Beef, pork, eggs, onions, and bread were laid out on the cooking station, alongside various seasonings.
Anyone with even a modest interest in cooking could likely guess what was about to be prepared.
"Now then, it’s time I taught you that dish I promised..."
As he spoke, Rei glanced at the group gathered in the kitchen.
Nearly twenty cooks stood before him.
Though they had worked tirelessly until late the previous night for the victory celebration and had only just finished preparing breakfast a few hours ago, not a single one of them showed a trace of exhaustion. If anything, their eyes sparkled with the curiosity and instinct of professional chefs, eager to learn a recipe they had never encountered.
(I’ve taught people how to make udon and seafood okonomiyaki before, but I’ve never seen a group quite this intense. I suppose that’s to be expected from the staff of the finest inn in the Bestia Imperial Capital.)
Feeling slightly overwhelmed by their enthusiasm, Rei addressed them again.
"First, I should give you a warning. Even though I say I know this dish, I’ve never actually made it myself. My knowledge comes entirely from books; this will be my first time putting it into practice. I want you all to keep that in mind."
Maxim, the manager of the cooks and a man in his 50s, nodded in understanding.
"I see. We’ve all taken that into account. Even so, starting from a base like that is far faster than trying to develop a new dish from scratch. Besides, if the dish has flaws, we’ll be the ones to refine it. Right, everyone? Show him the pride of the Eternal Sky Inn’s chefs!"
"Yes, Chef!"
At the command of Maxim, the general manager of the kitchen, the other cooks responded in unison. Despite his strait-laced appearance, the man seemed to possess a remarkably flexible mind.
Seeing this, Rei felt a sense of relief. "All right. First, we start with..."
Rei turned his attention back to the cooking table. The dish he intended to make was Hamburg steak. However, since his only real experience was from a home economics class back in elementary school, he was working from somewhat hazy memories.
"Uh... first, we need to mince the meat into fine pieces. It’s called ground meat."
"...You’re going to mince such fine cuts of meat? That seems like... no, I gave my word. Understood. We’ll do it immediately."
Though Maxim looked momentarily stunned by Rei's instructions, he quickly signaled his subordinates. Following his lead, the cooks began finely mincing high-quality cuts of beef and pork fillet.
Rei, who only knew as much about meat cuts as the average person, didn't realize they were using such expensive parts. If anything, looking at the lean fillet, he simply thought it lacked marbling.
"Next, finely mince the onions and sauté them until they’re translucent. As for the bread, give it a light toast and then tear it into small pieces."
The orders were carried out instantly. The onions were swiftly diced and sautéed, while the bread was toasted and shredded with practiced efficiency. As expected of the staff at the Eternal Sky Inn, they moved with seamless coordination and no hesitation.
Before long, the meat had become ground meat, the onions were sautéed, and the bread had been reduced to pseudo-breadcrumbs.
(I remember seeing something on a cooking show once about soaking the bread in milk... but I should probably leave that kind of detail to the pros. I had the image of sandwich bread in my head for the crumbs, but I’m not sure if this bread will work the same way.)
Still, he continued with his next set of instructions while dredging up his vague memories.
"The ratio for the ground meat should be... seven to three? No, let’s just go with fifty-fifty for now. Season it lightly with salt and pepper. Also, if you have something to help remove the gaminess of the meat, it might be worth adding... well, never mind that for today; you can experiment with that when you refine the recipe later. Oh, and add the eggs and knead it all together until it’s consistent."
The sautéed onions, pseudo-breadcrumbs, ground meat, eggs, and seasonings were combined, and a cook began to knead the mixture.
Once the meat was well-integrated, they formed it into palm-sized patties, made a small indentation in the center of each, and placed them into a heated frying pan with oil. They seared both sides over high heat to lock in the shape, then lowered the flame and covered the pan to finish the cooking with steam.
After a few minutes, Rei decided to trust the cooks' intuition over his own memory and had them turn off the heat.
Normally, a demi-glace sauce would be the standard accompaniment, but Rei had no idea how to make one. Instead, he decided to use the sauce from the inn's grilled skewers. It was a rich, labor-intensive sauce that no ordinary shop could replicate.
Once the Hamburg steaks were ready, they were lined up before the cooks.
"This dish is called Hamburg steak. Please, try it."
Following Rei's invitation, Maxim was the first to take a fork and knife to the patty on his plate. Since the outside had been seared firm, the resistance against the knife felt similar to that of a steak. However, once he cut through the surface, the interior—which had been steamed to a tender, fluffy finish—let out a flow of meat juices.
The volume of juice wasn't quite as much as Rei had hoped for, likely because they had used lean cuts like fillet rather than fattier meat. However, the use of minced fillet resulted in a texture far more delicate and airy than a standard Hamburg steak, which was an outcome Rei hadn't anticipated.
Maxim took his first bite without adding any sauce. Under the intense scrutiny of the other chefs, he slowly savored the flavor.
The exterior was fragrant and provided a satisfying bite, while the interior was incredibly soft. Though it was a mix of beef and pork, the eggs, onions, and pseudo-breadcrumbs bound the flavors together so that they complemented rather than competed with each other.
"Ho, this is quite impressive..."
It truly felt like eating meat, yet it was distinct from a steak. And yet, the meaty satisfaction was fully there. The other chefs were shocked by Maxim's reaction. As the man in charge of the kitchen, Maxim was famously strict with both himself and others. During their regular new dish presentations, he often tore apart the work of his subordinates with harsh critiques.
To hear him offer praise without a single complaint was a rare event indeed. Of course, Maxim was being lenient because he knew Rei was a culinary amateur. Had another chef presented this, he likely would have found a thousand faults in everything from the cut of the meat to the molding and searing.
"You lot try it too. You’ll understand why I’m surprised."
At Maxim's suggestion, the other cooks reached for their plates. Like their manager, they started without the sauce. Rei followed suit, but he felt a slight sense of disappointment. To him, a proper Hamburg steak was something that should burst with juice the moment it was cut.
However, Rei was the only one who knew that standard. For these chefs, this first experience would become their benchmark.
"This is incredible..."
"It has the full flavor of meat, but since it’s been minced, even those with weak teeth could enjoy it."
"But the sauce..."
"That’s expected. This is a grilled skewer sauce, after all. It wasn't designed for this... Hamburg steak, was it?"
"Personally, I think an acidic sauce made with raspberries would pair well..."
"Really? I’d prefer something heartier, with a more powerful presence."
"Hmm, I might like it better without sauce, as long as it's seasoned more heavily before cooking."
"The dish itself is solid, but what about the sides? Since it's meat, maybe vegetables? Potatoes, perhaps?"
"Potatoes might be too heavy. I think something light and refreshing to cleanse the palate would be better."
"Maybe fresh leafy greens?"
"Then why not just serve a salad on the side?"
As a flurry of opinions broke out, Rei breathed a sigh of relief. They were all fundamentally positive. Had they called it a failure, he would have been forced to dig through his memories for another recipe.
Rei looked at Maxim, only to find the manager looking back at him. They locked eyes for a long moment before Rei broke the silence.
"This Hamburg steak is a versatile dish. You could simmer it in a pot to make stewed Hamburg steak, or put it between round bread with greens and tomatoes to make a hamburger. The recipe I gave you is just a basic version from my memory, so I’m sure there’s plenty of room for improvement. I’d be honored if you could perfect it as a specialty of the Eternal Sky Inn."
"...Hmph, you didn't need to tell me that. Watching the process today, I’ve already spotted several areas for refinement. Specifically, the choice of meat. This fillet was delicious, but I suspect it would be better with a part that has more fat."
Rei nodded instinctively. He was impressed that Maxim could deduce the ideal version of the dish after just one tasting.
"You’re right. Normally, you’d use fattier cuts so that the meat juices overflow when you cut it. That said, I think this version is delicious in its own right, and it might appeal to customers who don't like heavy, greasy flavors. Also..."
Rei glanced at the remaining mixture in the bowl on the table.
"As for the meat, we used pork and beef today, but I think it would be even better with monster meat. I don't need to tell you that high-rank monster meat is exceptionally delicious because of its magic power."
"Yes, I was thinking the same thing. Fortunately, this inn has the connections to procure high-rank monster meat. Though, getting it consistently is always the challenge. If the processing isn't perfect, the flavor drops immediately. Instead of pork, an Orc... and for the beef... I believe there’s a bull-type monster called a Lancebull about a week’s travel from the capital. Perhaps I should order some to experiment with. If I use a higher ratio of Orc... no, given the Lancebull meat quality..."
The creative spark had clearly ignited. Maxim began muttering to himself as he reached for nearby ingredients, slicing a mushroom and tossing it into a pan with butter. The other chefs let out soft, wry smiles. It was clear this was a common sight in their kitchen.
"Forgive him, Rei-san. When Pops gets like this, he won't stop until he's satisfied with the result," Maxim's assistant said, stepping forward. He was a friendly-looking man in his 30s and effectively the number two of the kitchen.
"No, I’m just glad my knowledge was useful. Besides, I made a rather absurd request for a massive amount of food to take with me."
"Hahaha. We were a bit worried when we heard the volume you wanted, but an Item Box really is a miracle, isn't it? I’m quite jealous that you never have to worry about ingredients spoiling. Anyway, we’ve got the recipe down, so you’re free to go. Here, take this as a token of our thanks."
He handed Rei a fruit tart topped with a vibrant assortment of berries and fruit. Rei offered his thanks and made his way out of the dining hall.
Eventually, the Hamburg steak recipe would leave the Eternal Sky Inn and evolve into what was known as tsukune, which, when paired with the udon that had reached Gilm, would become the local favorite known as tsukune udon... but that was still some time in the future.