Welcome to Cooking Karma Systems or How a Food Critic's Karma Caught her after Reincarnation. I'm planning to make this some sort of restaurant simulator with copious amounts of food porn. This quest is inspired by various cooking anime and webnovels dedicated to cooking.
In this quest, you guide Tiffany Gonzales as she tries to complete the system tasks and avoid dying young - hopefully revolutionizing the cooking world in the process and getting some character development along the way.
"I once ate cardboard. It tastes better than this steak."
"_____ is the worst restaurant that opened since Mcdonalds."
"The meat inside the luxurious shell is shriveled and dried; the restaurant would find more success in jewelry than in the food business."
A screeching sound and a loud crash...
Then darkness…
X.x.X.
"Where am I?"
Tiffany blinked as she nursed a colossal headache. She seemed to have gotten an extra set of memories. On one hand, she remembered slipping and her head hitting the floor. On the other hand, she remembered getting in her sports car when a truck lost control and careened near her.
In both, she was called Tiffany Gonzales.
But, in one set of memories, she's aged 32 and living a glamorous life as an infamous food critic. In another, she just turned 22 and was in the process of job hunting.
Looking around the cluttered dormitory, Tiffany sadly knew that the latter memories were probably more real. The older Tiffany didn't live in an apartment turned dormitory instead she got a high-end condominium as a present from her father.
But, before she can delve into the differences between both memories, a robotic voice interrupted her.
"Detecting Cooking Karma levels".
"Found user: Tiffany Gonzales."
"Greetings, user. You are now the proud owner of the Cooking System."
"Starting today you only have 167 hours, 59 minutes and 10 seconds to live."
Tiffany's glorious fantasy of becoming a protagonist with her own cheat which bloomed with the word system shattered with the last sentence.
"Wait, what do you mean that I have 167 hours to live?!" Tiffany shrieked, watching the timer in the system interface go down second by second.
User, you only need to think aloud to use the system.
The system meant that after the time lapsed, your karma will catch up to you making you bear the curses aimed at your past life and you will most likely die.
'What curses? I may not be perfectly clear on the memories I received yet, but I know that while my past life may not be a saint but she's not a bad person! I haven't murdered anyone or committed any heinous crimes.'
That is correct. If taken holistically the user's past life has ordinary karma - not that bad or good.
'So why?'
It was analyzed that there is one part of the user's karma that negatively affected the whole world.
Due to user's criticisms, it is estimated that 127 restaurants have closed down, thousands of chefs have been disheartened and the said world cooking skills have lagged down in the multiverse by a noticeable margin.
Tiffany wrinkled her brows, then mentally asked. "Really, system? You're not joking? I find that hard to believe."
Although, she has heard of several restaurants closing down when she wrote a particularly scathing review and even a noted master chef retiring due to it, saying that her criticisms brought the cooking skills of a whole world down was absolutely ridiculous.
Are you sure that there is no mistake?
This is the conclusion of the heaven bureaucracy and thus final.
But, fear not, heaven is fair and owing to your overall karma, it has given you a chance if you chose to take it.
Seeing the chance to not die in less than a week, "I'll take it of course! Out with it, system!"
The heavenly court has decided that the karma of the past life would be canceled if Tiffany Gonzales managed to bring an equal amount of positive cooking karma in this world that she negatively caused in her past life.
"Meaning?"
If you managed to open 127 different restaurants through yourself or others, inspired thousands of chefs and brought the cooking skills of this world to another level, the lifespan counter would stop and you will no longer have any danger of losing your life.
Why don't you ask the world while at it? I only know how to boil noodles. Tiffany sarcastically replied, a bit dumbfounded and depressed. "I suppose I have a one-week time limit as well since there is the dying once the lifespan counter runs out."
Fear not. Heaven is fair, the system will guide the user in her cooking journey. Lifespan can be extended by completing tasks as well.
"Well, at least it isn't completely impossible." Tiffany assessed.
Observing her lifespan clock which was steadily dwindling, she sighed.
There really was no choice is there?
She wants to live!
"Okay, what was my first task?"
Tutorial Mission: Your first dish!
The system will give you a free recipe that you can cook with the experience of a 1-star master chef.
Successfully creating the dish will result in an addition of 72 hours in your lifespan and unlocking the next task.
System Hint: The Cooking Master System has looked over your current situation and your finances can probably only handle a food truck. Please pick your free recipe choice, accordingly.
Money: $ 9,275
Remaining Lifespan: 252 hours, 32 minutes and 10 seconds (accurate as of update 1.6)
Attributes:
Health - ooo (0/500 XP)
Tiffany is usually healthy. No sign of illness or complication for this girl yet.
Strenght - oo (0/250 XP)
Years of college and sedentary work has left you a bit weaker than average.
Stamina -o (0/100 XP)
Exercise. What is that? A proud couch potato.
Dexterity - oo (0/250 XP)
A bit clumsier than most but not a total disaster.
Intelligence - oooo + ? (0/1000 xp)
You were above average in intelligence, taking straight A in your courses. But, the knowledge of your past life has given you another perspective as well as boosting your analytical skills.
Charm - ooo + ? (0/ 500 XP)
You're a pretty girl to begin with. Living a second life wherein you are successful has boosted your confidence and made you a bit wittier.
Hidden Attributes:
???
Skills:
Wok Skill: Tumbling (1 star) - the art of turning over food in the wok. Work hard and achieve the perfect Wok He one day, young lady!
Learned Recipes:
Golden Fried Rice - the perfect accompaniment for Chinese main dishes as well as the best base for different fried rice flavors.
[X] Chocolate Ice Cream
I know you guys are going to look at me funny but hear me out: This is something deceptively simple, and more importantly, we can get into the world of crafting cakes down this route!
There's too much burger truck competition, nevermind the restaurants and drive-thrus. Grilled Cheese is still portable and good comfort food and also still branches to melts.
Not true. Fried rice is very flexible on the ingredients but brutal on the technique. Getting it perfectly fried, evenly coated, especially in larger servings, is hard.
Whereas for Burgers the technique is relatively straightforward, its all in the materials and how you combine them.
As you can see, pork fried rice won overwhelmingly! Meta-wise, Beef Burger stands for American Cuisine, Chocolate Ice Cream stands for Frozen Deserts and Grilled Cheese stands for Finger Foods.
This doesn't actually lock you in a specific cuisine. As the quest goes onward, we may branch into other cuisine depending on player choices.
"Acknowledged, please get ready for the tutorial." The robotic voice which Tiffany was getting increasingly familiar with spoke again but this time there was authority in its voice.
COMMENCING TUTORIAL TRIAL
MENTAL SPACE CREATED
ERROR: UNKNOWN OBJECT IN TRIAL SPACE
ACKNOWLEDGED GREATER AUTHORITY
COMMENCING TRIAL
X.x.X.
"Hey, are you okay?" A masculine voice asked her.
Tiffany who's head was once again spinning for the second time this day didn't answer immediately. She had a feeling that she would throw up if she opened her mouth.
A hand touched her forehead.
"Your past life hasn't fully integrated into your mind yet. Let's see…"
The palm touching Tiffany's forehead began to cool and a cold sensation spread toward her head. Tiffany immediately felt better.
"Chain Quest: Past Memories added to the system database."
"Sir, the system would like to lodge a complaint; interfering in user's trial is illegal."
"Just think of it as a tutorial freebie. We are supposed to give those."
Tiffany opened her eyes to meet a handsome young man dressed in a black cotton cross blazer with matching black pants. "Feeling better?"
"Thank you," Tiffany replied. Looking at her surroundings she noticed that she wasn't on her shared dormitory anymore but in some sort of old-style Chinese kitchen. The one you see in movie sets, with a wooden table, ingredients hanging from the ceiling and a stone stove at the corner of the room.
"Where are we?"
The mysterious man grinned. "We are in a mental landscape. I just decorated to make it a bit thematic. Whenever you need to learn a recipe, you will be transported here for your trial. As for me, you can think of me as the trial supervisor who will guide you in learning recipes."
A bit suspicious, Tifanny asked. "Is that true, system?"
Confirmed User. Mr. Shen is now the supervisor of the tutorial trial.
Please stand by for the beginning of the Tutorial Trial.
Pork Fried Rice Part 1: Preparing the Rice.
5 intelligent attribute x 10 system recipe bonus vs. 20 DC
1d50 vs 10 DC
36 vs 10 DC
Critical Success
"Ok. It's my turn now."
Shen waved his hand and from out of nowhere the table now has a bag of rice, a pot, a pitcher and a measuring cup
"The key to the rice in fried rice is moisture. The more dry the rice that was used as the ingredient, the better the resulting fried rice. According to common wisdom, there are two ways to do it." Shen held up two fingers. "One is to cook the rice and wait 24 hours before using it. Two is to directly dry the cooked rice by spreading it in a hot tray or using a fan."
"I think I prefer the first method. You only need to wait a whole day for the rice and then you're done."
"Yes. Many cooks prefer the first method as well. But, you never know the future. Maybe you'll enter a cooking competition one day and need to dry rice very quickly." Shen joked.
"Is that a future prediction? "Tiffany who was still suspicious of the so-called Mr. Shen asked. She remembered that the system said something about an unknown at the beginning.
"Who knows?" Shen just smiled. "In any case, have you ever wondered that instead of drying the rice, the best method is not putting moisture in the first place?"
"In theory, I suppose it could work," Tiffany replied.
"Good. Then your first task is cooking rice using less water. A 0.90 ratio from normal would be good."
"Wait. I don't know how to cook rice in the first place!"
"Ah. Don't you?" And with an enigmatic smile, Shen walked away.
At the same time, knowledge about how to cook rice flooded into her brain. Compared to when she got her past life's memory, this one felt gentler than before. Perhaps, because it only contained how to cook rice?
To think it was this simple.
Washing the rice, until the water is clear. Then using the measuring cup to get 0.90% of the normal ratio of rice and water.
Then, carefully watching the rice as it boiled over.
"Congratulations user for passing Part I: Rice Preparation!"
Overall, this tutorial task is a piece of cake!
"Please begin Part II: the Golden Fried Rice!"
At the corner of the room, Shen smiled once again.
X.x.X.
Tiffany wants to take everything back about this being easy, this trial was stupid!
2 dexterity attributes * 10 system recipe bonus vs. 150 DC
15D20 vs. 150
14 Failure 1 Pass vs. 150 DC
Interpretation: Try and try again until you succeed?
"Why do we need to use a wok to cook fried rice anyway?" Tiffany asked with some resentment, once she dropped the heavy wok in the flame along with the fried rice she was cooking with it.
Again.
It was ten times now.
"User, Wok is perfect for fried rice since it distributes heat evenly and has a naturally non-stick surface."
Before Tiffany could rebut that no one actually used a wok anymore due to the convenience of the pan, Shen's mirthful voice stopped her. "When I look at this fried rice - soulless and bland like the modern machine mixer that spits it out. I am saddened by the death of tradition in our cuisine. Chow Royal proved to be just another over-commercialized Chinese Restaurant that shows no signs of stopping from duplicating their bland fair ."
Tiffany stopped.
Those words seemed familiar.
"I thought you'll be fine with the return of tradition…. After all, that was your review for Chow Royal's fried rice." Shen smirked from the tabletop, seemingly amused by her struggles.
Tiffany trembled at the implication. "Are you basing my trial on my past food reviews?"
"Yes."
"Damn."
The Past Tiffany Gonzales wrote thousands of reviews. All filled with sharp words and criticisms.
She was so screwed.
X.x.X.
After the eighty-seventh attempt, Tiffany managed to complete the dish without dropping the wok or parts of the rice on the floor while doing the so-called expert wok technique called tumbling.
"Finally! It's over."
Shen took a look at her fried rice without even tasting it and then read aloud from his book, "A proper golden fried rice shines like each grain is made of gold. This fried rice looked like the gold was dipped in mud. Unappetizing to look at."
Tiffany looked at the blotches of sesame oil and soy sauce that didn't blend in on her attempt.
"Oh come on!"
"Past me, why did you write that!"
X.x.X.
Somewhere in the next hundred trials, Tiffany was getting crazy.
She slammed the dish right in front of Shen. Seeing that each grain is shining like gold, he took a bite.
"Too bland!"
Before Shen could read the corresponding customary quote from his collection of Tiffany's food reviews, she screamed.
"ARRRRRRRGGGG!!!"
...
…
…
...
"Are you giving up?" Shen asked after Tiffany calmed down.
"Are you kidding me?!"
This is my lifespan we're talking about! I once ate at 20 restaurants a day for a whole year. This is nothing!"
After that Tiffany stomped off.
"Maybe this could work out all right, after all." Shen silently murmured.
X.x.X.
After almost another hundred attempts, the perfect golden fried rice was made. Each grain separated from the rest like unvarnished ears of gold. The different vegetable shining like jewels from the sea of light.
Once tasted, the grains melt in one's mouth like some buttery egg goodness, the vegetable giving a nice contrast with its crisp freshness.
"Perfect."
"Congratulations user for passing Part 2 of the tutorial!"
Learned Recipe: Golden Fried Rice - the perfect accompaniment for Chinese main dishes as well as the best base for different fried rice flavors.
Learned Wok Skill: Tumbling (1 star) - the art of turning over food in the wok. Work hard and achieve the perfect Wok He one day, young lady!
Due to mental fatigue, Part 3 of the Pork Fried Rice is deferred by the request of the tutorial supervisor.
The reward for completing part 1 and part 2:
2 hours + 72 hours = 74 hours lifespan added
Current lifespan: 241 hours 52 minutes 43 seconds
Mental Fatigued Status Effect
X.x.X.
New Main Quest Alert!
Tutorial: Preparing for your first Restaurant:
Opening a business is hard work. Worst of all, it needs lots of money. Figure out what your first business should look like and how much you can safely borrow.
Possible Loans:
[ ] $ 10,000 (government loan)
- covered under the Microbusiness Act to stimulate the creation of new businesses. The term is only 6 months and it has 4% interest rate a year. As a fresh graduate student with a good credit score, you're qualified to get it.
- You only need to pay 1,686 dollars a month. As a government loan, not mutually exclusive with other business loans.
[ ] $10,000 (business loan)
- You just needed just a little bit more.
- Has an Upfront Fee of 300 dollars (for underwriting, administrative, etc.) and an interest rate of 7% annually with a 1-year term. You will need to pay 865 dollar a month. APR is 12.754%. Mutually exclusive with all loans except the government loan.
[ ] $25,000 (business loan)
A larger bet for a bigger prize
- Has an upfront fee of 750 dollars (for underwriting, administrative, etc) and an interest rate of 10% annually with a 1 year and 6 months term. You will need to pay 1,501 dollars a month. APR is 13.99%. Mutually exclusive with all loans except the government loan.
[ ] $50,000 (business loan)
The biggest bet of them all.
- Has an upfront fee of 1,500 dollars (for underwriting, administrative, etc) and an interest rate of 15% annually with a 2-year term. You will need to pay 2,424 dollars a month. APR is 18.129%. Mutually exclusive with all loans except the government loan.
Form of Business:
Pick 1:
[ ] Permanent Kiosks/Carts
- 5,000 dollars to 25,000 dollars to make one
- Cheapest option.
- Permanent stations near places where crowd gather such as malls, park, train stations, etc.
- Has space rental that needed to be negotiated.
[ ] Mobile Food Truck
- New food truck cost 50,000 dollars above.
- One can get Used food truck for 25,000 dollars to 30,000 dollars.
- Rental is also possible at 2,500 a month for a 6-month term.
- Has gas expense as an overhead.
QM Note: Ok Finally finished. Writing this has made me hungry. Time to eat!
Its 1 AM and I'm suddenly starving.
For fried rice I think a permanent kiosk works better, its not a suitable walk-and-eat food so you want something that comes with seats at least.
[x] $ 10,000 (government loan)
- covered under the Microbusiness Act to stimulate the creation of new businesses. The term is only 6 months and it has 4% interest rate a year. As a fresh graduate student with a good credit score, you're qualified to get it.
- You only need to pay 1,686 dollars a month. As a government loan, not mutually exclusive with other business loans.
[x] $10,000 (business loan)
- You just needed just a little bit more.
- Has an Upfront Fee of 300 dollars (for underwriting, administrative, etc.) and an interest rate of 7% annually with a 1-year term. You will need to pay 865 dollar a month. APR is 12.754%. Mutually exclusive with all loans except the government loan.
[x] Permanent Kiosks/Carts
- 5,000 dollars to 25,000 dollars to make one
- Cheapest option.
- Permanent stations near places where crowd gather such as malls, park, train stations, etc.
- Has space rental that needed to be negotiated.
@Night Sentinel Is it instead possible specify a cheap mobile cart option that has less of a need to negotiate space rental because it's explicitly more mobile and can just hang out on streets instead of taking a specific spot on a property? Basically, same flexibility as a Food Truck, just downscaled.
