Gemotions

“Mediocre. Bland. Forgettable.” Chef Kenji repeated the words aloud, the review a constant refrain in his mind. He glared at the phone screen, where he had been reading the digital article. The critic had eviscerated his new ramen recipe, a dish he’d devoted weeks to perfecting.

The kitchen, usually a hive of organized chaos, felt sterile, lifeless. His usual enthusiasm was replaced with a heavy sense of defeat. He pushed away his unfinished bowl of udon noodles and sighed.

He felt like a stranger in his own domain. He was starting to think maybe he didn't even enjoy cooking anymore.