Writing Group: Short Story: Interview

The prompt for this week was urban fantasy, with a twist. We had to write about someone in a seemingly regular profession and I selected chef.

Urban Fantasy: is a subgenre of fantasy, placing supernatural elements in an approximation of a contemporary urban setting. The combination provides the writer with a platform for classic fantasy tropes, quixotic plot-elements, and unusual characters—without demanding the creation of an entire imaginary world. (From Wikipedia)

Note: Some of my favorite urban fantasy is the Dresden Files series.

I wrote mine in the form of an interview, as someone who does love to cook this was a fun perspective but I wouldn’t ever actually cook with anything dangerous. Probably. I hope you enjoy this short story. Happy writing.

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Welcome readers! Today’s celebrity interview is with Chef Nelson. Nelson is the head chef at the only bistros within three states that caters to all of the magical races and to humans. 

Q1: Nelson, how did you end up head chef at the Mix-It Up Bistro? 

A1: I was a private chef for the elven ambassadors for seven years and they had guests of many races. I grew accustomed to cooking for a variety of peoples. 

Q2: Now, correct me if I’m wrong but several magical races eat things that are hazardous to humans, how do you handle those things as a human? 

A2: Yes, I’m human. I have custom made hazard protection gear that I wear when dealing with potentially lethal ingredients. But honestly working to elevate those dangerous ingredients is such a rush.  

Q3: Can you give us examples of some of those ingredients?

A3: Of course! So dwarves can eat absolutely anything, including poisons. They think it adds flavor. As a human, unfortunately I’m unable to confirm if it does. Their stomachs are stone. I’ve used plants of the nightshade family as decorations with snake venom in a sauce. Demons love spicy and hot, like we serve their food on still smoldering coals. Elves, well they drink a magically heady wine that will put even the stoutest dwarf into a stupor and we cook with it on a daily basis. 

Q4: Now, how do you keep all of your customers safe with all of these dangerous ingredients around?

A4: We have a massive kitchen with separate stations for each of the magical races and humans. We also have separate menus for each with no name overlap on the dishes. We also have staff who clean everything often to ensure no cross contamination. We have recently added a second walk-in freezer to ensure that there are no, ummm, issues, with ingredients being confused. Anything lethal to the general population has been separated. Anyone doing prep-work now has to pass a writing legibility test. 

Q5: Has there ever been an incident where someone got the wrong dish and was harmed? 

A5: Ummm, no comment. 

Q6: Right, do you have a favorite dish to prepare? 

A6: Yes, I do. Seared puffer fish with a mandrake mash topped with thin sliced autumn skullcap mushrooms in a reduction of a garlic, lemon and basilisk venom sauce. The dwarves go wild for it but I have to cook it under a special vacuum hood as the fumes can kill. We have a dwarf chef that prepares it on the regular but I make it when requested by those at the chef’s table. I risk my life each time I whip up that dish.

Q7: Are you an adrenaline junkie?

A7: The bistro owner says I’m not legally allowed to answer that question. 

There you have it folks, Chef Nelson! Head chef at the Mix-It Up Bistro. Only eat there if you dare or if you are a dwarf. 

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Thank you KW Photography for allowing me to use your wonderful photos!

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