Chapter 53: Gourmet Deli

Pierre’s expression subtly shifted.

At first, his well-shaped eyebrows arched, as if he was surprised. Then, chewing slowly, he tilted his head curiously.

Like a seasoned chemist analyzing some unknown ingredient.

Crunch.

In the quiet, fragrant air, the crisp sound of soybean sprouts being bitten echoed especially clear.

Lee Jun-hyuk and Yu Ilhan held their breath, watching his reaction.

Their hearts thumped hard against their ribs.

In this brief instant, the future of La Choy might be decided.

Pierre swallowed the soybean sprouts.

Then, without a word, he picked up his fork and tasted the sprouts again.

This time, it was a bigger mouthful than before.

As if determined to savor every bit of seasoning.

“Hmm….”

He murmured at last.

It was impossible to tell if it was positive or negative, or what he meant. Ignoring the two men’s anxious anticipation, he took a third forkful.

This time, he carefully scooped up even the broth left at the bottom of the can with a tiny spoon, tasting it.

Time seemed to stretch on like an endless thread.

It felt as if hours had passed.

In reality, not even a minute had gone by.

Finally, Pierre wiped his mouth with a napkin and spoke.

“Interesting.”

He stroked his clean-shaven chin.

“It’s canned, yet how does it keep such a fresh crunch? This is practically magic.”

Yu Ilhan, excited, opened his mouth to explain, but Lee Jun-hyuk replied first, calmly and boldly.

“We precisely control the blanching time and temperature down to the second. After hundreds of trials, we discovered the optimal point—go even one second over two minutes and it’s ruined.”

“Two minutes….”

Pierre nodded in admiration.

“And this delicate umami—what is it? It’s not just soy sauce or salt, is it?”

Now Yu Ilhan answered, proud and confident.

“We added a very small amount of Magic Powder. Only 0.5% of the total weight.”

“Ah, that Magic Powder the Japanese scientists invented…”

Pierre’s eyes sparkled with interest.

“It’s truly a perfect ratio. Any more would have tasted artificial, and any less wouldn’t have brought out this umami.”

He tasted it again.

This time, it wasn’t for evaluation—he was simply enjoying it.

Like swirling a fine wine, he rolled it around in his mouth and savored the flavors.

And then, finally, he broke into a bright smile.

“Now I understand why my friend Chef Jean praised it so highly.”

At his smile, Lee Jun-hyuk and Yu Ilhan both unconsciously breathed a sigh of relief.

“This isn’t just a canned food. This, in itself, can be a first-class ‘ingredient’ for cuisine.”

Lee Jun-hyuk’s heart began to beat with excitement.

The highest praise.

“What kind of dishes do you think it could be used for?”

Yu Ilhan asked carefully.

“Hmm, the possibilities are endless.”

Pierre closed his eyes for a moment, lost in happy imagination.

“You could add it to a fresh salad for extra texture, or use it as a main ingredient in stir-fried dishes with other vegetables. Ah, it would even make an interesting combination in a French Egg Pie Quiche.”

He opened his eyes and looked straight at Lee Jun-hyuk.

“So, what’s the price?”

Tension returned in an instant.

Now came the most important part: price negotiation.

“15 cents per can.”

Lee Jun-hyuk answered in a steady voice.

Pierre paused, calculating for a moment.

His fingertips tapped lightly on the marble tabletop.

“I could sell it at retail for 25 cents. Good.”

A margin of over 40%. Considering it was a high-end grocery, this was not a bad deal for either side.

“What’s the minimum order quantity?”

“50 cans.”

“Alright.”

Pierre stood up.

“Then, I’ll start with 100 cans. I want to see how my store’s demanding customers respond first.”

Lee Jun-hyuk and Yu Ilhan exchanged glances.

Their eyes were full of delight and excitement.

100 cans. A remarkably large first order.

Especially from New York’s top gourmet grocery.

“When can you deliver?”

Pierre asked.

“We can have it there as early as tomorrow.”

Yu Ilhan replied, brimming with confidence.

“Excellent. Then, please deliver tomorrow afternoon.”

The two men shook hands with Pierre.

His hand was soft yet firm—the hand of someone who had handled only the finest ingredients for years.

“Oh, and one more thing…”

Pierre said, as if remembering something.

“Are you planning to make any other types of canned foods?”

Lee Jun-hyuk looked over at Yu Ilhan.

Yu Ilhan’s eyes shone as if he had been waiting for this.

“In fact, we’re preparing several new products. Kimchi, soybean sprouts, bracken—things like that.”

“Kimchi?”

Pierre’s interest was immediate.

“You mean that famous fermented vegetable from Korea?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

“Oh, I’m really interested in that.”

An unexpected reaction.

“I first tasted kimchi while studying abroad in Paris. At first it was shocking, but it’s such a unique and charming flavor.”

“But isn’t it too spicy?”

Lee Jun-hyuk asked with concern.

“For most Americans…”

“That’s exactly the point.”

Pierre grinned shrewdly.

“People in New York these days want new, exotic flavors. Especially the upper class. They want something special that others haven’t tried.”

It made sense.

1920s New York. The Jazz Age of change.

People sought new and stimulating experiences in every aspect of life.

“If you make canned kimchi, you must show it to me first.”

“Of course. We promise.”

They left the store.

Outside, the truck driver waiting nervously asked,

“How did it go?”

“Yes! We got an order for 100 cans!”

Yu Ilhan couldn’t hide his excitement.

“Wow, that’s amazing! You’re really breaking into Manhattan now!”

Even the driver seemed genuinely happy, as if it were his own achievement.

On the way back to Brooklyn in the truck.

Lee Jun-hyuk gazed out the window, deep in thought.

The tidy, beautiful streets of Greenwich Village flashed by in a blur.

People with leisurely expressions, elegant shops.

“If only we could sell La Choy canned goods here….”

He saw the potential.

Not just cheap side dishes for Asian laborers, but ingredients appearing on the tables of the Western elite.

It had seemed impossible at first, but today, he had finally cracked open that stubborn door.

“Boss.”

Yu Ilhan broke the silence.

“Are you really going to make canned kimchi?”

“Why? Is it technically difficult?”

“It’s not just that… kimchi is a living, fermenting food. I’m not sure it’s even possible to make it into a canned product.”

His concern was valid.

Kimchi was alive, continuously fermenting. To trap such a food inside a metal can…

“Of course, we’ll have to study it.”

Lee Jun-hyuk replied.

“But I don’t think it’s impossible. There’s no problem in this world without a solution.”

Truthfully, Lee Jun-hyuk already knew.

In the future, canned kimchi would actually exist. It would be developed for the military, even for use in space.

But achieving that with 1920s technology was a completely different matter.

They arrived at the factory.

All the employees had stopped their work and were waiting outside for them.

Every face was full of anticipation and nervousness.

“How did it go?”

Walter couldn’t hold back and asked urgently.

“Success! We got an order for 100 cans from Manhattan!”

Yu Ilhan shouted at the top of his lungs.

Waaaaah!

An enormous cheer erupted.

The employees hugged each other in joy.

Someone threw their hat high into the air.

As if welcoming a victorious general returning from war, the factory instantly transformed into a festive scene.

“Are we really expanding to Manhattan?”

A young female employee asked in disbelief.

“And in the top gourmet shop in Greenwich Village?”

“Yes. It’s a wonderful French store called ‘Gourmet Deli.’”

Lee Jun-hyuk answered with a smile.

“Wow….”

Pride and satisfaction filled the faces of the employees.

Just a few days ago, the factory had been on the brink of closing. Now, they were supplying products to a high-end shop at the very heart of New York—Manhattan.

“This is just the beginning.”

Lee Jun-hyuk addressed everyone.

Our products will reach more places, a wider world. The top-quality goods you all make with your sweat and effort.”

Walter, excited, raised his hand.

“Boss, shouldn’t we increase production right away?”

He was right.

At the current pace, they wouldn’t be able to keep up with the rapidly increasing orders.

“Starting next week, we’ll move to two shifts at the factory.”

Lee Jun-hyuk revealed his plan.

“That way, we can double our production.”

“Two shifts?”

“Yes. And if necessary, we’ll hire more employees.”

There was another buzz among the staff.

More jobs would be created. In this endless depression, that was hope itself.

“Alright, let’s get back to work!”

Walter clapped his hands.

“We need to prepare 100 cans for Gourmet Deli tomorrow and there are more orders piling up!”

The employees returned to their stations.

The machinery in the workshop clattered lively once more. But this time, the sound felt far more hopeful than before.

Lee Jun-hyuk and Yu Ilhan went upstairs to the office.

“It was a day right out of a movie.”

Yu Ilhan slumped into a chair.

“This morning started with a threatening call from Bancroft, and by afternoon, we’re in Manhattan.”

“That’s how life is.”

Lee Jun-hyuk laughed.

“Good things and bad things always come in turns.”

Just then, as if to prove his point, the phone rang.

What could it be this time?

“La Choy Foods.”

“Mr. Lee Jun-hyuk? This is Robert.”

Robert’s voice sounded unusually urgent and uneasy.

“What’s going on?”

“Just now… someone strange visited the office.”

Lee Jun-hyuk’s face hardened.

“Someone strange?”

“Yes. He said he was from the city’s Public Health Authority… but the atmosphere felt really suspicious.”

Of course.

Bancroft had already started moving.

“What did he say?”

“He said La Choy’s factory needs to be investigated immediately. That they’d be checking our hygiene standards.”

“When are they coming?”

“He said they’d be here tomorrow morning.”

Tomorrow morning.

Of all times, it had to be right when they were scheduled to make the first delivery to Gourmet Deli.

“And also…”

Robert hesitated, then continued.

“I think that man knows Mr. Bancroft.”

“What makes you think so?”

“I overheard him muttering as he left. ‘I did as Mr. Bancroft asked, so I’ll get a nice payout now,’ or something like that…”

Lee Jun-hyuk let out a deep sigh.

He had expected something, but not such swift and thorough action. Using the Public Health Authority instead of the police was a cunning move by Bancroft.

“Understood. We’ll be prepared.”

“Boss, if you need any help, just say the word.”

Sincere concern could be heard in Robert’s voice.

He hung up and explained the situation to Yu Ilhan.

“The health inspectors are coming tomorrow?”

Yu Ilhan’s face darkened seriously.

“Bancroft has already made his move.”

“We expected this.”

Lee Jun-hyuk replied, more calmly than ever.

“In fact, maybe it’s for the best. This is a chance to show them just how clean and sanitary our factory is.”

“But… if they come determined to find fault…”

Yu Ilhan’s concern was warranted.

No matter how cleanly things were managed, if someone was determined to create a problem, they’d find one—especially if a powerful man like Bancroft was behind it.

“That’s why we have work to do tonight. Let’s do a full cleaning.”

Lee Jun-hyuk said, determined.

“Down to every tile, every corner, no gaps left untouched. Not a speck of dust for them to find.”

The two men went down to the workshop.

“Everyone, please listen up for a moment.”

Lee Jun-hyuk called together the employees, just as they were about to start their work.

“We’ve just been notified. Tomorrow morning, the city’s Public Health Authority will be coming for an inspection.”

The employees’ faces immediately tensed.

“Bancroft must’ve sent them, right?”

Walter said, quick to catch on.

“Probably.”

Lee Jun-hyuk nodded.

“So after work today, we’ll be doing a complete factory cleaning together. Of course, this isn’t mandatory. Only those who want to help, please stay.”

A short silence fell.

Everyone glanced at each other nervously.

Then, one person quietly raised his hand.

It was Walter.

“I’ll stay.”

Encouraged by him, others began to raise their hands, one by one.

“Me too.”

“I’ll definitely stay as well.”

In the end, every employee present raised their hand—not a single one left out.

“Thank you… really, everyone.”

Lee Jun-hyuk’s voice trembled, despite himself.

They were no longer just employees. They were comrades, keeping the factory alive together.

6 p.m.

When regular work ended, the great cleaning of La Choy Foods began.

Everyone rolled up their sleeves and got to work on every corner of the factory. The floors, the walls, even the cracks in the giant machines.

“There’s a spiderweb up here!”

“There’s a bit of dust in this corner!”

Everyone worked as if it was their own home.

Lee Jun-hyuk himself grabbed a cold rag and scrubbed the floor. Next to him, Yu Ilhan worked just as hard.

“Doing this together makes me feel like I’m back in school.”

A young female employee laughed.

“Yeah. It’s actually kind of fun, isn’t it?”

The mood wasn’t bad at all.

If anything, there was a strong sense of unity, a bond formed by overcoming crisis together.

It wasn’t until after 9 p.m. that the cleaning ended.

The factory shone, not a speck of dust anywhere. It was as clean as a newly built building.

“Perfect.”

Walter straightened his back, satisfied.

“With this, no matter how picky the inspector, they won’t find even a single hair.”

The employees left, one by one.

Their faces were exhausted, but their expressions were brighter than ever. There was a deep sense of achievement in having overcome something together.

Lee Jun-hyuk was the last to look over the now-dark factory.

It really was spotless.

“Tomorrow is the real test.”

The inspection by the health authorities sent by Bancroft, and the first delivery to Gourmet Deli, both crucial for La Choy’s future.

He absolutely had to succeed at both.