Chương 99: The Champion's Name: Chris White

"Now, the moment has come to decide who takes the championship." Vane's voice sent everyone's heart climbing into their throat. Each of the three judges held a scoring paddle in hand.

"Nina, you first." Nina Marsh looked at the two men on the floor and raised her paddle with a smile.

"Ethan, your technique is flawless. I give you a 9."

"Chris, your creativity and your story moved me. I give you a 9. 5." Chris 9. 5, Ethan 9. 0. Chris was ahead, for now.

"Hale." Curtis Hale pushed up his black-framed glasses and raised his paddle too.

"Ethan, this dish is the proof of your steady ability. 9. 5."

"Chris, you let me see the infinite possibility of cooking. Also a 9. 5." Total: Chris 19, Ethan 18. 5. The gap was razor-thin. Now everyone's fate rested in the hands of the last person. Gareth Vane. The whole place fell into absolute silence. The cameras trained on Vane's face, catching his every subtle expression. Vane didn't raise his paddle right away. He stood, walked to the space between Chris and Ethan, and looked at each of them in turn. Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road.

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"You two," he began, "have made this the best season of Burning Kitchen I've ever hosted." It was the highest of praise. He turned to Ethan first.

"Ethan, your dish is flawless. But like I said, in the final you did what you're best at. You didn't take a risk. You held your castle, but you didn't go out and claim new territory." Then he turned to Chris.

"Chris, your dish had one link that nearly failed completely—that ice cream. You chose the most dangerous road, and on the most important stage of all, with the most ordinary potato." Vane's gaze moved back and forth between the two of them, his voice full of force.

"And that is the difference between a winner and an ordinary chef."

"A good chef is a person who doesn't make mistakes. But a great chef is a person who dares, at the most important moment, to put everything on the line!" With that, Vane snapped his paddle up. On it was a single bright-red number. 10. A perfect score. Final score: Chris 29, Ethan 18. 5.

"The grand champion of Burning Kitchen Season 10 is…" Vane drew the words out, then shouted the name with all the strength in his body.

"Chris White!" In that instant, gold confetti rained down from above, like a grand downpour. The whole place erupted in deafening cheers and applause. The moment Chris heard his own name, his mind went blank. He didn't scream, didn't break into sobs—he just lowered his head on reflex and looked at his own two hands. These hands, a few months ago, had only known how to tap out code, and would burn even a roasted potato.

These hands had once been covered in cuts from unpracticed knife work, had once trembled in the dead of night from too much training. And now, these very hands had made a champion's dish. He slowly raised his head and, past the gold confetti dancing through the air, looked toward Vane at the judges' table. He opened his mouth. A thousand words rushed up to his lips, and in the end he said only one thing.

"Thank you… for throwing me out, back then." Hearing it, Vane went still for a moment, then burst into a hearty laugh.

"That was the best decision I ever made!" Ethan stepped forward. The loss on his face was plain to see, but his eyes were calm. He held out his hand to Chris.

"Congratulations. You won." Chris took his hand—cold, and strong.

"Thank you."

"Although," the corner of Ethan's mouth curved into that familiar, proud arc, "next time, I won't give you a single chance."

"I'll be waiting." Chris smiled too. Sarah was the first to rush down from the stands, her face streaked with tears, and gave Chris a huge hug.

"You did it! You really did it!" Right after, Jack, Marcus, Owen… every eliminated contestant crowded in, clapping Chris on the shoulder, whistling, cheering for him. In this moment there were no rivals, only a group of companions who had fought for the same dream. Surrounded at the center of them all, looking at one genuine, smiling face after another, Chris felt, for the first time in this world, what it was like to no longer be alone.