Cupid's Kitchen Episode 10 Recap
> Cupid's Kitchen Recap
Song Yiran awoke at eight o'clock, having slept late after playing until very late the night before. He asked Chu Ting if she was hungry and suggested they go downstairs for breakfast. However, a server arrived with a lavish breakfast spread, explaining that Director Song, Song Yiran's brother, had personally arranged it for Miss Chu. Song Yiran, slightly peeved that his brother had never prepared breakfast for him, let the server in.
As they ate, Song Yiran proposed that they move out. He explained that he no longer wished to be controlled by his brother, and Chu Ting, after a brief concern about his brother's reaction, affectionately agreed to his plan. Jiang Qianfan brought Lin Kesong to the Yuxuan kitchen, where she was immediately awestruck by the chefs' sophisticated techniques, a stark contrast to her uncle's restaurant. She eagerly offered to assist, but Jiang Qianfan instructed her to observe instead.
After preparing a dish for an esteemed guest, Mr. Mark, Jiang Qianfan asked Lin Kesong to taste it. She noted it was "saltier by about 0. 4 grams" compared to the salt they used at home. Upon hearing this, Jiang Qianfan angrily confronted Elise, who confirmed that a new batch of salt with a different salinity had just arrived. He then knocked a bowl off the counter in frustration.
Though Elise offered to explain the situation to the guests, Jiang Qianfan, confident in his abilities, declared he would "work his magic" himself. He brushed off Lin Kesong's suggestion to re-taste the dish, affirming that her judgment was precise and the standard. Mr. Mark, the guest, complimented the cuisine as "Jiang Qianfan style as always," noting the absence of sugar. Jiang Qianfan personally completed the final touch of the "Crab Meat Stuffed in Fragrant Orange" at the table.
He specifically reassured Mark that the child's portion contained no crab meat. However, Mark, known for his discerning palate, critiqued the dish, suggesting that Taihu Lake crabs would have harmonized better with the fragrant orange than the Yangcheng Lake crabs used. Just as Jiang Qianfan was about to leave, the child inadvertently took a bite from his father's plate, causing Mark to panic and urgently try to make his son spit it out due to his severe crab allergy.
Jiang Qianfan then calmly intervened, revealing that he had, without telling anyone, replaced all the "crab" in the dishes with mushrooms precisely to prevent the child from accidentally consuming the adult meal. From outside the room, a relieved Lin Kesong excitedly tried to high-five Elise, who responded with a disapproving glance.
Later, Mark sincerely thanked Jiang Qianfan for his thoughtful actions for his son, expressing admiration for the numerous experiments he must have conducted to successfully substitute mushrooms for crab without anyone noticing. Mark jokingly confessed that, despite his reputation as a "sharp-tongued" food critic, he found nothing to criticize about Jiang Qianfan's dishes that day.
After the incident, Jiang Qianfan explained to Lin Kesong that he had neutralized the dish's saltiness by grinding dried tangerine peels into a powder and sprinkling it over the food. He stressed that while a chef must learn to correct mistakes, the more crucial skill is to minimize them from occurring in the first place. When Lin Kesong asked why he hadn't tasted the dish himself, he simply stated that her taste was accurate.
She admitted to being nervous during the incident, to which he calmly replied that she would get accustomed to such situations after more experience. On their way home, Jiang Qianfan was visibly cheerful. He took Lin Kesong to the riverside, where they tried skipping stones. Jiang Qianfan, despite his culinary prowess, proved to be rather inept at it, much to Lin Kesong's amusement.
She playfully teased him, declaring that even a "divine chef" like him couldn't defeat her at skipping stones. Jiang Qianfan jokingly threatened to cook her tongue if she kept provoking him. Later, he received a call from Elise. He admitted to being tired and confirmed that his medical condition remained unresolved.
He found solace in Lin Kesong's presence, grateful that she was unaware of his illness, yet acknowledging that he would need her by his side even more as time went on. The next day, Li Yan received a frantic call from his mother, who demanded money to cover her gambling losses. He explained that he had already given her his entire last month's paycheck and had nothing left.
Faced with his mother's emotional manipulation, a distraught Li Yan ultimately contacted Boris. When they met, Boris handed over the money, acknowledging that Li Yan had finally decided to cooperate. Li Yan then disclosed that Jiang Qianfan had first discovered Lin Kesong's extraordinary sense of taste in Hangzhou and desired to take her as his apprentice, despite her lack of culinary background. He further revealed that Jiang Qianfan had traversed five cities in total to find such an apprentice.
Song Yiran, eager to be closer to Lin Kesong, rented an entire floor of the high-rise building directly opposite Jiang Qianfan's residence, making them neighbors. He excitedly sent Lin Kesong a text message, promising a surprise. Despite Jiang Qianfan’s instruction to focus on her culinary training and not mention Song Yiran during class, a delighted Lin Kesong, ignoring his protests, rushed to open the door when Song Yiran arrived with a bottle of champagne.
Song Yiran gleefully announced their new neighbor status. Lin Kesong was initially thrilled, but her expression fell when Song Yiran added that Chu Ting would also be moving in and frequenting their place for meals. Sensing Lin Kesong's sudden shift in mood, Jiang Qianfan intervened, brusquely ushering Song Yiran away under the pretense that Lin Kesong needed to concentrate on her upcoming competition. Jiang Qianfan then sent Lin Kesong to the cold storage room to retrieve meat.
Inside, Lin Kesong's thoughts drifted to Song Yiran's unexpected move, pondering if he had done so out of concern that Jiang Qianfan might bully her, or simply because he couldn't bear to be apart. She chuckled to herself, a sound that Jiang Qianfan overheard. As a mischievous punishment, he promptly locked the cold storage door.
Lin Kesong called out to him, but he pretended to be outside, warning her of the potential presence of cockroaches, rats, and even snakes among the stored food. Realizing he wouldn't open the door, Lin Kesong fell silent. Her sudden quietness worried Jiang Qianfan, who quickly unlocked the door, only to be confronted by Lin Kesong, broom in hand, ready for a fight. Shortly after, Song Yiran called Lin Kesong.
Feigning a stomachache, she excused herself from the kitchen to take the call in the yard. Song Yiran had flown a drone into Jiang Qianfan's yard, carrying a small note with a cartoon drawing of Lin Kesong. After a brief conversation, she quickly returned to her lessons. Back in the kitchen, Jiang Qianfan began to teach Lin Kesong how to cut meat.
Standing gently behind her, he held her hands, guiding her through the intricate knife strokes and reassuring her that she wouldn't accidentally cut herself. In his embrace, Lin Kesong felt a profound relaxation and warmth. As she sliced, she perceived the meat's texture and grains with amplified clarity, as if she had entered Jiang Qianfan’s magnified world where all her senses were heightened and everything felt wonderfully new.
Later, when Chu Ting discovered that Lin Kesong was also living nearby, she was furious that Song Yiran hadn't informed her earlier. Song Yiran, trying to appease her, dismissed her concerns, saying he never considered Lin Kesong as anything more than a friend and if anything were to happen between them, it would have already occurred during their ten years of acquaintance.
Chu Ting, however, argued that "people will change," especially now that Lin Kesong was an apprentice to a renowned chef, and pointed out how Lin Kesong had followed him from Wuzhen to Hangzhou, and now to Shanghai. Song Yiran was taken aback, remarking that this was the first time anyone had ever been jealous of Lin Kesong, and insisted that he and Lin Kesong were truly just friends.
Seeing an opportunity to quell Chu Ting's suspicions, Song Yiran accepted a phone invitation from Jiang Qianfan for them to have dinner at his house. When Song Yiran and Chu Ting arrived, Lin Kesong was in the kitchen preparing the meal. Jiang Qianfan, to the couple's utter astonishment, introduced Lin Kesong as the "hostess" of the house and affectionately referred to her multiple times as "Honey" and "Darling."
Throughout dinner, Jiang Qianfan continued his charade, calling Lin Kesong "Darling" and "Baby," even going so far as to feed her a piece of lobster he had meticulously cleaned. Lin Kesong squirmed with awkwardness and discreetly stomped on his foot under the table, but Jiang Qianfan maintained a perfectly natural demeanor, making Song Yiran and Chu Ting increasingly uncomfortable.
Feigning concern for the meal, Jiang Qianfan then asked Lin Kesong if the beef bourguignon upstairs was ready, using it as an excuse to follow her into the kitchen. Once they were in the kitchen upstairs, Lin Kesong immediately confronted Jiang Qianfan about his bewildering behavior. He explained that he was simply "helping her," concerned that seeing Song Yiran and Chu Ting together might upset her. Understanding his underlying intention, Lin Kesong agreed to continue with his elaborate act.
Back downstairs, Song Yiran and Chu Ting invited Lin Kesong to their housewarming party the following day. Jiang Qianfan readily accepted on her behalf, granting her the day off. He then promised to prepare all the snacks for the party, affectionately tweaking her nose and calling her "Honey," his doting demeanor stirring a noticeable envy in Chu Ting. Song Yiran, having drunk excessively, had to be escorted home by Jiang Qianfan, Lin Kesong, and Chu Ting.
While inside, Lin Kesong noticed Chu Ting's photos and Song Yiran's scattered belongings, realizing that Song Yiran and Chu Ting were now "inextricably linked." Feeling a pang of sadness, she was quickly ushered out by Jiang Qianfan, who noticed her distracted state. On their way back, Jiang Qianfan, sensing her sadness, pointed out that from Song Yiran's perspective, he and Lin Kesong were also "inextricably linked" after their public display.
Lin Kesong mused about Jiang Qianfan's peculiar nature; when he was gentle, he seemed like a different person, and if one didn't know his "true colors," his charm could be truly captivating. She even found herself contemplating that pretending to be lovers with him was a "sweet sacrifice." Junbin located Elise at a bar, where she immediately inquired about Jiang Qianfan's condition and the possibility of him regaining his tastebuds.
Junbin informed her that after a specialist consultation, it was believed to be a rare allergy causing the death of some nerve cells. Elise pressed further, asking what could possibly be causing it.
