ALLISON CHEN
Civilian
POLITICS MAJOR
Posts: 141
MINI INFO - GENDER: Female
MINI INFO - D.O.B.: 1st July 1992
MINI INFO - OCCUPATION: Pastry Chef Apprentice
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Post by ALLISON CHEN on Jun 14, 2013 7:30:09 GMT -8
It's funny how every single major city outside of Asia had a Chinatown and Los Angeles was not an exception. Whenever she had a craving for dim sum, the girl would pop into Central LA to placate her tastebuds. After what had been a successful venture into one of the best restaurants the US has to offer in terms of dim sum, Allison went for a little walk to help with digestion.
Smattering of Cantonese and Mandarin Chinese reached her ears before she put on her headphones, and she smiled slightly. These trips always made her feel a little nostalgic; it's been a while since she's visited her paternal grandparents but she made sure to call them every week on a Saturday afternoon. It was one of the few remaining things that still tied her to the memories of her father.
She turned a left and into a street filled with bakeries and patisseries, the aromas of butter and baked goods filling her nose. And despite having just eaten, Allison found herself wanting some. There was just something special about Asian baked goods, the glaze of the buns, the combination of sweet and savoury, and the lightness of the cakes, all calling her name. Sometimes, being a foodie was hard work. Just sometimes.
Then something caught her eye, a new bakery on the edge of the street. Curious, Allison made her way towards the novel establishment and looked in, there's a definite French influence in the goods on display. Then a sign informing her that this place was accepting apprentices peaked her interest.
Could she?
She bit down on a bottom lip, considering the option. To hell with indecision, why not? It couldn't hurt to try right? Okay, enough with the questions, it was just prolonging the inevitable. She enters the bakery and allows the delicious scents to wash over her senses. She turns off her iTouch and takes off her Beats before taking a deep steadying breath, and spoke up to the man tending the shop.
"Hi, I'd like to try out for the apprenticeship."
Here's to nothing.
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JEAN CHANG
Civilian
PASTRY SHOP OWNER
空談燒不出飯菜
Posts: 41
MINI INFO - GENDER: Male
MINI INFO - D.O.B.: 13 NOVEMBER 1986
MINI INFO - OCCUPATION: Pastry Chef
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Post by JEAN CHANG on Jun 27, 2013 17:00:09 GMT -8
It had been a difficult decision but one that he needed to make nonetheless. This small bakery, that he was so proud of and loved more than anything else in the world, was hiring. Jean had placed the hiring sign in the front window this morning to see if he could fish any potential applicants. He was looking for one, possibly two, people that could either bake or work the cashier for him. Unsurprisingly, in this economy, Jean had quite a few takers. There were a couple potential workers but there was always something that made him reject them. One of them had no experience and then there was that one person that was completely disrespectful during the job interview. Jean wondered if there was anyone in Los Angeles that was up to even minimum standards.
Jean looked up from the resumes on the counter when he heard the door chime. A petite, Asian woman had walked in and requested... an apprenticeship? Well that was very interesting. Most people that came looking for employment asked if he was hiring but an apprentice... Now that was different. And, because the girl was Asian, the chances of her being hired went up significantly. A store opened in Chinatown would obviously mainly cater towards an Asian population. If she spoke Asian languages, Jean would be hard pressed to not hire her.
"Welcome," Jean began. He only hoped she could understand him through his French accent. Some of the potential employees had a hard time understanding him which did not reflect well on either of them. "I'm assuming you saw the sign out front?"
Jean smiled faintly to himself. Whether the girl realized it or not, the interview would begin now. There were no preliminary background checks or applications, he could do that later. What mattered more to him was their demeanor and their actions around the shop. Already, he was eyeing her and trying to judge what kind of person she was. She appeared young so it would be no surprise to him if her parents bought her those Beats and iTouch. Her age also meant that she lacked experience. Then again, she did say she wanted an apprenticeship. Jean hadn't been planning to take apprentices for a few years but it was never too early to start. "Nice to meet you. My name is Jean Chang and I'm the owner of this bakery. This is a small, privately owned business so unlike other places we do not have an application form for you to fill out. Instead, there will be an interview and if I like you, you just might be hired on the spot. But why an apprentice? Do you want to learn how to bake?"
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ALLISON CHEN
Civilian
POLITICS MAJOR
Posts: 141
MINI INFO - GENDER: Female
MINI INFO - D.O.B.: 1st July 1992
MINI INFO - OCCUPATION: Pastry Chef Apprentice
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Post by ALLISON CHEN on Jul 30, 2013 14:02:39 GMT -8
To say that she was surprised by the French accent was an understatement. Then again, it might just be a testament to his skill; the French were known to be the best pastry chefs by most. The accent hinted at an extended period of time spent in France and therefore he had probably learned the bulk of the art. Allison was beginning to feel a little excitement about the prospect of potentially learning from this person. That is, if she passed his test.
"I'm Allison, nice to meet you too." She introduced herself in response to his words, "and yes, I do want to learn how to bake." She took a moment to answer the more important question: Why an apprenticeship? That was a pretty good question and she knew that she had to approach that carefully.
"An apprenticeship is more serious, from my perspective. It requires a higher level of commitment? A master-student relationship holds more weight. I want to be challenged and be held responsible to my commitment to learning from you. I can help out with the cashier's and what not if need be but my main objective is to bake. An apprenticeship would make that a lot clearer."
Allison held her breath after that; Jean had mentioned that she was already being interviewed and she hoped that her forwardness wasn't going to be counted against her. The smells around her were still divine and a testament to his ability but she maintained eye contact, even though she was nervous as hell at the moment.
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JEAN CHANG
Civilian
PASTRY SHOP OWNER
空談燒不出飯菜
Posts: 41
MINI INFO - GENDER: Male
MINI INFO - D.O.B.: 13 NOVEMBER 1986
MINI INFO - OCCUPATION: Pastry Chef
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Post by JEAN CHANG on Sept 10, 2013 17:53:02 GMT -8
Jean noted the young girl's name to be Allison. She looked rather young but that could have just been because of her height. She was rather small compared to Jean's 5' 10" frame. Her stature might be a problem in the kitchen. Although the storage in his kitchen weren't particularly high, it was a little thought about fact that professional bakers need some semblance of strength. Lifting and moving fifty pound bags of flour daily was no small task. Not only that but depending on her age, he was not sure if it was a good idea to hire her. He could hire her part time if she was still in school but that would lengthen her training. Then again, he could be wrong. It was always difficult to tell with Asians anyway. Growing up in an Asian culture did make it easier but there were always anomalies.
Her answer to the question was satisfactory. It was good that she understood the difference between a simple part time job and something as serious as an apprenticeship. Jean had to go through three years of hard work before he was allowed to start experimenting with his own creations and after that it took another two years before his teacher was fully satisfied with his progress. If this girl truly wanted an apprenticeship, she would have to show him her resolve. She seemed to be doing well thus far, at the very least. Jean appreciated the effort to make eye contact and not stand down.
"I see. Before we continue, I hope you realize that professional baking is very different than just casually baking cupcakes for a school fundraiser. This job is strenuous and much more difficult than we are given credit for. I won't train anyone that I don't approve of. So tell me, how old are you? Do you have any prior baking experience? How much time and effort are you willing to devote to learning the fine art of baking?"
Alright, so even he had to admit that he was being a bit pushy and harsh. He had a right to be though. If this much scared her off then clearly she had no resolve and would not survive his training. He didn't want to waste his time with someone who would only give up halfway through.
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ALLISON CHEN
Civilian
POLITICS MAJOR
Posts: 141
MINI INFO - GENDER: Female
MINI INFO - D.O.B.: 1st July 1992
MINI INFO - OCCUPATION: Pastry Chef Apprentice
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Post by ALLISON CHEN on Sept 11, 2013 6:55:25 GMT -8
Whatever challenges her height might pose her in the kitchen will be secondary, what is more important was probably her baking skills at the moment. He was curt but not rude, Allison can deal with that. He was going to be a hard taskmaster, she could already tell. Especially with those sharp, no-nonsense stare that she was currently locking her eyes with. Her stature hadn't been a great help with first impressions and she wouldn't be surprised if he was concerned about her physical conditioning; baking was plenty of action: kneading, lifting and moving heavy bags of ingredients. She gave him a nod in response to his words, already assuming the air of a student absorbing her teacher's words.
"I'm nineteen and I don't think I have the type of experience you have in mind. I have never tried out professional baking and I am willing to make time. I'm currently studying in Occidental and have classes three days a week, I'm willing to devote the remaining time to learning. I'm not going to lie and say that I will have as much time as a full-time personnel but I'm hardworking and I catch on quick."
It was not bragging, her words were edged with simple truthfulness. It was take it or leave it at this point. She had been honest and it's completely up to him to decide whether he would even let her in to have a practical interview. She really did want to see the interior of the kitchen and get her hands doughy. The nervousness mounted as the impromptu conversation lengthened, Allison couldn't deny the rising hope in her gut. It was rare she wanted something as bad as this, even though it was a spur of a moment decision she chanced upon during an aimless stroll.
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JEAN CHANG
Civilian
PASTRY SHOP OWNER
空談燒不出飯菜
Posts: 41
MINI INFO - GENDER: Male
MINI INFO - D.O.B.: 13 NOVEMBER 1986
MINI INFO - OCCUPATION: Pastry Chef
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Post by JEAN CHANG on Sept 11, 2013 8:08:44 GMT -8
"Hmmm," Jean hummed thoughtfully at the girl and her responses to his questions. There were both positives and negatives as with hiring anyone. Allison was young but Jean himself did start his formal training at 18 so he could not rebuke her for starting now. However, he had the privilege of attending one of the finest Culinary high schools in Taiwan prior to his apprenticeship and she had no experience with an actual patisserie to speak of. At any rate, he had to admit that she was brave. She was being honest with her responses which, while Jean did appreciate, did not land jobs in this society. She would not be working with him full time but he could work around that. Having someone train under him personally would be better than hiring some other random pastry chef though...
Jean observed the girl for a few moments longer before making his decision. He opened the door to the counter and waved her over. "Come with me." He walked into his kitchen (which was pristine as always, if he did say so himself) and began pulling out measuring cups and bowls from a drawer. "I," Jean began as he placed a whisk onto the table. "Want you to make me something. It can be anything. I just need something to assess your skill with."
He stopped rifling through the cabinets and turned to look at her. "Here are the rules: there is no time limit, I want quality not quantity. If there is anything you need or can't find feel free to ask, I have plenty of ingredients and supplies. However, do not make a mess of my kitchen. Do not break anything. Since the store is still open, I will not be able to watch you all the time, especially if there is a customer around. I am trusting you with my kitchen. Think you can handle that?"
Jean never cared much for formalities such as a formal interview. He trusted his gut and his judgement. Something told him to give her a chance so he did. If this went well, he would have a new apprentice and Allison would have a job. "You can start whenever you're ready."
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ALLISON CHEN
Civilian
POLITICS MAJOR
Posts: 141
MINI INFO - GENDER: Female
MINI INFO - D.O.B.: 1st July 1992
MINI INFO - OCCUPATION: Pastry Chef Apprentice
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Post by ALLISON CHEN on Sept 11, 2013 18:19:35 GMT -8
This was going to be a tough one. She had no recipe at hand and she wasn't sure if she could even access some via her iPhone. Allison took a deep breath and hazarded a question of what his favorite dessert was. The answer came back as chocolate mousse and she took a moment to wrack her brain for the recipe for something quick yet sufficient. It wasn't long before she settled on a deconstructed banoffee pie.
"I just need to know where are marshmallows, nuts and the chocolate in the kitchen and thank you," there was a momentary pause, "for giving me a shot." Allison got straight to work, stopping now and then to admire her pristine and well-equipped surroundings. It was a little surreal but she wasn't going to fluke out on this. She thanked her lucky stars that she tried out a recipe for instant mousse for a small dinner party last week but still, she was hardpressed to remember the exact measurements. Cream, butter, marshmallows, chocolate, and the rest of the equation were retrieved promptly and she eyed the quantities as she melted the dark chocolate in a double broiler before mixing the dollop of butter, marshmallow and a splash of hot water in a saucepan over a slow fire. When it was beginning to get to the temperature she wanted, she took the pan off the stove and slowly stirred it, mixing in the chocolate. Then she made quick work of whipping the thick cream and added vanilla extract to the fluffy mixture before folding the chocolate and marshmallow combination in. Remembering the banana flavour, she blitzed half and mixed it in too. Once that done and settling in the fridge, she started on her caramelized nuts, choosing cashews and hazelnuts to mix with the caramelized sugar she was waiting on.
When she found some toffee in the fridge, she thanked high heavens. The aroma of the nuts toasting in the oven was gorgeous and she went to search for a plate. Once that was accomplished, Allison began setting the golden caramelized serving of nuts and arranged some banana slices on top, drizzling toffee on pale yellow before heaping a balance of mousse on top. Allison regarded her creation and swallowed nervously as she headed out of the kitchen to inform Jean that she was ready.
Here's to nothing.
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JEAN CHANG
Civilian
PASTRY SHOP OWNER
空談燒不出飯菜
Posts: 41
MINI INFO - GENDER: Male
MINI INFO - D.O.B.: 13 NOVEMBER 1986
MINI INFO - OCCUPATION: Pastry Chef
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Post by JEAN CHANG on Sept 12, 2013 9:13:01 GMT -8
Allison's question had caught Jean off guard. He could not be sure whether she was brave or foolish. Most people, when given the chance to impress someone, would create something that they considered their specialty. To make something that was the favorite of someone else - and the favorite of the sole person judging you, in particular - was a very courageous choice. Not only would their creation have to equal or measure up to the judge's standards, if they are unfamiliar with that particular dish, there would be no hope for them. If she truly did make a chocolate mousse dessert for him, she must be very self-confident.
Jean nodded at her expression of gratitude. She was humble, that was always a good thing to look for in a person. He made a mental note to list that under her positives. But then she listed some ingredients that she needed and suddenly, Jean felt like lecturing her. Having been trained to use only the highest quality ingredients and only the finest techniques, Jean would admit that he was a bit irked to hear her ask for marshmallows. Traditional French mousse was made from raw eggs and no cream. It is difficult to achieve the perfect texture and consistency with only sugar and egg white was difficult but showed just how fine the training had to be.
However, this was a test so Jean said nothing. Instead, he handed her the ingredients she needed and then sat back for a bit to watch her mix the ingredients. He certainly hoped that his observations would not bother her. She would never be able to work otherwise. Being able to watch her work was important because it showed exactly what techniques she used and it exemplified how much training she's ever had.
Jean would have continued watching if he hadn't heard the doorbell ring, alerting him to the presence of a customer. He gave her a final glance before returning to the front of the store where everything was business as usual. He had anticipated being able to return to the kitchen before she was finished but it seemed Allison beat her to it. He turned around only to almost walk face first into a very delectable and aromatic pie. He just wasn't sure what kind of pie at first glance.
"That was faster than I expected," he murmured as he inspected the pie. "I'm assuming that you did not bake it then. The presentation is lovely from what I can see. So tell me about your creation. What did you make?"
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ALLISON CHEN
Civilian
POLITICS MAJOR
Posts: 141
MINI INFO - GENDER: Female
MINI INFO - D.O.B.: 1st July 1992
MINI INFO - OCCUPATION: Pastry Chef Apprentice
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Post by ALLISON CHEN on Sept 14, 2013 7:19:05 GMT -8
She was nervous as hell, knowing that this could very be the beginning of something she never had thought possible before: a career in the food industry. Honestly, she wasn't sure about anything. Chances are, the man before her was going to be a harsh judge too, his accent belying the fact that he probably trained in one of the finest culinary academies in that country, or even in the world. That prospect made her gulp slighty but hey, she can't regret it now. After she had set the plate on the table for Jean's perusal, Allison began to explain her dish.
"I was inspired by the banoffee pie so I decided to go with a deconstructed twist, starting from the top, it's chocolate mousse," she cringed inwardly knowing that she probably screwed up on that one because it wasn't made from scratch with her marshmallow cheat. But it tastes good, one never served before testing out their own creations if serious about food, "then there's a layer of sliced bananas drizzled with toffee and finished with crushed caramelized cashews."
She wasn't going to tack on a "I hope you like it" at the back of that because it was a damn given. The wait as she watched him take a spoonful was excruciatingly painful, she does not remember something that equaled the anxiety. It gave her pause, and made her wonder just how important this was to her. And to think this entire situation began on a whim and a 'why not?'. She wrung her hands behind her back, hoping that her twisting of fingers would take away some of her current emotions and help to make it less obvious. Though the man was probably sharp enough to pick up on her nervousness. Maybe this was a bad idea, she wasn't going to make i— Allison forced herself to stop going further down that dark path; she already doubted herself enough on a regular basis, no need to make this even more unbearable.
Either way she was going to get critique and every little thing helps, after all, it was a long journey to improvement. Just because she might fail this time, doesn't mean that she wasn't going to continue cooking and baking. It was a passion and it would not suffer from a few trips along the way. It would be foolish to succumb to embarrassment now and not keep going. Repeating that to herself helped slightly as she straightened.
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JEAN CHANG
Civilian
PASTRY SHOP OWNER
空談燒不出飯菜
Posts: 41
MINI INFO - GENDER: Male
MINI INFO - D.O.B.: 13 NOVEMBER 1986
MINI INFO - OCCUPATION: Pastry Chef
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Post by JEAN CHANG on Sept 14, 2013 16:38:57 GMT -8
Jean said nothing as Allison began explaining the dish to him. So it wasn't completely chocolate mousse but she did put chocolate mousse on top in a makeshift banoffee pie. He waited until she finished explaining her creation to him before he began to try her dessert. He was feeling a bit sadistic and watching her - the person that could very well possibly become his first apprentice - squirm under his judgemental gaze was a bt entertaining. She was nervous and clearly eager to please. It seems she really did want this position badly.
"Well," Jean began to say in between bites. "It's not the best I've ever tasted. It's a bit sweet for me personally, especially since you used marshmallows to make the chocolate mousse." Another bite. "If you use marshmallows, you cannot control the level of sugar." And another bite. "You would have to account for the marshmallow's sugar content as well as any other ingredients you may add to the mix." Jean finished the last bit of the dessert and put down the plate. "Traditional French mousse uses raw eggs and sugar to create the texture. We don't use any cream to achieve the proper consistency."
Jean paused to let his words sink in. The sooner she realized her faults the better it would be for her later on. "Now that I'm done with my lecture regarding chocolate mousse, I willl say this: I did appreciate the toasted almonds and the bananas that helped balance out the sweetness of it. And like I said before, I also liked the arrangement. Baking is not only about how it tastes but how it looks. You wouldn't want to eat something that looked like crap would you?"
He paused again as he began to search for his next words. "So, now that that's out of the way, what kind of schedule do you have? We will need to discuss your schedule and pay. I also have some forms that you need to fill out."
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ALLISON CHEN
Civilian
POLITICS MAJOR
Posts: 141
MINI INFO - GENDER: Female
MINI INFO - D.O.B.: 1st July 1992
MINI INFO - OCCUPATION: Pastry Chef Apprentice
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Post by ALLISON CHEN on Sept 14, 2013 18:16:48 GMT -8
Of course it wasn't going to be the best he'd tasted but she couldn't help the disappointment welling up in her either way. However, she attentively listened, taking in his points, reminding herself that a little critique is far better than none. It made sense really and Jean seemed patient enough with her to put it somewhat tactfully without outright saying that her creation was below par. Of course it would be, this was a master pastry chef and baker. Why would he waste time on her? Allison nodded as he continued the lecture. Though she probably wasn't going to get the position now, she could appreciate the chance he took on her and that he was taking the time to explain the faults plated. She will concede that she has done her best without the help of recipes. In fact, she was thankful that nothing fell flat, even if it was subpar.
Then he surprised her but saying that there were a few things that he enjoyed and that her presentation was good. That almost brought a smile to her face, so not all in lost but she still doubted he was going to hire he— She widened her eyes at the question. Was he going to hire her? Jesus Christ, he was going to. Unbidden wave of happiness mixed with relief washed over her and her chest tightened. She hadn't realised how important this really was to her. But she filed that away for a closer look later, now she had a question to answer. There was a big smile on her face, unbeknownst to her.
"I have classes Monday, Wednesday, Friday. That's all and I'll fill out anything you need me to." She swallowed nervously, "Thank you."
For thinking that she could do it, that it would be worth his time to teach her, and for seeing her potential.
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JEAN CHANG
Civilian
PASTRY SHOP OWNER
空談燒不出飯菜
Posts: 41
MINI INFO - GENDER: Male
MINI INFO - D.O.B.: 13 NOVEMBER 1986
MINI INFO - OCCUPATION: Pastry Chef
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Post by JEAN CHANG on Sept 16, 2013 8:54:06 GMT -8
Jean returned the wide grin that Allison graced him with with one of his own. Her reaction was priceless. How quickly a person's reactions could change. Although it may have been enjoyable for him, if she was going to be his apprentice there were a few life lessons she needed to learn; such as not being so overly honest. While some employers valued honesty, they lived in a world where being honest was not necessarily going to land them a job. And it would probably be best for her to learn that whatever he did to her, he meant it in a caring and non offensive way... Most of the time...
He had a mischievous streak in him. So, sue him. He couldn't help it if it gave him pleasure looking at people's stricken faces. Teasing those younger than him was probably a bad habit he should correct. Teasing those older than him that looked down on him on the other hand... well maybe he didn't have to completely change his habits. Either way, he was going to be a strict if not annoying teacher. He almost pitied the poor girl. Maybe she should run while she had the chance. The way she looked at him like she was about to hug him from joy, however, told him that he would be hard pressed to tell her to leave now, even if it was for her own good. She would have to get used to him, he supposed.
"We'll need to find a time when I can go over the basics of working here with you. Tuesdays would be preferable since you have classes Monday. I'll need those forms returned to me by then. And there is no need to thank me. I am merely willing to work with you. Whether you succeed or not, depends on your own power."
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ALLISON CHEN
Civilian
POLITICS MAJOR
Posts: 141
MINI INFO - GENDER: Female
MINI INFO - D.O.B.: 1st July 1992
MINI INFO - OCCUPATION: Pastry Chef Apprentice
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Post by ALLISON CHEN on Oct 16, 2013 3:20:32 GMT -8
She nodded eagerly, already making various mental notes to start reading up on techniques and bust out the potato chips for a youtube video marathon on baking. There was no way she was going to flunk this chance, it's the first she had taken for herself in an age and she was going to keep it to her chest greedily. Something for herself and herself alone. He might not seem like a cruel taskmaster but he did not look like the easiest either. Allison knew that it was not going to be a breeze and steeled herself. After all, the art of pastries is a secretive one, each master the ruler and heir to a faction within the merciless world of competition and fickle tastebuds. Now she was just beginning her journey to who knows where. Either way, she was going to try her hardest and she had a feeling that mayhap, her hardest wasn't going to be enough for the man before her.
Allison was going to be stretched, challenged beyond her means as she took her first step outside of a sheltered comfortable life. Her mother might not have been present for the last few years but she always made sure that her youngest was well taken care of and her siblings and aunt doting. And in her future, her father's legacy laid ahead, a quiet vault of secrets and wealth that will open on her twenty-first birthday. But right not, that was not for a year and this was the first foray of her finding herself. Her mother would disapprove of her daughter toiling away in the kitchens, deeming it below a girl of her standing but Allison didn't care and the fact that her mother would not like it was just another perfect reason to pursue this. She had been living according to expectations other than her own and it was an exhilarating experience, wrestling with opportunity to win a chance. She will never forget this feeling of elation and satisfaction of having gotten her way with her own hands.
All she asked for was a try at finding out her chances at her own pace, at her own risk, and she was going to get it in this gleaming kitchen.
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