CHAPTER NINE
MAIZE
I can’t believe today’s the competition. I’ve been counting down to this ever since I got that phone call, and now it’s finally here. My nerves have gotten the best of me all week, and I’ve been a wreck, trying not to overwhelm myself. I know what winning could do—give me the opportunity to jumpstart my business.
When I was in culinary school, it was very competitive. I received job offers from many of the chefs who taught me after I graduated. I could’ve gone anywhere—San Francisco, New York, Dallas, or Chicago—and worked for upscale restaurants and fine dining experiences only, but the stress would’ve been too intense for me to handle. Instead, I explained I’d be working for the family business. Though it wasn’t what they wanted to hear, it was respectable, and I do
