Romeo. "The beautiful woman I met at the ball..." Viscount Druitt proclaimed dramatically as he pictured Chêne in her blue dress and wig. "You, who possess a most noble beauty, are stood there with seven gems adorning your sublime form. A gold brooch in the shape of a dove... a bracelet of sapphires and pearls... a choker of garnet... a cameo medallion, and a ring of diamonds and emeralds on your finger. All of them enhance your loveliness. You... have stolen my heart!!" He cried passionately.

"You just threw it at me on your own! I return your creepy serve with a deadly spike," Chêne murmured, shuddering, and turning slightly blue with shock and revulsion. Ciel sweat-dropped. The viscount really was a creep...

"Wonderful! This is the best curry I have ever tasted!" Viscount Druitt told Agni excitedly.

"I thank you, my lord," Agni said humbly as he bowed.