Chapter 2: Prologue: How I died
Hello there.
My name is Elena Valdez and I am 24 years old.
Friends and Family call me Ely for short.
And I am a world-renowned chef.
I grew up in a family of three with a single mother struggling to work three jobs to keep a roof over our
heads ever since my father passed away.
My mother would often rely on me to care for my two younger siblings. There was Joseph who was a
bratty and energetic kid. He loves to y outside and is always seen dribbling a dirty football whenever
he can spare.
And then there is Dante, who was the baby of the family. He was always the quiet one and as he grew
up, I would often see him reading books from magazines toics even taking interest in school-
issued books.
Needless to say, I had to work at a McDonalds near us the moment I turned 15 and then at a coffee
shop and cafes when I was older just to help my mother meet ends and to help with our education.
Even during those hard times, I found cooking and baking for my family to be something that makes
them forget their worries and put a smile on their faces.
I can never forget the day I seared my very first steaks and we had a fancy dinner for my family after
my mother got promoted to head manager at the hotel she worked at.
She was almost crying at how delicious it was and my brothers who were in high school in their "fast
food" phase, even offer praises as to how it tastes like what fancy people eat.
And I actually got this recipe online.
That was when I realized why I am always happy working with food and that I have the talent for it.
I love to cook and bake. The smiles and joy I see in my family''s faces or even my customers when they
enjoy my cooking takes away my fatigue and inspires me.
That was when I decided to be a chef.
I only started on this career path after Sef graduated from college and was able to help us send Dante
to medical school while hended a job as a local sports manager.
At first, I attended culinary arts school at night while still bncing work and studying. But seeing as
how I improved my techniques as I worked and researched online on our lessons.
It felt so much fun.
I even learned how Texas BBQ owners roast and smoke their own meat using different types of wood
and how tea was steeped correctly to bring out the aroma and vor from well-known tea masters. It
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was knowledge that was often not needed in a cooking ss as one tends to follow the sybus.
But I did not care. No matter how weird the method was or how lengthy the cooking process is. I would
read up on it and even apply it during my cooking ss.
I would frustrate instructors initially but when I exined my methods and they taste my dish; their
skepticism turned to awe as I have always made the best dish in ss.
Most praised me as a genius chef.
But really.....the reason why I am this good was that I love food.
I love their rich history. Their origin and how they evolved from one form to the present dish they are
now.
Food is actually history and it influences people from their time in so many ways. It is the very aspect
that made people want to explore every possibility in life until they can''t anymore.
And somehow my endless love for the culinary arts tranted into a very prestigious stagiaire job in
Europe where I served at many Michelin star restaurants.
Top chefs became my mentor and I absorbed their experience and expertise in the field all while
expanding my never-ending thirst for cooking.
During my career, there was even a time where I resigned the moment Dante graduated and found a
high paying job at a private hospital to backpack around the world to experience global cuisine.
It was an exhrating time in my life since my brothers were secured in their lives and mother was still
healthy despite her advancing age. I got to experience how different culture prepare their food, how
climate ys a role in shaping the food even how one food is prepared a different way depending on
the region.
Like how in Japan, ramen noodles differ from every region, and how the food served in Tokyo is based
on the seasons.
And how in Germany, there is a wide variety of beer and sausages during Oktoberfest!
During my sojourn traveling the world, I would record them and put them on YouTube to let my family
know that I am doing well.
Weirdly, my channel gained an insane amount of followers who enjoyed my videos and my approach to
food which was unpretentious and fun.
I was an instant celebrity by the time I returned home. I was allowed to write several books, host
severalpetitions, and even headed my cooking shows which ran for 5 seasons before I decided to
end it.
Awards and Invites from VIPS came not too soon after and I soon learned how much more cutthroat
the culinary business was.
The best chefs were also business-minded and sly but they also made sure not to appear so because
they needed to be professional.
As time passed by, I have encountered many celebrity chefs who did not enjoy their cooking style
anymore or they are in it for the money they will earn for a single endorsement.
The reality of this world made me appreciate what got me into cooking and every time I would waver, I
thought of why I cook and it always seems to help me pick myself up.
I taught myself to study the present food trends to keep up with the times and even enrolled in business
courses to help make my dream of owning my own restaurant a wishe true.
I was already pretty famous but my fame skyrocketed when I opened my very first cafe.
It was a sess because I used social media as an advertising tool and even used my channel to
boost it to my loyal followers.
More sess followed and yet somehow in the whirlwind of sess, I was still happy despite being so
tired and stressed day after day.
It was because of my family.
Dante would often take his time from his busy and erratic schedule to visit me at one of my cafes and
Joseph would often invite me out to dinner at some trending or chic food ce.
Sometimes they would bothe and we would either eat and chat outside or we would go back to my
condo so that we can cook a meal together.
It was one of those times when I can be myself because they were my beloved brothers who worry for
me and love me despite my fame.
I thought that this nice life would continue until I retire as a chef and grow old with my family.
But I was wrong.
One night while I was experimenting on a special summer menu for my cafe, I heard a few things being
rattled inside the pantry area.
Curiously, I went inside the pantry and discovered a dark shadow holding something that glinted in the
pale light of the moon.
Before I can move, I felt something hot in my belly as he pressed it deeper into my body. Pain swiftly
numbed my body and he pushed me as he frantically ran away.
I felt something wet and lifted my hand to see...
Blood.
The kitchen tiles felt so cold as I realized that I am dying. When I tried to cry out for help; blood bubbles
and spilled from my mouth.
The ce was empty. No one wille and save me.
My brothers...Mother...
My friends....and mentors...
I regret not spending more time with them now as Iy on the floor dying, covered in my own blood.
My life suddenly shed before my eyes. All of my memories flitting and fading out in quick session
before I also saw someone else''s memories and experienced an odd sensation...
This girl was different from me in face and form and yet she was also a familiar soul as her life also
shed before my eyes till I felt like the wind was knocked out of me.
My breathing felt erratic and every time I try to take air felt like a chore until myst breath came out as
a raspy sigh.
I closed my eyes as a final farewell and let the death take me to wherever souls are ced....
I had a good life right?
I was a good daughter, an awesome big sister, and a sessful woman in my own right....
Ah....
Yes....
I have but one regret.....
I never took the time to fall in love.
Damn.