God-Given Business Genius

‘As if deliberately making sure we could hear…’

It’s irritating, but not quite to the level where I can confront him about it. He didn’t explicitly curse at me.

Nor did he directly complain to the waiter.

He just loudly voiced his complaints as if making sure we could hear.

Of course, even that was enough to make the waiters start scrambling and watching his reactions.

‘Let’s not pay attention unnecessarily.’

I came here to enjoy a meal. There’s no need to sour my mood over this.

Regardless of the customer’s attitude, the appetizer was excellent.

It had a charm that pleased both the eyes and the palate.

Especially interesting was Bong Kang-min’s signature technique of ‘pretending to be a different ingredient’.

Should I call it molecular gastronomy? The egg yolk had a popping texture like flying fish roe, which was quite eye-opening.

‘It’s interesting, but it takes too much effort.’

To create this shape and texture, you first have to drop the alginate-mixed main ingredient into an edible calcium chloride solution one drop at a time.

This process is very complex and delicate, and if you don’t carefully drop each drop with utmost attention, the sizes will be inconsistent and unappealing to look at.

Because it’s so labor-intensive, it’s not suitable for large-scale cooking. And if you make it for each order, it takes too much time.

In short, it’s not something you’d even attempt unless it’s for this kind of high-end cuisine.

‘It’s a shame. It would be nice if there was an easier method.’

For someone like me who targets the general public and prioritizes high volume, low margin sales strategies, this is just a pipe dream.

Which makes it all the more enjoyable to look at.

As I was savoring the appetizer, I completely forgot about the unpleasant incident from earlier, as if it had never happened.

The next dish too, until mine came out first.

“Well, I never!”

From the next table came a scoffing laugh, as if in disbelief.

‘I guess he misunderstood that he arrived first.’

I had left my seat to go to the bathroom before the appetizer came out, and the next table seemed to have arrived during that time.

Because I returned to my seat after that person arrived, he probably thought I was getting my food first despite arriving later.

‘If he just said something directly, I could at least explain that wasn’t the case.’

But he didn’t, so I couldn’t think of any way to clear up this misunderstanding.

No, even if the food order got mixed up, is this something to express such dissatisfaction over?

Just as that thought crossed my mind, I conveniently heard grumbling from the next table.

“The temperature isn’t right. This is what happens when you mess up the order. The subtle temperature difference is crucial for food. Tsk, the servers are ruining perfectly prepared dishes.”

This seemed to be quite an important criterion for that person, whether a critic or a gourmet. The pen scribbling in the notebook was quite noisy.

I was curious about what he was writing. No, I think I can guess what he scribbled, and it makes me sick.

Up to that point, well.

It was still ignorable.

Though I had various thoughts internally, I pretended to enjoy my meal without showing any reaction outwardly.

There’s no point in reacting; it would only provide fodder. If possible, I hoped this would pass without any trouble.

If it were my restaurant, I would have taken some measures, but this was Bong Kang-min’s establishment.

It would be troublesome to tarnish Bong Kang-min’s reputation by intervening carelessly. Rather than taking that risk, it was better to let the unnecessary comments go in one ear and out the other.

As I was savoring the food in that state of no-mind…

“Are you deaf or what?”

It seems even this response irritated him.

‘I think I get it now. Dressed up like that, obviously showing he’s a critic~, complaining openly—until now, everyone must have catered to him.’

I could sense the waiters flustering. But this person seemed to want not just the waiters, but also the customers to be wary of him and not know what to do.

‘Someone who hasn’t dealt with difficult customers might have reacted that way.’

But he chose the wrong opponent.

I’m not as easy-going as I might appear. I steadfastly continued my meal with the attitude of ‘You keep talking. I’ll keep eating.’

But then,

“……”

When I saw a staff member hesitating in front of me, holding the next course dish.

Without hesitation, I gestured for them to serve the next table first.

I’m not that sensitive anyway, and I thought it would be more beneficial if I could avoid hearing that grumbling by yielding once.

However, the waiter bit their lip and served me first.

As they skillfully explained the menu, it seemed that despite a moment’s hesitation, they chose to serve the meal in the correct order.

As I widened my eyes slightly at this,

The next table, apparently finding it absurd, let out another dissatisfied grumble.

A moment later, another waiter approached that table to set down the food. Then, as they tilted the wine bottle to pour the paired wine…

Thwack!

“Ah!”

Before the waiter could finish pouring, he suddenly pulled the wine glass back.

The wine that hadn’t made it into the glass stained the tablecloth red.

“What is this!”

But the customer at the next table shouted with a deeply furrowed brow. It was completely unreasonable, but from the outside, it looked as if the waiter had made a mistake and spilled the wine.

“Are you joking right now? Do you know how much money I paid to come here! Is this the level of service you provide?!”

“We sincerely apologize, sir.”

They had every right to feel wronged. But the waiter immediately apologized without a word of argument.

“We will replace the tablecloth right away and reset your meal so you can enjoy it again.”

“Is that all?”

“Pardon?”

“No, I came here to enjoy my time at the end of the year. Did I come here to have my mood ruined? If I knew it would be like this, I wouldn’t have come~!”

The so-called ‘crime of hurting my feelings’.

It was an unreasonable demand for compensation because his feelings were hurt.

At this point, that customer’s objective became clear.

‘Right. They’re everywhere.’

Causing a commotion in a restaurant tarnishes the establishment’s name in itself. The reason doesn’t matter, whether it’s the restaurant’s fault or not.

When customers recall the name of that restaurant, if they think of shouting and arguments instead of delicious food, the game is already over.

It’s dishonorable for any restaurant, but it’s even more fatal for a fine dining establishment like this.

Usually, the price of a high-end course meal includes not just the food, but also the concept of purchasing good memories and excellent service.

No matter how delicious the food is, if you don’t feel properly treated for the price you paid, it’s human nature to feel somewhat dissatisfied.

‘He’s exploiting that point.’

In this situation, the restaurant would not only waive the meal cost but might even pay extra to get rid of this troublesome customer.

‘There are similar cases. What do they call them? Corporate meeting crashers?’

It might sound funny to say there are corporate meeting crashers in restaurants. What should we call them? Fine dining crashers?

But it’s true.

Especially the year-end dinner course. Its importance cannot be overstated.

If this meal is ruined, it could lead to a sharp drop in visits to .

‘So they probably pull these stunts aiming for money.’

His initial complaints towards me were likely just looking for faults. It might have been.

“Call the owner out here.”

“I-I’ll call the manager first.”

“No, I said call the owner out!”

The waiter’s gaze, looking at the shouting customer, was filled with bewilderment and fear.

And the customer at the next table, seeing this, once again confirms his position and intimidating presence.

It’s an endless vicious cycle.

Of course, it’s somewhat unavoidable given the customer-employee relationship.

As the situation gradually worsened, it finally reached this state.

“Call the owner out heeeere!”

In front of the waiter covered in red wine, this fine dining crasher raised his voice even more.

“I am the owner.”

As if the news had reached the kitchen, Bong Kang-min walked out of the kitchen wearing his chef’s uniform.

“Is there something you’re dissatisfied with?”

At Bong Kang-min’s question, the customer flinched for a moment. Faced with Bong Kang-min, he felt intimidated by the humorless face and tall stature.

But backing down here would disqualify him as a fine dining crasher.

“I-I was trying to be patient and let it slide, but you must think I’m a pushover! Huh?”

“Sir. Let’s move over here and talk separately.”

Having been in business for more than a day or two, Bong Kang-min seemed to roughly know how to handle such shouting customers.

‘Right. Separating from the regular customers. That’s the top priority.’

But unlike ordinary customer complaints, these people aim to cause a commotion.

They won’t comply easily.

Sure enough. As if he had no intention of complying with Bong Kang-min’s words, he instead raised his voice.

“No! Did I say anything wrong? Well, did I?! The employee management here is completely lacking! The service is a total mess!”

Didn’t you lead the service to become a mess yourself?

“Spilling wine, messing up the serving order!”

You deliberately made the wine spill, and you misunderstood the serving order yourself.

I mentally countered. But I couldn’t step in when it wasn’t my restaurant. The customers began to murmur about this disturbance one by one. If this situation isn’t quickly contained, it will be difficult to salvage the atmosphere.

“We’ll prepare the wine and food again for you. I’m not sure what you mean about the serving order. Our restaurant serves courses in the order that customers arrive and place their orders.”

“That’s the problem!”

Then, he suddenly pointed at me.

“Why did that person’s food come out first?! I came first! Are you treating them better because they’re a celebrity?!”

Oh?

I had been just watching because I felt I had no right to intervene.

But if you’re suddenly handing me an invitation like this.

Thank you?