Chasing His Kickass Luna Back by Jane Above Story

Abby

Duck. Pork. A flaky pastry dough.

It should be easy. I’ve practiced it a hundred times, tasted it a thousand. It’s one

of my favorite French dishes to make, and yet, as the stage descends into

organized chaos…

I’m frozen.

My eyes are wide like a deer in headlights. The deafening roar of the crowd, the

sound of voices and cooking utensils, the movement of the cameras and the

announcer’s voice booming over the microphone—all of it is too much.

Enter title…

Suddenly, I feel as though I’m being transported back in time, back to a time

when I was much younger…

of culinary school, the end of my

supposed to compete in a style not all that much

sky-high stakes and the

around our stainless steel tables, dressed in our

chef’s uniforms, as our professor—Chef Andrews—paced

announcing our task

preparing beef stroganoff.

to detail. I expect each and

techniques we have been practicing all semester. You may

action, I felt my hands go clammy. I

front of me, but my mind went

something as basic as beef

at that moment, it felt as though someone

my mind clean.

matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t remember how to get it started.

felt foreign, and

to be taking on the task

were born with a

guy who treated every