Cupid's Kitchen Episode 11 Recap
> Cupid's Kitchen Recap
Junbin Xie found Elise at a bar. Elise, visibly upset that her "hiding place" was known, was informed by Junbin that Victor was worried about her, and he was too. Elise immediately asked about Jiang Qianfan's condition, specifically if there was a possibility he couldn't regain his taste buds and if the cause had been found. Junbin explained it was very difficult; specialists agreed it could be a rare allergy causing nerve cell death.
He noted that Jiang Qianfan lost his sense of taste about six months ago. Junbin asked Elise to consider anything Jiang Qianfan had started using frequently in the past six months, such as shampoos, lotions, or perfumes. Elise recalled that essential oils were something only he used, though she also used them. She mentioned he had used aromatherapy oils for sleep for three years, buying them from a friend.
She promised to send an unopened bottle for testing the next day. Junbin urged her to make sure it was unopened. Junbin then reflected on how much happier Elise and Jiang Qianfan seemed three years ago when he visited them in London, observing their current intense drive to quickly achieve three stars for Yuxuan. Elise retorted that stars only held meaning for Jiang Qianfan; for her, stars were utterly worthless without love.
Junbin then took a very tired and drunk Elise home, where she quickly fell asleep. The next morning, Lin Kesong was in the kitchen, having burned some bread she intended to make for a party. Nina arrived with a large bouquet of red roses, explaining they were for Jiang Qianfan to use the petals, not for eating. Kesong, witnessing this, speculated if Jiang Qianfan had fallen in love.
Jiang Qianfan then appeared and criticized her burnt baking, to which Kesong jokingly pleaded for his help, reminding him of his promise from the previous night and playfully calling him "Honey." He teased her for being "too immersed in the acting" and pointed out her blushing face, which she attributed to the oven's heat. Jiang Qianfan, despite claiming to be busy, agreed to help, instructing her to get baguettes to make Bruschetta, explaining it was easy, fast, and delicious.
As they cooked, Kesong noticed how quickly and well she worked with Jiang Qianfan beside her, feeling a magical, reassuring aura from him. She realized she was starting to depend on him, a thought that startled her, prompting her to remind herself that she liked Song Yiran, even though her heart was beating fast. She found herself captivated by his movements and the "Ancient Greek sculptures" of his arm muscles while cooking.
Jiang Qianfan prepared the semi-finished products, leaving Kesong to complete the rest, as he had to go out. Shortly after Jiang Qianfan left, an air-flown cake from London was delivered. Nina informed Kesong it was from London's Yuxuan for Jiang Qianfan's birthday, though he didn't celebrate it. Kesong was perplexed, wondering why he would take flowers to visit Elise if he disliked birthdays. She then chastised herself for caring about anything beyond Jiang Qianfan's culinary skills.
Meanwhile, Huang Shi was teaching Bru how to cook. Bru, however, was distracted by thoughts of love. Upon prompting from Huang Shi, Bru confessed he was in love and sought advice on how to win the girl. Huang Shi, recalling his own youth as a "Romeo," advised sincerity and doing what the girl likes, though he admitted these methods didn't work for him as he was "too lazy to compete." Bru revealed he was smitten with Boris' apprentice, Lin Xiaoyu.
This prompted Huang Shi to recount an encounter with Boris in London, describing him as a sullen man who insisted on challenging everyone, even proposing a live broadcast against Huang Shi, which he refused. Bru realized this explained why Xiaoyu often seemed sullen. Huang Shi then imparted a final piece of wisdom: "If a flower won't bloom, then squat in front of it, until it blooms." Following this advice, Bru waited outside Lin Xiaoyu's class.
He presented her with a stuffed tiger, explaining that he felt it resembled her. Lin Xiaoyu was highly offended by being called a "tigress," angrily demanding he take back the gift and "get out of her face." Bru, confused, agreed to leave, but optimistically added, "See you tomorrow." Jiang Qianfan went to the sea to commemorate Montgomery, scattering rose petals. He reminisced about Montgomery's belief that cooking should bring happiness and joy, and cooks should embody that joy.
However, since Montgomery's passing, Jiang Qianfan felt he couldn't get one step closer to him, despite his efforts. He admitted to sometimes feeling a fear "almost like death," and that even trying Montgomery's advice to "empty himself" hadn't worked. He found himself unable to reconnect with his former self, who loved life and adventure.
He then shared that recently, he had met someone special whose presence had begun to fill some of the voids in his life, giving him hope that he would "be all right." Elise arrived, also speaking to Montgomery, thanking him for allowing her to meet the most important man in her life, referring to Jiang Qianfan. She then confronted Jiang Qianfan, asking if she was the "special person" he had mentioned.
Jiang Qianfan affirmed that Elise was "very important" in his life, but Elise insisted on being "the only one." He gently reminded her that they were "just working partners." At that moment, Boris appeared, playing an accordion as he also paid tribute to Montgomery. He then offered a cake to Jiang Qianfan, wishing him a happy birthday.
Furious, Elise snatched the cake and smashed it on a car, declaring that while Jiang Qianfan might be forgiving, she was not, and Boris still owed them for "messing with Yuxuan twice." Boris retorted that it was a matter between him and Jiang Qianfan, but then provocatively questioned Jiang Qianfan's professionalism in "randomly taking the Evil Dragon Princess" (Lin Kesong) as his apprentice.
Boris claimed to know that Jiang Qianfan's true motivation must be "something more important than winning the competition," as accepting Kesong was uncharacteristic of his pursuit of excellence. Elise tried to interject, but Boris pressed Jiang Qianfan for the truth. Jiang Qianfan and Elise, not wanting to engage with him, drove away.
As they drove home, Elise and Jiang Qianfan discussed Boris, concluding he was likely just guessing about Jiang Qianfan's condition since he had offered a cake, presumably to test his taste buds. Jiang Qianfan affirmed that their secret was safe and advised maintaining "business as usual" because Boris lacked evidence. He added that he was developing the next season's dishes. Elise, still troubled, urged Jiang Qianfan to "pray for forgiveness" for his sins.
Jiang Qianfan grew angry, insisting he had done nothing wrong and needed no forgiveness from anyone. Noticing Elise had a fever, he immediately took her home. Upon arriving at Elise's home, Jiang Qianfan prepared to leave after offering her hot water. Elise, however, clung to him from behind, desperately pleading with him not to go and not to leave her. Jiang Qianfan gently reminded her that they had agreed to be working partners.
When she asked if he didn't miss her, he explained that they had "tried, but it didn't work out," and asked her to let him go. Elise tearfully confessed her love for him. Jiang Qianfan then gently released her hand, stating that "what we had isn't love." Elise, heartbroken, angrily confronted him, accusing him of stealing her heart, breaking up with her, and then denying their love.
Jiang Qianfan, though acknowledging her pain, reiterated that he never intended to hurt her and that she "deserves someone better, and it's not me." He then left, wishing her a good rest. That evening, Lin Kesong attended a party, where Song Yiran, insisting she stay and play cards, tried to prevent her from leaving. Meanwhile, two gossiping girls online discovered that "four years ago today, Montgomery died in a sea accident."
Kesong overheard this, finally understanding the reason for Jiang Qianfan's depressed mood earlier. Chu Ting then jokingly pulled Kesong over, introducing her as Jiang Qianfan's girlfriend to the other girls. Kesong quickly clarified to Chu Ting that it was a misunderstanding and just a joke. Seizing the opportunity, she discreetly left the party. Returning home, Kesong found Jiang Qianfan sitting quietly in the dark living room. She acknowledged the significance of the day and asked if he was alright.
Jiang Qianfan then held her hand and asked if he was "a very lousy person," to which Kesong immediately reassured him he was not. He inquired about the party and whether the food was well-received; Kesong happily reported it was devoured. He then told her to get ready for bed. Kesong, observing his demeanor, realized that despite his often moody exterior, he was a person who deeply valued loyalty.
Moved, she decided to cook him a bowl of noodles, explaining that her father used to make them for her when she was sad. Jiang Qianfan tasted the noodles and, with his professional chef's instincts, offered a critique. Kesong, feigning annoyance, jokingly threatened to eat the rest herself. He then commented on her "uncivilized" slurping, but Kesong explained that slurping was essential for truly savoring the noodles. They both then happily shared the bowl, loudly slurping the noodles together.
