Cupid's Kitchen Episode 28 Recap
> Cupid's Kitchen Recap
Victor brought three dishes from the Future Star Culinary Competition to Sister K's shop. His apprentices eagerly began eating, but Sister K was tormented by childhood memories of being scolded by her teacher for secretly eating snacks in class. Disturbed, she handed Victor his bike keys, telling him to leave. Victor, confused and frustrated that Sister K hadn't tasted a single bite of his food, refused to take the bike, asserting that no one had ever rejected his cooking before.
Sister K retorted that she wouldn't ask why he had smashed her bike, so he shouldn't ask why she wouldn't eat his food. She explained that she had never liked eating since she was young. Victor, undeterred, insisted that the next time they met, she would have no reason to refuse his dishes. During the morning meeting, Jiang Qianfan asked Xiao Pa to present his suggestions for optimizing front-of-house operations.
Xiao Pa detailed his plan to recategorize reservations and seat guests with similar dishes at adjacent tables, thereby improving service efficiency and reducing risks. Jiang Qianfan commended Xiao Pa for identifying the problem and optimizing his work, declaring him a "pillar of Yuxuan." He then addressed Da Mai, stating that he, too, was a pillar, as were all team members, essential and irreplaceable.
Jiang Qianfan revealed he had read the article about Da Mai and took Da Mai's initiative as a sign of readiness to bear greater responsibility. He announced that after Yuxuan achieved three Michelin stars, Elise and he would focus on preparing a third branch, entrusting Da Mai with the significant responsibility of maintaining Shanghai Yuxuan's kitchen. An emotional Da Mai promised not to disappoint him, and the team applauded.
After the meeting, Elise complimented Jiang Qianfan, saying he was "still awesome." Song Yiran came to Lin Kesong's apartment, asking her to return to Wuzhen with him the next day. Lin Kesong, who was busy training and even had a hat on to hide her self-cut hair, firmly declined, explaining she was preparing for a competition. She then inquired about his marriage proposal to Chu Ting, only to learn that they had broken up, which she found a pity.
When Song Yiran suggested they go out for a meal, Lin Kesong refused, stating she was running out of time and couldn't leave the kitchen. Song Yiran brought up the topic of the Tanghulu dessert, revealing that Jiang Qianfan had told him it symbolized Lin Kesong's feelings for him. He confessed that he had taken a few days to process this, acknowledging their decade-long friendship and his past foolishness for not realizing her feelings.
He added that he understood she had already moved on from him, and admitted his past self wasn't worthy of her. However, he told her he found her more beautiful and captivating when she was focused in the kitchen, and declared his intention to improve himself to see if the "present her" would fall for him again.
After Song Yiran left, Lin Kesong reflected on the irony: she had finally let go of her long-held crush, only for him to pick it up. She realized her feelings for him were truly a thing of the past, devoid of any heartache, wondering if her dedication to cooking or the presence of another companion had brought about this change. Da Mai arrived at a meeting arranged by Old Bai, only to find Boris waiting instead.
Da Mai expressed his unwillingness to talk to Boris, but Boris taunted him, referring to him as "Yuxuan's pillar" and questioning if Jiang Qianfan had punished him for the article Da Mai commissioned. Da Mai defended Jiang Qianfan, saying he was far more open-minded than Boris. Boris then revealed his true intention: he believed Jiang Qianfan had lost his sense of taste and wanted Da Mai to find proof, offering a large sum of money.
Da Mai refused to betray Jiang Qianfan, dismissing the money as paltry compared to the risk of becoming a traitor. Boris then accused Da Mai of insecurity, claiming Da Mai had asked Old Bai to write the article because he feared being sidelined by Jiang Qianfan. Da Mai insisted that once Yuxuan earned three Michelin stars and Jiang Qianfan opened a new restaurant, he would naturally become the Executive Chef.
Boris, however, scoffed at this, asserting that Jiang Qianfan's trust issues meant he would likely transfer someone from London, making it extremely difficult for Da Mai to secure the executive chef position unless he possessed Jiang Qianfan's secret. Boris sweetened his offer, promising to use his connections to help Da Mai move to an even better restaurant if Jiang Qianfan didn't promote him.
Da Mai reiterated his belief that Jiang Qianfan's sense of taste was fine, but Boris challenged him to explain the past incident involving the Wagyu Sirloin and Red Crayfish dish. Jiang Qianfan drove Elise home. She reminisced about how he used to tell her to go home half a year ago, and expressed her liking for his current way of talking to her. At her doorstep, she playfully asked him to carry her.
Just as he was about to, she changed her mind, explaining that his current "attitude" was already enough for her, but sadly, they "couldn't go back to the past." Later, at home, Elise messaged Junbin, revealing her inner conflict: she had wanted to tell him something that day but couldn't bring herself to do it, fearing she would lose everything and that the pain would be unbearable.
The next day, in the car, Jiang Qianfan noticed Lin Kesong's somber mood and gave her a gift: a simple keyboard phone with a SIM card, incapable of accessing the internet. When Lin Kesong expressed her dismay, he said the internet didn't help with her cooking and that from now on, she only needed to contact him and her parents. Lin Kesong called his idea "brain-dead." Jiang Qianfan then took Lin Kesong on a trip, first to the seaside.
Captain Ao complimented Lin Kesong's improved sashimi knife skills. They then visited a vegetable base where Jiang Qianfan mused that he never knew if her words would infuriate him to death or bring him back to life with laughter. He admitted his stubbornness often put pressure on others, but Lin Kesong's "noisy clamoring" had become something he was accustomed to.
Lin Kesong confided that she had never been her true self with Song Yiran, always trying to please him, which was exhausting. She then shared that she had finally let go of "Big Head" (Song Yiran) and felt a sense of relief rather than sadness, realizing she might not have loved him as much as she thought. She innocently asked if that made her "bad," to which Jiang Qianfan playfully responded before they engaged in lighthearted wrestling and tickling.
Bru visited Boris, proposing to withdraw from the culinary competition if Boris would stop pressuring Xiaoyu. Boris, however, dismissed Bru, stating he didn't consider him an opponent. Bru, unfazed, calmly told Boris that he pitied him, describing him as a "difficult person who has no friends" who was like Salieri, lamenting the existence of a talent like Jiang Qianfan but unable to be him. Infuriated by Bru's words, Boris yelled at him to get out.
Back at the restaurant, Bru confessed to Huang Shi his fear that Boris would ruin Xiaoyu. Huang Shi, however, advised that Xiaoyu needed to experience setbacks to understand her mistakes, comparing it to learning to walk; if one can't endure falling, one won't learn. Bru worried that failures would only make Xiaoyu more extreme, but affirmed that despite her flaws, he still liked her and wished for her to improve.
Victor returned, presenting Sister K with a new dish tailored to her preferences. Sister K, still refusing to eat, acknowledged his dedication and talent, admitting she was "convinced" and told him to take his bike. She explained her initial reluctance to eat was due to her lack of interest in food and her plan to trick him. Victor, however, insisted the deal wasn't over until she actually ate his food.
Sister K argued that spending too much time on eating was unproductive, calling it "lazy from eating too much." Just as their argument escalated, Sister K's apprentices arrived and chased Victor away. Li Yan received a frantic phone call. His voice filled with alarm and tears, he learned his mother had been scalded. He desperately asked about her condition, pleading with the caller to take care of her. Lin Kesong received a package of hometown specialties from her parents.
Her father, on the phone, asked Jiang Qianfan for a professional critique of his Braised Mushroom Stems. Jiang Qianfan praised the dish, declaring it "excellent" with no flaws. However, when her father suggested he learn to make it for Lin Kesong in the future, his expression changed. He quietly left the room. Lin Kesong realized that the innocent request had inadvertently touched a raw nerve for Jiang Qianfan, an emotional wound she found increasingly difficult to shield him from.
