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…

culinary school, the end

we were supposed to compete in a style not all that

sky-high stakes and

was gathered around our stainless steel tables, dressed

as our professor—Chef

us, announcing

announced, “you will be preparing beef stroganoff.

attention to detail. I expect each and every one

have been practicing all semester. You may

into action, I felt my hands go clammy.

ingredients in front of

as beef stroganoff? I had made

but at that moment, it felt

my mind clean.

couldn’t remember how to get it

me felt foreign, and I

classmates seemed to be taking on the task just fine, dicing, searing,

with a skillet in their hand. Then

treated every class